Benefits of DukeEngage
“Your student will gain independence and make connections to people and places that will help shape them and their future. I would add that the DukeEngage domestic programs are wonderful if you are not comfortable sending your student to far reaches of the planet. The experiences are so valuable regardless of where you are!”
10 Ways DukeEngage Strengthens Students
We often hear from parents whose students have returned from DukeEngage with new perspectives and new passions. The experience leaves its mark on students in both subtle and profound ways. Over the years, here are some of the impacts we’ve measured and witnessed. (If you’re interested in the data behind our list, please take a look at our Impact & Assessment page.) As students progress on their career and graduate school paths, the hard and soft skills gained during their DukeEngage experiences give them a huge advantage on paper — and in person. (Check out our Career & Professional Resources page.)
- Leadership
- Confidence
- Problem-solving
- Critical Reflection
- Communication
- Empathy
- Teamwork
- Global Knowledge
- Job Skills
- Ethical Thinking
“Students considering DukeEngage should be open-minded, prepared to be flexible and willing to adapt to a variety of situations, even some that may stressful or awkward. Students will have the opportunity to improve their interpersonal skills through team work and develop their leadership skills through various situations. It’s a wonderful experience that will truly transform your students into global citizens.”
“DukeEngage is truly an amazing opportunity and a real gift to our students. I would encourage your students to apply to one of the many DukeEngage programs it will broaden their prospective and understanding of our global community.
It was truly life changing for my daughter to work for the Red Cross/Red Crescent Society in Amman, Jordan. Living in Jordan with a host family, working side by side with locals, conducting critical research on women’s rights in the middle east, working “hands on” in refugee camps, and learning Arabic gave her a real sense of the issues in the middle east. Her week living with a Bedouin family in the middle eastern desert, Wadi Rum, in a tent speaking only Arabic gave her a real sense of the humanity we all share as well as an incredible view of the Milky Way! (Which she painted from memory when she returned home.)”
My daughter participated in the Thailand program and it was an incredible experience. It was positive, challenging, informative and I believe transformative. She made a tremendous group of friends that further connected her to Duke and further broadened her view on global issues.
My daughter had an experience of a lifetime in Costa Rica. I feel blessed and grateful she was able to spend a summer immersed in a magical and awe-inspiring rain forest, learning to plant trees, working on a team, learning about birds and other wildlife of the region, and learning about how climate change is threatening this paradise. She was especially grateful and inspired by two super wonder women: Deedra and Debra. I was so happy to hear this because female role models rock!
Our daughter learned things about herself and other people that she simply could not have learned in a classroom. She left Togo after 10 weeks with new relationships that will last a lifetime.