Jalen ’22 (DukeEngage Thailand)
The guiDE program provides DukeEngage alumni a pathway to continue their commitment to service and civic engagement by providing leadership, mentorship and service opportunities that support wider DukeEngage efforts on campus and beyond.
Jalen
Major: Biology and Environmental Science
Contact Jalen: jalen.gibbs@duke.edu
Jalen is originally from Atlanta, GA, but spent his middle and high school years in Burlington, VT. He is an avid animal lover and admirer of the natural world and has chosen to major in biology and environmental science. On top of that, he is working towards a certificate in marine science and conservation leadership. Jalen is a skilled SCUBA diver and fluent in Spanish. He is also interested in alleviating world hunger and volunteers at local food warehouses in his spare time. He continued to do so after DukeEngage. His passion for marine life led him to DukeEngage Thailand with GVI due to its focus in coastal conservation. Ask Jalen about DukeEngage and he’ll tell you it was the best experience of his life, hands down! Why? You’ll find out when you meet him. Also, if you are considering making a DukeEngage E-Portfolio, Jalen can give you some pointers.
Resource Guide
Following his summer working in Thailand, Jalen developed the following list of resources for students who are interested in that program — or similar programs.
SPAN 205: Advanced Intermediate Spanish Service Learning. From this class, I received preliminary experience in teaching English as well as an increased level of patience. I came equipped to teach English to both ThaiLife staff and middle schoolers thanks to this class.
BIO205: Marine Megafauna My passion is marine biology, so this class reinvigorated me and prepared me for the coastal conservation work I took part in while in Thailand. In particular, this class reminded me of the importance of sustainability efforts and gave me ideas for the turtle enrichment leadership project.
DukeEngage website’s suggested articles were helpful in learning about the culture and social status of Thailand. From the website, I read “The Capacity to adapt? Communities in a changing climate, environment, and economy on the northern Andaman coast of Thailand”. This article gave me a first look into Thai life and also helped me decide that this program is for me.