Chelsea Decaminada Memorial Fellowship
A Celebration of Chelsea’s Legacy
Honoring the Legacy of Chelsea Decaminada
Chelsea Decaminada was a compassionate leader and a dedicated advocate for international service. As a participant in the 2013 DukeEngage-Kolkata program, she worked alongside fellow DukeEngagers and local nonprofits to support youth and children with special needs. After graduating from Duke in 2015 with a degree in Public Policy and International Comparative Studies, she continued her commitment to service as a Peace Corps volunteer in Tanzania.
Chelsea’s journey was one of unwavering dedication to making the world a better place. She was on assignment in Sri Lanka for the U.S. Department of Commerce when she was critically injured in the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks on churches and hotels. She passed away on May 4, 2019.
Chelsea Decaminada Memorial DukeEngage Fellowship
In honor of Chelsea’s passion for global engagement, her family—along with more than 100 donors—established the Chelsea Decaminada Memorial DukeEngage Fellowship. This fellowship provides an opportunity for students who have successfully completed a DukeEngage Group program or the Gateway Program to deepen their impact through a second summer of immersive work abroad.
Fellows receive $6,000 in funding to pursue one of the following:
- Working in the same region but with a different organization in a related sector.
- Expanding on their project theme in a new international location.
Preference will be given to solo projects, though teams of two will also be considered. Recipients will be invited to share their experiences at the fall DukeEngage Reunion, continuing Chelsea’s legacy of service, learning, and connection across borders.
Through this fellowship, Chelsea’s spirit of generosity, courage, and global citizenship lives on—empowering the next generation to serve with the same dedication and heart that she embodied.
Please confirm your project with DukeEngage prior to starting your application to ensure it aligns with the program parameters.
Eligibility
- Duke undergraduate students who completed a group DukeEngage program or the Gateway program.
- Graduating seniors are not eligible to apply.
Program Expectations
- Projects must be on site for eight consecutive weeks.
- Students must commit to at least 35-40 hours per week with an established community organization.
- Fellows attend orientation, community engagement and professional development activities.
- During the semester following the summer experience, Fellows may be asked to participate in 1-2 events.
- Fellows will be expected to present their projects at the DukeEngage Fall Reunion.
2025 Decaminada Memorial Fellow
Emely Arredondo ‘26, a 2023 DukeEngage Paraguay participant, was the Decaminada Memorial DukeEngage Fellow in 2025. For her Decaminada fellowship, Emely engaged in a community-oriented internship at the Memorial Museum of Dominican Resistance in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Declared under UNESCO’s Memory of the World program, this memorial and human rights institution grapples with the resistance movements and human rights struggles of the Dominican people during 1916-78. Throughout her 8 weeks at the museum, she worked at the administrative offices, propping up the museum’s inaugural international department. From engaging in the compilation of research and project grants, mapping collaboration opportunities to contacting corresponding foreign offices and engaging in human rights workshops with key civil society actors, her work led to a planned joint exhibition with the Cultural Center of Spain in Santo Domingo and a new partnership with the Baltasar Garzón International Foundation. Regarding her summer experience with the Memorial Museum of Dominican Resistance, Emely eagerly shares, “It was an insanely fruitful and insightful opportunity. From learning about Dominican history that I had never learned about to the everyday interactions with the museum staff and museumgoers, I was left in awe of the museum’s reach nationally and internationally. It is true gem for us Dominicans!”
2024 Decaminada Memorial Fellow
Dhruv Rungta ’26, a 2023 DukeEngage Costa Rica participant, was the Decaminada Memorial DukeEngage Fellow in 2024. For his Decaminada fellowship, Dhruv was a part of an interagency team between the FBI, EPA, and DOJ that focused on investigating high profile environmental crimes flagged for environmental justice concerns. Contributing to the mission of bringing justice to communities impacted by environmental exploitation (think poisoned drinking water, toxic waste dumping near preschools and cancer hotspots) and historically overlooked by the federal government meant a lot to Dhruv. He writes, “My experience working with my community partner during DukeEngage Costa Rica last summer gave me invaluable skills and perspective, allowing me to address large-scale community issues more effectively during my fellowship this summer at the Department of Justice.”
2026 Decaminada Fellowship Application Timeline
- Application Opens: Week of January 12
- Start working on designing your independent project! Let us know if you need help.
- Application Deadline: February 15 (11:59pm Eastern Time)
- Interviews: Week of February 16
- Notifications: Week of February 20
- Student Commitment: February 27
- Training Seminar: April 18
The Chelsea Decaminada program application will be posted in Spring 2026.
Be prepared to upload a resume and partnership verification with your application.
APPLY NOW!
The Decaminada family established the Chelsea Decaminada Memorial DukeEngage Fellowship Fund to celebrate Chelsea’s passion for civic engagement and international development.
To date, more than 100 family, friends, coworkers, and Duke and DukeEngage alumni have contributed to the fund.
Make a gift in memory of Chelsea