DukeEngage is seeking proposals for new faculty-led programs in the U.S. and abroad for summers 2024 and 2025.
DukeEngage consists of more than 20 eight-week, faculty-led summer programs, each enabling small groups of students and faculty to collaborate with a community to address critical societal needs through an immersive summer of community engagement. Each program centers around a societal theme — for example, education, engineering, environment, health, human rights, migration, race, social enterprise, and so on.
DukeEngage is seeking new programs. We are especially interested in proposals that focus on healthcare; food; engineering; the climate crisis; energy, environment, and sustainability; racial equity; inequities in health and wealth; civil discourse and democracy; and urbanization and the urban/rural divide. Programs can be located anywhere in the world that are not on Duke’s restricted regions list, but we are hoping to build out a portfolio of programs in Durham, elsewhere in North Carolina, and in the rural US. Proposals that build connections to other signature programs—e.g., Bass Connections, the Duke + programs, and the Global Health Student Research Training Program (SRT)—are also especially welcome.
Proposals for a Summer 2024 program are due August 30. For faculty wanting to explore the possibility of a program in Summer 2025, DukeEngage has site exploration funding for logistical research and relationship building with potential partners. We will entertain exploration grants up to $5,000 per program. Site exploration funds can be requested at any time during the year. To request site exploration funds, please send a query to inga.peterson@duke.edu.
The Basics
- Most programs range in size from four to eight students; some are larger.
- The core of the program for students is full-time work with one or more community organizations for eight weeks. Some programs disperse students among multiple organizations, while others work as a team with one organization.
- Each program begins with a mutually beneficial partnership between a faculty Program Director and one or more community organizations. Student work must be guided by the community and may consist of direct service, project work, advocacy, or community-based research.
- Work is accompanied by cultural immersion and regular, intentional critical reflection.
- 2024 programs can run between May 10 – August 16, 2024.
- DukeEngage hires site coordinators who will be on site for the full eight weeks. Faculty must spend at least the first two weeks on site.
- The program is fully funded for all participants. In addition to travel and living expenses, program budgets include a small allotment for cultural enrichment.
- The DukeEngage Program Director role description and general timeline of responsibilities can be found here. Faculty compensation is provided in the form of supplemental summer salary.
- Additional program development considerations can be found here.
Proposals
We especially value programs that have one or more of the following characteristics:
- Arise from existing partnerships
- Focus on a new or compelling theme
- Are in a location where there are currently no other repeating DukeEngage programs
Proposals should include:
- Faculty director(s) + contact information
- Location (city/community, state, country)
- Theme (see our website for examples; new themes are welcome)
- How long you envision being on site beyond the first two weeks.
- Potential partner organizations
- Potential full-time student projects/work
- Brief description of the community
- Your prior experience in the proposed community
- Potential prerequisites (language, skills) or academic connections for students
We’re happy to be a sounding board as you consider a proposal. Send any questions you might have to Inga Peterson (inga.peterson@duke.edu). Once we receive your proposal, we will be in touch for more details.