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Preparing…. to challenge yourself and change YOUR world

The communities we partner with deserve the highest standards of ethical engagement, which requires thoughtful preparation. The more students know about their host communities and specific projects ahead of time, the better they can support the work of their partner organizations. Understanding elements of effective community partnerships, frameworks for social change, and cultural differences can make a big difference in the impact of the experience on students and communities. Of course, health and safety preparations are also important.

In the spring, students selected for DukeEngage participate in a robust pre-departure program called the Fortin Foundation DukeEngage Academy, designed to address these topics. The Academy reflects our commitment to preparing students to be successful and ethical global citizens during DukeEngage and beyond.

Required Pre-Departure Activities

Students who commit to DukeEngage are required to participate in the following spring preparation components:

The DukeEngage Convocation is a time to come together as a newly formed community to be inspired, share stories, and collectively acknowledge our practical and ethical commitments.

The Fortin Foundation DukeEngage Academy is a full day of orientation that explore topics like the implications of short-term service, identity & social change, cultural context, and health & safety during DukeEngage. This series provides the groundwork and tools for effective civic engagement, safety, and self-care. The series also encourages DukeEngage participants to cultivate an ethos of critical reflection about the world and their place in it.

This year’s DukeEngage Academy will occur on Saturday, March 20, 2027.

Students participate in two or more orientation meetings led by their DukeEngage program leader(s). These meetings provide the group an opportunity to learn more about one another, their host communities, and their specific summer projects. Community partners and program alumni sometimes join these meetings.

In addition to group learning experiences, students complete virtual learning modules independently, e.g.:

  • DukeEngage Pre-Departure Health and Safety module
  • Understanding the DukeEngage Stipend

In the fall, participants reconvene for the DukeEngage Fall Reunion—a celebration of the breadth and depth of summer experiences—and for group reunions and reflections.

Diversity, Identity and Global Travel

The experiences of each DukeEngage participant will be as different as the students themselves. Some students will be placed in locations where they may be considered a minority and possibly encounter challenges or discrimination based on religion, race, sexual/gender identity, ability or other aspects of their identity. We strive to prepare all participants for this possibility, and to support them during their experience.

If you have any questions or concerns related to safety or well-being during your travels, please reach out directly to the Program Director or to our staff: dukeengage@duke.edu.

Below are some resources that may be helpful.

Some DukeEngage students may be the first person of their perceived ethnicity or race to work in their host community; others may find themselves among the majority for the first time. While some students have reported minimal differences between their home and host communities, others have faced complicated cultural assumptions and norms. To discuss any potential concerns, we encourage you to contact the Program Director early on in your decision-making process.

LGBTQIA+ students have reported a variety of experiences in DukeEngage. Some have worked in cosmopolitan cities where they’ve never felt more welcome to be themselves, while other students have chosen not to share their identities with host country nationals due to perceived cultural norms. To discuss any potential concerns, we encourage you to contact the Program Director early on in your decision-making process.

Students interested in applying to DukeEngage are advised to consider their health status, need for ongoing care, and need for accommodation to carry out the activities involved in a specific DukeEngage experience.

If you have concerns or questions about the work and everyday life activities typical at a specific DukeEngage site, we encourage you to contact that site’s Program Director early on in your decision-making process for information and advice, as well as noting your concerns with us at dukeengage@duke.edu.

The team at DukeReach also has many years of experience supporting DukeEngage students who want or need advice about traveling with physical or mental health concerns; please connect with them if you’d like to talk with someone about your unique needs. If you have a disability, we also encourage you to contact the Duke Student Disability Access Office for advice specific to your needs and to understand the process for requesting accommodations.

Prescribed gender roles vary across societies, and the host communities of our DukeEngage programs are no exception. While some female-identifying participants have reported little to no difference in how their perceived gender shapes their experience, others have encountered strict and/or troubling cultural norms that have impacted them more than they expected. To discuss any potential concerns, we encourage you to contact the Program Director early on in your decision-making process.

DukeEngage students come from a wide variety of religious backgrounds, and many don’t share the religion of their host community. While this normally doesn’t pose problems, students may want to consider how they would react to a lack of access to religious services or how they may need to modify their behavior in order to comply with host-community norms and expectations. To discuss any potential concerns, we encourage you to contact the relevant site’s Program Director early on in your decision-making process.

Identity-related DukeEngage blog posts

We understand that it can be helpful for future participants to gain perspective from their peers, and offer the following blog posts and video from DukeEngage students reflecting on their experiences dealing with diversity issues abroad.

In this deeply moving account of his struggle to be true to his identity while prioritizing his safety, Indy Rajan describes the careful but difficult choices he made and what he learned along the way. WISER school and program leaders provided a supportive environment.