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DukeEngage on Your Resume

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The Right Way to Include DukeEngage on a Resume

*IMPORTANT NOTE: Your DukeEngage experience was not employment. We encourage you to frame your summer placement in using accurate descriptions. If prospective employers or graduate schools call for a reference, will your community partner or our team at DukeEngage recognize and verify how you described yourself, your position and your contributions?

Things to Include

  • Soft skills: critical thinking, problem solving, teamwork, leadership, communication, adaptability, conflict resolution, cultural awareness.
  • Time commitment, partnership, reciprocity, flexibility
  • Play up the selectivity: “DukeEngage is a fully funded and highly selective program that provides undergraduate students the opportunity to participate in 8-weeks of immersive full-time volunteer service in communities around the world.”
  • Funding: Participation in DukeEngage is funded by Duke University
  • Be specific and truthful; highlight the mentoring you received and the knowledge you gained from your community partners
  • Emphasize skills and collaboration with your organization
  • Be clear about the duration and specific about the significant time commitment. You didn’t volunteer for a few hours a week; you worked with your community partners 40/hours a week (min. 320 hours).

Ask Yourself

  • What would my community partner think of this description?
  • Does this description accurately represent the work I’ve done?
  • Does the way I have described my work highlight my partnership with my organization?
  • Will a reference call support my resume or lead to an awkward clarification on the part of DukeEngage or my community partner?

Good Examples

Additions to your resume should highlight specific skills used to make contributions during your experience, stressing the collaborative effort involved in completing your work.

Research Assistant with (lab/project), Summer 2018

  • Conducted 12 bio-diversity surveys on X, Y and Z in Costa Rica
  • Analyzed (characteristic) in (topic area)
  • Assisted Project Supervisor with X, Y and Z tasks
  • Co-author of … or Featured in (paper) published in …
  • Received funding from Duke University as a participant of DukeEngage, a fully funded and highly selective program that provides undergraduate students the opportunity to participate in 8-weeks of immersive full-time volunteer service in communities around the world.

Intern, Organization, Summer 2018

  • Created a database that assisted the organization with …
  • Wrote newsletter and website articles about X, Y and Z for targeted audiences
  • Tracked progress of legislature related to …
  • Received funding from Duke University as a participant of DukeEngage, a fully funded and highly selective program that provides undergraduate students the opportunity to participate in 8-weeks of immersive full-time volunteer service in communities around the world.

Student Teacher or Mentor, Organization, Summer 2018

  • Prepared daily lesson plans and taught English classes at a middle school under supervision from experienced teacher
  • Received funding from Duke University as a participant of DukeEngage, a fully funded and highly selective program that provides undergraduate students the opportunity to participate in 8-weeks of immersive full-time volunteer service in communities around the world.

Intern, Organization, Summer 2018

  • Developed a preventative health campaign which was approved by Organization for production
  • Assisted with youth addiction program
  • Created and implemented alternative rehabilitation techniques and training
  • Supported environmental education workshops
  • Received funding from Duke University as a participant of DukeEngage, a fully funded and highly selective program that provides undergraduate students the opportunity to participate in 8-weeks of immersive full-time volunteer service in communities around the world.

Not-so-good Examples
These examples lack detail, overstate responsibilities or fail to illustrate collaboration with team members or community partners.

Chief Database Analyst, 2018

  • Created and maintained a database that is used to formulate major policies
  • Funded by The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

Middle School Teacher, 2018

  • Designed and implemented an English curriculum for a middle school

Campaign Manager, 2018

  • Single-handedly developed new techniques and training for rehabilitation