Civic Engagement at Duke a Survey of Campus Programs, Initiatives, and Activities: 2013-2014

Civic Engagement at Duke A Survey of Campus Programs, Initiatives, and Activities: 2013-2014 Prepared By: Elaine Madison, MA, JD Executive Director, University Council on Civic Engagement Jaclyne Purtell, MA Assistant Director for Assessment and Evaluation, DukeEngage Eric Mlyn, PhD Assistant Vice Provost for Civic Engagement October 2015 Below: Dr. Eric Mlyn, Assistant Vice Provost for Civic Engagement and these issues and spend at least part of their time at Peter Lange Executive Director, DukeEngage. Duke addressing them? As you will see in the pages that follow, we are doing just that. Embedded in each data point and story that follows is not only a clear account of what we are doing, but also expressions of why we are doing it and why it matters. The civic ethos is alive and thriving across this University. The history detailed in this report illustrates that it is a founding principle, a rich and varied current priority and surely a future emphasis. I am confident that the document will help to pave the way for how we think about the Duke we want — not only for next year but also for the generations that follow. Dear Colleague: We know full well that we have not captured everything. Additional programs, people and policies I am so pleased to share with you this remarkable will shape future reports. And there will be future document, “Civic Engagement at Duke: A Survey of reports. We now have a system and method to survey Campus Programs, Initiatives and Activities: 2013- our campus, so repeating the process in the years to 2014.” come will not be nearly as challenging as this first effort. Thus, this inventory will also be a success in part I have two motivations for calling what follows because of the efforts that it will surely inspire. remarkable. First, never before has Duke University had such a detailed and comprehensive inventory of This remarkable document would not have been our civic engagement activities. Duke has thrived over completed nor would it be so remarkable without the years in part because of its decentralized structure the brilliance and tenacious work of Elaine Madison and entrepreneurial ethos; the civic engagement and Jacki Purtell, a powerful and dynamic team that ecosystem has taken root and grown in this embodies that rare combination of deep attention environment. This disparate growth poses a challenge to detail with an ability to discern important macro to those attempting to fully grasp all that is happening patterns and themes. Though I am listed as a co- here in the civic space. To address this difficulty, we author, my role has been limited. I also want to thank embarked on the large task of researching and writing the scores of people at Duke who responded to our the report you are reading. Second, the report is requests for information. Without their feedback, remarkable for the range and depth of civic activities there would be no inventory. that it documents on our campus. This range and depth can be seen in the types of activities we are In the pages that follow you will see what civic involved with, the range of students, faculty, staff and engagement looks like at a great University. Enjoy. alumni who are involved, and the local, national and global communities that we serve. At a time when references to “the crisis in American higher education” are proliferating as the cost of and access to higher education have become salient Eric Mlyn political issues, the civic mission of institutions like Assistant Vice Provost for Civic Engagement Duke becomes even more important in the face of Peter Lange Executive Director, DukeEngage seemingly intractable global problems. In the end, we must ask what do our institutions do to contribute to the common good. In short, how can we not bring the knowledge and resources of our great institutions to bear on these problems? How can we not share our riches with those who do not have them? And how can we not have our students understand Table of Contents Executive Summary i Civic Engagement Programs and Initiatives: Educational Practices in Our Approach 56 Introduction 1 Program Profile: CASE i3 Consulting Practicum 57 Student Learning and Civic Spaces 58 Civic Engagement at Duke: A History 3 Program Profile: Team Kenan 59 The History of Civic Engagement at Duke 3 Student Learning and Social Innovation 60 The 2013-2014 Inventory in Context 9 Student Learning and Governmental Institutions and Political Advocacy 60 Program Profile: Duke Service-Learning 10 Program Profile: Small Town USA 61 Program Profile: DukeEngage 12 Student Learning and Informal and Community-based Organizations 62 The Current State of Civic Engagement 13 Student Learning and Societal Spaces: Conclusions The Strengths of Civic Engagement Programming from the Data 63 at Duke 13 By the Numbers 14 The Future of Civic Engagement at Duke 64 Financial Impact 14 Future Paths for Civically Engaged Learning 64 Geographic Impact 15 Program Profile: Community-based Research and Duration of Programs 15 Professor Charles Piot 65 The Breadth and Depth of Experiences 16 Future Directions for Civic Engagement: Primary Deliverables and Activities 17 What Practitioners Say 67 Partnership Structures 19 Program Profile: Bass Connections 68 Program Profile: The NC Family Impact Seminar 20 Working Together 70 Program Profile: Student Research Training Program 21 Program Profile: Education and Human Development Program Profile: DukeEngage Belfast, Northern Ireland 23 Incubator 71 Program Profile: The Duke-Durham Writes Studio 25 Next Steps 72 Funding Streams for Civic Engagement Programs and Initiatives 27 Authors’ Notes and Thank Yous 74 Program Profile: The Community-based Environmental Management Certificate 28 Appendices A. Example Reporting Module Civic Engagement Programs and Initiatives: B. Invitation Letter to Potential Respondents Thematic Areas of Our Campus’ Work 29 C. Supporting Materials for Potential Respondents Education Programs, Projects and Initiatives 29 D. List of Survey Respondents Program Profile: Literacy Through Photography 31 E. Report Methodology Program Profile: The Durham Giving Project F. Compiled List of Civic Engagement-affiliated House Course 33 Student Groups (2013) Program Profile: Partners for Success 35 G. Select Civic Engagement Data from the 2013 Program Profile: The Community Empowerment Fund 37 Enrolled Student Survey Poverty Alleviation Programs, Projects, and Initiatives 38 Program Profile: Project Share 39 Program Profile: Duke Interdisciplinary Social Innovators 41 Program Profile: East Durham Outreach 45 Arts & Culture Programs, Projects, and Initiatives 46 Program Profile: Forum for Scholars and Publics 47 Faith-based and Faith-related Programs, Projects, and Initiatives 51 Program Profile: Duke Chapel PathWays Fellowship and Internship Program 53 Executive Summary Civic engagement — the call to become involved in of this finding, we anticipate there is more to be and with political processes and public issues that learned about how civic engagement is interwoven affect one’s life and community — is both part of the with various learning and teaching pedagogies, historical legacy of Duke University, dating to the from the growth of community-based research 1924 indenture, and part of the current pedagogy projects to the Innovation & Entrepreneurship and and practice of the units, departments, and programs Civic Engagement & Social Change experiential on campus. In an effort to better understand the certificates, as well as in the practices and policies depth and breadth of engagement on our campus, of individual schools, departments, and units. and to begin to understand the impacts — in the Eighty percent of the civic engagement efforts community, on students, and on the University — of across campus were concentrated into four civic engagement programs and practices, in the themes: education, poverty alleviation, arts and fall of 2014, Eric Mlyn, Assistant Vice Provost for culture, and faith-based/faith-related service. Civic Engagement, commissioned a survey of such Emerging civic engagement themes, such as programs. innovation and global health, will no doubt account for a larger share of efforts in future reports. The 2013-2014 Civic Engagement Inventory asked Most of the civic engagement work emerging responding programs, projects, and initiatives to from campus is done right here at home. More report on their work in multiple categories and than 40% of the work is done within the Durham dimensions, ranging from the scope of participation community, including efforts such as the and impact to the underlying logistical support Community Empowerment Fund and the Durham structures that made their work possible. From Giving Project. Additionally, 12% of work is done the results of the Inventory instrument, we have on campus, such as that done by Team Kenan, and learned that civic engagement is a rich and complex 16% of work is done in North Carolina, through component of the Duke education and experience. In efforts such as the North Carolina Family Impact particular, in reviewing the civic engagement efforts of Seminar. All told, 72% of programs, projects, and the 2013-2014 academic year, we learned: initiatives work in the state. This suggests that More than 6,000 members of the campus Duke’s primary efforts and impacts remain close to community participated in civic engagement home. programs, projects, and initiatives, donating nearly More than 80% of participating programs, projects, 300,000 service hours. This service included the and initiatives did their work in partnership with efforts of more than 1,500 graduate students — external community groups or organizations. contributing some 40,000 hours of Duke’s overall Across the programs and projects that participated engagement. This specific finding suggests that in the Inventory, some 1,900 partnerships were civic engagement has a broader reach than solely reported, resulting in an additional contribution the undergraduate community; Duke graduate to civic engagement efforts of 30,000 hours of students engage in consulting initiatives through service.

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