Date / Time
Wednesday, February 5th
8 am – 6 pm
Location
Durham Convention Center
301 West Morgan Street Durham, NC 27701
A daylong symposium to explore how connecting community insights and assets with university scholarship can accelerate meaningful change.
This event has passed. See the recap.
Agenda
View speaker bios.
8:00 – 9:00 am | Breakfast and Check-in
Pick up your name tag. Power up for the day with healthy hot and cold choices at our breakfast buffet.
9:00 – 9:15 am | Welcome
Learn about the mission of the Duke Center for Community Engagement, and how this new effort fits into the broader landscape of university and community partnership.
Stelfanie Williams, Vice President, Duke Community Affairs
Ed Balleisen, Vice Provost, Interdisciplinary Studies, Duke University
Alec D. Gallimore, Provost and Chief Academic Officer, Duke University
9:15 – 10:30 am | Fireside Chat – Duke and Durham Today: Building Bridges for Tomorrow
This conversation explores the past, current, and potential future relationship between Duke and Durham. Leaders share perspectives on the current foundation and how community-engaged scholarship can help address regional challenges going forward.
Vincent E. Price, President, Duke University
Leonardo Williams, Mayor, City of Durham
Moderated by John Simpkins, JD LLM ’99, President and CEO, MDC
10:30 – 10:45 am | Break
A short pause. Take some time to meet those around you.
10:45 – 11:45 am | Panel – Collaborative Successes: Field Notes from Engaged Scholarship
Go behind the scenes with three successful long-term collaborations. Each group of speakers represents muliple partners engaged in each project. Featured collaborations include “Ready, Set, Resilience,” a project started in Carteret County to translate lessons from nature’s resilience into better support for educators and kids; “Mental Health and the Justice System in Durham County”; and the Southeast Regional Coalition for University-Assisted Community Schools.
Xavier Cason, Director of Community Schools & School Transformation, DPS Foundation
Dr. Liz DeMattia, Research Scientist, Duke University Marine Lab
Yolanda Dunston, Professor, Curriculum and Instruction, NC Central University
Alec Greenwald, Associate in Research, Duke University
Ann Kelly, Carteret County School Teacher
Nicole Schramm-Sapyta, Associate Professor of the Practice, Duke Institute for Brain Sciences
Laylon Williams, Criminal Justice Specialist, Alliance Healthcare
Facilitated by Dr. Mina Silberberg, Faculty Director, Duke Center for Community Engagement
11:45am – 12:00 pm | Break
A short pause. Take some time to meet those around you.
12:00 – 1:30 pm | Lunch and Keynote – The Power of Partnership: Civic Leadership and Community Collaboration
Today’s keynote calls upon the civic leader in all of us. In this inspiring talk, learn how an accomplished leader has collaborated with other organizations to deliver on vital community priorities. Generate new ideas for collaboration from examples of how the YMCA works with local communities, including here in the Triangle.
Suzanne McCormick AB ‘89, President and CEO, YMCA of the USA
Introduction by Katelyn Cai ’26, Robertson Scholar and 23-24 Duke Student Government VP of Duke Community Affairs
Enjoy your lunch during the keynote.
1:30 – 3:00 pm | Facilitated Roundtable – Navigating New Frontiers: Opportunities and Challenges in Community Conversation
It’s time to put the morning’s inspiration into action. This roundtable dives into recent community-based collaborative projects from the perspectives of faculty, community partners, and students. Participants cover how they developed their projects, the impact of their efforts, and challenges they encountered. Attendees will also have an opportunity to participate in table discussions to explore themes from the conversation.
Tabitha Blackwell, Executive Director, Book Harvest Durham
Professor Joan Clifford, Associate Professor of the Practice, Department of Romance Studies and Director of Duke Service-Learning
Patrick Mucklow, Executive Director, Museum of Durham History
Dhaval Potdar MIDS ’25 (Masters in Interdisciplinary Data Science), Duke University
Alissa Rivero ’25 Student, Duke University
Professor Ann Saterbak, Director, First-Year Design Program at Pratt, Professor of the Practice, Duke Biomedical Engineering
Facilitated by Ed Balleisen, Vice Provost for Interdisciplinary Studies, Duke University
3:00 – 3:15 pm | Break
Recharge with a snack and some light networking.
3:15 – 4:30 pm | Fireside Chat – Addressing Durham’s Needs: A Collaborative Approach
How are educational institutions working together? What more can be done to help move our region forward? This discussion explores perspectives on current opportunities and needs in Durham, how the three organizations are working collaboratively to address some issues, and potential ways further research and partnership can make an impact.
Dr. Anthony Lewis, Superintendent, Durham Public Schools
J.B. Buxton, President, Durham Technical Community College
Facilitated by Stelfanie Williams, Vice President, Duke Community Affairs
4:30 – 6:00 pm | Networking Mixer
Unwind and mix with other members of the community. Enjoy a drink and tasty appetizer. Stop by any of the tables to learn more about existing Duke programs open to community collaboration. This casual happy hour will also feature student posters highlighting recent community-based research projects.
View speaker bios.
About This Event
Welcome to the Duke Center for Community Engagement Launch! Celebrate the beginning of a new chapter in community-based scholarship. Get ready to connect with like-minded individuals, hear inspiring speakers, and learn about new opportunities to make a difference in the Triangle and beyond
All Duke and area community members are invited to attend this conference at no charge. Registration closes Friday, January 24, 2025. Requests to be added to the waitlist should be sent to communityengagementcenter@duke.edu.
Please note that this event is subject to Duke’s Pickets, Protests, and Demonstrations policy.
Join us for:
Inspiration: Hear community, government, and university leaders share their vision of what’s possible through deeper collaboration to address emerging needs and opportunities.
Education: Learn about successful ongoing collaborations developed in recent years, how they’ve evolved, and their impact on participants and our communities.
Connections: Meet peers tackling similar challenges and explore opportunities for collaboration.
Registration is free, and includes parking, breakfast, lunch, and a networking reception.
The Duke Center for Community Engagement is an interdisciplinary hub facilitating collaborative scholarship between community partners and Duke faculty, staff, and students to address pressing societal challenges. The Center matches prospective partners, prepares faculty and students, and champions the practice of community-engaged scholarship as a part of Duke’s strategic commitment to “partner with purpose.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do I park for this event?
Durham Convention Center is a short walk from 5 city parking garages, including Durham Center Garage across the street with 719 spaces. It has two entrances: one on W Morgan St (right side) and one on Foster St. Parking will be validated.
How do I validate my parking?
Please bring your parking ticket to receive a sticker for validation. If you forget the ticket, we’ll give you the sticker to place on it later. When leaving the parking deck, simply use your ticket at the kiosk to exit.
What if I don’t have transportation to the event?
If you need assistance with transportation in order to attend the event, please contact us at communityengagementcenter@duke.edu. We will follow up with you.
How can I follow and share the event on social?
You can see news about the event by following Duke Community Affairs on LinkedIn and Facebook and @dukeindurham on Instagram.
Where is the event being held?
The event will be held at the Durham Convention Center located at 301 W Morgan St. The convention center is connected to the Durham Marriott City Center.