About Civic Engagement

Before entering into a new community, take the time to learn about the history, strengths, challenges and community context. Also take time to understand your own values, beliefs and various identities. Throughout your experience, challenge your own beliefs and assumptions and engage in thoughtful reflection about your work and your role.

• What are the systemic, historical and institutional forces that give rise to the issues that you hope to address?
• What skills and knowledge do you need to develop before serving in the community?
• What is your role in the community and how might your involvement be perceived?

Build trusting, reciprocal and sustainable relationships by taking the time to get to know the community and the people who are a part of it. Be open, responsive, communicative and focused on mutual benefits. Work together to set clear expectations and establish a realistic timetable for communication and evaluation.

• Who benefits from the partnership and how?
• How can you use your strengths and unique position to best serve in this relationship?
•  In what ways do your timeframe and expectations align or conflict with those of the community partner? How will you practice flexibility and open-mindedness when expectations differ?

Let your work be identified and driven by the community partner, responding to the needs and assets that are most salient for the community rather than imposed externally. Work to create inclusive environments in which all voices are heard and valued. Reflect on and try to understand the unique power dynamics that may be at play and work to distribute power equitably in this partnership.

• Who identified the need for the project or partnership and who participated in how it was shaped?
• How is power distributed in this endeavor? Which way does money flow in this project and how might that limit equity or partnership?
• What expectations, distrust or hesitations might a community partner have about your project?

Rather than entering into a community with an idea of “fixing” some aspect of it, approach your work with an asset-based perspective, seeking to understand the unique strengths and resources that already exist.

• What are the strengths present in the community?
• Who in the community is already working on these issues? How can you collaborate to support those existing efforts?
• Are you willing to step back from engagement if you learn your collaboration does not promote the strengths or best interests of this community?

The goal of the University Coalition for Civic Engagement (UCCE) is to strengthen and connect new and ongoing civic engagement initiatives across campus. The Coalition will identify strategies for fostering effective civic engagement opportunities for students, faculty and staff; organize and assess existing curricular and co-curricular civic engagement efforts to maximize their impact on student learning and community needs; and set sustainable goals for civic engagement efforts at Duke. For more information contact Duke Civic Engagement.

2021-2022 University Coalition for Civic Engagement

Maryam Arain, Center for Muslim Life

Anna Bernard-Hoverstad, Office of University Scholars and Fellows

Meg Bittle, Polis: Center for Politics

Katherine Black, Duke Innovation & Entrepreneurship

Lou Brown, Forum for Scholars and Publics

Tavey Capps, Sustainable Duke

Emily Durham, Rubenstein-Bing Student-Athlete Civic Engagement

Emilie Dye, Office of Student Leadership

Elana Friedman, Jewish Life at Duke

Chuck Givens, Office of Global Affairs

Elise Goldwasser, Sanford School of Public Policy

Alec Greenwald, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences

Anjali Gupta, Duke Partnership for Service

Laura Howes, Bass Connections

Jayne Ifekwunigwe, Center for Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation

Ling Jin, International House

Dawna Jones, Mary Lou Williams Center for Black Culture

Chiara Klein, Community Engagement Core of the Duke Superfund Research Center

Jamie Lau, Duke Law School Clinics

Holly Leddy, Pratt School of Engineering

Katie Lipe, Duke State Relations

Lysa MacKeen, Duke Global Health Institute

Hadia Madni, Duke Human Rights Center @ Franklin Humanities Institute

Maggie McDowell, Academic Guides

Nicole Mitchell, Duke University Career Center

Eric Mlyn, Kenan Institute for Ethics

Kimberly Monroe, Duke Health Office of Community Relations

Heather Mountz, DUSON Community Health Improvement Partnership Program

Kim Nichols, Duke Division of Community Health

Leslie Parkins, Duke Civic Engagement

Bruce Puckett, Duke Chapel

Swetha Rajagopal, Duke Student Government

Ana Ramirez, Hart Leadership Program

Domonique Redmond, Durham and Community Affairs, Research & Advancement

Hananiel Setiawan, Duke University Graduate and Professional Student Government

Kathy Sikes, Duke Service-Learning

Jessica Sperling, Social Science Research Institute

Vicki Stocking, Robertson Scholars Leadership Program

Sean Tate, Rubenstein-Bing Student-Athlete Civic Engagement

Brian Valentyn, Duke Arts

Breana van Velzen, Duke Chapel

Chi Vo, Durham and Community Affairs, Education and Workforce Development

Sara Wakefield, Fuqua School of Business

Maranatha Wall, Partners for Success

Erin Worsham, Center for the Advancement of Entrepreneurship

Gwendolyn Wright, Samuel DuBois Cook Center on Social Equity

Kristin Wright, DukeEngage

Berkeley Yorkery, Center for Child and Family Policy

The mission of the faculty board is to advise DOCE leadership on key priorities to strengthen, connect and amplify civic engagement at Duke and to serve as ambassadors of these goals and priorities across campus and in partner communities. Board members, representing Duke’s 12 schools, serve a three-year term, meeting monthly during the regular academic year.

2021-2022 Faculty Advisory Board Members