By Krista Students apply to DukeEngage for a variety of reasons, some more selfless than others--perhaps they want to “make a difference,” or travel somewhere new, or maybe they just don’t want to have to navigate summer plans on their own. I doubt most students, if you asked, would say they wanted to do DukeEngage so they could get to know a more diverse group of Duke students, yet that is exactly one of my favorite things about this program. The students of DukeEngage Seattle are varied, driven, funny, smart, and kind, and have made a summer full of long days and daily challenges all the more enjoyable. In just three weeks, together we have celebrated the SCOTUS decision on same-sex marriage at Seattle Pride, eaten far more guacamole than should be humanly possible, watched a Sounders victory at CenturyLink field, camped out for twelve hours to watch the fireworks on the 4th of July over downtown, and climbed an actual mountain. And these are only the highlights. What I’ve come to appreciate even more is the time we spend eating dinner together, attempting to cook for four people with only one pan and one pot, sharing how our work with our community partners is going and talking and laughing about our lives at Duke and beyond. Whenever I meet new people at work, they’re often shocked I’m here in Seattle, having never been to the West Coast before, without knowing a soul here, but my fellow DukeEngagers are my people. We may all get lost no matter where we try to go, but man, are they a fantastic group to get lost with.
1 Comment
Emily
7/29/2015 04:33:41 am
Krista, so glad to hear that learning about your fellow Mountain Movers has been one of the highlights of the program. I couldn't agree more. It's not often at Duke after your first year to get to know a completely new group from all walks of life, backgrounds, majors, years, etc. In the last weeks of the program, reach out to someone maybe you haven't gotten to know as well yet. You'll value these friendships even more when you return to campus as only the 16 of you will have this shared experience.
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DukeEngage empowers students to address critical human needs through immersive service, in the process transforming students, advancing the University’s educational mission, and providing meaningful assistance to communities in the U.S. and abroad.