The mission of Duke's Service-Learning Program is to connect civic engagement to the curriculum.

Our goals:

  • To support faculty, staff, students, and community partners involved in service-learning courses, in order to foster a passion for learning and a commitment to making a difference in the world.

  • To broaden and deepen faculty and student involvement in service-learning and other community-based pedagogies, in order to strengthen Duke’s commitment to knowledge in the service of society.

  • To deepen our understanding of the outcomes of service-learning, in order to foster the intellectual, ethical, and civic development of Duke students, identify effective teaching practices, and have a meaningful impact in our community.

  • To participate in and contribute to the service-learning and civic engagement communities on and beyond our campus, in order to strengthen the engagement of the university in real-world issues.

The Service-Learning Program is housed within the Program in Education at Duke University. The Program in Education has been deeply involved in service-learning since the early 1990s, when tutoring programs were created which matched Duke undergraduates with children at risk for school failure.

By the Numbers in 2011-12:

27

Departments offering SL courses

64

SL course sections

1202

Student enrollment in SL courses

24,040

Approximate hours of service by Duke SL students

2011-12 Anual Report

2011-12 was another great year for the Service-Learning Program at Duke. Among other accomplishments:

  • Duke students contributed approximately 24,000 hours of service to the community.

  • Thirteen new service-learning courses were offered.

  • Thirty-two service-learning grant proposals were funded, with nearly $12,000 allocated to support course development, service-learning projects, and conference attendance.

  • Seventeen service-learning courses received Service-Learning Graduate Assistants, who assisted with community partnerships, student placements, critical reflection, and research.

  • Faculty and key staff new to Duke or to service-learning participated in A Day in
    Durham, an “engaged” bus tour and lunch with community leaders highlighting Duke’s
    past, present, and future involvement in Durham.

We invite you to read our 2011-12 year-end report, which outlines our mission, accomplishments, and activities, and highlights our priorities for 2012-13. Please feel free to contact us with your questions and feedback.

  • Service-Learning Program 2011-12 Report Connecting Civic Engagement to the Curriculum
  • Download file

Office Hours with David Malone

During a live “Office Hours” webcast interview, David Malone gives an overview of service-learning at Duke and discusses how service-learning fits into Duke's larger mission of civic engagement. Watch the recording here:

    • David Malone

Faculty Director

(919) 660-3074

    • Kristin Wright

Assistant Director

(919) 668-4134

    • Amy Anderson

Faculty Consultant

(919) 613-5285

    • Kathy Sikes

Faculty Consultant

(919) 613-5516

Director, Community-Based Language Initiatives

(919) 684-4228

    • Betsy Alden

Student Liaison/Facilitator