Summertime is almost here, and as students head off to Myrtle Beach for some fun in the sun, they will undoubtedly also have on their minds the myriad things they will be doing over the summer.
From study abroad in countries around the world to service opportunities right here in the United States, Duke students will not simply be resting during their three months off from classes.
"There is an interesting variety of programs," said Margaret Riley, assistant dean of Trinity College and director of study abroad. "In Costa Rica, students have the opportunity of exploring unique ecosystems, collecting specimens [and] doing research.... In London, an integral part of the drama program is going to plays; students attend more than 26 plays in a six-week period."
Riley said the only downside of summer study abroad programs may be their limited length.
"The major disadvantage is students often wish they had stayed longer," she said.
The Hart Leadership Program, part of the public policy studies department, is the umbrella organization for several service leadership programs, including Service Opportunities in Leadership. SOL is a three-part program for undergraduates that includes a spring house course, a summer internship and a fall research seminar. Participants in SOL work with refugees, the homeless and those deprived of healthcare and education, and is based domestically in such places as Albuquerque, N.M., Chicago and Pittsburgh.
"SOL is very hands-on, very direct," said Joy Mischley, the SOL program coordinator. "It is people-work combined with reflection, research in conjunction with service work."
Senior Emily Murphy, who participated in SOL, said she faced unexpected challenges during her experience at a summer school in Pittsburgh.
"I was struck by how much I learned about myself, maybe more so than any political or social issue," she said. "I had no idea how hard--how intense--the internship would be. It's also a huge emotional investment."
Another Hart-sponsored organization is the Hart Fellowship Program, which Margaret Hendrickson, the program coordinator, described as "an effort to provide recent post-graduate students with meaningful and interesting opportunities."
Hart Fellows work in service organizations, both domestic and international, for a 10-month period.
"Fellows generally integrate into their assigned organization, abiding by the standard expectations and rules like a regular member," Hendrickson said. "Fellows help to update their technology, get them up to speed. They also help on photography, fundraising, reporting, grant proposals, research and working papers.... They work directly with communities."
Louise Vaz, Trinity '01, is a current Hart fellow working with an AIDS organization in Mozambique. "In the time that I've been here, we've published a paper on the rural AIDS status in Mozambique, put together the first rural AIDS conference in Mozambique, developed a program for three- to five-year-olds, and wrote a manual on how to train educators," she wrote in an e-mail.
Although Durham may be a less exotic summer location, many other Duke students said they will participate in local research opportunities across campus, as well as taking summer session courses.
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