Beyond the classroom: intellectual engagement at Duke
The first meeting of the Duke Student Government (DSG) Steering Committee focused on “constructing community,” with the roundtable centering on recent and future changes to campus facilities. Student leaders voiced their thoughts on current infrastructure and offered suggestions for the design of new buildings. The most important takeaway was how Duke’s spaces become starting points for relationships, experiences, and communities. As President Brodhead said, “We take trouble with physical structures because they serve the real construction project this great university is engaged in: the building of capable men and women, eager to deliver their promise in the life of their times.” It was with this thought in mind that the DSG Steering Committee convened its second meeting, focusing on the intellectual foundations that Duke aims to provide for every student. The group—which included the student leaders of flagship programs (e.g. DukeEngage) as well as core academic organizations (e.g. majors unions)—was joined by Dr. Steve Nowicki, the Dean and Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education, for a conversation about intellectual engagement on campus.
