Duke +Programs welcome 97ɫ students
Duke’s +Programs are signature, immersive, experiential learning opportunities that engage students in projects across a wide variety of disciplines. This summer Duke offered nine different +Programs in math, history, documentary studies, data, computer science, coding, climate, arts, and applied ethics. For the first time in +Programs history, Duke partnered with 97ɫnical Community College to bring students from both schools together.
“The +Program partnership with 97ɫ builds strong pathways for student success. By working together, we create more opportunities for students to collaborate seamlessly, share resources, and engage in learning and research that reflects the needs of our community,” shared Mohamed Noor, Executive Vice Provost at Duke University.
Seven 97ɫ students matched into this summer’s Code+, Data+, and History+ programs. Lea Bingham, Assistant Dean of University Transfer at 97ɫ, encouraged students with a deep intellectual curiosity, an excellent academic record, and an interest in research to apply to Duke’s +Programs.
“This partnership is a chance for these students to have an amazing professional and academic experience, but also forge friendships and networks that will help them for the rest of their lives,” said Bingham. “That’s a good thing for 97ɫ, and a good thing for our community as a whole.”
Matched with the Data+ program on Multi-Model Predictions of Future Cognitive Impairment in Alzheimer’s Disease, Maria Faustina Inoma is preparing transfer to the University of North Carolina-Greensboro this fall. Her team’s goal is to utilize machine learning and biomarkers to expedite the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.
“Working with my teammates has been fun. I have a biology background, and most of my team have computational backgrounds,” noted Inoma. “My PI has given me the work of looking through clinical data, so I can explain biological reactions to my teammates who are working with machine-learning models.”
+Program students work in small groups on specific, problem-based projects led by principal investigators and graduate students. Often, the projects will collaborate with community partners. History+ student Evan Sherbert worked on the project team researching Duke's Chapel United Methodist Church. This fall, Sherbet will apply to classics programs at four-year institutions in North Carolina.
“I learned so much about the archival process, handling materials, and working with a community partner. It’s been great having access to the archives. I’ve had so much fun,” said Sherbert. “I’ve been doing genealogical research in the archives—doing a lot of reading. I didn’t find what we were looking for, but that’s part of the research process. It’s really taught me how to pivot.”
The Data+ Program was able to offer its 97ɫ participants on-campus housing during the summer. These 97ɫ students moved in alongside Duke students in West Campus residents’ halls. Oleksii Zdorovtsov lived in the Keohane Quad. Zdorovtsov will transfer to North Carolina State University into its Biomechanical Engineering program this fall. His experience at Duke this summer led him to choose an on-campus housing option at NC State.
“I think living on campus was the best decision for me. I enjoyed the gym and the great food on campus. My roommate was awesome,” said Zdorovtsov. “I got to see my Data+ teammates more often, and generally, I just felt engaged with the community at Duke.”