2024-2025 Update
Sparking intellectual community at Duke
WE APPRECIATE
YOU
Thanks to your ongoing generous support, the Spark initiative is transforming the Duke experience for our students. This year, Spark created spaces where students felt a true sense of belonging, built deep connections with faculty and peers, and explored ideas across disciplines. Through small-group engagement and guidance during critical academic milestones, students not only gained confidence but also developed the skills to thrive in their careers and beyond.
Your investment is directly shaping these transformative moments—and ensuring that every student has the opportunity to flourish at Duke.
Faculty Fellows
Faculty-in-Residence
Halfway There
Spark Conversations
Spark Your Career
Spark Summit
Faculty Fellows
Small Meals, Big Impacts
The 2024–2025 academic year marked an intentional shift in the Faculty Fellows program toward smaller, more meaningful interactions. Seven faculty members—one in each West Campus Quad—served as catalysts for intellectual engagement, hosting over 100 events that reached more than 2,000 students. Roughly half of these were intimate dinners designed to facilitate open dialogue and personal connection. Events ranged from informal meals at The Commons to outings at Top Golf, tours of the Nasher Museum, and discussions following campus lectures.
To amplify their impact, Faculty Fellows invited other faculty to join these events, multiplying the number of faculty touchpoints available to students and enhancing the visibility of intellectual life within the Quads.
Faculty Fellows were also supported by the Spark Fellow, Jenny Li (T’23), and engaged closely with Academic Guides, Residence Coordinators, and Quad Councils—an ecosystem that continues to evolve in response to student needs. Looking ahead, we are exploring models that assign multiple faculty to each Quad.
“Sharing meals with one another is a wonderful way to foster connections and build bridges between students and faculty.”
- Student Participant
Each Quad was supported by a dedicated Fellow:
• Craven – Michael Gustafson, Ph.D. (Engineering)
• Crowell – Adriane Fresh, Ph.D. (Political Science)
• Edens – Didem Havlioglu, Ph.D. (Asian and Middle Eastern Studies)
• Few – Shep Moyle, M.B.A. (Innovation & Entrepreneurship)
• Keohane – Lee Baker, Ph.D. (Cultural Anthropology)
• Kilgo – Sarah Komisarow, Ph.D. (Public Policy and Economics)
• Wannamaker – Gabriel Rosenberg, Ph.D. (Gender, Sexuality & Feminist Studies)
Students overwhelmingly found these experiences valuable:
88%
agreed or strongly agreed that attending a small dinner or event strengthened their relationship with a faculty member.
said they would consider reaching out to their Faculty Fellow in the future. 88% reported they would attend another Faculty Fellow event. 90%
Faculty-in-Residence
• ALSPAUGH - Kisha Daniels, Ed.D., Assistant Professor of the Practice of Education
• BASSETT - Nicole Barnes, Ph.D., Associate Professor of History
• BELL TOWER - Khwezi Mkhize, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of African & African American Studies
• BLACKWELL - Sandra Valnes Quammen, Senior Lecturer of Romance Studies
• BROWN - Johann Montozzi-Wood, MFA, Assistant Professor of the Practice of Theater Studies
• GILBERT-ADDOMS - Greg Victory, Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs and Fannie Mitchell Executive Director, Duke Career Center
• PEGRAM - Nikki Lane, Ph.D., Assistant Professor in Gender, Sexuality & Feminist Studies
• RANDOLPH - Len White, Ph.D., Associate Professor in Neurology
• SOUTHGATE - Candis Watts Smith, Ph.D., Interim Vice Provost of Undergraduate Education and Professor of Political Science
• GILES and WEST - Anne-Gaelle Saliot, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Romance Studies
• TRINITY – Greg Samenez-Larkin, Ph.D., Jack H. Neely Associate Professor
• WILSON and EAST - Nima Bassiri, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Literature
Program Review
of first-year students agree that their FIR cares about students’ lives outside of class and value students as a whole person.
82% of first-year students felt their FIR have been a positive part of their Duke experience thus far. 72%
The Faculty-in-Residence (FiR) Program houses professors in first-year residence halls on East Campus to encourage interaction between faculty members and undergraduate students beyond the classroom or lab. The FiR program affords a broad range of informal and structured opportunities for participating faculty to draw freely on their vocational and professional interests and seek common ground with students in the residential setting.
During the 2024-2025 academic year, Faculty-inResidence are a visible and regular presence in the East Campus community, hosting weekly activities and other student engagement programs, Faculty-in-Residence hosted 200+ activities for 7,415 students across 248 hours.
Weekly activities include coffee hours, bagel Sundays, study hall, waffle bars, pasta nights, and fondue with fresh fruit. FiRs also collaborate with other faculty on special offerings and attend community events hosted by House Councils. Housing and Residence Life surveyed students with the Resident Feedback Survey, below are highlights.
“He’s amazing. I have no notes. I love his waffle nights and his Humpday Kafes because it makes us as residents feel seen and cared for, while also helping us bond with others.”
- Student Participant
Halfway There
Our annual Halfway There event once again marked a key milestone for sophomores. With food, music, and the highly anticipated major t-shirt giveaway, the Class of 2027 joined faculty and staff to celebrate their transition to the second half of their Duke journey. Over 70 volunteers supported the event, creating a festive, welcoming atmosphere and affirming students’ academic progress.
Halfway There - Video Interviews
“I
declared my ICS major because it doesn’t tell you what to think, but it tells you how to think. It allows you the flexibility to think in and across disciplines to make sense of the world we live in today, which I think is more important than ever.”
- Student Participant
student participants attended the celebration 1,300+ staff and faculty volunteered at the event 70+
Spark Conversations
Spark Conversations offer opportunities for students to reflect on their academic journey in real time. Hosted by Spark Fellow Jenny Li (T’23), these sessions create small, supportive spaces where students explore questions about course selection, major declaration, internships, and meaning-making at Duke.
This initiative reflects Spark’s broader mission: to normalize helpseeking, cultivate curiosity, and build bridges between students and the academic resources available to them. It also exemplifies our belief that moments of reflection and dialogue—no matter how small— can have a profound impact on a student’s trajectory.
Over the course of the year, Jenny hosted six Spark Conversations, partnering with faculty and staff to guide discussions grounded in students’ lived experiences. The informal, discussion-based model allowed students to ask candid questions and gain insight from peers and mentors alike.
September 2024: SPARK Conversation on Alumni Connections
October 2024: Discover & Explore - Skills for Major and Career Exploration
November 2024: SPARK Conversation on Spring Course Registration
February 2025: SPARK Conversation on Study Away
February 2025: SPARK Conversation on Pursuing a Career in Medicine
February 2025: Discover & Explore - Making Tough Decisions
February 2025: Academic Guides & SPARK Study Hall - Major Declaration
“This was a great event! In my opinion it should happen again, and I’d highly recommend it to other students.”
Spark Your Career
Spark Your Career has become a signature event at Duke—empowering students to confidently step into their professional journeys. This dynamic half-day conference is designed to spark momentum for our undergraduates—especially sophomores—as they explore potential career paths and build skills for success beyond campus.
This year, over 225 students participated in a high-impact afternoon filled with practical tools and personal connections. From professional headshots and one-on-one resume and cover letter reviews, to workshops on networking, storytelling, and career readiness, Spark Your Career delivers real-world value. One of the most meaningful elements? Students connected with Duke alumni who generously shared their insights, advice, and encouragement.
This program continues to fuel student confidence, curiosity, and career clarity.
Spark Summit 2024
The Spark Summit continues to empower sophomores to reconnect, recharge, and reengage with their Duke experience. Designed as a high-energy welcome-back event, the Summit draws between 250+ sophomores annually for a day filled with inspiration, introspection, and connection.
With compelling guest speakers and engaging presentations on topics like personal strengths, mindfulness, and the science of well-being, Spark gives students the opportunity to pause, reflect, and gain tools for a successful year. A highlight of the day is the vibrant Resource Fair, where students explore vital campus services to support their personal, academic, and professional growth. Wellbeing is woven throughout the experience in collaboration with the DuWell and other campus partners—ensuring students leave feeling both supported and uplifted.
From enthusiastic guest speaker sessions to calming wellness activities and yes—even the great food and awesome merch—students walk away from Spark feeling seen, supported, and more deeply connected to the Duke community.
sophomore particiants in 2024
The impact is clear in the voices of our students:
“This was a great opportunity to learn more about myself. Thank you!”
“Loved the bite-sized wellness session—exactly what I needed after a stressful start to the week.”
“It was awesome!!! Thank you so much.”
“I really like that there’s an opportunity to come together and get connected.”
New Spark Fellow Sydney Reid
Sydney Reid is a higher education professional currently serving as the Spark Fellow in Duke University’s Office of Undergraduate Education. In this role, she designs and coordinates programming that fosters student belonging, intellectual curiosity, and purpose— particularly among second-year students. Through cross-campus collaboration and partnerships with faculty, staff, and student leaders, Sydney supports initiatives that enrich the undergraduate experience and build inclusive intellectual communities. She brings a strong foundation in student development and program coordination and is deeply committed to creating meaningful co-curricular experiences for diverse student populations. Outside of work, Sydney enjoys reading, relaxing by the pool, lake, or ocean, learning new hobbies, and watching college basketball—especially during March Madness.