Project Change Kicks off with Scavenger Hunt in Downtown Durham

Monday morning, West Duke Building was abuzz with excitement and nerves as first-years and parents began arriving on east campus.  These enthusiastic students are participating in the Kenan Institute for Ethics’ Project Change, an intensive eight-day introduction to ethical leadership and social change through the lens of Durham. P-Change promises to expose participants to the city in its entirety while living and working in Durham – experiencing not only the culture, food and art, but also engaging them in dialogue about the ethics of engagement while working with community partners to make Durham more “just, healthy and equitable.”

Following the requisite informational meetings, students donned their bright-blue P-Change tees, handed over their phones, were divided into three teams and sent off on the  “Explore Durham Challenge.”  This scavenger hunt was the first step in the program’s commitment to build community within the group while also exemplifying what it means to live in a broader community and how to enact social change.

Project Change is assisted by student alumni of the program and is a great introduction to Kenan’s expansive community of students, faculty, and staff who think deeply about the same issues focused on during the P-Change experience.  These ideas will help shape the way Duke students interact with others and make decisions – on campus, in the Durham community, and beyond.

Project Change is a deep dive into students’ new hometown. In a week, they’ll learn about the city’s history and work with organizations trying to ensure that everyone is included in the city’s recent revitalization. When they come back to campus for Orientation Week, they’ll both have an expansive sense of this city and a bond with their community of pChangers.
– Christian Ferney, Program Director, Kenan Institute for Ethics