Program Places Duke Students in Ministry and Nonprofit Internships

Duke University undergraduates worked with HIV/AIDS patients, helped local nonprofits grow and assisted local ministries through this summer's Duke Chapel PathWays internship program.

"My internship has put me into a situation where I can make a difference," said junior Christine Bestvina, a biology major from Carmel, Ind. "I couldn't imagine a better way to have spent the summer."

Bestvina and eight other students worked with charities, schools, churches and other organizations in Durham. The June 1 to July 28 summer internship is one of several PathWays programs designed to expose students to careers in ministry and not-for-profit service.

"We spent hours discussing faith, getting up at 7 a.m. for morning prayer and working in homeless shelters," said Bestvina, who interned with Partners in Caring, an HIV/AIDS program at Duke Hospital.

Each summer, up to 10 students are selected to participate in the internship program, which began in 2002 and is supported by the Lilly Foundation's Fund for Programs for the Theological Exploration of Vocation. Students receive a small stipend, housing on Duke's Central Campus and placement in a local church or social service organization.

"Working with young people has definitely been a growing experience," said Joseph Bataille, a junior public policy and psychology major from Felicity, Ohio, who interned with Reality Youth Ministry at King's Park International Church. "It's been challenging, it's been eye-opening, it's been diverse and complex."

Students attended an introductory team-building retreat at Carolina Adventures and a mid-summer retreat at Camp Chestnut Ridge. They also met twice weekly as a group with PathWays staff to learn about the careers of local professionals, to share their experiences, and to discuss readings on ministry and community.

"I thought it was incredible how we could talk about sensitive issues such as our faith backgrounds and personal lives," said Daniel Devougas, a sophomore English and economics major from Milwaukee who worked with Urban Ministries of Durham. "From the openness that resulted in our Thursday night discussions, we were able to truly get to know one another, which laid the foundation for great friendships."

Through their work, retreats, meetings and dinners, students said they came away with a better understanding of those living and working in the Durham area.

Kristen Heitzinger, a May 2006 graduate from Chicago, worked with Hispanic families through her internship at Catholic Charities.

"I gained a greater awareness of the issues of the Latino populations in North Carolina and, particularly, about the difficulties they may encounter in becoming integrated into the community life of Durham," she said. "I was inspired by the passion of the people who work every day towards the social mission of the church."

Even if the students do not ultimately pursue careers in ministry or working with nonprofits, "we hope that these interns maintain the personal and professional relationships that they have built with those at their internship site and in the Durham community," said Kisa Pendergrass, assistant director of the PathWays program. _ _ _ _

For more information about the PathWays program, which was established in 2001, visit the Duke Chapel website at http://www.chapel.duke.edu/pathways/ or call (919) 668-0286.