Timeline
2025
This internship ran from August 2025 to May 2026.
Description
Affiliated programs: Green Devils Intern Program, Devils Thrifthouse
Summary
This Green Devils internship was focused on hosting campus-wide climate cafés. Climate cafés are informal gatherings designed to offer supportive spaces for all members of the Duke community to engage in conversations about the emotional, social, cultural, and political dimensions of climate change. The climate café facilitators partnered with student groups to host these events, each centered around a theme chosen by student group partners. The target audience was any member of the Duke University – including faculty, staff, undergraduate students, and graduate students.
Goals
1) Create a safe and welcoming space for members of the Duke community (students, faculty, staff) to engage in climate conversation.
2) Facilitate whole-campus engagement on the climate crisis with a particular focus on processing the emotions it engenders.
3) Nurture a culture where people can learn from each other and lean on each other for support.
4) Expand the diversity of perspectives and learning in climate discussions.
Experience and Learning Outcomes
Throughout the internship, student planners gained hands-on experience managing end-to-end event logistics, outreach, and group facilitation. They developed strong stakeholder engagement skills by reaching out to campus partner organizations, co-selecting discussion themes, and coordinating meeting details. To drive engagement, students designed promotional posters using Canva and managed marketing across WhatsApp, Instagram, and campus listservs. They also built operational experience by organizing event spaces, drafting grounded discussion prompts, and selecting food options for attendees. During the events, planners honed their leadership abilities by guiding inclusive conversations that honored diverse perspectives and made all participants feel welcome. Ultimately, these core competencies in cross-sector communication, coordination, and inclusive facilitation prepare students with highly adaptable skills for their future careers.
Recommendations
- Define Event Tone: Evaluate the current campus and geopolitical context to determine whether to prioritize supportive emotional sharing or debate across differing perspectives.
- Strengthen Partner Engagement: Clarify expectations for partner organizations so they actively promote events and drive attendance from their networks.
- Determine Location & Schedule Strategy: Decide whether to host events consistently in one fixed location or travel to existing partner club meeting times and spaces.
- Gather Feedback: Implement post-event polls or surveys to assess attendee experience and continually tailor events to community needs.
Student Interns: Fiona Price and Claire Stafford
Intern Supervisor: Sophia Masciarelli, Sustainability Engagement Coordinator and Bryan Koen, Assistant Director for Education & Experiential Learning at Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability
Intern Projects