Student 'Shadows' Come Out on Groundhog Day

Friday, February 2, 2001

Punxsutawney Phil won't be the only one checking his shadow this Groundhog Day. "When I reflect on how I got to where I am, in terms of career and profession, I realize a lot of people were involved," said Sally Dickson, university vice president for institutional equity, who will be among those at Duke hosting a student. "I really believe in that saying that it takes a village to raise a child. A 'stranger' can have an impact on a child, a positive influence. And I'd like to try and be one of those positive influences." At Duke, this year's effort includes programs on both the academic and medical campuses. Eleven middle and high school students will be spending the day in the Duke University Health System; another nine elementary students will be on West and East campuses. "This will help these students see the connection between what they're doing in the classroom and what goes on in the workplace," she said. "It will also broaden their experience and let them see the effort it takes to succeed in the business world. We know that this can inspire their school work." Duke's Community Service Center (CSC) is coordinating the job shadowing on the academic campus. Employees taking part include: Clarence Birkhead, chief of campus police; Maureen Cullins, director of the School of Medicine's Multicultural Resource Center; H. Clint Davidson Jr., vice president of the Office of Human Resources; and Jim Wulforst, director of Dining Services. The fourth-, fifth- and sixth-graders coming to campus are each taking part in Duke's College Bound program, said Domoniqúdmond, coordinator of volunteer services for the CSC. The aim of Groundhog Job Shadow Day complements the mission of the College Bound program, she said, which is to introduce the possibility of post-secondary education to at-risk children and to encourage them to complete high school. "Groundhog Job Shadow Day helps to drive the idea home by allowing the children to experience what it would be like to work at Duke in a particular profession that they are interested in," Redmond said. "It gives the children a new perspective on the connection between school and careers." The children, who were matched with employees based on essays, interests and professional aspirations, will spend about five hours shadowing their host, accompanying them to meetings, site visits or other daily tasks. After lunch, the children and employees will participate in a 30-minute group session in the Mary Lou Williams Center for Black Culture. The children will play Education, a board game based on the concept of Monopoly, for the day's final hour. Wulforst's student, who expressed an interest in cooking, will spend most of the morning observing the behind-the-scenes work at the East Campus Marketplace. "I hope the student will see the importance of good work habits and realize that, with hard work and diligence in the classroom, this could serve as a stepping stone to develop the skills and attitudes necessary to achieve the goals he desires," Wulforst said. Jennifer Vizas, manager of academic technology services for Duke's Office of Information Services, plans to introduce her student to the computer labs, showing what information is available on the university's computer network and how to troubleshoot any problems that might occur. "I hope that my student leaves with the understanding that his education is extremely important and it sets the stage for his future" she said. "And I hope he will also realize how important it is to learn how to use technology - it is essential to success in this increasingly technological society." Dickson plans to give her student an opportunity to learn a bit more about the mission of Duke's Office for Institutional Equity and to see some positive role models from diverse backgrounds at work. "I just like being around young people," Dickson said. "And I think that this kind of public service work is very important. We are a part of this community."