Chris Garrett, Director of the Samaritan Health Center, gives ELI students a tour of the facility

Chris Garrett, Director of the Samaritan Health Center, gives ELI students a tour of the facility

Students taking Entrepreneurial Leadership & Social Innovation (PPS194) recently had an opportunity to explore Durham through a unique interactive bus tour hosted by Durham Cares. The tour brought students in contact with several high-impact non-profit organizations and helped to give students an overview of the types of community needs being addressed in Durham.

Students in the class are part of the year-long Entrepreneurial Leadership Initiative (ELI). Throughout the ELI program, students will work on teams in partnership with Durham organizations to develop innovative project proposals that have potential to address pressing needs in the community.
The 3-hour Durham Cares tour introduced students to numerous landmarks and community organizations while providing a sense of history and context to the city of Durham. Along the way students met with staff and clients from several non-profit organizations (e.g. TROSA, Samaritan Health Center) and received first-hand descriptions of successes and challenges associated with the programs.

 

ELI student Tatiana Birgisson described how “my team felt a tremendous sense of responsibility as we reflected on the bus tour. The tour expanded our horizons for opportunities in Durham and instilled in us more passion to try and make a meaningful and lasting difference.”

The Durham Cares tour is one of several activities students are participating in this semester to gain a better understanding of the Durham community. As students begin to develop their project proposals they also participate in Durham “listening tours”, interviewing local non-profit organizations to learn their perspectives on specific needs in the community.

For more information on Durham Cares, please visit www.durhamcares.org

 

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