by Brandon Dawson
Freshman Scholar Advisory Board Member
Not only did I see it important to
be involved on campus, but I also wanted to contribute to the surrounding
Durham community. I luckily got involved early on with the Durham Beekeepers
Association to continue a passion of mine from high school in protecting the
declining honeybee populations. This organization has hives in numerous
locations in Durham and holds community events to teach the local citizens
about the importance of honeybees.
From the moment
you step on campus, you are completely bombarded with information regarding
student groups, community service, and on-campus events. The only problem? They
all sound AMAZING. You have hundreds of options to choose from and only
24-hours a day (not to mention classes and getting adequate sleep!). This is
the struggle of college freshmen all across the country and when I got to Duke
University, I decided to take on the challenge head first.
One of the very first things that I
got involved with was Duke Student Government, or DSG. Freshmen can run for
senate positions on the various committees that it encompasses. I ran to be a
senator on the committee for Facilities, Environment, and the Arts, and
fortunately, I won!
As DSG Senators, we are tasked with
creating projects that will enhance the campus that we have come to love. The
project that I took on revolved around reducing the amount of waste that our
university sends to the local landfill. I proposed that since paper towel waste
is completely compostable, and Duke already has a contract with a local
composting company, putting compost options in the freshman campus bathrooms
could push Duke in the right direction of sustainability.
After frequent meetings with the
Deans of Housing, Dining, and Resident Life, as well as the Director of
Housekeeping, my project has been approved for a three-month pilot in one of
the freshmen residence halls to begin at the start of second semester. If the
pilot proves to be beneficial, the project will be implemented in all freshmen
residence halls at the start of the next academic year.
Since theater was something I had
always done in high school, I wanted to continue this in college, and there
were plenty of options. I auditioned
for Duke’s Mainstage Production and was cast in Henrik Ibsen’s “The Wild Duck.”
Receiving class credit for our rehearsal time, our cast worked non-stop to
bring this wonderful show to life.

I also got the opportunity to
volunteer in the community, as well. Since I was fortunate enough to have my
vehicle on campus, I volunteered through AdvanceNC and drove voters to the polls
who didn’t have access to public transportation. I have been able to complete
shifts at the Duke Campus Farm, which provides produce to the local community
and to Duke Dining. There was even a morning where my entire sustainability class
volunteered with Duke Zero Waste Football and sorted waste generated from the
game into trash, recycling, and composting.
Whether you are interested in
conservation work or building race cars (something my roommate does on campus),
there is most likely a student group on campus to satisfy you. And if not? Make
your own! It is so crucial to get involved on your campus and to regularly be
exposed to and meet new people. Through these, you can create lasting
connections with people from all walks of life and backgrounds. And who knows,
you just might learn something new! I know I have.
As the Freshman Scholar Advisory Board
Representative, we’ll follow along with Brandon’s first year of college. Click here to see more from Brandon!
In 2016-17, the Elks
National Foundation appropriated $4.2 million to fund the ENF scholarship program, which provides
college scholarships, ensuring a bright future for our nation’s youth. As important
parts of the Elks family, Elks scholars have many social and service
opportunities to connect with the Elks and each other. For more information
about our scholarship programs, and for ways Lodges can get involved with Elks
scholars, click here.
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