Duke's Inaugural Class of Clark Scholars Graduates to Rave Reviews

The inaugural class of A. James Clark Scholars at Duke graduated on May 8 with the Class of 2022.

Pioneering the ambitious scholarship program at Duke, these 10 bright and promising graduates helped kick off the curriculum focused on leadership and service, business and entrepreneurship.

Created in 2018 with a $15 million investment from the A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation, the Clark Scholars is the foundation's engineering education program. Clark Scholars at Duke University receive up to $10,000 per year to follow their passion for making an impact through innovation. Ten students are chosen from each entering class. Eligible applicants are incoming first-year students at Duke who qualify for need-based financial aid and are interested in founding new ventures at the intersection of business and engineering.

The program mirrors the vision and values of construction-industry leader A. James Clark, with its focuses on engineering, business, leadership and community service.

Hailing from six states with a wide range of experiences and achievements before entering the program, Duke's Class of 2022 Clark Scholars shared an experience defined by personal mentoring, enrichment opportunities, and a focused summer program in entrepreneurship and management.

Hear the new graduates talk about their experience in the program in the video, including leadership lessons, service events for underserved students, finding a group to belong to and why the curriculum is valuable for any engineering student, whether they plan to go into business.