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In 2022, as the inaugural undergraduate class was about to graduate from Duke Kunshan University, the parents of the Class of 2022, at the initiative of graduating student representatives, launched the Signature Fund to celebrate the graduation of the inaugural class and to commemorate their pioneering four years. It is the hope of the first graduating parents that this initiative will also start a tradition of graduating parents supporting future Duke Kunshan graduates through the Signature Fund, which is earmarked to fund Signature Work projects. This initiative has received support from both Chinese and international parents of the inaugural class. The inaugural Signature Fund raised over RMB 400,000.
In the 22/23 academic year, more than RMB 67,000 was allocated to support 11 students from the Classes of 2023 and 2024. The student recipients conducted field research and filming projects in Qinling mountains, along the coast of North Carolina, in the streets of Guangzhou, and in the countryside of Anhui Province; they also used the funding to create whimsical art installations, conduct experiments and interviews with over 100 people for behavioral/psychological research, and purchase necessary experimental equipment. Mentored by DKU professors and supported by the Signature Fund, these 11 students were able to achieve excellent results in their Signature Work projects and gain admission to master’s and Ph.D. programs at top universities including Harvard, Cambridge, Carnegie Mellon, Duke, University of Michigan, University of Chicago, and California College of the Arts, as well as publish academic papers together with their professors.
Building upon the success of the inaugural Signature Fund, the 2023 Signature Fund is scheduled to officially launch in May. Parents of both Chinese and international students from the Class of 2023 are cordially invited to contribute to the Fund to celebrate the achievements of DKU students and to leave heartfelt messages for your children. Your donation will help secure more abundant and diverse research and experiential learning resources for future Duke Kunshan graduates, and your generosity will pass on the spirits of the Class of 2023 and encourage younger DKUers to follow in their footsteps.
The Signature Work project at Duke Kunshan University is one of the highlights of the undergraduate liberal arts experience, giving students broader learning opportunities along deeper practical skills. During junior and senior years, each student addresses a real-world issue, picking an original topic that truly interests them. They explore and create through both rigorous research and practical experiences outside the university, growing from “consumers” to “creators” of knowledge.
The Signature Fund will be managed by the Duke Kunshan University Education Development Foundation (DKU Foundation). The management of the Signature Fund is subject to relevant laws and regulations. Each year, the DKU Foundation will release a progress report on the fund.
