Amanda Kelso Wins 2023 Global Service Award
Undergraduate Education leader plays vital role in establishing and maintaining Duke’s global footprint
-By Charles Givens
March 27, 2023
The recipient of the 2023 Duke Global Service Award is Amanda Kelso, Ed.D, Assistant Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education and Executive Director of the Global Education Office for Undergraduates. Dr. Kelso will receive a certificate and a $500 award and will be honored by a lunch or virtual gathering.
Active, full-time faculty and staff who have been employed by Duke for five or more years are eligible to be nominated for the Duke Global Service Award. Nominees should demonstrate excellence in terms of international teaching, research or public service. These activities include the following:
• Individual and/or collaborative international research
• Teaching or promotion of student involvement in global activities
• International program development
• Service on international boards and task forces
• Global publications and/or performances
“Dr. Kelso’s leadership and service on behalf of the Duke community has truly been unparalleled,” said Eve Duffy, Associate Vice Provost for Global Affairs. “Duke is seen nationally as a leader in study away, and that is due largely to Dr. Kelso’s efforts and those of her staff, which she leads so well. Among a strong pool of candidates, Dr. Kelso stood out for her work at Duke, nationally and across the globe.”
“DR. KELSO IS THE TRUSS OF THE BRIDGE THAT CONNECTS DUKE’S UNDERGRADUATES TO NATIONAL AND GLOBAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES.”
AVP Kelso has been at Duke for twenty-six years and is a leader in several areas including the Global Education Office, the Office of Global Health and Safety, Duke Immerse, and the Rubenstein-Bing Student-Athlete Civic Engagement Program. Through these efforts, Dr. Kelso plays a critical role in student and faculty engagement with global issues.
In the nomination letter for the Global Service Award, Interim Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education Candis Watts Smith said, “Dr. Kelso is the truss of the bridge that connects Duke’s undergraduates to national and global educational opportunities.”
One of AVP Kelso’s recent contributions came as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic. While international travel was halted, Dr. Kelso used her skills and experience in crisis and risk management to create and develop the Office of Global Health and Safety, which assesses and seeks to mitigate risk in domestic and international travel. With international travel opening again, this new office has been a vital part in assisting students who plan to be abroad. The office has been so successful that others at Duke have sought Kelso’s expertise on travel and safety.
“Assistant Vice Provost Kelso has been an enduring, pivotal player in Duke’s effort to develop and expand its global footprint, in a responsible, ethical way,” said Watts Smith. “Duke students and faculty whose research, teaching and service extends beyond Duke’s campus in Durham have been touched by Dr. Kelso’s leadership.”
The next Global Service Award will be offered in 2024, with nominations due March 2024. If there is a member of the Duke community who deserves recognition, visit global.duke.edu/global-service-awards to review the process and requirements.
