When Associate Professor of the Practice Yan Liu reached out to Durham Academy's Mandarin teacher Bonnie Wang in 2014, she was exploring new connections in the community for her new service-learning course in Chinese. Neither educator could have predicted that this initial connection would blossom into a decade-long partnership that would transform hundreds of students' lives and their own teaching practices.
This year, Bonnie Wang was named the 2025 Betsy Alden Outstanding Service-Learning Community Partner Award recipient, honoring her exceptional commitment to academic and personal collaboration with Duke students and faculty. The award recognizes community partners who make a profound impact on student learning through service-learning experiences.
"In every way, Bonnie embodies the ideal of what a community partner can be," Liu wrote in her nomination. "She is committed to co-learning, she deeply values student perspectives, and she brings a level of joy, trust, and curiosity to the classroom that students immediately respond to."
Finding Voice Through Connection
The partnership between Duke University and Durham Academy created a unique environment where language learning extended far beyond vocabulary and grammar. For Bonnie, this work connects deeply to her personal journey.
"I found my voice in the Chinese language and culture classroom," she reflects. "That's where I felt connected, where I found my power."
This sense of empowerment flows both ways in their carefully designed interactions. Duke students, many of whom are heritage speakers or advanced learners, mentor high school students in small groups, while simultaneously reflecting on their own identities and language journeys.
"Our students see Duke students and imagine, 'That's me in two years.' And Duke students, in turn, see themselves nurturing the next generation. It's a mutual inspiration," Bonnie explains.
Evolving Through Challenges
What makes this partnership extraordinary is its adaptability. As the world changed, so did their focus and approach.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, as in-person learning was disrupted and anti-Asian hate crimes surged across the country, Bonnie and Yan recognized that the moment called for more than language instruction.
“We prioritized students' mental health over language proficiency," Bonnie explains. "They needed to feel connected more than anything else."
Together, they developed materials to help students process and contextualize the rise in anti-Asian racism. Duke students shared their own stories and reflections, providing younger students with real-life examples of resilience and courage.
"It gave them hope, something to look forward to,” says Wang.
Expanding Horizons
In 2023, inspired by Duke's Climate Commitment, Yan and Bonnie expanded their collaboration to focus on environmental sustainability. They co-designed a curriculum that brought Duke students and high schoolers together to explore Chinese language through the lens of climate action.
"This isn't just a language project. It's global, it's real, and it's relevant," says Bonnie. "We're talking about climate justice, racism, empathy—and students are leading those conversations."
Yan adds, "We envision our role not just as language instructors, but as educators who help students care about the world, their communities, and each other."
Seeds of Change
What began as a classroom visit has evolved into what Yan describes as "a model for how university and high school partnerships can evolve to meet students where they are."
"We're planting seeds," Bonnie says. "You never know which conversation, which story, which moment will stay with someone years down the line."
Yan agrees. "Our students remember this class. They remember how they felt in Bonnie's classroom. And for many of them, it's the first time they've been seen as someone who has something meaningful to offer back to their community."
As the partnership enters its second decade, both educators continue to nurture what they've grown—a community of learners who connect across differences, ask challenging questions, and build something lasting together. For the students who pass through their classrooms, for the educators who work together across institutions, and for the communities shaped by their learning.
