New Partnership between Duke and the National Education Opportunity Network (NEON) Brings College Courses to Low-Income High Schools

This spring, more than 200 scholars will have the opportunity to take a class with a Duke professor

NEW YORK, Dec. 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Talent is evenly distributed, opportunity is not. It is this shared belief that has united Duke University, the Samuel DuBois Cook Center on Social Equity, and the National Education Opportunity Network (NEON).

Through this new partnership, more than 200 talented scholars from low-income high schools across the country will have the opportunity to experience a course taught by a Duke University professor next spring.

"At Duke, we believe deeply in the transformative power of education to change lives and strengthen communities. Our partnership with NEON extends that mission by exposing talented students across the country to a course taught by one of our faculty," said Gary Bennett, dean of Trinity College of Arts & Sciences.

NEON is committed to propelling economic mobility by delivering, and supporting, college credit-bearing courses into low-income high school classrooms through its network of 17 leading colleges and universities.

"I'm excited to see the beginnings of an impactful partnership, and look forward to its growth and expansion," said Vivian Zelter, NEON's director of strategic partnerships. "I'm thrilled talented high school students from across the country will have the opportunity to experience the power of a Duke course."

Since launching in 2019, NEON, a nationally recognized non-profit, has served 50,000 scholars across 34 states and more than 160 cities–from Hialeah, Florida; Washington, DC; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; the Navajo Nation in Gallup, New Mexico, to Los Angeles and New York City. NEON does this at scale, and at no cost to students.

"I'm inspired by the faculty who have stepped forward to make our partnership with NEON possible and excited to see the impact these students will have in their own communities and beyond," said Dean Bennett.

Tyson Brown, professor and director of the Samuel DuBois Cook Center on Social Equity at Duke, will be offering the course, "Medical Sociology: Who Gets Sick and Why?". This course will explore how health outcomes are influenced by social structures and systems of power. Participating high school students will receive the same course material as Duke undergraduates and will be challenged to meet the university's rigorous standards.

In addition to video lectures provided by Brown, scholars will receive ample on-the-ground support through their facilitating high school classroom teacher and weekly Zoom sessions with university teaching fellows–college near-peers– who help deepen students' content knowledge and lead discussions on college preparation and success. NEON staff provides ongoing support and training to teaching fellows, co-teachers, and scholars, as well as helping to build a sense of community.

"As an educator and as director of the Cook Center, I'm inspired by the chance to help young people see their promise reflected in the possibilities before them. Teaching medical sociology through NEON allows me to share how social conditions shape health—and to spark curiosity about how students can use that understanding to improve their communities," said Brown.

"Together, Duke and NEON are showing what's possible when research, teaching, and partnership come together to open new doors for the next generation."

Upon successful completion of the course, scholars will earn widely transferable college credits and an official transcript from Duke.

Duke University joins Stanford University, University of Pennsylvania, Cornell University, Barnard College, Dartmouth College, Brown University, Howard University, Wesleyan University, University of Notre Dame, Georgetown University, and many other of the nation's leading universities as part of the NEON network.

"We are humbled by the continued growth of our college and university partners, and welcome Duke University's commitment to expanding opportunity beyond their gates," said Leslie Cornfeld, NEON founder and CEO. "We are inspired by Duke's continuous pursuit of college access and affordability–enabling more scholars to have a chance at the American Dream."

About the National Education Opportunity Network

The National Education Opportunity Network (NEON) is a nonprofit committed to propelling economic mobility for talented scholars nationwide. With our network of top colleges and universities, we deliver and support college courses, taught by university professors, into low-income (Title 1) high schools — at scale, and at no cost to students. With built-in academic coaching and college advising, scholars earn college credit and build critical skills to thrive in college and careers—fueling economic mobility and strengthening our nation's future workforce.

For more information, visit: neonopportunity.org.

SOURCE National Education Opportunity Network