Duke University

Duke University is a private research university in Durham, North Carolina, United States. It was founded by Methodists and Quakers in the city of Trinity in 1838 and moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, James Buchanan Duke created the Duke Endowment, and the school was renamed to honor his father, Washington Duke.

The university covers over 8,600 acres and has three main areas in Durham, plus a marine lab in Beaufort. The West Campus, with its tall Duke Chapel, features beautiful Gothic architecture. East Campus, home to first-year students, has Georgian-style buildings. Duke also has schools in Singapore and China.

Duke is part of the Research Triangle area, along with North Carolina State University in Raleigh and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In 2024, the university spent over $1.5 billion on research. Its teams, called the Blue Devils, compete in 27 NCAA Division I sports and have won many championships.

History

Beginnings

Main article: History of Duke University

Duke University started in 1838 as a small school called Brown's Schoolhouse in the town of Trinity, in North Carolina. It was created by a group of Methodists and Quakers. Over time, the school changed its name several times, becoming Union Institute Academy, then Normal College, and finally Trinity College.

In 1892, Trinity College moved to Durham, thanks to gifts from two wealthy local men, Julian S. Carr and Washington Duke. They donated money and land to help the school grow. In 1924, Washington Duke's son, James B. Duke, created a large fund called The Duke Endowment. This money helped the school change its name to Duke University in honor of James's father. With this support, Duke University grew quickly, building new campuses and becoming a major university.

Expansion and growth

Duke University kept growing over the years. It added new schools, like engineering, and built important buildings such as the J. Deryl Hart House. During World War II, Duke helped train students for the Navy. In the 1960s, the university worked to include more people from all backgrounds.

Duke also became known for its sports teams, especially basketball, winning several national championships. The university continued to grow in the 1970s and 1980s, adding new programs and buildings. By 2017, a big fundraising effort helped Duke raise over $3 billion to support its future.

Recent history

In recent years, Duke University has made changes to honor its history better. In 2014, the name of a former governor known for treating people unfairly was removed from a dorm. In 2017, a statue of a person linked to unfair treatment of others was taken down from the university chapel.

In 2020, students from Duke Kunshan University in China began studying at the Durham campus, though some stayed in China because of health concerns.

Campus

Duke University owns 256 buildings spread across 8,693 acres of land, including Duke Forest, which covers 7,044 acres. The campus has four main areas: West, East, Central campuses, and the Medical Center, all linked by a free bus service. On the Atlantic coast in Beaufort, Duke also has a 15-acre marine lab.

West Campus, often called “the Gothic Wonderland,” features impressive architecture inspired by famous universities. East Campus, the original location, serves as the first-year student area with Georgian-style buildings. Central Campus, once home to many students, now houses arts and recreation facilities.

Duke Chapel, a central landmark on West Campus, can seat 1,600 people and stands 210 feet tall. The campus also includes the beautiful Sarah P. Duke Gardens, established in the 1930s.

Administration and organization

Duke University has 12 schools and institutes. Three of these offer programs for undergraduate students: Trinity College of Arts and Sciences, Pratt School of Engineering, and Duke Kunshan University.

Although Duke has strong connections with the United Methodist Church, it is an independent institution. The university’s resources are extensive, with special facilities such as an art museum, language labs, Duke Forest, Duke Herbarium, a lemur center, a phytotron, a free-electron laser, a nuclear magnetic resonance machine, a nuclear lab, and a marine lab. Duke also participates in the National Lambda Rail Network and supports gifted children through the Talent Identification Program.

Academics

Undergraduate admissions

Getting into Duke is very hard. In one year, almost 55,000 students applied to join, but only about 5% were offered a place. For students who were accepted in another year, 54% decided to come to Duke. The school looks at test scores, with some years asking students to send them and other years not.

Duke gives out many scholarships to help students pay for school. About half of all students get some kind of financial help.

Graduate profile

Duke’s School of Medicine got over 7,000 applications and accepted just under 3%. The school’s average grades and test scores were very high.

Duke has many different schools for students to learn in, like medicine, law, and business.

Undergraduate curriculum

Duke has many different subjects students can study, like arts, sciences, and engineering. Students can pick one main subject to focus on and also choose other smaller subjects to learn about too.

Students can join special groups to explore topics in more depth and work on projects together.

Libraries and museums

Duke has big libraries where students can study and read. There is also an art museum on campus with thousands of pieces of art from famous artists around the world.

Research

Duke does a lot of important research. In one year, the school spent over a billion dollars on research projects. Scientists at Duke have made big discoveries, like helping to finish mapping all of human DNA.

Rankings and reputation

Duke is known as one of the best schools in the world. It is often compared to very famous schools because of how hard it is to get in and how well students do after they graduate.

Student life

Duke University has many students, with over 6,000 undergraduates and nearly 10,000 graduate and professional students. Students come from families with a wide range of incomes, though many are from higher-income backgrounds.

Students at Duke are required to live on campus for their first three years, which helps them build friendships and feel connected to the university. First-year students live in buildings on East Campus, while sophomores and juniors live on West Campus. Many seniors choose to live off campus.

Duke has many social groups, including fraternities, sororities, and other clubs. These groups often host events that are open to all students. The university has worked to create more on-campus activities to keep students engaged.

Sports, especially men's basketball, are very important to students at Duke. Fans, known as the "Cameron Crazies," often camp out for days to get tickets to big games. There are also many clubs, organizations, and activities for students to join, including community service projects that help the local area of Durham.

Athletics

Main article: Duke Blue Devils

See also: Carolina–Duke rivalry

Duke University's sports teams were first called the Trinity Eleven, the Blue and White, or the Methodists. In 1922, students started calling them the Blue Devils, and the name stuck.

Duke has teams for 27 different sports with over 650 students playing. These teams compete in the NCAA Division I, the Football Bowl Subdivision, and the Atlantic Coast Conference. Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, fencing, football, golf, lacrosse, soccer, swimming, tennis, track, and wrestling. Women's sports include basketball, cross country, fencing, field hockey, golf, lacrosse, rowing, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track, and volleyball.

Duke's teams have won 17 NCAA national championships. The women's golf team has won seven, the men's basketball team has won five, and the men's lacrosse team has won three. Duke often ranks high in overall athletic success and has many students who do well in their studies too.

Men's basketball

Main article: Duke Blue Devils men's basketball

Duke's men's basketball team is one of the best in the country, with five NCAA national championships. The team was led for many years by Coach Mike Krzyzewski, known as "Coach K," who coached from 1980 to 2022. During his time, the team won many games and produced players who went on to play professionally.

Football

Main article: Duke Blue Devils football

See also: Duke–Wake Forest football rivalry

The football team has won eight ACC Football Championships and has had many players recognized for their achievements. They have also produced players who went on to successful professional careers.

Women's golf

The women's golf team has been very successful since 2000, winning national championships in 1999, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2014, and 2019. Many professional golfers started their careers at Duke.

Track and field

Main article: Duke Blue Devils track and field

Duke's track and field athletes have won many ACC championships and All-America honors since 2003. A new stadium, the Morris Williams Track and Field Stadium, opened in 2015.

Alumni

Main article: List of Duke University people

Duke University has many successful graduates. Some have won important awards like the Nobel Prize and the Turing Award. Others have become leaders in governments around the world, including a U.S. president and a president of Chile. Many alumni work in business, media, and sports.

Famous Duke graduates include:

• 37th President of the United States Richard Nixon (J.D. 1937)

• Astronaut Charles E. Brady Jr. (M.D. 1975)

• Apple CEO Tim Cook (M.B.A. 1988)

• Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Martin Dempsey (M.A. 1984)

• Philanthropist Melinda French Gates (A.B. 1986, M.B.A. 1987)

• Former United States Secretary of Transportation, United States Secretary of Labor and United States Senator from North Carolina Elizabeth Dole (B.A. 1958)

• Former NFL player, NFL Champion and Pro Football Hall of Fame member Sonny Jurgenson (B.A. 1956)

• Seven-time NBA All-Star, 2X NCAA Champion, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame member Grant Hill (B.A. 1994)

• United States Senator from Kentucky Rand Paul (M.D. 1988)

• American billionaire, owner of Hyatt Hotels and TransUnion Corporation, and 43rd Governor of Illinois J. B. Pritzker (A.B. 1987)

• Actor and comedian Ken Jeong (B.S. 1990)

• CEO of McDonald's Chris Kempczinski (B.A. 1991)

• American billionaire, co-founder and co-chairman of The Carlyle Group David Rubenstein (B.A. 1970)

Duke Alumni Association

The Duke Alumni Association helps graduates stay connected. Members can attend events, join regional chapters, and access special opportunities and facilities at the university.