Senior year saw Duke continue to grow and evolve both physically and intellectually, as construction ramped up and controversy provoked thoughtful discussion.
The number of cranes blotting the skyline increased as the University witnessed major campus-wide construction. Just as The Edge in Bostock Library opened this past January, the entrance to the Bryan Center shut down and Wallace Wade Stadium began renovations, relocating graduation to the Durham Bulls’ Athletic Park.
Duke also announced plans to renovate Marketplace for the first time since 1995, begin a historic expansion of Cameron Indoor Stadium and close the Chapel in May 2015 for a year of renovations.
Departing this year along with the Class 2015 are administrators who have helped shape the seniors' Duke experiences. Laurie Patton, dean of Trinity College of Arts and Sciences, announced her decision to become the 17th president of Middlebury College in Vermont.
Duke Kunshan University also saw a significant change in leadership—with Nora Bynum, vice provost for DKU, announcing her departure to work at Chicago’s Field Museum in January and Mary Brown Bullock, executive vice chancellor since 2012, announcing her retirement in February.
Duke Forward—the fundraising campaign with the goal of raising $3.25 billion by June 30, 2017—has yielded promising results this year, with the University having received $340.1 million in cash gifts and $348.5 million in new commitments as of April 1. Overall, the University has raised $2.5 billion towards its goal.
This senior class has witnessed a growing trend—with Keizra Mecklai’s election as the new DSG president marking Duke’s fourth consecutive female student body president. Although seniors won’t be around for her leadership, many have widely applauded Duke’s efforts in championing female leadership.
Senior year also saw a number of racial and religiously-based controversies— including Duke’s abrupt decision to reverse its decision to have the weekly Muslim call-to-prayer led from the Chapel bell tower, the tragic murder of three Muslim UNC students in Chapel Hill and the hanging of a noose near the Bryan Center. The Duke community came together following these incidents—with administrators leading speeches, faculty hosting forums and Duke Student Government and the Black Student Alliance collaborating to create the Social Justice Fellowship.
Duke research has also been featured prominently in national news, including the pioneering work around the use of the polio virus to treat cancer patients—which gained national attention when it was featured on CBS' "60 Minutes."
The University moved one step closer to putting the Anil Potti scandal behind it—settling a lawsuit involving the families of eight cancer patients who Potti treated based on falsified research.
On the court, Duke men's basketball overcame a season filled with ups and downs to capture its fifth national title with a thrilling 68-63 victory against Wisconsin. Head coach Mike Krzyzewski also surpassed yet another milestone in January, becoming the first head coach in Division I men's basketball history to reach 1,000 career wins with a comeback victory against St. John's at Madison Square Garden. Freshmen Jahlil Okafor, Tyus Jones and Justise Winslow led the way and have all since declared for the NBA draft, which will be held in late June.
Although Duke football ended its 2014 campaign with a loss to Arizona State in the Sun Bowl in the final minutes, the program continued to make strides under the direction of head coach David Cutcliffe, posting consecutive winning seasons for the first time since 1989.
Nine football players were signed by teams in the NFL, most notably offensive guard Laken Tomlinson, who was drafted by the Detroit Lions as the 28th overall pick, and wide receiver Jamison Crowder, who was selected 105th by the Washington Redskins.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.