After five and a half years of service, Leon Dunkley resigned from his position as director for the Mary Lou Williams Center for Black Culture in December. He will work on special projects for Larry Moneta, vice-president for student affairs, until June 30, at which point he will officially leave the University.
Andrea Caldwell, assistant dean of students, has taken over as interim director of the center until June.
“Leon has expressed his interest to move on,” Moneta said. “He has other areas of interest he would like to explore, such as going to Divinity School. His decision was based on some future goals that he has.”
Dunkley will spend the remainder of the spring semester working on special projects that possibly include an analysis of cultural centers as a component of Student Affairs.
“Leon left the center in fine shape and Andrea Caldwell is already quite up to speed,” Moneta said. “You won’t see any hitches whatsoever in the quality of the work.”
Moneta noted that Dunkley had been thinking of a career change for some time now and that the move was not completely unexpected. Dunkley could not be reached for comment.
“We wish him well in his next endeavors,” said Caldwell, whose duties became effective Jan. 1.
Zoila Airall, assistant vice president for campus life, is in the process of organizing a national search for a new director. “Hopefully, we can have someone permanent in place by July 1,” said Airall, who noted that she would be discussing the process with stakeholders of the Mary Lou Williams Center.
In the next several weeks, Airall will also be organizing focus groups and inviting students, faculty and staff to these groups to hear what they would like to see in terms of new programs and initiatives at the center.
Caldwell, who advises Duke’s Black Student Alliance and the African-American Mentoring Program, has expressed her excitement about serving as interim director. She has not yet decided whether to make herself a candidate for the permanent position.
“We are working on increasing communications with the campus community with projects like the Jazz at the Mary Lou program and connecting with various other black cultural centers in the Triangle area,” Caldwell said. “We want to continue to improve student involvement and engagement.”
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