President Richard Brodhead announced Wednesday that The Duke Endowment has granted nearly $15 million to support University initiatives for the new year. This contribution makes the organization the largest single donor in Duke’s most recent capital campaign.
Funds from The Duke Endowment, a non-profit charitable trust based in Charlotte, N.C., will be used to further develop the undergraduate experience at Duke as well as bolster several other University programs and facilities.
“The Duke Endowment has probably been the single most important strategic partner and has been over the years,” said John Burness, senior vice president for public affairs and government relations. “They have been extraordinarily generous to Duke this year and are responding to priorities identified by the president and the provost.”
Of the contribution, the organization awarded $4.25 million to enhance current undergraduate programs, with a focus on opportunities for undergraduates to conduct research with faculty members.
“In this phase of enhancement we have specifically focused on research,” said Robert Thompson, dean of Trinity College. “We want to double the number of students graduating with theses to 25 percent. We have to change the culture to enable more of these experiences and use research as a way of teaching.”
As the administration works toward that goal, Thompson said the University would be working closely with the faculty. “We need to recognize that one size doesn’t fit all,” he added. “We’re looking at faculty members to tell us how to improve their departments and accomplish their objectives.”The Duke Endowment also awarded Perkins Library $4 million to construct an Information Commons, a public service area that will provide students with access to both sophisticated technology and library specialists in the same space. The contribution is the Endowment’s second towards Perkins renovations, together totalling $10 million.
“Students will be pleased with the technology capacity that they will have,” said University Librarian Deborah Jakubs. “It will be easier to discover, access and convert information—sort of one-stop shopping for the library services they’ll need.”
The Information Commons will be temporarily housed in the new Bostock Library opening in the fall. The center’s primary location will be permanently constructed on the first floor of Perkins during the next phase of its development.
“It will be essential to the successful project that we’re planning to carry out in the new building and to our focus to transform library services,” Jakubs said.
The Goodson Chapel at Duke Divinity School will be renovated partially due to the recent influx of funds and The Duke Law School Library received $2 million. The Endowment also granted more than $1.3 million to support initiatives of the Duke University Health System. Smaller gifts were awarded to individual University programs, including $515,000 for the Duke-Durham Neighborhood Partnership, which ties the University to the Durham community through programs involving surrounding neighborhoods and schools.
“This is an organization that’s looking to strengthen every aspect of Duke,” said Mimi O’Brien, Duke’s director of corporate and foundation relations. “That’s what makes it a unique partnership. It’s a very comprehensive way to support the University.”
The Duke Endowment has awarded more than $2 billion in gifts to North and South Carolina programs in higher education, health care, children’s welfare and spiritual life since it was founded in 1924 by James B. Duke.
“It’s a phenomenal resource for the University,” Thompson said. “It’s a tremendous gift, and we’re very thankful for it—this opens up all kinds of possibilities.”
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