Duke University: Meaning (information, definition, explanation, facts)

Duke University is a prestigious private university located in Durham, North Carolina. It is named for the Duke family, which made its money in the tobacco and energy businesses (see American Tobacco Company and Duke Power). Although it is a young university, founded in 1924, Duke is recognized internationally as one of the leading institutions of higher education in the United States.

Schools

The university has two schools for undergraduates: Trinity College of Arts and Sciences and the Pratt School of Engineering.

Duke University also has several graduate and professional schools: the Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences, the School of Medicine, the School of Nursing, the Fuqua School of Business, the School of Law, the Divinity School, and the Graduate School.

Some applicants to Duke can enter the Robertson Scholarship program, which offers a tuition-free education at both Duke and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Duke University's Talent Identification Program, or TIP, is for seventh- through tenth-graders who have scored well on the SAT or ACT. They can go to camps at Duke University East or West campus and take a variety of classes. The TIP program also includes a summer program for rising seniors who can attend classes in Duke's "Pre-college" summer session.

The school's sports teams are called the Blue Devils. They compete in the NCAA's Division I-A Atlantic Coast Conference. Duke's major historic rival, especially in basketball, has been the Tar Heels of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Duke Men's basketball is one of the most well known college athletics programs in the country. ESPN analyst Joe Lunardi has called the Blue Devils from the early 1980s to today a dynasty. The team's achievements under coach Mike Krzyzewski include making the Final Four five years in a row from 1988 to 1992, winning the ACC Tournament an unprecedented five years in a row from 1999 to 2003, having six players named Naismith College Player of the Year in under 20 years, and becoming the only team to win three national championships since the NCAA Tournament field was expanded to 64 teams.

As of April 1, 2004, Duke has a total of six national championships; three in Men's Basketball (1991, 1992, 2001), two in Women's Golf (1999, 2002), and one in Men's Soccer (1986).

Duke is sometimes called "the Gothic Wonderland," a nickname referring to the Gothic revival architecture of its main campus (West Campus). Much of the campus was designed by Julian Abele, one of the first African-American architects. Its freshman campus (East Campus) comprises of buildings of the Georgian architecture.

The Duke Chapel stands at the heart of West Campus, and is at the center of religion at Duke. Constructed in 1930 through 1935, the Chapel seats about 1,600 people. With its 210-foot tower, it is one of the tallest buildings in Durham County, North Carolina.

Duke's undergraduate students are a very active social group for such a prestigous University. The nearby bars on Durham's Ninth Street are a popular outlet for undergraduates and graduate students as well. Many students frequently make the 15-minute commute to Chapel Hill to enjoy one of America's finest college towns. However, the primary social scene at Duke occurs within the "Duke Bubble" in the form of a strong Greek life. About 1 in 3 males, and 1 out of 2 females, are members of a Greek organization. Although the on campus "Animal House-style keggers" have been ended by the Administration, Greeks have found other, usually off-campus alternatives to provide students their necessary dose of "college life".

Politics/Law

• Richard Nixon, 37th president of the United States (Law school)
• Elizabeth Dole, United States Senator, North Carolina
• Ricardo Lagos, president of Chile
• Kenneth Starr, former United States Solicitor General, former U.S. appeals court judge (Law school)
• Eleanor Smeal, political activist, president of the National Organization for Women
• Christine M Durham, chief justice of the Utah Supreme Court

Business

• G. Richard Wagoner, Jr., President & CEO, General Motors Corporation
• Edmund Pratt, former CEO of Pfizer, philanthropist
• John A. Allison IV, Chairman and CEO, BB&T Corporation
• Rik Kirkland, S/B Managing Editor, Fortune Magazine
• James L. Vincent, Chairman & CEO, Biogen, Inc.
• Melinda Gates, Wife of Bill Gates, co-founder of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
• Rex Adams, chairman of the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS)

Academics/Research/Literature

• Robert Richardson, Nobel Laureate in physics, 1996
• Lee McGeorge Durrell, author, television presenter, zookeeper
• Reynolds Price, renowned author and professor of literature
• Jerry F Hough, political scientist, author, and professor
• Joseph B Rhine, psychologist and parapsychologist, recognized as founder of modern studies of psychical phenomena
• Ian Barbour, physicist, theologian, and recipient of the Templeton Prize in 1999
• Benjamin Chavis, civil rights activist, executive director of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
• Hans Dehmelt, Nobel Laureate in physics, 1989
• Robert Morris, notable psychologist, Koestler professor at the University of Edinburgh
• Jerome Bruner, renowned psychologist and professor
• Lorenz Eitner, renowned art historian
• Sylvia Earle, marine biologist, Chief Scientist of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration
• Willem J Kolff, pioneer of artificial organs
• Stanley Harakas, theologian and author
• Anne Tyler, novelist and writer of short stories
• Juanita M Kreps, professor, economist, Secretary of Commerce
• Lenox D Baker, physician, public servant
• Dorothy Simpson scientist, mathematician

Media

• Annabeth Gish, actress, X-Files
• Ren� Echevarria, producer, The 4400, Dark Angel, Now and Then; screenwriter, and
• Kelly Goldsmith, actress, Survivor
• Judy Woodruff, NBC's White House correspondent and Washington correspondent for the MacNeil/Lehrer News Hour
• Kevin Gray, ("Phantom" on Broadway after Michael Crawford)
• Charlie Rose, Journalist, former CBS News Anchor
• Dan Abrahms, Abrahms Report on NBC

Athletics

• Tommy Amaker, University of Michigan head basketball coach
• Shane Battier, professional basketball player (jersey retired)
• Alana Beard, professional basketball player (jersey retired)
• Jay Bilas, ESPN sports commentator
• Carlos Boozer, professional basketball player
• Elton Brand, professional basketball player
• Jeff Capel, Virginia Commonwealth University head basketball coach
• Jenny Chuasiriporn, professional golf player
• Johnny Dawkins, Duke University assistant basketball coach (jersey retired)
• Mike Dunleavy, Jr., professional basketball player
• Danny Ferry, former professional basketball player, member of 2003 National Champion San Antonio Spurs (jersey retired)
• Mike Gminski, ESPN sports commentator (jersey retired)
• Grant Hill, professional basketball player (jersey retired)
• Nancy Hogshead, Olympic gold medal winner in swimming
• Christian Laettner, professional basketball player (jersey retired)
• Corey Maggette, professional basketball player
• Quinton McCracken, professional baseball player, member of 2002 World Series Champion Arizona Diamondbacks
• Quin Snyder, University of Missouri basketball coach
• Jason Williams, professional basketball player (jersey retired)

Union Institute

• 1838-1842: Brantley York, President
• 1842-1851: Braxton Craven, President

Normal College

• 1851-1859: Braxton Craven, President

Trinity College

• 1859-1863: Braxton Craven, President
• 1863-1865: William Trigg Gannaway, President Pro Tempore
• 1866-1882: Braxton Craven, President
• 1883-1884: Marquis Lafayette Wood, President
• 1887-1894: John Franklin Crowell, President
• 1894-1910: John Carlisle Kilgo, President
• 1910-1924: William Preston Few, President

Duke University

• 1924-1940: William Preston Few, President
• 1941-1948: Robert Lee Flowers, President
• 1949-1960: Arthur Hollis Edens, President
• 1960-1963: Julian Deryl Hart, President
• 1963-1969: Douglas Maitland Knight, President
• 1969-1985: Terry Sanford, President
• 1985-1993: H. Keith H. Brodie, President
• 1993-2004: Nannerl O. Keohane, President
• 2004-: Richard H. Brodhead, President