Duke University

Duke University has a long and storied history, beginning in the mid-1800s. The university was founded as a private school, and its name was changed to Trinity College when it became associated with the Methodist Church shortly before the Civil War. In 1892, the college was moved to Durham, and rechristened Duke University in 1924, after a prominent college official. Today, the Duke family oversees an endowment that provides funding for educational initiatives in the region.

The university offers nine different schools, including the Divinity School, the Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences, and the Fuqua School of Business. Approximately 6,000 undergraduates and 7,000 graduate students attend Duke University. The university’s operating budget is largely financed through the Duke University Health System, with additional support from the government, donors, and tuition fees.

The Storied Duke University Blue Devils

Many students attend Duke to be a part of a Blue Devil sports team. With 26 teams in NCAA’s Division 1, athletics are a very large part of student life. Both men’s and women’s athletic teams enjoy success on a national level; the men’s basketball team won the national championship in 2001. The women’s golf team is particularly strong, winning the NCAA national title in 2005 and 2006.

The Duke University campus is lush and green, featuring regional landmarks such as the Duke Chapel, a 210-foot gothic tower. Other campus buildings of note include the John Hope Franklin Center for Interdisciplinary and International Studies, the Fitzpatrick Center for Interdisciplinary Engineering, Medicine and Applied Sciences, and the Nasher Museum of Art.