Duke University

Classes may pause for the summer, but Blue Devil spirit never does.

Before a new theme takes over duke.edu, revisit the stories, moments, and traditions that brought the Duke community together through "United in Spirit."

Pride in who we are. Pride in our community. Pride in each other. 🌈

“The Last of Us” made a lot of people ask: Could fungi really adapt to survive in humans?

As global temperatures rise, Duke researchers are exploring how heat changes fungi at the genetic and cellular level, and whether those changes could make some fungal infections harder to fight. It’s not science fiction. It’s federally funded research happening right now. Read more in the full story: https://today.duke.edu/2026/05/heat-fungi-and-our-health

Duke University School of Medicine

Jewish American Heritage Month is a celebration of the diverse traditions and peoplehood that define Jewish life. Hosted by Jewish Life at Duke, Duke’s first Latke vs. Hamentasch Debate brought that spirit to life through a humor-filled mock academic debate featuring math professor Adam Levine and physics professor Dan Scolnic defending their favorite Jewish delicacies.

As we recognize Jewish American Heritage Month, we also celebrate the many ways Jewish history, identity, and community enrich life at Duke. From meaningful traditions to lifelong connections, Jewish Life at Duke continues to foster a supportive community where Jewish life thrives.

This Memorial Day, we honor the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country.

As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, “We the People” invites reflection on our shared history and evolving identity and on those whose sacrifice helped shape the story of our nation.

wethepeople.duke.edu

69 student-athletes. 42 athletics staff members. 233.5 collective hours of service.

A few things these volunteers did during the Duke Athletics Week of Service:
🍽️ Delivered 42 routes for Meals on Wheels Durham, providing meals to seniors in Durham
🌱 Added compost to 13 beds at Duke Campus Farm
💌 Wrote more than 130 cards and visited with patients at Duke Cancer Center
🛠️ Built picnic tables at Root Causes

There’s a lot more behind these moments. Read how they spent the week giving back across Durham: https://today.duke.edu/2026/04/duke-athletics-enjoys-week-giving-back-community

Duke Community Affairs | Duke University Student Affairs | Duke Cancer Institute

“I like living more than anything else.”

That mindset led Alfonzo Grafton to join a clinical trial at Duke after treatment for his stage IV lung cancer stopped working. The experimental therapy helped shrink his tumor and gave him something he feared he had lost: his life back.

His story is part of Faces of Research, highlighting North Carolinians living life fully thanks to health care backed by innovative research, supported by federal funding. https://researchsaveslives.duke.edu/stories/alfonzo-grafton/

Duke Cancer Institute | Duke Health | Duke University School of Medicine

Recently, Grammy-award winning artist, and North Carolina native, Rapsody, spent time with students from Duke and Jordan High School.

Through Duke’s service-learning course, The Critical Pedagogy of Hip Hop, students studied the work of Rapsody before welcoming her into their classroom for a conversation about music, culture and community.

Go inside the classroom conversation: https://today.duke.edu/2026/05/connection-through-art-form-hip-hop

Duke Community Affairs | Durham Public Schools

Duke Softball fans brought the energy in Durham all weekend long during Regionals. Next stop: the Super Regional in Fayetteville. 🥎

Duke Athletics