By
I feel privileged to have been a part of Duke for nearly thirty years and, of course, throughout these twenty-five years of Duke Magazine. For me, and my family, Duke is home.
It is difficult to say how the next twenty-five years will change college athletics. The changes will likely be numerous, both on the national scale and within our institution, but the nature of these changes is nearly impossible to predict. What I do know is that there will be change. What I hope is that some things don't change.
So, for me, there is more meaning in discussing the things that Duke athletics will not change. In the face of the perpetual flux that occurs in most industries, and certainly in higher education, my goal for Duke would be to never change the fundamentals of who we are, of what makes Duke a great institution for learning. That means recognizing the fundamental values that make up the Duke identity and saying that, no matter how our environment changes, these are the things that will remain steadfast.
In the fall of 2006 and in the wake of great adversity at Duke, our athletics department developed a list of nine principles that define Duke athletics—the things that are essential to who we are. A crowd of 850 student-athletes, coaches, and administrators gathered in Cameron Indoor Stadium to listen as those principles were, one by one, revealed by former Duke student-athletes, alumni who represent great success stories in their respective fields. The words we selected to define us are: education, respect, integrity, diversity, sportsmanship, commitment, loyalty, accountability, and excellence. Duke athletics is all of these things. Without any one of them, we lose sight of who we collectively are.
Things change. There is no doubt about that. And neither people nor institutions can be naïve about that reality. In fact, change can be a terrific thing. It can make you better, it can help you identify limits and break through them, it can lift you to a higher level. Being adaptable allows you to take advantage of a changing environment. Duke will plan to be adaptable in many ways, but not in our dedication to the values we have identified as our foundation.
As I personally embark on my next twenty-five years, I know that my role at the university will change, too. But, for my family and me, Duke will continue to be home. And my goal for myself is the same as my goal for the future of Duke athletics, that I maintain and strengthen who I am and the standards I hold dear in the face of the many changes that will occur around me.
My hope is that everyone who has been touched and made better by Duke University and Duke athletics will insist upon giving back to our great institution. Two of the best ways to do this are to continue to live lives based on those nine principles that were ingrained in us during our time at Duke, and to remain active in life at the university. If we can make this commitment, the student-athletes of tomorrow will be reminded of what Duke has always been and, together, we will remain insistent upon what Duke will always be.
