Would you consider Duke as a progressive school?

LondonGentleman
Mon, 22 Jul 2013 01:19:39 +0000

I think the “favoring change or innovation” is a more applicable definition of “progressive” than the political interpretation in this case; so I say “yes,” but for different reasons.

Duke is progressive in that we’re constantly improving, hiring new expert faculty, growing our academic departments (especially engineering), building new facilities and renovating old ones, initiating new interdisciplinary programs like Bass Connections that bring together undergrads, faculty, and medical professionals, extending the reach of international social service programs like Duke Engage, adapting our academics to match modern needs (neuroscience major added four years ago), and so much else. We have students leading activist causes, improving the standard of living in developing communities (installing sustainable water sources, establishing internet capabilities, etc.), winning Truman, Rhodes, and Marshall scholarships, and starting businesses. These are just a few vague personal anecdotes, but you get the idea.

Considering Duke makes progress in our world every day, I’d say yes, Duke is a progressive school.