Durham Designated a "Citizen-Engaged Community"

The City of Durham has been designated one of 10 “Citizen-Engaged Communities” from across the U.S. by the The Public Technology Institute  for 2011-2013 for its use of technology to connect with residents. PTI’s Citizen-Engaged Communities Designation program recognizes excellence in multi-channel contact centers and best practices for the use of Citizen Relationship/Records Management (CRM) systems, 311 systems, web portal technology, telephony systems, and mobile communications infrastructure.

Duke Boasts 97 Percent Graduation Success Rate Among Student-Athletes

Statistics for the Graduation Success Rate (GSR) released by the NCAA indicate that ninety-seven percent of freshmen student-athletes graduated from Duke within six years. The GSR includes student-athletes receiving scholarship aid or recruited individuals participating in programs that do not offer athletic aid.

Duke Ranked 7th Best Value in Private Universities

Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine ranked Duke University #7 on its 2011-2012 list of the "10 Best Values in Private Universities."

'Voice of Blue Devils' Broadcasts 400th Consecutive Game

Duke's October 15th game versus Florida State marked the 400th consecutive Blue Devil football game called by Hall of Fame broadcaster Bob Harris. Harris has been the voice of the Blue Devils for over three decades; his broadcasting streak began on September 11, 2976 with Duke's victory over Tennessee.

Duke Ranked #19 on U.S. News & World Report's List of World's Best Universities

U.S. News & World Report named Duke University the 19th best university in the world.

'The Dr. Oz Show' to Feature Durham Weight Loss Center

Structure House, a Durham-based residential weight loss center, will be featured on “The Dr. Oz Show” on Thursday, October 20th. The show will include interviews with Durham psychologist, Katie Rickel, and a woman who has lost a substantial amount of weight on the program which embraces a behavioral approach to weight loss

"Duke '91 & '92" Championship Teams the Subject of Turner Sports Documentary

Duke's 1991 and 1992 championship basketball teams are the subject of a new documentary being developed by Turner Sports for broadcast before the 2012 NCAA championship game. Former Duke All-Americans Grant Hill and Christian Laettner are among those involved in the development of the film, "Duke '91 & '92."

Durham Songwriter Inducted Into NC Hall of Fame

Durham songwriter John D. Loudermilk will be inducted into the N.C. Music Hall of Fame. The Durham native has written around 1,000 songs, 350 of which have been recorded by some 1,100 artists, including “Tobacco Road,” "Cherokee Nation," “Abilene” and “Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye.”

Durham a Three-Time Winner of 100 Best Communities for Young People Honor

Durham has been named one of the nation’s 100 Best Communities for Young People by America’s Promise Alliance and ING for a third time. The competition recognizes communities across the country that focus on reducing high school dropout rates and providing service and support to their youth.

Duke to Debut New Football Anthem Produced by Sugarhill Gang Member

Duke grad and bassist for Sugarhill Gang’s iconic hit “Rapper’s Delight,” Chip Shearin, has partnered with the Duke football program to produce the official anthem for the Blue Devils, "We Are Duke!" The anthem will debut Saturday, Oct. 15, when Duke hosts Florida State at 3 p.m.

Duke Ranked Top NC College For Salary Potential

Duke University was ranked #1 in Triangle Business Journal's list of the top NC colleges by salary potential.

N.C. Central Approved to Introduce First Ph.D. Program in 50 Years

North Carolina Central University received final approval from the University of North Carolina Board of Governors to introduce a doctor of philosophy program in integrated biosciences. Students will be recruited to enter the program in fall 2012. N.C. Central would award the first Ph.Ds four years later, the university's first in more than 50 years.

Fuqua School of Business Expands Global Presence to Kazakhstan

As part of their global commitment and intent to become the world’s first legitimately global business school, Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business will assist Nazarbayev University (NU) in Kazakhstan in creating a business school from the ground up in Kazakhstan’s capital city of Astana.The target date for the launch of an MBA program at Nazarbayev University is September 2012. Fuqua currently has a presence in Dubai, United Arab Emirates; London, England; New Delhi, India; Shanghai/Kunshan, China; and St. Petersburg, Russia.

Duke Reaffirms Commitment to Needs-Blind Admissions

Duke has reaffirmed its commitment to needs-blind admissions. The policy, a bedrock of the university according to Duke officials, states that an applicant’s ability to pay tuition will not be a factor in the admission decision. The renewed commitment comes at a time when many institutions of higher education have begun to focus more attention on recruiting students who can pay full tuition.

McKinney's 'SPENT' Reaches 1.179 Million Plays

The online game “Spent,” created by the Durham-based advertising agency McKinney to benefit the Urban Ministries of Durham, educates its users about poverty and homeless. Prior to last week, the game had seen 1.179 million plays -- a surge in traffic over the past week has resulted in an additional 380,094 plays and $14,000 in new donations as of Thursday. In total, Urban Ministries has received $34,280 from 1,637 separate donations directly resulting from the game.