My journey at Duke University shaped me and prepared me, not just as a student, but as a leader for North Carolina. From the moment I stepped onto its campus, I was immersed in a world that demanded intellectual rigor and instilled a belief that knowledge must be wielded for the public good. It was at Duke that I discovered education carries an immense responsibility: to create opportunity, confront injustice, and seek solutions for the challenges that define our times.
To me, no one embodied this ethos better than Terry Sanford. No matter how he served – governor, U.S. senator, or Duke’s president – Gov. Sanford’s commitment to civil rights and his steadfast dedication to education reform reflected a courage and clarity of purpose that inspired me then, just as it does today. He was not only a leader; he was a model for how to turn ideas into action and values into policy.
As a mentor, he always reminded me that progress is never achieved by standing still. This is something I think of often as we face today’s challenges and uncertainty – from deepening polarization to economic inequality. Whenever the path forward seems unclear, I return to the values imparted at Duke. I was taught that the challenges of the world are not insurmountable, but they demand boldness, collaboration and relentless optimism. These lessons shaped my career, and today as they are deeply embedded at Duke, they still fuel my hope that, together, we can rise to meet the demands of our moment – and build a brighter and rewarding future for all.