Duke’s pioneers are the people and organizations who push the University forward, relentlessly reimagining every aspect of our community with boundless energy and passion. They question the status quo and refuse to accept anything that is unjust or unsatisfactory. The pioneers of this year’s Chron15 facilitated difficult conversations, founded academic programs that transformed the Duke experience and sparked community-driven change across campus and the world.

On Saturday, Friends of Duke hosted a panel of professors, administrators and athletes to discuss the funding of college athletics vs. academics in the wake of financial vulnerability and seismic shifts across athletic department budgets. The panel, called “The New Arms Race: Are We Funding College Athletics at the Expense of Academics?,” was hosted by Sue Wasiolek, the longtime former Dean of Students and current adjunct associate professor in Duke’s Civil Discourse Project.

Peter Feaver is made for Empathy. As the Director of Duke’s American Grand Strategy program, Peter believes that being able to stand in another’s shoes is a core value. That’s why he organizes an event every four years that gathers Republican and Democratic presidential advisors in discussion.

Former Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler (2019- 2021) and his successor Michael Regan (2021-2024) shared an enlightening and inspiring conversation moderated by Vice President & Vice Provost for Climate & Sustainability Dr. Toddi Steelman in the Karsh Alumni and Visitor Center. Taking place on January 9th, this discussion was the first installment of the Sanford School of Public Policy’s “Bridging the Divide” series, meant to “feature bipartisan dialogues with...

Congressman Ro Khanna outlined a vision of economic prosperity, bipartisanship and a new generation of American political leadership in his discussion with Frank Bruni, Eugene C. Patterson professor of the practice of journalism and public policy, on Monday evening. The discussion was part of Provost Alec Gallimore’s “Independent Thinkers” speaker series and Initiative on Pluralism, Free Inquiry and Belonging, which seeks to “foster constructive conversations across diverse perspectives and...

This past week has not been America's best. Political violence. Hateful rhetoric. Social media comments leading to job terminations. Testing the limits of free speech. And it all started from a tragic public debate on a college campus in Utah. Many are going about it the wrong way. How about example of those that are (and have been) doing it the right way? Two Duke seniors join the pod to discuss the The Lemur, a publication that allows students to speak freely on a wide variety of...

David Schanzer, a Duke University professor, spoke with WCNC Charlotte about how the death of Charlie Kirk is affecting students and campus life after attending a Civil Discourse Project open forum.

In the latest episode of Sanford's Policy 360 podcast, guest John Hillen says that only a third of native-born Americans can pass the citizenship test that American immigrants are required to pass. He is part of a new bipartisan commission trying to change that. The goal is to revitalize the teaching of American civics and history.

Imagine a “typical” Carolina classroom, and you might picture students, mostly 18-22 years old, wearing hoodies or t-shirts with a UNC logo, listening to a professor who is several years their senior. The UNC School of Civic Life and Leadership (SCiLL) is changing that typical scene this summer, turning college and university faculty from around the country into students as 40 professors visit campus to learn how to teach civil discourse in their own classrooms. The faculty seminars, with...

On June 9, Duke administrators unveiled the preliminary results of the Inclusive Excellence Working Group, announcing new “principles and recommended guidance” to align the University with both federal law and Duke’s institutional values. These values — “respect, trust, inclusion, discovery and excellence” — were reaffirmed as foundational to campus life. In their message, administrators reiterated Duke’s “longstanding goal” of “creating an inclusive community.”

Michael S. Regan, who recently served as the 16th Administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), is joining Duke’s Sanford School of Public Policy as a Polis Distinguished Fellow for the upcoming 2025-2026 academic year. Regan will also be actively involved with the Civil Discourse Project (CDP) at Duke.

Danny Werfel, who recently served as the 50th Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and is a Sanford Master of Public Policy alum (MPP'97), is returning to Duke as a Polis Distinguished Fellow for the upcoming academic year. Werfel will also be actively involved with Duke's Civil Discourse Project (CDP).

Wednesday evening at Belmont University, I had the privilege of witnessing something increasingly rare: a genuine friendship navigating discourse with soul and grace. Watching Abdullah T. Antepli—Director of Polis: Center for Politics at Duke University Sanford School of Public Policy and co-founder of the groundbreaking Muslim Leadership Initiative at the Shilom Hartman Institute.

ACTA President Michael Poliakoff welcomes The Honorable John Hillen, distinguished resident fellow at the Center for Politics in Duke University’s Sanford School of Public Policy and an executive-in-residence of the Political Science Department. Dr. Hillen is a combat veteran and Bronze Star recipient, a former assistant U.S. secretary of state, a successful business leader, and the author of The Strategy Dialogues: A Primer on Business Strategy and Strategic Management.

Here’s a novel idea in 2025: You disagree with your friend’s political views. You could: a) Cancel the friend on social media b) End the friendship in real life c) Start a magazine where classmates with opposing views share their essays to better understand each other

Duke students gathered for a thought-provoking Civil Discourse Roundtable on immigration, co-hosted by Polis: Center for Politics, the Civil Discourse Project, Duke College Republicans, and Duke Democrats. Moderated by Professor Abdullah Antepli and Hannah Postel, the discussion provided a space for students from across the political spectrum to share personal experiences, challenge perspectives, and engage in a constructive debate on one of today’s most pressing issues.

Former U.S. Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., spoke of the importance of U.S. representatives bridging partisan divides to enact meaningful legislation during a Monday event at Duke. The conversation, titled “Bridging the Divide: A Fireside Chat,” was moderated by Provost Alec Gallimore and hosted by the Office of the Provost, the Sanford School of Public Policy and POLIS: Center for Politics.