School Spirit + Community

College in Motion

There’s a palpable energy on campus. Maybe that’s because students are often on the move. Buzzing from the research lab to the studio, from maker’s spaces to Duke Forest trails—no two students’ days ever look quite the same.

Student Groups

Where Passions Converge

Interested in biochemistry, Greek playwrights, and cycling? Don’t box yourself in—pursue them all. Students convert knowledge into action. They create new initiatives, found organizations, and confront pressing social issues with an interdisciplinary view.

Hoof'n'Horn

In 2023, Duke’s student-run musical theatre group performed a sold out production of Jonathan Larson’s award-winning musical Rent.

Duke University Union

Duke’s largest programming and media body made up of 17 committees puts on 100+ events per year.

HackDuke: Code for Good

Valuing collaboration over competition, this 24-hour hacking sprint unites students in their efforts to utilize tech to further social good.

the Archive

Established in 1887, The Archive is one of the oldest continuously published literary magazines in the United States and the oldest student publication at Duke University.

Duke Electric Vehicles

Three-time champions of the Shell Eco-marathon Americas, this team broke the Guinness World Record for fuel efficiency.

QUAD COUNCILS

New to Duke’s QuadEx living and learning model, quad councils sponsor community events and advocate for community improvements.

BEYOND CAMPUS

EDUCATION IN THE REAL WORLD

Duke students chase world-changing ideas wherever they lead—from on campus to across continents. So whether you travel thousands of miles or stay right in Durham, Duke will expand your horizons.

female student smiling and sitting with natives in traditional garb while studying abroad

DUKEENGAGE

DukeEngage is a fully funded summer program that prepares students to make real impact across the U.S. and abroad.

VISIT DUKEENGAGE

SERVICE-LEARNING

Duke service-learning brings classroom learning to life through cross-departmental community engagement that serves the public good by providing needed services to individuals, organizations, schools, and other entities in the community.

VISIT SERVICE LEARNING

two students in a forest taking a photo on a tripod

GLOBAL IMPACT

Duke Engineers for International Development (DEID) is an organization that supports high-impact engineering projects around the world by combining community-driven ideas with student design.

VISIT DEID

Campus Traditions

It's A Duke Thing

Duke’s school spirit is infectious. From the moment you arrive on campus, you can feel it in the air. Our festive celebrations spark excitement, camaraderie, and an incredible sense of pride that bonds us from first year to long after graduation.

K-Ville and Cameron Crazies

Krzyzewskiville (K-Ville) is a pre-basketball game phenomenon where students, aka Cameron Crazies, vie for sought-after seats by living in tents outside Cameron Indoor Stadium for weeks at a time.

Bricks to Stone

This campus-wide celebration marks the transition of the first-year class moving from the bricks of East Campus to the gothic stones of West Campus.

Midnight Breakfast

Midnight Breakfast is a themed, late-night study break hosted by the East Campus Council and Duke Dining Services in the Marketplace at the end of each semester.

Last Day of Class (LDOC)

LDOC is a celebration of the last day of undergraduate classes in which students can come together to celebrate a hard year of work with food, festivities, and a culminating concert on Abele Quad. Students sip smoothies from pineapples and dance in the Silent Disco.

Jazz @ the Mary Lou

On Wednesday evenings the Mary Lou Williams Center for Black Culture hosts live jazz performances that can treat a mid-week slump with a boost of musical energy.

Building Benches, Burning Benches

The benches dotting campus are all designed, constructed, and painted by Duke students. But some of these benches won’t last long. After cheering on the Blue Devils in Cameron Indoor Stadium, students flood Abele Quad for a victorious bench burning bonfire.

Painting the Bridge

Each year a new batch of first years is welcomed to campus by colorful murals on the East Campus Bridge. Throughout the year, student groups advertise their events with a new splash of paint.

Athletics

Go Duke or Go Home

Whether you want to be courtside or centerfield, it’s easy to get involved with Duke athletics. Intramural, club, and varsity sports provide entry points for the casual to the competitive player. With free access to sporting events, Duke students are excited to deck themselves out in blue gear (and paint) to cheer on their peers.

students on the women's golf team cheering on the course

A Culture of Champions

The Blue Devils have 17 NCAA team national championships. The Duke Women’s Golf team won their 7th NCAA Championship in 2019 and boasts several program alumnae with U.S. Women’s open titles.

students on the womens lacrosse team huddled on the field

Make Your Dreams

30+ Sports Clubs provide students with opportunities to compete in organized recreation at the local and national level. Sports Clubs receive funding for annual “Dream Trips” in which they travel to unique locations for training or competition.

Get in the Game

Students, faculty, and staff are able to team up and work out through an extensive network of free intramural offerings from soccer to Ultimate Frisbee.

students with blue face paint laughing and cheering

Get in the Spirit

With free tickets to all sporting events, Duke students can show their support for the Blue Devils of our 27 varsity teams in the NCAA Division 1 such as Duke Basketball and Duke Diving.