Duke University has launched the most ambitious fundraising and engagement campaign in its history. 

MADE FOR THIS: The Duke Campaign will engage alumni and friends of the university to accelerate our progress in areas where Duke can make the greatest difference for the world—advancing innovation through science and technology, creating a more sustainable planet, shaping students as next-generation leaders and advancing healthcare to help communities thrive. 

The comprehensive campaign will also support key priorities across Duke’s 10 schools, Duke Health and a range of university programs while increasing volunteerism and engagement among the university’s 200,000 alumni and friends. The MADE FOR THIS campaign is the first university-wide campaign since the DUKE FORWARD campaign concluded in 2017 having raised $3.85 billion for the university. 

“Just as the successes of our first 100 years were made possible by generous alumni and friends, the achievements to come in our second century will depend on the engagement and philanthropic support of alumni and friends who believe in our mission and are inspired to multiply their impact in the world through Duke,” said President Vincent E. Price. “As we formally transition from our Centennial celebration to the work of the next 100 years, we’re using our history to propel a bold new century of impact through transformative teaching, pathbreaking scholarship and lifesaving health care.” 

Provost Alec Gallimore said the MADE FOR THIS campaign opens up an opportunity for everyone to think about the role a university can play in changing the world.  

“I believe our role is to foster the creativity and imagination needed to improve the human condition in myriad ways,” Gallimore said. “And that’s where philanthropy comes in — the ability to go to donors and say we are going to do something so magical that only your involvement can accelerate it.” 

MADE FOR THIS evolved through a strategic planning effort that included deans, faculty leaders and key administrators across campus, plus feedback from alumni and donors, including lead campaign ambassadors Grant Hill ‘94, Chris Kempczinski ‘91, Jeff Ubben ‘83,  Alyssa Fanelli Varadhan ‘02 and Laurene Sperling ‘78. 

“Duke is one of the world’s finest higher education institutions, and we have continued to thrive thanks to strong teamwork and outstanding leadership,” Sperling said. “MADE FOR THIS will continue Duke’s legacy of building leaders who are ready to take on some of the greatest challenges of our time.” 

Key fundraising priorities will extend Duke’s value and impact in the world: 

• Elevating Duke Science and Technology (DST), the university’s historic effort to recruit and retain the world’s leading researchers in the sciences. With nearly 40 DST scholars hired to date, the initiative is bringing together scientists and researchers across disciplines to accelerate discoveries for currently incurable diseases including HIV/AIDS, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and more.

• Expanding the Duke Climate Commitment, the university’s effort to tackle climate and sustainability through education, research, external engagement, campus operations and community partnerships. Research in climate science and innovations in materials, insurance markets, energy management systems, ecosystem conservation technology and plant science showcases how Duke teamwork is making a difference for the planet and shaping a new generation of climate leaders.

• Preparing undergraduate, graduate and professional students to take on the local and global challenges of the moment. Duke’s nationally-lauded undergraduate student experience boasts robust financial support, prioritizing the health and well-being of students, creating belonging and building communities that support academic success and personal growth. In addition, the university recently introduced a new undergraduate curriculum for the first time in a generation.

• Advancing world-class healthcare and biomedical discovery for residents of North Carolina and beyond through Duke Health, including the Duke University Health System, School of Medicine, School of Nursing, the Duke Global Health Institute and the Duke Clinical Research Institute, the first and largest academic clinical research organization in the world.

“As a research-intensive academic health center, Duke Health is one of the few institutions equipped to make breakthrough discoveries and translate them into new standards of care,” said Mary Klotman, M.D., executive vice president for health affairs, dean of the School of Medicine, and chief academic officer of Duke Health. “Through the integration of our academic and clinical missions, we are positioned to make advances that will improve health for all.” 

Craig Albanese, chief executive officer of the health system, said that the campaign will also put a spotlight on how Duke can expand the reach of its world-class physicians, nurses and practitioners across North Carolina. Recent gifts, including an historic $50 million gift from an anonymous donor to establish the Duke Proton Center to transform cancer treatment, are only the beginning, Albanese said.  

“We are committed to improving health outcomes across our region. Expanding access to the excellence and innovation of Duke Health to as many people as possible – whether within the Triangle or beyond – means we can have a greater impact on the health of the communities we serve,” he said. 

For the first time in Duke’s campaign history, the university also will prioritize engagement goals to mobilize the entire Duke community not only in philanthropy but also in ways they can give back through their volunteerism and expertise.  

“This is a moment for Duke like never before—where the entire Duke global community has the opportunity to help shape a university set on creating a better world for all,” said Dave Kennedy, vice president for Duke Alumni Engagement and Development. “That truly is the power of a relationship with an institution like Duke.” 

Throughout this campaign, the university aims to create 175 new professorships and directorships across all units and schools, revitalize 420,000 square feet of lab and classroom space across campus, reconnect 85,000 alumni to Duke, and raise transformative support for core programs such as financial aid and the annual fund.

Visit madeforthis.duke.edu to learn more and get involved.