2018 Icon: Michael “Big Mike” Eubanks

When Michael “Big Mike” Eubanks pulls up to the bus stop, he welcomes each student with a smile and an enthusiastic greeting.

Eubanks has been a Duke bus driver for nine years and received a Duke Student Government award in April 2017 for his contribution and impact on the University community. Having been a vegetarian for around 25 years, Eubanks prioritizes his health so that he can carry out his job to the best of his ability.

In May 2016, students raised $1,560 in a GoFundMe to acknowledge his service to the University and provide extra funding to Eubanks, who had to leave town to care for his mother-in-law undergoing dialysis treatment.

With that extra cash, Eubanks was able to drive from Durham to Pennsylvania to support his wife and her mother.

Eubanks’ motto of “life’s good”—alongside his signature “L” hand signal with which he welcomes his bus riders—encompasses his positive outlook on life and reflects his positive impact on the Duke community.

Editor's note: This profile is part of our new initiative called The Chronicle 18. We are highlighting 18 people and groups who are defining what it means to be at Duke this year. Read about the project and more of our selections.