Duke celebrated several Durham workers and its partnership with the city it calls home at Duke football’s Saturday match-up against the University of Connecticut.
Eight public service workers from the city of Durham and Durham County received honors during the 6 p.m. game at Wallace Wade Stadium.
“We are proud to recognize individuals and organizations who have had a profound impact in our community,” President Vincent Price said. “Duke wouldn’t be Duke without Durham, and we are committed to being a thoughtful and engaged partner in our hometown’s success.”
University administration noted that uplifting Duke’s relationship with Durham is a “keystone of the University’s centennial year” as representatives of both communities collaborate on issues of health care, housing affordability, public education, the environment and the economy.
Discounted tickets to Saturday’s game were made available to Durham residents at $20 each, including a $13 concessions voucher and free parking in the stadium’s general public lots.
Mayor Leonardo Williams was also in attendance at Saturday’s game, though he did not deliver an address.
Three city employees were recognized by content creator and influencer Rachel DeMita, Duke football’s new gameday host, during the game’s first quarter.
Natalie Sprague is a clinician for the Durham Community Safety Department who works with the Holistic Empathetic Assistance Response Team (HEART). Launched in June 2022, the crisis response program serves as an alternative to sending law enforcement officers to mental health-related calls and expanded its services in October 2023 after a “successful launch.”
Dawn Hill-Alston is a neighborhood preservation manager for the city who recently oversaw the renovations of 12 houses for low-income Durham residents, restoring them to “safe and livable conditions,” according to DeMita.
City Manager Wanda Page, who is retiring at the end of this year, was recognized for her “exemplary leadership and performance.” She has served in the role since 2021 and has held various positions within the city’s administration for the past 36 years.
The second quarter saw accolades bestowed upon three Durham Public Schools employees and two Durham County employees.
Two educators were recognized for national awards they had recently been granted. Principal of Pearsontown Elementary Asia Cunningham received a 2023 Milken Educator Award, which is often referred to as the “Oscars of Teaching,” becoming the first DPS educator to hold the honor. Jeffery Matthews, a JROTC instructor at Hillside High School and 29-year veteran of the U.S. Army, was named the 2024 DPS teacher of the year.
Rounding out the group, DPS bus driver Deona Washington was honored for her bravery during a February fire. She operates a route for Brogden Middle School and after noticing smoke one afternoon, she safely evacuated all 28 students from her bus. The bus was soon engulfed in flames and completely destroyed, but no one was injured.
Two employees of Welcome Baby — Program Manager Patience Mukelabai and Program Assistant Venessa Diaz — were recognized for “making Durham a better community for families.”
Founded in 1987, Welcome Baby aims to support local families through services like “positive parenting workshops, breastfeeding support, car seat safety, literacy-based workshops and a free clothing program.” DeMita noted that the organization has “reached nearly 2000 children with their weekly giving closet and successfully launched a new initiative to help support fathers’ connections with their children.”
Duke Athletics staff and student-athletes will seek to build on Duke’s relationship with Durham by volunteering with local organizations through the University’s 919 Day of Service Thursday.
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Zoe Kolenovsky is a Trinity junior and news editor of The Chronicle's 120th volume.