The Graduate School created the Dean’s Award for Inclusive Excellence in Graduate Education to acknowledge extraordinary achievements by departments and programs that help create an environment of inclusive excellence in graduate education.
The Graduate School is committed to excellence, equity, and inclusion in its graduate programs and to creating a welcoming environment that engages all of its diversity in the intellectual development of its students. Inclusive excellence in graduate programs means not only demographics but is also reflected in the departmental and program climate, curriculum, intellectual discourse and recruitment, retention and graduation of individuals underrepresented in the discipline, field, or area.
Nominations
Nominations for 2026 will open in the fall of 2025.
Departments, programs and interdisciplinary initiatives that have demonstrated a commitment to inclusive excellence by advancing equitable access to graduate education at Duke University. Nominations should emphasize recent (within the last five years) concrete accomplishments. Departments, programs and interdisciplinary initiatives may be nominated multiple times, but can only receive the award once in a five-year period.
Who May Be Nominated
Departments, programs, and interdisciplinary initiatives that support inclusive excellence among students of The Graduate School may be nominated. Graduate students, faculty, and the broader university community are eligible to nominate departments, programs and interdisciplinary initiatives. Departments and programs may also self-nominate.
Nomination Procedure
Nominations for the 2025-2026 award cycle will open in the fall of 2025.
The selection committee will consist of members of the graduate faculty and graduate student body. The department or program selected will receive an award of $5,000, which will be deposited into its discretionary account. The award recipients are notified early in the spring semester and will be honored at a reception later in the spring.