Five Free Things to do at Duke in May
From sports, to art, to film, to school pride, there’s plenty to take in this month at Duke
While May is when the spring semester comes to a close and the pace of life on Duke’s campus begins to slow, there are still plenty of fun, free activities worth checking out. Each month during the academic year, the Working@Duke editorial team searches the Duke Event Calendar for five free things to do at Duke. After taking a break for the summer, check back in early August when we return with more events.
May 6 – Softball Home Finale
The final regular season game of Duke’s first softball campaign takes place May 6. The Blue Devils will face visiting Campbell University at 1:30 p.m. at Duke’s softball facility on East Campus.
Under the direction of coach Marissa Young, the Blue Devils’ first season of softball has been an encouraging one. Duke will likely head into the ACC Tournament in Atlanta with a record that’s above .500.
May 11, 25, 30 – Meet the Artists
There will be plenty of color around the Duke Hospital this month as a pair of local artists will show their vivid works in Arts & Health’s exhibit spaces. Entitled “Healing Gardens,” the series of works by Pittsboro painter Sally Sutton that will be displayed on the Duke Hospital Concourse this month, were inspired by the Sarah P. Duke Gardens.
Sutton’s work will be on display from May 2-July 2 and she’ll make one appearance this month at Duke Hospital, discussing her work from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on May 30.
Raleigh-based artist Mari Fitz Wynn will have her hand-crafted jewelry on display at the Morrison Exhibit Space near Clinic 1D in Duke Clinics from May 10-July 11. Wynn weaves clay, gemstones, sea shells and beads into bright, one-of-a-kind pieces that evoke memories of summer.
She will make two visits to Duke in May, selling, creating and discussing her jewelry, first on May 11 and later on May 25. Each time she’ll be on hand from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
May 13 – Apple CEO Speaks at Commencement
The high point of a weekend of activities comes at 9 a.m. on May 13 as Duke’s commencement ceremony begins at Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium. Apple CEO Tim Cook, a Fuqua School of Business graduate and a member of Duke’s Board of Trustees, will deliver the commencement address, which is open to the community.
The event will feature remarks by Duke President Vincent E. Price and the awarding of honorary degrees to those who have “exemplified in their work the highest ideals and standards to which the University is dedicated.”
Receiving honorary degrees this year are former Durham Mayor William Bell, General Motors CEO Mary Barra, Durham resident and lead architect of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture Phil Freelon, Nigerian-born writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Harvard Medical School professor William Kaelin and community leader and attorney Russell M. Robinson II.
May 14 – Award-Winning Author Geoff Dyer Discusses New Book
Award-winning author Geoff Dyer will discuss and sign copies of his latest book, “The Street Philosophy of Garry Winogrand.” Structured in the form of 100 essays, the book showcases the work of Winogrand, a photographer who captured 20th-century life unfolding on the streets of New York.
The pre-event reception begins at 6 p.m. at the Center for Documentary Studies. Dyer’s talk begins at 7 p.m. Dyer will also be the commencement speaker for Duke’s MFA in Experimental and Documentary Arts.
May 31 – Free Film: Best in Show
The Duke community is welcome to view a free movie at the Nasher Museum of Art. Christopher Guest directs and stars in this hilarious mockumentary “Best in Show,” depicting the lives of the quirky characters preparing for a prestigious dog show.
The film starts at 7 p.m. in the museum’s lecture hall.