Brewing Community One Cup at a Time at Duke

This National Coffee Day, see how colleagues turn a shared pot or a quick coffee shop run into moments of connection and care

A cup of espresso being brewed.
A barista at the Bseisu Coffee Bar in the Wilkinson Building brews a serving of espresso. Photo by Travis Stanley.

Many days, Kate Gray leaves her office building with coworkers and heads toward the Starbucks inside Duke University Hospital.

She orders her usual: an extra hot latte to start the day or a black Americano if it’s later in the day.

The walk to Starbucks is a time to trade stories with colleagues about work trips, family and life beyond the office.

For Gray, the Associate Dean for Development and Alumni Affairs at Duke’s School of Nursing, these coffee breaks have become a simple way to connect with her team.

“These breaks are a nice, casual way to build relationships and get to know each other,” said Gray, who has been at Duke for less than a year. “It’s a short walk, but it’s long enough to get a good conversation in.”

Roughly two-thirds of American adults enjoy a cup of coffee each day, and research shows that the habit may even lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Beyond health benefits, coffee also serves as a daily ritual that brings people together.

At Duke, colleagues have found that a shared cup can spark conversation, strengthen relationships, and add warmth to the workday.

In celebration of National Coffee Day on Sept. 29, here are a few ways coffee enriches life across Duke.

Kate Gray enjoys coffee with Duke School of Nursing colleague Troy Pinkins. Photo courtesy of Kate Gray.

A Coffee Journey

A map on the wall of Andrew Darkow's office shows the coffee roasters he and his colleagues have sampled. Photo courtesy of Andrew Darkow.

Duke Regional Hospital Internal Medicine Pharmacy Specialist Andrew Darkow’s workday is fueled by the insulated tumbler full of coffee he makes each morning in his French press.

With several coffee aficionados on his team, including Clinical Pharmacist Charles Jibotian and Pharmacy Resident Dakota James, conversations drift to favorite roasts and brewing methods. After reading a Food & Wine article about coffee roasters in different states, Jibotian suggested the team sample coffee from different roasters around the country.

“We talk about coffee all the time” Darkow said, “so why not make it a journey?”

That’s how the team’s “United States of Arabica” endeavor began.

So far, the group has sampled coffee from roasters in 30 states, with the goal of tasting coffee from all 50. They brew the beans at home and share their opinions. The team tracks their favorites in a spreadsheet – coffees from Hawaii, Massachusetts and Florida are Darkow’s top picks – and they pin the logos from the bags on a map in Darkow’s office.

“Every state has people who are really passionate about coffee,” Darkow said.

Fellowship in Foam

Adrian Camarena's artistic approach to the steamed milk that tops his coffee drinks has delighted his colleagues. Photo by Adrian Camarena.

For Adrian Camarena, coffee has long been a part of his morning routine. Lately, he has turned that habit into a creative outlet, using the milk steamer on his home espresso machine to make foam designs reminiscent of a barista’s craft.

Camarena, a member of the General Surgery Residency Program’s House Staff working in the lab of Dr. Joseph Fernandez-Moure, began with heart designs, From there, he moved to floral Rosetta shapes, and now he’s figuring out swans. One day, he’d like to make owls.

After discussing his foam art adventures with lab colleagues, Camarena wanted to share his handiwork.

So, on a recent Friday, he brought his espresso machine to work. Throughout the day, Camarena made coffee for colleagues, decorating each cup with a custom design.

“We all enjoy each other, so taking a few moments to pause and share something like coffee, it’s a really nice way to get to know each other better and make the day more fun,” Camarena said.

A Warm Place

Courtney Sullivan, left, and Bailee Starnes, right, enjoy visiting Bseisu Coffee Bar and chatting with barista Scott Carle, center. Photo courtesy of Bailee Starnes.

At the Nicholas School of the Environment’s Career and Professional Development Center, Courtney Sullivan and Bailee Starnes often spend their campus days in meetings with students and colleagues.

When a break appears, they make the most of it with a quick trip to Bseisu Coffee Bar.

Bseisu Coffee Bar sits in the lobby of the Wilkinson Building, a short walk from Sullivan and Starnes’ offices in the Levine Science and Research Center. The coffee bar serves locally roasted coffee alongside tarts, muffins, and bagels, and is known for its welcoming staff. Barista Scott Carle, a longtime figure in the local music scene, has become popular with his upbeat personality and easy rapport.

“The quality of the coffee is really good” said Sullivan, Assistant Director for Employee Relations. “I think having that sense of community along with the opportunity to get a really nice treat for yourself is great.”

Break Room Barista

After learning how to make sophisticated coffee creations during the pandemic Fernando Orozco has enjoyed sharing them with his coworkers. Photo by Fernando Orozco.

During COVID, Duke Division of Laboratory Animal Resources Operations Manager Fernando Orozco was given an espresso machine as a gift. With plenty of time to devote to learning about his new device, he quickly became fascinated with its possibilities.

“I went into this rabbit hole where I learned about a whole new world of beans, and different grinds and ratios,” Orozco said. “There are YouTube videos and podcasts. It became a thing.”

With his newfound skills, Orozco became something of an amateur barista.

During a recent DLAR Tech Appreciation Week, he set up his home espresso machine in the break room and offered coworkers a full menu – espressos, lattes, and Americanos – with a variety of milks and flavorings for custom drinks.

“When friends come to my house, I’ll ask if I can make them a cup of coffee, it’s part of my routine when I’m welcoming people,” said Orozco, who has made his espresso pop-up a staple of every Tech Appreciation Week. “It was great to be able to do that at work.”

Morning Meetup

From left to right, Erin Russell, Shawn Koenig, Laurrie McKee, MaryAnn Nicholson, Lindsey Freeman, and Christina Pradhan often start their workdays at the Duke Health Primary Care Gateway clinic at Duke Health Lake Norman with a cup of coffee. Photo courtesy of MaryAnn Nicholson.

Soon after becoming a Triage Nurse at Duke Health Primary Care Gateway, part of the Duke Health Lake Norman campus, MaryAnn Nicholson had an idea for the clinic’s break room.

Previously, there was only a single-serve coffee maker that made getting coffee a solitary affair. Noting how the existing machine created waste and relied on single-use plastic cups, Nicholson brought in a 12-cup drip coffee maker to brew coffee by the pot.

Ever since, the clinic’s coffee maker has been a busy morning meeting spot as many of the roughly 12 clinic team members enjoy the first pot of the day.

“It gathers us together a little better,” Nicholson said. “It feels a little more like home.”

In the clinic, flavored creamers are on hand –caramel, chocolate, hazelnut, Italian cream and, in the fall, pumpkin spice – along with a collection of shared mugs. After the clinic joined Duke University Health System, the team received Duke-branded insulated travel mugs that often appear at the impromptu morning meetups by the coffee maker.

“It’s nice, we’ll all meet there and fix our coffee in the morning,” Nicholson said. “I think for everybody, it gives you a little jolt of caffeine that helps get you going. I tell people it wakes up my soul. It’s what starts our day off and makes everybody happy.”

How are you celebrating National Coffee Day on Sept. 29? Send your coffee photo and story through our story idea form or write working@duke.edu.