Capturing the essence of the moment, ElizabethAlexander read these words from her poem,“Praise Song for the Day,” at the inaugurationof President Barack Obama. Only the fourth poetin history to read at a presidential swearing-in,Alexander will bring her lyrical talents to Duke thismonth for a reading and reception at 5:30 p.m. onTuesday, April 14, at the Nasher Museum of Art.The event, sponsored by Duke’s Office of thePresident, the John Hope Franklin HumanitiesInstitute and the departments of English and ofAfrican and African American Studies, is free andopen to the public.

A poet, essayist, playwright and professor ofAfrican American Studies at Yale University,Alexander teaches courses on African-American poet-ry, drama and 20th century literature. As an under-graduate student at Yale, she studied with DukePresident Richard Brodhead, who taught in Yale’sEnglish department for more than three decades. Therelationship between Brodhead and Alexander, aswell as her acclaim for being chosen as the inauguralpoet, sparked the invitation for her speech at Duke.

“With our emphasis at Duke on the arts andPresident Brodhead’s own personal history as ahumanist, we are really interested in bringing the

best and most interestingartists and writers to cam-pus in highly visibleevents,” said ChristinaChia, assistant director forprograms and communica-tions at the John HopeFranklin HumanitiesInstitute.

Chia said that as ascholar, poet and author ofcritical essays, Alexanderis appealing to those inter-ested in English, African-American studies and thehumanities generally.

“Given ProfessorAlexander’s interest inAmerican history and theway that she weaves histo-ry into her poetry —which people got a taste ofin the inaugural poem —we thought that this wasthe right moment for thisevent,” Chia said. ✦

5:30 p.m., Tuesday, April 14, Nasher Museum of Art auditorium

Information: fhi.duke.edu/programs/lectures/elizabeth-alexander/

V O L U M E 4 : N O . 4 | T H I S M O N T H A T D U K E

F O R A D E T A I L E D S U M M A R Y O F D A I L Y D U K E H A P P E N I N G S , P L E A S E V I S I T D U K E T O D A Y A T W W W . D U K E . E D U / T O D A Y

SYMPOSIUM: Duke’s Global Ventures

Inaugural Poet to Speak at DukeBy Michele Lynn

4

Collaboration or Colonialism?

1:30 - 3:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 1

Alumni Memorial Common Room, Duke Divinity School

Information: dukeethics.org

CJ

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Chapel Concerts Highlight Jewish Experience

Duke Chapel will present two concertsthis month honoring key events inJewish history: the Exodus and theHolocaust. Under the direction ofRodney Wynkoop, the Duke ChapelChoir and Duke Chorale will present“Israel in Egypt” at 4 p.m., Sunday, April5, in the chapel. Tickets are free forDuke students, $15 for adults. Contactthe University Box Office at 684-4444

or at tickets.duke.edu. The Duke Vespers Ensemble will present “With PerfectFaith,” a Holocaust cantata written by Duke Chapel assistant conductor AlanFriedman, at 2 p.m., Sunday, April 19. No tickets are required; a $5 donation toAmnesty International will be collected before and after the concert.

Elizabeth Alexander has published fivebooks of poems and will become chairof Yale’s Department of AfricanAmerican Studies in July 2009.

The UniversityCollaborator or Colonist?By Aimee Rodriguez

Colleges and universities across the nation -- includ-ing Harvard, Cornell, NYU, Northwestern and Duke --are expanding their global presence by creating out-posts of their unique home campuses. But what are theimplications when U.S. universities venture abroad?

The Kenan Institute for Ethics and Duke Chapel will hosta spring symposium, “Duke’s Global Ventures: Collaborationor Colonialism?,” to address such questions. The symposiumwill be held from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 1, inthe Alumni Memorial Common Room at the Divinity School.The event is free and open to the public.

Until recently, the global presence of many higher educa-tion institutions took the form of study-abroad or exchangeprograms, research partnerships or civic-engagement programs.Now many universities are also building international branchesthat seek to retain the vision and identity of the university as awhole.

“These ventures raise a series of fundamental questions thatbecome more important to address as society, and education in

particular, becomes more global,”said Sam Wells, dean of DukeChapel and the symposium’s co-moderator with Noah Pickus,director of the Kenan Institute forEthics.

Wells described concerns thatmay arise when universities estab-lish international outposts.Questions include: What is thenature of the university’s involve-ment and how did it come about?How does the university avoid acolonial approach to its overseasengagements? How will itrespond to local cultural normswhen these clash with the univer-sity’s own values?

The symposium will open withBlair Sheppard, dean of the FuquaSchool of Business, and R. SandersWilliams, senior vice chancellor ofDuke Medicine and senior advisorfor international strategy for theuniversity. The two will discussthe global ventures of their respec-tive programs at Duke. RanjanaKhanna, director of Duke’swomen’s studies department, andKarla Holloway, a professor of

English andlaw, are alsoscheduled tospeak. Theevent will conclude witha roundtablediscussion andan audienceQ&A. ✦

“These venturesraise a series of

fundamentalquestions thatbecome moreimportant to

address as socie-ty, and education

in particular,becomes moreglobal,” - WELLS

CAMPUS EVENTS

READING: Elizabeth Alexander

“In today’s sharp sparkle, this winter air,

any thing can be made, any sentence begun.

On the brink, on the brim, on the cusp,

praise song for walking forward in that light.”