Message from the Dean
The mission of Trinity College of Arts and Sciences at Duke University has several dimensions.
- to provide a superior liberal education to undergraduate students, attending not only to their intellectual growth but also to their development as adults committed to high ethical standards and full participation as leaders in their communities;
- to advance the frontiers of knowledge and contribute boldly to the international community of scholarship;
- to promote an intellectual environment built on a commitment to free and open inquiry;
- to promote a deep appreciation for the range of human difference and potential, a sense of the obligations and rewards of citizenship, and a commitment to learning, freedom and truth.
Toward these ends, Duke is committed to providing an extraordinary undergraduate and graduate education; to excellence in disciplinary and interdisciplinary research; to tackling the challenges of building diversity; and to innovation in global education. Whether it is through an extraordinary classroom experience on Duke’s Durham campus, a summer volunteering through Duke Engage, international study through Duke Intense or Global Study Abroad, there is something for all Duke students who wish to challenge themselves and transform the world.
One of the “Duke differences” is our ability to provide undergraduates with a wealth of opportunities to engage with faculty in mentored research. In addition to a vibrant and well-rounded curriculum, Duke students can work with a collaborative and committed faculty to advance knowledge in a wide variety of fields. I believe these academic opportunities in the Arts and Sciences, as well as engineering, the environment, and public policy, are unparalleled in institutions of higher education today. I hope that students will take full advantage of the rich educational possibilities that await them.
Laurie L. Patton
Dean of Arts and Sciences
Laurie L. Patton became dean of Arts and Sciences and professor of religion in July 2011. Previously, she was the Charles Howard Candler Professor of Religions at Emory University and directed Emory’s Center for Faculty Development and Excellence. From 2000 – 2007, she chaired the Department of Religion. In 2005, she received the Emory Williams award, Emory University's highest award for teaching.
Patton received her BA from Harvard University and her Ph.D. in history of religions from the University of Chicago. An accomplished scholar, she is the author or editor of eight books on South Asian history, culture, and religion; in addition, she has translated the classical Sanskrit text, "The Bhagavad Gita," for the Penguin Classics Series. She also has published two books of poetry.
Patton has held Fulbright fellowships in India and Israel and lectured widely on religious pluralism and religion in the public sphere. She has held visiting appointments at the University of Tel Aviv, Hebrew University, and Deccan College (India). From 2000-2010, she was founder and co-convener of the Emory’s Religion, Conflict, and Peacebuilding Initiative, which hosted regular summits on local practices and global implications in interfaith relations. She recently consulted with the White House Office of Faith-Based Community Partnerships on interfaith literacy and the U.S Department of Education's Initiative on Civic Engagement. From 2008-2011, Patton served as president of the American Society for the Study of Religion.
Strategic Plan Update
In Spring 2010, Trinity College updated the five-year strategic plan approved by the Board of Trustees in September 2006. The revised plan responds to changes in the planning environment resulting from the world-wide economic crisis.
For more details, see the executive summary and the entire plan update.