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Commencement’s Home in 2015: Downtown Durham

Construction at Wallace Wade shifts planning to American Tobacco Campus

Instead of cheering from Wallace Wade Stadium, guests at this year's commencement will see graduates at the Durham Bulls Athletic Ballpark in downtown Durham. Photo by Duke Photography.
Instead of cheering from Wallace Wade Stadium, guests at this year's commencement will see graduates at the Durham Bulls Athletic Ballpark in downtown Durham. Photo by Duke Photography.

As thousands of visitors flock to Durham this week for commencement, there will be a distinctly Durham feel to the proceedings.

Due to ongoing construction at Wallace Wade Stadium, the usual location of the annual event, Duke has moved its graduation and an expected 13,000 guests to the Durham Bulls Athletic Park at the American Tobacco Campus in downtown Durham. It’s a change about a year in the making, with discussions and planning beginning last June. 

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The biggest challenge was first finding a location that could accommodate the number of people – about of 2,800 graduates and about 13,000 family and friends. From the get-go, that meant considering a wide range of options.

“When we first knew Wallace Wade was offline, we considered many options on and off campus,” said Megan Hohenstein, senior program coordinator with Duke’s Office of Special Events and University Ceremonies. “We saw the ballpark as a way to foster the Durham-Duke relationship, which has definitely been a byproduct of this.”

But discussions with city and Durham Bulls officials were only the beginning. Hohenstein and her colleagues needed to find spaces for 35 departmental ceremonies due to campus construction and commencement’s new location. Those events will now be split up between West Campus and throughout downtown, with programs taking place at the Durham Convention Center, 21c Museum Hotel, Durham Armory and the American Tobacco Campus.

Through it all, the Office of Special Events and University Ceremonies worked with many departmental managers to find new spaces.

“I think this will help us really show off what Durham has been able to do,” said Georg Vanberg, acting director of undergraduate studies and professor with the Department of Political Science. “Families coming to town who aren’t that familiar with Durham will get to see the best side of town." 

Vanberg and his colleagues are expecting around 600 students, families and friends to attend their department ceremony at the American Tobacco Campus amphitheater area underneath the Lucky Strike water tower. Typically, their event would be held on the quad outside Perkins Library, where construction is currently taking place.

Along with graduates, the department will welcome 1984 political science graduate and current NBA commissioner Adam Silver.

“Our new location will be perfect because all parents and graduates will have to do is walk across the street instead of getting delayed heading back to campus,” said Susan Emery, departmental business manager for the Department of Political Science.

In addition to academic departments, many other Duke faculty and staff will be involved in the day’s activities. Parking and Transportation Services will provide shuttles from East and West campuses to-and-from downtown, and Special Event Services is coordinating with vendors that will help direct traffic, setup stages and seating and more.

Hohenstein has also enlisted five times more employee volunteers than usual to act as liaisons at graduation.

“Typically we have about 12 volunteer staff members who answer questions and give directions,” Hohenstein said. “This year we have 60.”

Despite the extra effort to finalize this year’s ceremony, Hohenstein noted it offers a unique opportunity to showcase a revitalized Durham and its ongoing partnership with Duke,

“I live downtown, so for me, it’s very exciting to show a beautiful space I really love,” she said. “I think it’ll open a lot of people’s eyes.”

Visitor spending in Durham during graduation weekend - at restaurants, hotels, shops, entertainment venues and other related places - is expected to total about $6.2 million, said Shelly Green, CEO of the Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau. Estimated tax revenue is expected to be nearly $245,000, she said."Duke's graduation weekend has always been an important event for Durham," Green said. "We are happy to host the thousands of parents, friends and family members who are here to celebrate such a great milestone. But we’d also like to think this event is as great for Durham as it is for the graduates."