Professor Emeritus Dan Duke is something of an institution at the University’s School of Education and Human Development. Having taught graduate-level courses in educational leadership and organizational theory for 31 years, he mentored countless students who used his teachings to become more effective leaders.

Originally trained in history, Duke helped pioneer the field of organizational history, an approach to shaping an enterprise’s future through accounting for its past. Over the course of his career, he authored more than 30 books and 150 journal articles. While at UVA, he created and directed the Thomas Jefferson Center for Educational Design. When Duke retired in 2018, the University Council for Educational Administration awarded him the Roald F. Campbell Lifetime Achievement Award.

Recently, one of Duke’s former students, Martha Downer-Assaf (Col ’93, Ed ’97)—now a veteran educator currently working with the University of Notre Dame STEM Teaching Fellowship program—decided it was time to honor the professor who shaped her life so profoundly. Working with School of Education and Human Development staff, Downer-Assaf embarked on a mini-campaign to call, email, and connect with Duke’s former students, as well as family and friends, to raise the minimum $50,000 required to endow a scholarship fund at the school named in Duke’s honor. 

Her efforts were successful. To date, more than 30 donors have given to the fund, resulting in an endowment that could provide support for two students each year. Two other former students of Duke’s also made lead gifts, including Jacqueline Griesdorn (Ed ’94, ’99), a longtime educator and consultant now based in Chicago, and Rob Izzo (Ed ’12), a former college professor and current wine industry executive living in Sonoma, California. 

At an event in April, Morgan Kramer Huey (Ed ’23), a graduate student in the school’s administration and supervision program, became the inaugural recipient of the Dan Duke Award for Excellence in Administration and Supervision.

For more information about the Dan Duke Award for Excellence in Administration and Supervision, contact Jenn Cornell, senior director, major gifts, School of Education and Human Development, at 804-240-8180 or jac2xk@virginia.edu.

“Dan Duke had a profound impact on me as a student and a person. He set high expectations, while also demonstrating genuine care, as many of us were young people trying to balance school, life, work, and even babies! Dan’s door was nearly always open, and you got his undivided attention. Finally, Dan exemplified professionalism. I so appreciated our countless conversations, including those about the evolution of people professionally, and I enjoyed watching him pivot in his areas of study.

To whom much is given, much is expected. My husband Fred and I received the tremendous gift of education from the University of Virginia School of Education and Human Development. We are honored to give back and celebrate Dan and all he did for our beloved University. To honor and appreciate Dan’s impact and the importance of dedicated professors is appropriate, and we’ve been honored to be part of it.”

— Martha Downer-Assaf (Col ’93, Ed ’97)

“My chronology of major life events would read something like this:

1967: Born.

1972: Learned to read via SRA reading boxes.

1994: Introduced to Dr. Duke, his courses, and the high energy collaborative research at the Thomas Jefferson Center for Educational Design.

My mother and father take work seriously. In turn, they taught me to love work. They taught me to cherish education and learn with insatiable zest. When I met Dan, he took education seriously and taught me that I loved educational leadership and policy. I had no idea that his syllabi, readings, and colorful shirts would inspire me for my entire career. I had no idea that a “B” on a paper was actually pretty good! When I met Dan and recognized his courage to share his values, methods, and idea-generating capacity, I knew that I wanted to be a lifelong educator. I will continue to seek ways to teach today’s learners with courage, humility, and creativity. Thank you, Dr. Daniel L. Duke, for your long-lasting impact.”

— Jacqueline Griesdorn (Ed ’94, ’99)

“Dan’s impact on my trajectory at UVA was both immediate and profound. He challenged me to explore change in organizations, preparing me as a leader in the classroom and beyond.

He also cared deeply about each of his students, and my relationship with him was no exception. During our many conversations, our shared love of wine was a frequent topic, and I credit Dan for inadvertently launching me into the wine industry.

With this endowed scholarship, I hope for many students to experience the same collegial relationship with the School of Education and Human Development faculty who foster mentorship, collaboration, and friendship in a similar capacity to that which I found with Dan.”

— Rob Izzo (Ed ’12)