Annual Samuel DuBois Cook Awards Ceremony

2025 Cook Awards Ceremony

Each year, the Samuel DuBois Cook Society honors Duke staff, administrators, faculty, and students (undergraduate, graduate or professional) and local community members whose work, research and service reflect Dr. Cook’s social activism and leadership.

The Annual Cook Society Awards Ceremony was a wonderful evening of reflection and celebration honoring the legacy of Dr. Samuel DuBois Cook and his dedication to social justice and equality.

During the 2025 event, the Cook Society recognized five individuals who embody Dr. Cook's vision. We were honored this year to have Honorable Roy Cooper attend the ceremony and accept his award for Distinguished Service.

The ceremony welcomed more than 350 guests on Thursday, February 13, 2025, at the Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club.

View the 2025 Samuel DuBois Cook Society Award Winners.

View the Duke University video recap of the event.

View the 2025 Samuel DuBois Cook Society Awards Photo Gallery.

View the Duke Today Article

2025 Samuel DuBois Cook Society Awardees

Pictured from the left: Honorable Roy Cooper, Marissa Young, Jasmin Riley, B. Eni Owoeye, Thavolia Glymph, and President Vincent Price. Photo Credit: HuthPhoto.

Nomination Criteria

Each year, the Samuel DuBois Cook Society recognizes community members who follow Dr. Cook's example of social activism and leadership. In that spirit we seek nominees who, in their work and life, have helped improve relations amongst people of all backgrounds at Duke and beyond.

The Raymond Gavins Distinguished FaCulty Award

The Samuel DuBois Cook Society invites nominations of Duke faculty who in their work and life have helped improve relations amongst people of all backgrounds at Duke and beyond. In evaluating nominees, the committee seeks faculty members who display a commitment to the founding principles of the Cook Society:

Actively nurture a sense of community and belonging for Black people.
Commit to translate the promise and potential of Black people at Duke into fulfillment and actuality.
Foster positive and constructive interpersonal and intergroup relations within both Duke University's and Durham's Black communities.
Cultivate positive relations between Black people and other ethnic, racial, and national groups on the basis of an enlightened appreciation and knowledge of our historic interdependence.

The Raymond Gavins Distinguished Faculty Award celebrates faculty excellence!

Samuel DuBois Cook Society Award

The Samuel DuBois Cook Society invites nominations of Duke staff, administrators, students (undergraduate, graduate or professional) and members from the larger community who in their work and life have helped improve relations amongst people of all backgrounds at Duke and beyond. In evaluating nominees, the committee seeks members of the Duke community who display a commitment to the founding principles of the Cook Society:

Actively nurture a sense of community and belonging for Black people.
Commit to translate the promise and potential of Black people at Duke into fulfillment and actuality.
Foster positive and constructive interpersonal and intergroup relations within both Duke University's and Durham's Black communities.
Cultivate positive relations between Black people and other ethnic, racial, and national groups on the basis of an enlightened appreciation and knowledge of our historic interdependence.

Recognize administrators and students (undergraduate, graduate or professional) with a Samuel DuBois Cook Award

Please contact the Office for Institutional Equity at
oie-webmaster@duke.edu if you have questions or would like more information.