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 In the years that students spend making Duke their home, the Griffith Theater, Griffith Board Room and the Griffith Award become household names. To know the people behind the Griffith name, according to Student Affairs Vice President Larry Moneta and Assistant Vice President Sue Wasiolek ’76, is a great privilege. On January 27th,  the Griffith Legacy was once again honored by students, staff and faculty with the rededication of the Griffith Board Room locating in the Office of Student Activities. 

“It’s very apparent that the hard work and leadership of the student affairs staff has contributed to making Duke a better place,” Bill said. “The improvements from the time I was here are immense and I consider myself very lucky to have been a part of it all.”

Bill T’50 and Carol N’52 Griffith have been part of the Duke family for over five decades. Bill served as Duke’s chief student affairs officer for more than twenty years and was known to staff, faculty and students as a loyal and committed person well beyond his retirement. His home hosted many Duke students who fondly remember the couple’s kindness, including Wasiolek.

 “Many years after VP Griffith left Duke, his influence can still be felt all over campus,” said Jordan Giordano ’09, Duke student government president. “From the moment students enter campus and take part in Project WILD to when they leave and use the Career Center, his vision for student affairs still affects students today. We should all be grateful for his dedication to the students of Duke University.”

Bill’s legacy carries on not only in the theater where numerous student performances take place, or in the room where countless student groups hold meetings, but also in an endowment that played a key role in the birth and the continued success of numerous on-campus groups.

The William J. and Carol T. Griffith Endowment was established in 1991 by friends and students of the Griffiths in recognition of their loyal support for Duke. Over the past 18 years, the endowment has supported countless student activities, from service projects, the Community Service Center to the Arts Theme House. Funds from the endowment were also granted to the Center for Race Relations in their efforts to harbor meaningful interactions among different racial and ethnic groups on campus. A grant was given to the International Association to fund “Springternational,” an annual event held to increase cultural awareness through art, cuisine and presentations. Other programs and groups that have benefited from the endowment include Duke Out, the Graduate and Professional Women’s Network and the GPSC Basketball Campout.

The Griffith Endowment has been a staple funding source for the Division of Student Affairs to support numerous and varied student groups and activities throughout campus. To continue this tradition of support for students that Bill and Carol Griffith started, we invite you to learn more about the opportunities to support the Griffith Endowment.

The Griffiths’ support of numerous student groups is only a fraction of their contribution to the University. Their commitment to the growth of the student community has touched Duke students over many generations and will continue to do so in the years to come.

“I’m going to stay around for a long time; I got to see what’s going to happen next,” Bill said.