Whereas Duke University was established on December 11, 1924; Whereas Duke University Hospital opened for patients in 1930; Whereas, since the 1930s, Duke has grown into an internationally recognized academic medical center where researchers and clinicians have made breakthrough discoveries and conducted pioneering procedures for patients locally and across the world; Whereas Duke was admitted to the Association of American Universities in 1938; Whereas the admission into this prestigious organization of research universities helped to cement Duke’s place among the top tier of America’s research universities; Whereas the Sarah P. Duke Gardens was dedicated in April 1939 and opened for the enjoyment of the university and community members; Whereas Duke University was desegregated on March 8, 1961; Whereas, in 1963, the first 5 African-American undergraduates enrolled at Duke; Whereas Duke established the Nation’s first physician assistant program in 1965; Whereas Duke Cancer Center was one of the Nation’s first cancer centers established with the passage of the National Cancer Act in 1973; Whereas the Cancer Center also developed the Nation’s first outpatient bone marrow transplant program; Whereas, in 1996, Duke created the Duke-Durham Neighborhood Partnership; Whereas, in 1998, Duke University Health System was created; Whereas today, the system includes Duke Regional Hospital and Duke Raleigh Hospital as well as other regional health care providers and serves patients in all 100 North Carolina counties and from across the country; Whereas, in 2012, Dr. Robert Lefkowitz, Chancellor’s Distinguished Professor of Medicine at Duke University, shared a Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work with G protein-coupled receptors, and, in 2015, Paul Modrich, James B. Duke Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Biochemistry, received a Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work in mechanistic studies of DNA repair; Whereas legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski led the Duke men’s basketball team to 5 national championships