Cindy Duke joined the staff in January 2008 and serves as Executive Aide to Dr. Van West.  Duke, a native of Detroit, MI, has been associated with MTSU for many years.  In 1977 she relocated to Murfreesboro to attend Middle Tennessee State University where she completed a 2-year certificate program in Business Administration in 1979. Upon graduation, Duke immediately went to work at MTSU, serving in the English Department from 1981 to 1992. From 1988 to 1992 she served as the secretary to the department chair, Dr. Frank Ginanni. Duke left the English Department to serve as the secretary to Dr. Robert Jones, Vice-President for Academic Affairs, from 1992-1994. After successfully owning and operating a convenience store with her husband for nine years, Duke decided to return to MTSU.