Commencement 2024

COMMENCEMENT 2024

Commencement

‘Two

days left in college’

Seniors reflect on community, experience as ‘COVID class’

By Lucas Lin University News Editor

In their final days as undergraduates, members of the Class of 2024 shared some of their fondest memories at Duke.

The seniors — part of the last undergraduate class that experienced disruptions from COVID-19 — reflected on school spirit, community and their mixed feelings toward graduation and life after college.

As a line monitor, senior Ruth Player recalled leading cheers in Cameron Indoor Stadium and getting Jon Scheyer to join the student section during Countdown to Craziness.

One of Player’s favorite moments was celebrating her friend’s birthday at Krzyzewskiville during tenting season. For her, what made the moment so memorable was how her friends came “from a little bit of everywhere.” Some people at the party were from her first-year dorm or shared classes, while others she met for the first time in K-Ville.

“It was such a quintessential Duke experience because tenting is something that only we have,” Player said. “But also, it was the people that had made my Duke experience so wonderful. All of them were in one nice place right there.”

Senior Elias Lai’s college experience was defined by the spontaneous decisions he made with his friends, from taking up portrait photography to starting a band.

One of Lai’s most cherished memories was the decision to grab “hot pot in the rain” with friends when classes were canceled due to the flash flooding and strong winds brought by Hurricane Ian in 2022.

“It was very windy … but because there were no cars on the road, I thought it was pretty safe,” he said.

Senior Cate Knothe’s favorite college memory took place beyond Durham. Throughout her two study abroad experiences in Prague and Berlin, she formed a tight-knit community with her cohort of exchange students and professors. She recalled frequently visiting the program director’s house for dinner, where she and her friends would reflect on their time in Europe while enjoying the family’s homemade ravioli.

Knothe believes that her study abroad experience allowed her to grow socially. She said that meeting new friends who shared her passion for art and film gave her the courage to overcome her social fears and be more outgoing.

“I met a lot of really wonderful, artistic people, and I think through that I got a bit more outgoing just because there were so many people to socialize with.” Knothe said. “They were all very, very extroverted people and so I think it maybe rubbed off a little bit on me.”

See SENIORS REFLECT on Page 16

Actor and comedian Jerry Seinfeld will deliver the commencement address for Duke’s Class of 2024.

Honorary degrees will be awarded during the ceremony to Duke’s first Black athlete Claudius “C.B.” Claiborne, founding member of the Carolina Chocolate Drops Rhiannon Giddens, former CEO of Patagonia Rose Marcario and civil rights activist and author Desmond Meade.

‘Embrace the unexpected’

By Rebecca Fan Contributing Writer

The Class of 2024’s college experience is defined by its unconventional nature. Duke’s recent graduates began their first year amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, leading them to watch the University shift from an insular campus community to one blossoming into its 100th year four years later. Our seniors have learned to adapt to and persevere in a constantly evolving world to forge a meaningful college experience.

The Chronicle asked three members of the Class of 2024 to share advice and lessons they have learned throughout their time at Duke with the incoming first-years. Here is what they said.

What would you say to first-years at O-Week who are just getting their bearings in this huge new place?

Taylor Glatt: Take your time with it. It’s such an adjustment to [be in] college. It’s a whole new

See SENIOR ADVICE on Page 16

Class of 2024 seniors share words of wisdom to incoming Blue Devils

Courtesy of Allison Falls

See more GRADUATION PHOTOS on Page 17

By Staff Reports

2020-2021 First Year

The Class of 2024’s first year saw activism, a disappointing basketball season and adjustment to a new normal.

The summer preceding the semester saw solidarity and activism related to the Black Lives Matter movement following the murder of George Floyd. Students hosted benefit concerts, letter writing campaigns and started anti-racist book clubs. The Duke Black Coalition Against Policing (BCAP) issued a list of demands that called on Duke to disband the Duke University Police Department and invest in the Duke and Durham communities. The University also announced a plan to combat systemic racism.

The activism continued into the school year, with a K-Ville protest organized by Nolan Smith, Duke men’s basketball’s director of operations.

Duke’s fall reopening did not come without its issues.

The University’s decision to reopen in the fall without consulting workers prompted activism from graduate students and Duke Workers United, a group that represents the Duke Faculty Union, Duke Contract Workers United and other workers groups representing municipal employees and transit workers.

Weeks before reopening, Duke walked back some reopening plans that left some upperclassmen without oncampus housing, resulting in a mad dash for off-campus apartments for some and resignation from others.

The year also saw a consequential presidential election, and student political groups and advocacy groups mobilized to get out the vote. Some students adjusted voting plans due to North Carolina limiting registration to college students physically present in their college community.

In October, then presidential nominee Joe Biden spoke in Durham, criticizing the Trump administration’s pandemic response and calling on people to vote.

Though Donald Trump won the state of North Carolina’s electoral votes, Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were ultimately elected, and Biden-supporting Durham residents and students celebrated.

Some Trump supporters, however, challenged President Biden’s victory, including Representative Mo Brooks, a Duke alum. On Jan. 6, a pro-Trump mob, egged on by Brooks, stormed the Capitol the day of the certification of election results.

But despite the stress and loneliness of the condensed semester, the fall was not without its bright spots. One came in the form of the international hit Library Takeout, a song written to explain Duke Library’s new contactless reserve system.

This year also saw major changes in Duke’s Greek life and selective living.

The Abolish Duke IFC & Panhel group began with the creation of an Instagram page in mid-July for students and alumni to share anonymous stories about their experiences in Duke Greek life, including experiences with racism and sexual assault.

In part because of activism from Abolish Duke IFC & Panhel, chapters of Zeta Tau Alpha women’s fraternity and Alpha Delta Pi sorority attempted to decharter, albeit unsuccessfully. Duke’s Panhellenic Council also voted to ban mixers with all-male groups.

Selective living groups were allowed to host virtual recruitment this spring though most were not allowed to recruit first years. Some groups decided to cancel rush entirely.

Others took a different approach. Several fraternities disaffiliated from Duke early in 2021 — forming the Durham Interfraternity Council — and began in-person rush processes. These rush events contributed to a spike in campus COVID-19 cases and resulted in a “stay-in-place” order in mid-March.

In January, students were introduced to the Duke Marriage Pact and in February, to virtual tenting for the Duke-UNC basketball game.

The men’s basketball team lost both regular season games to the Tar Heels and, for the first time since 1995, missed the NCAA tournament. The team was also forced to withdraw from the ACC tournament due to a positive COVID-19 test within the program.

But it was not all bad news for Duke athletics. Then associate head coach Jon Scheyer earned his first career win

when head coach Mike Krzyzewski was quarantined due to potential COVID-19 exposure. Duke women’s golf won the ACC championship and Gina Kim won the individual conference crown.

In August, Duke implemented new Title IX changes without giving the community time to offer feedback.

In October, Duke’s social media team posted a racially insensitive meme on Twitter to much backlash, only removing the tweet after almost 21 hours.

In March, a racist printout was hung in Brown dorm, an act for which no responsible students have been found. Students criticized administrators’ response to the incident.

In the wake of a shooting in Atlanta that killed eight people, including six women of Asian descent, Judith Kelley, dean of the Sanford school of Public Policy, sent out an email that failed to properly name the victims. In response to rising anti-Asian violence, Asian student groups released a list of demands, calling for the University to provide greater support for students.

This year also saw the renaming of several campus buildings, including the renaming of the SociologyPsychology Building to the Reuben-Cooke Building and Jarvis dorm to West Residence Hall.

The University congratulated Rhodes Scholars Jamal Burns and Kendall Jefferys, both seniors. Senior Doha Ali was chosen for Young Trustee in an overhauled selection process.

Students enjoyed a virtual LDOC concert with Flo Milli and Dayglow. After initially restricting the attendees, Duke invited all seniors and students who graduated early to the commencement ceremony for the Class of 2021. Plans again changed to allow each member of the class to bring two guests.

The Duke community mourned the losses of three of its members this year. Graduate student Michael Mutersbaugh died in December and senior Kenna Tasissa died in January. Longtime carillonneur J. Samuel Hammond died in February.

FRATS BREAK WITH DUKE

Nine fraternities have broken away from Duke’s Interfraternity Council after Duke announced changes to the rush process and selective housing, forming a new group called the Durham Interfraternity Council that has begun recruiting new members.

In November, Duke announced that recruitment for firstyears would be delayed to sophomore year and that only juniors and seniors would live in selective living sections next year. These changes are part of the guidelines for Duke’s Next Generation Living Learning 2.0 Committee.

According to Durham IFC President Will Santee, a junior, these changes posed a number of challenges to fraternities. Primarily, delaying rush to sophomore fall would be difficult “especially since so many juniors go abroad” and limiting selective living sections to juniors and seniors “wasn’t exactly conducive to the best living situation for sophomores,” Santee said.

Santee said that it seemed as though the University “has a very set plan of where they see social life going at Duke” and the disaffiliated fraternities didn’t feel like that plan included them.

Former Duke IFC President Rohan Singh, a senior, claimed that the IFC was not consulted by Duke when the University temporarily suspended spring recruitment in October and decided to move rush to sophomore year in November.

Mary Pat McMahon, vice provost and vice president of student affairs, said that IFC was the first student group she met with to seek input on changes to rush. She added that she consulted national Greek organizations, Duke Student Government and dozens of other student groups in more than 100 preview meetings before the November policy announcement.

Durham IFC is composed of Alpha Delta Phi, Alpha Epsilon Pi, Alpha Tau Omega, Delta Tau Delta, Kappa Alpha Order, Pi Kappa Alpha, Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Chi and Sigma Nu.

Evelyn Shi

Full story by Jake Sheridan, Mona Tong and Maria Morrison

Joe Biden elected 46th president of United States

By Chris Kuo and Anna Zolotor

November 7, 2020

Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. was elected the next president of the United States on Saturday.

Biden will enter office with a vision for liberal governance, including plans to implement a coordinated national response to COVID-19, invest in green energy, expand Obamacare, implement criminal justice reform and undo Trump’s immigration policies. During the campaign, Biden offered the promise of a return to normalcy after four years of chaotic governance under President Donald Trump.

His running mate, Senator Kamala Devi Harris (D-Calif.), is the first woman, the first Black person and the first person of Indian descent elected vice president.

“I sought this office to restore the soul of America, to rebuild the backbone of this nation, the middle class and to make America respected around the world again,” Biden said Saturday night, in a victory speech in his hometown of Wilmington, Delaware.

The president-elect thanked the American people for turning out in record numbers to make his victory possible, and he emphasized his commitment to rebuilding and healing the nation. He listed his priorities for the next four years, including tackling climate change and racial injustice, but stressed that his first battle will be against a pandemic that has killed more than 230,000 Americans.

Harris took the stage before Biden and thanked the American people for ushering in “a new day in America.” She reflected on the historical importance of her election as the first woman in the office of Vice President, as well as the first Black or South Asian person in the position.

“But while I may be the first woman in this office, I will not be the last. Because every little girl watching tonight sees that this is a country of possibilities,” Harris said.

claims about attempts to steal the election and falsehoods about voter fraud.

In the early morning Friday, Biden pulled ahead of Trump in Pennsylvania and Georgia. He continued to hold his leads in Arizona and Nevada.

“The numbers tell us a clear and convincing story: We’re going to win this race,” Biden said in a Friday night speech.

Students involved in progressive advocacy were thrilled at the news of the victory.

“We are so just happy, so relieved and so proud of the outcome and of the work that we’ve done,” said sophomore Daniel Marshall, Duke Students for Biden co-chair.

Biden’s victory marked the conclusion of a long election whose results were delayed by waits over ballot counts. News organizations including the Associated Press and CNN projected at around 11:30 a.m. Saturday that Biden had won Pennsylvania, and thus the presidential race.

Trump has not yet conceded the race, despite Biden’s projected victory, promising unspecified legal challenges to the results.

On election night, with many votes still to count, the electoral map had not shown a clear winner: Trump was ahead in key swing states like Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Georgia, while Biden had pulled ahead in Arizona and Nevada.

But as the remainder of absentee ballots were counted, crucial states swung to Biden. He won Wisconsin and Michigan, putting him at 253 electoral votes, even as the Trump campaign embarked on legal challenges to seek a recount in Wisconsin and to attempt to halt the count in Michigan. An early call of Arizona — putting Biden at 264 electoral votes — by the AP and Fox was also met by pushback from the Trump campaign, but both decision desks stood by the decision.

As votes were tallied, Biden called for patience and trust in the “messy” process of democracy, while Trump made false

Although the overall race has been called, the result in North Carolina is still not certain. Trump holds a lead and is likely to win, but some ballots remain to be counted and the race may not be called until next week.

Marshall said Duke Students for Biden had made a difference, pointing out that early voting at Duke had increased more than 50% between 2016 and 2020.

“We still don’t know about North Carolina. It still could go either way. But we know that Joe Biden won,” Marshall said.

Robby Phillips, a sophomore involved in the Sunrise Movement, a climate activism group, said Biden’s win came as a “huge moment of relief.”

The wait for the result over the past few days was harrowing, and he hadn’t been able to finish much work since he had been constantly checking the results, he said. Even though the electoral map looked hopeful, he had still been afraid Trump could eke out a win, Phillips said.

Those fears are behind him now.

“It feels like maybe the most difficult part is past for now, closing the book on a pretty dark chapter,” he said.

Editor’s note: This story has been condensed for print.

The story behind ‘Library Takeout,’ a Duke librarian’s international hit

By Lillian Clark

October

27, 2020

This summer, for the first time in three years, Duke librarian Jamie Keesecker started composing music again. The culprit? A rapping mouse.

When the Nashville Public Library released a video of a chain-wearing mouse puppet bobbing to a parody of “Ice Ice Baby” to explain their curbside book pickup, Keesecker’s colleagues wanted him to make something similar for their new contactless reserve system, called library takeout.

Keesecker went a step further than parody, and his video became a viral sensation.

Fuqua School of Business student Zoey Kang recalls opening the video from an email newsletter. Thirty seconds in, she rewound it and started over. She did that about 10 more times, sent it to her friends as mandatory listening and shared it on Instagram.

“Sometimes I wake up with the song stuck in my head. It’s genius,” Kang said.

The Prodigal Composer

Keesecker started making music as a teenager, when a friend handed him a floppy disk with music editing software.

And he kept writing music, for more than 17 years. He got a master’s in music composition from Duke in 2011 and a doctorate in 2016, but worried constantly about his career. He realized he would make a better hobbyist composer than professional.

Keesecker began work at the library, where his work felt refreshingly regular. He didn’t need to invent things from scratch.

As COVID-19 infections in North Carolina rose throughout the spring, Keesecker spent more time at home with his threeyear-old daughter Naima. His partner Heidi Wait, an intensive care unit nurse, spent less.

While Wait worked overtime at Duke Regional Hospital under layers of personal protective equipment, Keesecker and Naima perched between the baby blue walls of their living room on two blue plastic kids’ chairs and worked their way through quarantine with a crayon box. Naima squiggled, flirted with pointillism and learned to draw faces. Keesecker drew a stick figure playing a red keytar, shelves of books and other animations to accompany his newest composition — the “Library Takeout” song.

Headphones in, he built sounds until they turned to gibberish. The headphones came off when Naima got bored or needed help adding a My Little Pony to her half-sleeve of temporary tattoos.

For the library takeout video, Keesecker thought he would write something simple, synth-pop. But once the beat came together, he started adding layers and didn’t stop.

The song oscillates between two chords topped with sounds that sparkle while stick figures dance in a choppy animation style that reminds Keesecker of the Sesame Street he watched as a kid. It’s electrifying and funny.

Living on Keesecker’s laptop, the song grew to be so bombastic, he had to pare it back down to fit in instructions for takeout along the way.

“There can actually be freedom when you’re working on top of something so rigid,” Keesecker said.

Keesecker edited together the animations and the song and uploaded it on YouTube under the pseudonym MicrOpaqu3, just in case it got really big. He showed Naima, even though she’d seen it in parts for weeks as they drew together.

“Look, there’s all your work,” Naima said.

Courtesy of Jamie Keesecker

Causing a Ruckus

Duke librarian Andrea Loigman was on a multinational Zoom call collaborating on new library software when a chat from a librarian in Germany popped up: “I just saw your video. It’s so wonderful!” And then another, from a librarian in Denmark.

“I don’t know how it’s getting around. I don’t know how they’re finding it … like I’m hearing from people in Europe about this,” Loigman said.

People wondered on Twitter about MicrOpaqu3’s identity. As the Library Takeout video amassed views — nearly 20,000 by early October — Keesecker stayed hidden. His pseudonym was a reference to tiny documents on cards called micro-opaques, read on a microfilm machine.

“This song slaps and I’ve never even been to North Carolina, let alone Duke,” one YouTube commentator wrote. Another called the video “the only good that’s come out of the pandemic.”

Duke students tried to find him. Sophomore Jake Heller wrote in a message to The Chronicle that he assumed the library had hired an independent contractor.

To Keesecker, the whole thing was a great prank.

“There’s something funny to me about being behind the scenes, causing a ruckus without ever being identified,” he said. Until an email newsletter to Duke faculty blew his cover, he intended to remain strictly anonymous.

Keesecker released the song on Spotify and Apple Music on popular demand, again under the MicrOpaqu3 pseudonym.

Viral Success

On Oct. 12, first-year Sam Carpenter had just left his international relations class in the Bryan Center when a drawing of a red keytar drew him to a Chronicle newsstand. Paper in hand, he watched Duke librarian Jamie Keesecker’s “Library Takeout” video, featured in a story on the front page, and posted it to Reddit.

By the end of the day, Carpenter’s post had soared to the front page of Reddit. “Library Takeout” went from around 20,000 views to more than 400,000 on YouTube. As of early Tuesday, its view count was more than 784,000. The official Spotify account tweeted a link to the song, calling it the “greatest library-focused track ever made.” Keesecker’s hit now has almost 100,000 streams on Spotify.

“Being on the front page of Reddit is like — it’s hard to think of a higher honor … It’s kind of like the Billboard Top 10 of DIYers,” Keesecker said.

Keesecker’s video inspired comparisons to YouTubers Bill Wurtz and Louis Cole in the rapidly growing comment sections, even prompting one fan to post a drum jam tribute to the song.

He said he was most thrilled that his video seems to have inspired others to start creative projects. He’s also glad he can close the laptop on his internet fame and spend time on yard work outside.

He goes into work in the Music Library a few days a week now, back in his office with colorful book-binding samples and book jackets taped to the walls. Naima attends outdoor preschool in a mask.

Keesecker spoke to a friend and fellow composer to express some of his doubts about continuing to compose.

“Does the world really need more music from an almost middle-aged white guy? Don’t we have a lot of this?” he said.

But the friend reminded him to not forget about the other side of things — making music for himself.

Editor’s note: This story has been edited and condensed for print.

Eric Wei

Joe Biden was elected the 46th president of the United States of America in a historic election.

‘This is a movement’

Duke men’s basketball joins battle for social justice

AUG. 27, 2020 — Henry Coleman III approached a single microphone during an August Black Lives Matter protest in Krzyzewskiville. He sported a black T-shirt with the words “Black Lives Matter” across the front, accompanied by Duke basketball and Nike logos.

His Blue Devil teammates liken his athleticism and towering physical stature to former Duke phenom Zion Williamson, but Coleman has become better known for being powerful in a completely different sense.

In the next two minutes and 30 seconds, more than 100 spectators looked on as Coleman made himself a Duke legend before he had even notched a minute of playing time in Cameron Indoor Stadium.

“This country has had its knee on the necks of African-Americans for too long,” Coleman said at the protest. “This country has put a dagger in our backs and is yet to even acknowledge the dagger, let alone try to pull it out.”

Coleman’s speech was one of several during a Black Lives Matter protest that took place at Krzyzewskiville on a sweltering afternoon Thursday, days after the Aug. 23 shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wis. reopened the wounds of police violence and racial justice in America. Protests erupted in Kenosha. The NBA postponed three of its playoff games after the Milwaukee Bucks chose not to play on Wednesday, and many other sports leagues followed suit.

People stood on the grass, where white splotches of paint marked spots six feet apart. Many of the protesters wore black clothing and clutched cardboard signs: “Love Black Lives like you love Black culture” and “Tolerating racism is racism.”

As Coleman continued, the entire Duke men’s basketball team came up behind him. When the raw emotion caused Coleman to get choked up, fellow first years Jaemyn Brakefield and Mark Williams placed a hand on each of his shoulders, a sign that even though this team had been together for less than a month at the time, unbreakable bonds had already formed.

“When those guys came up behind me, it was almost like a security blanket,” Coleman said in an August press conference. “I just felt like those guys around me — they felt the message with me.”

Coleman wrote his speech the night before the rally, the same night the NBA opted to not play its scheduled playoff games in the wake of the Jacob Blake shooting. As the professional sports world assessed the best steps to take for social justice, Nolan Smith, Duke men’s basketball’s director of operations, was doing the same.

Coleman’s platform for the speech was possible due to the work of Smith in setting up the Krzyzewskiville protest. At the protest, Smith took the microphone first and talked about the importance of

making sure that “this is not a moment, this is a movement.”

“I can’t change the world,” Smith said. “But goddamnit, I can change Duke while I’m here.”

Men’s basketball head coach Mike Krzyzewski also took the platform.

“Today is for all of us to acknowledge this problem, to share our feelings,” Krzyzewski said. “This is a time for us to be all on the same team.”

He called the audience to take concrete action by registering to vote, noting that tables had been set up outside Cameron Indoor Stadium for both basketball teams to register.

This generation is the one that can truly bring about change — the generation that can finally win — he said.

“I grew up a long time ago in the [1960s]. I thought it was heading in the right direction. Damn, I was wrong,” he said. “I want to be right. I want to be on your team. And I want this systemic racism and social injustice to be defeated.”

Senior Michael Buckmire also spoke, holding up a sign that read, “Am I next?” as he gave a speech.

“There’s this idea of survivor’s guilt of other Black men seeing other Black men being killed. Am I next? Why is it this person? What’s going to happen if it’s me next? It’s something that’s scary and it’s something I can’t explain,” Buckmire said.

Coleman, who was the final speaker, took it upon himself to leave an impression on the spectators. As his speech progressed, his tone grew harsher and his voice projected further and further across the courtyard. The authority with which he spoke was unlike anything one would expect from a freshman who’s been on campus for less than a month.

More than anyone else, Coleman pushed responsibility onto the spectators. Not only did he unite them in a chant demanding justice and change, but he listed specific actions that anyone can do to promote change, specifically within the context of Duke Athletics.

“Ask y’all players how they’re doing,” Coleman said. “Ask them how they’re feeling. I promise you, they’re feeling some type of way. I promise you that.”

Senior Michael Buckmire held a sign that read, “Am I next?” as he spoke about survivor’s guilt; Nolan Smith, Duke men’s basketball director of operations, took the microphone first.

‘I can’t change the world. But goddamnit, I can change Duke while I’m here.’

Full story by Chris Kuo, Christian Olsen and Jake Piazza

From top, left to right: When first-year Henry Coleman III began to choke up during his speech, fellow first years Jaemyn Brakefield (second from right) and Mark Williams (not pictured) placed a hand on each of his shoulders;

PHOTOS BY HENRY HAGGART

from left: A person waves a scarf atop a car driving by CCB Plaza on Nov. 7, celebrating Joe Biden’s projected victory in the presidential election; People danced together in CCB plaza on Nov. 7; Staff reporter Anisha Reddy’s West Campus dorm room during the weeklong stay-at-home order in March.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CLASS OF 2024 FROM THE DUKE UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES with special appreciation to student employees of the Libraries

RUBENSTEIN LIBRARY

Shiraz Ahmed, M.F.A.

Cristian Perez

Zoe Tishaev

Annalise von Sprecken, M.T.S.

LILLY LIBRARY

Jiyoung Park

Shuvan Shrestha

MUSIC LIBRARY

Morgan Chumney

LIBRARY SERVICE CENTER

Matthew Alexander

FORD LIBRARY

Ceci Cardelle, J.D.

Matthew Day, M.A.

Wafiakmal Miftah, M.S.

Heather (Jiahui) Qiu, M.S.

Stephon Ricks

Mira Jeyacala Thevan, M.P.P.

GOODSON LAW LIBRARY

Amanda Alokpa, LL.M

Sakshi Chougule, M.E.M.

Reshmika Dhandapani, M.E.M.

Hannah Elizabeth Flack, M.Div.

Sarah Lapp, M.Div.

Jessica Miller, J.D.

Samuel Omotoso, LL.M.

Tatvesh Rupani, M.M.S.

Shruthee Sankarlinkam, M.Eng.

Niharika Singh, M.E.M.

Korede B. Sotubo, LL.M

PERKINS & BOSTOCK LIBRARIES AND SMITH WAREHOUSE

Kathryn Anderson

Safia Bamba, M.A.

Tiajahlyn Furr, M.E.M.

Alvaro Gonzalez

Elise Gutierrez

Tad Kim

Maddie Lefkowitz

Mamuroh Mamuroh, M.I.D.P.

Oscar Nolen

Anjola Onadipe, M.Div.

Jongyup Park, M.Div.

Zoe Svec

Riley Taylor, M.Div.

Denali Termin

Vinnessa Van

Michael Veldman, Ph.D.

Ruowei Wu, M.A.

DIVINITY LIBRARY

Thomas Canty, M.T.S.

Noah Dellinger, M.Div.

James Emmanuel, Jr., M.T.S.

Jacob Jordan, M.Div.

Tomoko Kida, M.T.S.

Erin Stratton, M.Div.

BY HENRY HAGGART

BY HENRY HAGGART

BY ANISHA REDDY

Clockwise

By Staff Reports

2021-2022 Sophomore Year

Sophomore year saw a near return to normalcy, sweeping changes to the housing system and an unforgettable basketball season.

The first day of classes was filled with excitement and anticipation as a fully-populated student body flooded quads and lecture halls for the first time in two years. This was shortlived — in response to over 300 undergraduates testing positive for COVID-19 in late August, Duke allowed professors to move classes back online for two weeks.

Student groups did their best to adjust to new safety protocols but found it difficult to plan recruitment. Non-Greek selective living groups were not given any new fall rush guidelines, while Duke Interfraternity Council recruitment was a hybrid of inperson and virtual events.

In mid-September, Duke announced QuadEx, a new residential system that links East and West Campus quads, to begin fall 2022. The goal of QuadEx is to emphasize a longer period of time for incoming students to build connections within their residential communities, but students had mixed opinions about this housing change.

The Class of 2020 reunited on campus for a weekend to celebrate a belated commencement, with Sabrina Maciariello, Trinity ‘20, as the student commencement speaker and Ken Jeong, Trinity ‘90, as the guest commencement speaker. The alumni received closure from the abrupt end to their college career two years ago.

And in early October, North Carolina held its primary elections, in which only 10.18% of registered voters in Durham County cast ballots in the primaries. Elaine O’Neal was elected as the first Black female Durham mayor in November, and in April, she delivered her first State of the City Address.

Duke Athletics saw major transitions in leadership in the summer and fall. In a surprise June announcement that rocked the sports world, now-former head coach Mike Krzyzewski revealed his plans to retire after the 2021-2022 season, with Jon Scheyer named head coach-inwaiting. Nina King took over for Kevin White as athletic director at the start of September, while longtime football head coach David Cutcliffe departed at the season’s end, making way for new head coach Mike Elko to come to Durham.

Duke Athletics wasn’t the only area of the University to see changes in employment. In December, students and faculty protested against the changes to the Thompson Writing Program, in which renewable contracts will replace non-renewable lecturing fellowships as they expire. In February, the Duke University Press Workers Union won its election to unionize.

New faculty, programs and centers were also announced, with the Trinity College of Arts and Sciences concluding a cluster hire in Native American and Indigenous Studies in August. The Arts and Sciences Council approved the Asian American and Diaspora Studies minor in February. Duke announced in April that it would establish the Center for Gender Violence Prevention and Intervention in fall 2022.

The University saw some positive trends with Duke’s finances. Duke’s endowment returned nearly 56% in fiscal year 2021. Duke received an $11 million donation from an anonymous alumni family, the majority of the gift going towards the Sanford School of Public Policy. Duke also announced that it will be raising the minimum wage to $17 per hour for all eligible employees, with work-study positions rising to a minimum wage of $15 per hour.

Still, the year was not without unfavorable incidents, especially in dorms. Students reported theft and vandalism in Kilgo Quad laundry rooms, and Few Quad residents dealt with broken exit signs and multiple fires.

Duke also had its fair share of controversies. In January, former Duke doctoral student Matthew Harris sent a video referencing a mass shooting and an 800-page manifesto threatening members of the philosophy department at the University of California, Los Angeles. Duke was also one of 16 universities sued for alleged antitrust violations regarding unfairly limiting financial aid.

The Duke community mourned the losses of some of its members this year. Michael Ward, professor emeritus of political science, died in July. Sally McIntosh Ziegler, Trinity ‘56 and the first female editor-in-chief of The Chronicle, died in September. Professor of History Elizabeth Clark also died in September. Sophomore Bryan Lopez died in December. Paul Farmer, Trinity ‘82, died in February.

In November, a person unaffiliated with Duke was found dead in a wooded area near Penn Pavilion.

In March, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Ukrainian and Russian students reflected on how the war was affecting their lives in Durham and their families in their home countries.

Two Duke administrators announced their leave this year. Vice President for Administration Kyle Cavanaugh will retire this September and will be the National Basketball Association’s new President of Administration. Trinity College Dean Valerie Ashby will leave Duke in June and will begin her role as president of University of Maryland, Baltimore County in August.

And back to Duke Athletics — women’s basketball fell to Miami in the ACC tournament and ultimately missed out on the NCAA tournament in Head Coach Kara Lawson’s first full year, but Shayeann Day-Wilson won ACC Freshman of the Year. While women’s golf could not defend their ACC title, Phoebe Brinker and Erica Shepherd took first and second place in the championship individually. For the first time in a decade, Duke women’s tennis won the ACC Championship.

But of course, Duke men’s basketball was at the center of the college basketball universe this year. The Cameron Crazies were back in the stands and tenting in Krzyzewskiville.

The team won its first ACC regular-season championship since 2010 but could not fend off Carolina in Coach K’s last home game. The Blue Devils had a magical run in San Francisco, winning the West regional tournament, but lost again to Carolina in the Final Four in New Orleans, officially ending Krzyzewski’s career.

After an electric basketball season came the end of the semester, which was filled with festivities.

In the year’s student elections, undergraduate students chose junior Lana Gesinsky to be the next DSG president, replacing senior Christina Wang. Senior Kacia Anderson was elected to serve as undergraduate Young Trustee. And on the first in-person last day of classes in two years, students celebrated with a live concert featuring A$AP Ferg, Daya and Peach Tree Rascals.

Duke announces new QuadEx residential system

By Leah Boyd and Nadia Bey September 15, 2021

Duke will be rolling out a plan for a transition to a residential college system to begin fall 2022 over the next few days.

The plan is built around “a strong affiliation for students’ first-year homes and their sophomore year quad, with recruitment for Greek life and other selective living groups continuing in the fall of prospective recruits’ sophomore year,” according to an email obtained by The Chronicle from Mary Pat McMahon, vice provost and vice president of student affairs, Shruti Desai, associate vice president of student affairs for campus life and Chris Rossi, assistant vice president of student affairs.

The email states that the 2022-23 academic year will be the last year that selective living groups will have a dedicated residential section in campus housing.

“We are not ‘abolishing’ Greek life and have no plans to do so; we are, however, going to continue to emphasize a longer period of time in which incoming students focus on broadening their connections and affirmations within their residential communities,” the email reads.

The residential model will be centered around residential quads with their “own identity, traditions and social events,” similar to other private universities. “Initial implementation of some elements” is underway this semester, and the system will be fully operational in fall 2022.

First-years will continue to live on East, and beginning with the Class of 2025, one to two East Campus houses will be assigned to one of seven quads on West Campus. Students cannot pick their quads. This is similar to the automated linking system that was established in spring 2020, but linking is now mandatory. The Uni-

versity will announce further details about linking this semester, according to the QuadEx FAQ.

Current first-years will learn their assigned quad in spring 2022, and the Class of 2026 and following classes will learn their assigned East Campus and West Campus residences prior to move-in.

Students will still be able to rush selective living groups and Greek organizations, but selective housing will be phased out after the 2022-23 academic year.

Senior Christina Wang, president of Duke Student Government, wrote that QuadEx “plans to preserve and foster the experience of LLCs, FOCUS groups, and academic-related groups.”

“Quads will offer belonging, friendship, and continuity in the transition from East to West Campus, throughout their time at Duke, and well after graduation,” the website reads.

Students are allowed to select their roommates and request to block with friends, but all members of a block must be in the same Quad.

Students will live in their assigned quad in sophomore year but will still “retain affiliation with their quads” if they choose to live elsewhere after their sophomore year. Approximately 125 beds will be reserved for upperclass students in each quad.

Juniors may live in their assigned quad or other upperclass housing on West, including Hollows Quad and 300 Swift. Seniors may live in any of these locations or off campus.

Wang wrote that the reason that Hollows isn’t part of the quad system is “a result of its different housing style (suite-style living).”

“Additionally, the goal of the Quad program is to build community in shared spaces such as the Gothics and more closely grouped Quads, making the Hollows less ideal as a community-building space for sophomores/juniors,” Wang added.

Beginning in fall 2022, first-years will partake in a quad-based house course called “Duke-Durham 101,” which aims to prepare students for “good citizenship” at the University and in the surrounding community. Sophomores will participate in “Sophomore Spark,” which will provide academic and career programming and alumni networking opportunities.

Quads will also be assigned Faculty Affiliates, who will provide mentorship and support quad traditions without the residential component.

The planning for QuadEx began in 2018 with the launch of the Next Generation Living and Learning Experience task force, according to its FAQ page. Recommendations made by the second iteration of the committee shaped the current model, which will be rolled out at a later date as the University works out some of the logistics.

McMahon told The Chronicle Tuesday that Duke is still working through more logistics of QuadEx. She estimates that they will formally roll out the full plan the last week of September.

Why the change?

Senior Ysanne Spence, president of Duke University Union, wrote that Duke has been a “near-explosion of selectivity, gate-keeping and imposter syndrome” in her experience. To Spence, QuadEx is an opportunity to “take the guess work” out of the social scene at Duke.

“Coupled with the fact that students just got accepted into an institution with a 4% acceptance rate, students are then thrusted into applications and gate-keeping of social and professional events and developments,” she wrote.

Wang agreed, citing a “need for more inclusive spaces and community-building opportunities for all students, especially

See QUADEX on Page 16

‘Community is unparalleled’

Students move into K-Ville for first tenting season since before pandemic

By Jake Piazza

February

1, 2022

Droves of Duke fans shuffle to Cameron Indoor Stadium on a recent Tuesday night to watch their Blue Devils take on Clemson.

Everything is nearly identical to all the other home games from this season. Line monitors’ bull horns ring, students show off their homemade signs to friends and the pregame line gradually grows as everyone scurries toward the walkway alongside the Wilson Recreation Center.

But something gives Krzyzewskiville a different look. Probably the 200+ tents filling up every square foot of grass.

Normally students hang out on the grassy quads prior to the games doing everything from painting faces to making hype videos on the Duke University Students’ Instagram page. But there wasn’t much space to do that starting Jan. 23, when the annual tradition of tenting returned after the pandemic forced its cancelation in the 2020-21 season.

Students were ready for it to be back.

“Tenting is just very special. You’ll meet so many new people. The community is unparalleled,” said senior Nitin Subramanian, who also tented his freshman and sophomore years. “Last night, I hung out with 10 people I’ve never met before at Duke.”

The return of Krzyzewskiville

It did not always look like tenting would get to make its return during the 2021-22 season. Over Duke’s winter break Dec. 23, the University canceled the normal Black tenting period (the longest one) due to concerns over the Omicron variant, with plans for students to set up camp for Blue tenting (the shorter phase with less required people in tents) starting Jan. 16. Weeks later, the University pushed back the tenting start date again as it decided to also hold classes online until Jan. 18. After much anticipation, the University gave tenting the go-ahead Jan. 13, with the plan for the infamous entry test to be Jan. 19 and Blue tenting to begin Jan. 23.

“I was pretty upset when we got the first email about Black tenting being canceled and then when it got pushed back again that also wasn’t great,” junior Elizabeth Wise said. “We were worried that it wasn’t gonna happen or something but I was like: ‘Stop saying that, we need to make it happen, don’t jinx it.’”

Wise’s group and 169 others had their wish granted. Roughly one-third of the undergraduate student body huddled in Cameron Indoor Stadium to take the test, and the 70 top scores emerged victorious — with real estate in Krzyzewskiville as their reward. Additionally, the setup process was different this year to adjust for the Omicron surge. Instead of each group having one large tent with all the members sleeping in it, there is a rule of two people per tent. That makes living arrangements a little difficult with the six-person nightly requirement in Krzyzewskiville during Blue tenting, but Duke Athletics provided two additional tents to each group.

“I think it’s definitely more of a hassle just because it’s more setup, more tarps, more stakes you got to put down but I think it’s definitely more comfortable in terms of the living situation,” Subramanian said.

After a full day of hammering stakes, laying out pallets and propping up tents, Krzyzewskiville was back to its former glory by nightfall of Jan. 23.

‘This is actually my school’

For the hundreds of students braving the cold until the March 5 North Carolina game, it’s all worth it, especially after a year of being “Cameron-deprived” as senior Sunrita Gupta called it.

Gupta values the skills that she’s learned from tenting. Negotiating pallet prices with local businesses, setting up a tent and collaborating with teammates are all things she’s picked up.

“This has taught me a lot more than a lot of other extracurriculars I’ve been in,” Gupta said. “I think that this is a super worthwhile experience as long as you’re good about the time management and are willing to sacrifice some other things for it.”

For others, tenting was just written in their future since birth.

“There’s photos of me wearing Duke gear at like three months old so it was always gonna happen,” sophomore Thomsen Hoops said. “I’ve loved Duke basketball since I was a little kid.”

Hoops’ tenting teammate, sophomore Skylar Brogan, knew she wanted to tent after she watched a documentary on the Cameron Crazies and the rivalry while she was applying to colleges. She knew she had to be one of the fans in the stands painted blue.

“When I was interviewing [during the college application process], I was like: ‘I want to go to Duke because I want to paint myself blue.’”

Regardless of what people’s biggest takeaway from tenting is, many students circled back to the feeling of community that tenting in Krzyzewskiville creates.

Wise is the proud team captain of “Keels Kave” and she’s enjoyed being in a tent with her friends from various social groups. Gupta is a part-time student this semester and being in “K-Watch” (like the 2017 remake of Baywatch) has kept her connected to campus.

“It’s so cool to walk around campus, see the players around, actually be friends with some of them and be like: ‘Oh this is actually my school,’” freshman Amy Fulton said. “I feel such a sense of commitment to the team now, I gotta be there. I gotta support my boys.”

As much time and effort as tenting in Krzyzewskiville takes, the students know how to have fun while doing it.

Fulton and her group hung inflatable fish, crabs and strings of fish lights across their tent’s entryway to go along with its “Margaritaville” name. Wise and her friend adopted Mardell the stuffed dinosaur, a name the two of them made up because Wise’s favorite player is Mark Williams and her friend’s favorite is Wendell Moore Jr.

Looking across Krzyzewskiville, a lot of the students in the tents weren’t even on campus the last time tenting took place. This season is different than any other with the raised stakes that Coach K’s last year puts on it. Only four of the players on this team’s roster had even known what it was like to play in a packed Cameron Indoor Stadium before this year.

But that defining characteristic of the students who pack Cameron Indoor Stadium is the same as it always was.

“We’re still crazy,” Wise said.

The story of a bittersweet first day of classes

By Alison Korn, Milla Surjadi and Katie Tan

August 14,

2021

Abele Quad, 7:30 a.m.

Abele Quad was empty on Monday morning, but within the dorms, thousands of students were waking up and preparing for their first day of class, ready to breathe life into a campus that had been under strict pandemic restrictions for almost two years.

A door in Craven Quad swung open, revealing several residential assistants carrying foldable tables, boxes of food and crates of juice to set up breakfast for their residents. Students gradually formed a line to get their share of Bojangles biscuits and Krispy Kreme donuts.

Sophomore Luis Graterol grabbed a biscuit on his way to his first class of the day, a differential equations course. He was grateful that Duke is hosting in-person events like the breakfast.

“Last year was kind of like a half year in terms of the amount of stuff we could do,” Graterol said. “So seeing all these people outside and having a good time is a different experience.”

Graterol took a bite out of his biscuit. “Wait, I thought I got egg and cheese! Why is there bacon?” he said. Confused, he checked the label. “Oh, well, I just can’t read. This semester is going to go great,” he joked.

But in all seriousness, Graterol said he’s ready for this semester. “I’m ready to go into whatever’s happening,” he said.

Brodhead Center, 12:30 p.m.

Lines of hungry students packed the Brodhead Center as the building hummed with the sounds of chattering students

and clinking silverware. Aside from people wearing masks, this lunchtime scene felt close to normal.

Upstairs on the second floor, several Duke Kunshan University juniors sat around fluffy gray couches, enjoying their meal. Junior Aryaman Babber said he feels more like a firstyear at Duke than a junior.

“We don’t know where anything is!” he said.

Junior Jingcheng Wu nodded.

“I was looking for my classroom yesterday, and I actually ran into a bunch of [first-years]. They also thought I was a [first-year] because I was looking for the class,” Wu said.

Just outside the Brodhead Center, Duke Student Government President Christina Wang and Duke University Union President Ysanne Spence, both seniors, chatted with first-years they had befriended through Project BUILD.

Wang called this FDOC “bittersweet.”

“It’s their first, our last,” she said. “It’s nice seeing everyone back on campus. It feels almost like a normal FDOC.”

East Campus, 12:30 p.m.

Over at East Union, students trickled in and out for COVID-19 tests. In the lobby, a photo booth for the first day of classes featured a blue backdrop embellished with Duke logos. Props lined a black table — glitter fedora hats, pom poms and a foam sign.

Downstairs in Trinity Cafe, employee Renata Spain-Steele agreed with Wellman’s assessment of the first-years.

“They seem to be a little more at ease [than the Class of 2024 was] with most of the restrictions lifted,” she said.

For Spain-Steele, the day was busy, but she didn’t mind. After a slow summer, she welcomed the fast pace and new faces. Taking care of first-years means explaining to them how equivalency works, telling them, politely, that there can only be four people at a table and offering them her support.

“Some [first-years] have told me that they cried when their parents left, and I try to reassure them that everyone here is nice and if they have any problems or questions, just come to us,” she said.

Bryan Center Plaza, 2:15 p.m

In the humidity of the afternoon, the Bryan Center Plaza was packed with students doing work and eating a late lunch.

Seniors Kaela Basmajian and Jonathan Suna sat at a green table laughing with each other and enjoying Tandoor and Sazón between their classes. But getting their food had not been easy.

“[The Brodhead Center] was just a disaster,” Suna said. “I’ve never seen a line that long in my entire life. I made friends in line, the line was so long. But it was fun.”

Basmajian and Suna were people watching from their spot on the plaza. Basmajian said that they’ve seen a lot of friends so far, including a group of guys in black graduation robes walking around while making noise.

“We think it might have been a secret society,” Suna said. “They were doing weird arm things.”

“They didn’t talk to us, they just screamed randomly,” Basmajian said. “We didn’t really know what was going on, we just enjoyed the show.”

Editor’s note: This story has been edited and condensed for print.

Aaron Zhao

By Staff Reports

2022-2023 Junior Year

Junior year was one of new beginnings — a year marked by the implementation of QuadEx, the first seasons of two head coaches and the lifting of COVID-19 protocols that defined much of the Class of 2023’s Duke experience.

Duke made national headlines this year. Following the Class of 2022’s graduation, The Chronicle reported that the student commencement speech closely resembled a 2014 Harvard student address. In late August, Duke volleyball player Rachel Richardson reported that she was “racially heckled” during a game at Brigham Young University. The incident resulted in the banning, then unbanning of a fan after the school’s investigation did not find evidence of racial slurs directed at Richardson.

The University implemented the QuadEx residential program in the fall of 2022, which saw the introduction of Faculty Fellows and the creation of Quad Arches. The Class of 2026 was the first to experience Experiential Orientation, another QuadEx program, which marked an overhaul in orientation programming that cost $1 million more than the traditional Orientation Week experience. The Chronicle spoke with alumni who advocated for housing reform and examined the differences between QuadEx and other peer institutions’ residential systems.

At the same time, students — the Class of 2026 and upperclassmen alike — had mixed reactions to the new housing system. Under QuadEx’s “all-gender housing model,” the Baldwin Scholars lost their female-only section. The future of selective living groups on campus remains uncertain. Some chapters of Duke-affiliated Greek life are still recovering from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic while adjusting to QuadEx, and non-Greek SLGs received conflicting messages from the administration regarding recruitment.

The University slowly removed COVID-19 protocols that had become a part of campus life. By late September, masks in classrooms were no longer required. By March, masks on buses were no longer required. In April, Duke ended its COVID-19 vaccine requirement for most students, faculty and staff.

As a monumental midterm election season came and went, The Chronicle spoke with candidates, voters, and journalists before, during and after Election Day. After all the votes were tallied, the

Republican Party fell just one seat in the North Carolina Senate short of a supermajority in both General Assembly chambers. In April, North Carolina state Rep. Tricia Cotham changed her party affiliation, shifting the supermajority in the Republican Party’s favor.

In December, Duke accepted 800 Early Decision applicants, making the 16.5% acceptance rate the lowest in Duke’s history. Duke admitted 4.8% of its Regular Decision applicants in March.

Senior year saw a new dawn for football culture. Under the leadership of new head coach Mike Elko, the ACC Coach of the Year, the Blue Devils ended the regular season 8-4 and defied expectations to become Military Bowl Champions.

In December, line monitors announced a pilot program providing financial aid through tenting supplies. Cameron Indoor Stadium was packed once again, the Blue Devils went undefeated at home and Duke completed a sweep of North Carolina after losing to the Tar Heels in the Final Four last year. And despite early road struggles and a controversial no-call against Virginia, the Blue Devils rallied to win the ACC tournament before losing in the second round of the NCAA tournament.

Women’s basketball enjoyed a special season of its own, falling just short of the ACC regular-season title and earning a No. 3-seed for the NCAA tournament. Men’s lacrosse won the 2023 ACC title after defeating Syracuse in the Blue Devils’ conference finale. Men’s tennis is in the NCAA Sweet 16 for the first time since 2015 after achieving its best-ever ACC record.

Duke Athletics wasn’t the only part of Duke that experienced a changing of the guard. Gary Bennett, vice provost for undergraduate education, was named the next dean of Trinity College. Provost Sally Kornbluth was named the next president of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and will be replaced by Alec Gallimore. Suzanne Barbour joined the Graduate School as its new dean in September.

Duke also saw several losses. Samar Zora, a fourth-year doctoral candidate in the cultural anthropology department, passed away in February. Peter Nicholas, the Nicholas School of the Environment’s namesake, passed in June. John Burness, former senior vice president for public affairs and government relations, passed in December. Basketball and baseball legend Dick Groat passed in April. Beloved campus pets Nugget and Peaches died over the summer.

As the Bryan Center prepares for renovations that could cost up to $110 million, cultural and identity groups are asking for more equitable space allocations for their organizations. As student groups shared their grievances and sought solutions, the Center for Multicultural Affairs celebrated its 50th anniversary and held its first multicultural graduation.

Campus labor unions saw major developments this year. In August, the Duke University Press Workers Union officially won its union. The Duke Graduate Students Union filed for an election with the National Labor Relations Board in March after launching a campaign for formal recognition in September. In response, the University is challenging a 2016 NLRB decision affirming the legal right for graduate students to unionize.

This was a big year for climate activism on campus. Duke announced its Climate Commitment, which aims to increase the role of the University in tackling the climate crisis. The Undergraduate Environmental Union — a subcommittee within Duke Student Government — voiced that they believed the Climate Commitment does not go far enough and called for more student input.

At the same time, several Duke centers and affiliates have struggled. Duke Student Affairs saw a series of staffing shortages, hampering student group funding and planning for cultural events. The Center for Documentary Studies, a nonprofit affiliate of Duke, has undergone a programmatic overhaul over the past year. A year after the establishment of the Center for Gender Violence Prevention and Intervention, the Center still lacks a permanent director.

On the academic side, Duke’s Asian American Diaspora Studies minor saw its first year, while the School of Medicine and the School of Law announced that they would withdraw from US News and World Report’s rankings in January. The Curriculum Development Committee also began thinking about what Trinity College’s new curriculum will look like.

Undergraduates chose junior Isaiah Hamilton to be the next DSG president, while senior Sydney Hunt was chosen as the next Undergraduate Young Trustee nominee. Seniors Shreyas Hallur and Qi Xuan Khoo were named Rhodes Scholars.

Duke Climate Coalition calls for University divestment from fossil fuels

By Charlotte Kane

November 6, 2022

“What do we want? Climate justice! When do we want it? Now!”

These chants from Duke Climate Coalition’s protest for fossil fuel divestment echoed across Bryan Center Plaza Thursday afternoon, where students and supporters gathered to demonstrate substantial student support for Duke to divest from fossil fuels.

The protest began with a speech by DCC Co-President Brennan McDonald, a senior. McDonald said that students need to stop supporting Duke’s “unrealistic business-as-usual model that has landed us in a planet wide crisis and start investing in a livable future.”

“The Duke administration has continued to reject divestment. This is a clear violation of the University’s research and education mission and directly contradicts the contributions of Duke faculty to climate sciences and environmental activism,” he said.

In September, Duke announced a Climate Commitment supported by $36 million in initial gifts. The commitment lays out four areas of focus: energy transformation, climate and community resilience, environmental and climate justice and data-driven climate solutions. The commitment does not include a plan to divest from fossil fuels.

“We are excited to see this [Climate Commitment as a] positive step forward. However, we find it is utterly hypocritical of Duke to call itself a leader in the climate action space while it is still financially benefiting from some of the most polluting companies on the planet. Duke cannot have it both ways,” McDonald said.

According to the Duke Student Government divestment referendum first proposed in February, DCC estimates that 1-2% of Duke’s endowment is invested in fossil fuels, equating to about $127254 million in assets.

Nearly 90% of students who voted were in favor of divestment during the March DSG elections. However, Duke administration has not taken any action, according to McDonald.

“[The protest] is a visual representation of how students are feeling right now. Our voices need to be heard in the process of climate action,” McDonald said.

The push for divestment at Duke began back in 2012 with phone banking, petitions and protests. The movement is part of a larger trend at many other peer institutions. Georgetown, Oxford, Brown, Cornell, Dartmouth and Harvard have all divested from fossil fuels.

“If Duke doesn’t want to be left behind, they need to start working on it,” McDonald said.

Grace Jennings, a Duke senior and DCC co-president, hopes that the protest will garner more support among the student body and spread general awareness.

“We hope that if somebody brings up divestment in conversation, Duke students will be able to say, ‘Oh, I’ve heard something about that,’” she said.

McDonald said that the University does not disclose specific financial investments, which poses a challenge for students advocating for divestment.

The “[administration] has refused to tell us anything about what Duke has invested its money in. Without that, we can’t have good-faith efforts to have a conversation about these issues ... And, so once we’re on the same page and we have access to information about Duke’s exposure to fossil fuel companies and the endowment, I think that will be a really strong basis for productive conversations,” McDonald said.

The Chronicle reached out to Chris Simmons, interim vice president for public affairs and government relations, for comment, who responded with a link to Duke’s public financial reports and statements, which are posted for fiscal years 2001-02 to 2021-22.

Last year’s financial report shows that Duke’s real asset investments, which total over $2 billion and are “interests in funds or partnerships that hold illiquid investments,” include those in oil and gas production, energy, residential and commercial real estate, other commodities and related services businesses. Breakdowns of exact amounts of each investment within the real assets are not outlined in the report.

According to the DSG referendum, the endowment is not managed by the Duke University Board of Trustees but is overseen by the Duke University Management Company’s board of trustees. DUMAC’s investments are advised by the Advisory Committee for Investment Responsibility.

In 2019, the committee advised that DUMAC not divest completely from fossil fuels, the referendum stated. That same

CLIMATE PROTEST on Page 16

Courtesy of the Duke Climate Coalition

Revisiting student perceptions of QuadEx, one year later

By Alison Korn and Madeleine Berger April 21, 2023

As QuadEx’s inaugural year comes to an end, The Chronicle returned to the students who shared their initial reactions to the new residential living system with us in 2021.

The articles, titled “‘We haven’t gotten the chance to develop a so-called Duke norm’: Students talk new QuadEx system,” and “‘People should have a choice of the identity that they want to create here’: How first-year students feel about QuadEx,” were published days after The Chronicle reported that Duke would be rolling out QuadEx. At the time, many first-years felt overwhelmed about being thrown into a new system. Upperclassmen pointed out its restricting features and questioned the draw of quad events, but identified QuadEx’s potential to build a more inclusive Duke community.

This year, though students’ thoughts on QuadEx as a system varied, they still tended to agree on the fact that it was restricting specific groups, such as non-Greek selective living groups, from finding community on campus. They also pointed out a lack of tangible change in students’ social habits despite the increased presence of quad-related events.

Sophomore Vibhav Nandagiri expressed uncertainty about QuadEx last year.

“It’s definitely a lot of pressure to be the first class to get these quad communities going. Whether we will embrace that challenge or not is yet to be seen,” Nandagiri said in 2021. “People should have a choice of the identity that they want to create here. It seems like those choices are disappearing.”

Now, as Nandagiri reflects on his first two years at Duke, he has valued joining the selective living group Roundtable in addition to forming close friendships within his Keohane Quad, for which he serves on Quad Council.

“I’m very close with the people in my block, and I generally like them, so I guess in a way, if it weren’t for QuadEx, we wouldn’t have

‘I just don’t think there is enough momentum to really foster that sense of belonging to a dorm just yet.’

been together,” Nandagiri said. “So I think it’s fortunate, but I know that my case is definitely not in the majority.”

The Classes of 2023 and 2024 experienced the University’s transition to QuadEx more indirectly, as their first-year dorms were not tied to their sophomore-year living arrangements. However, sophomores last year still spoke about their opinions on QuadEx.

Last year, junior Jack Dugoni, who did not live on East Campus as a first-year due to COVID-19 policies, said, “My first question would be, who did they talk to about this, and where did it come from? … I think that the idea of sticking you with people that you’re pretty much randomly assigned to seems slightly problematic.”

He still feels that the first-year experience varies greatly from person to person, making it difficult to argue that QuadEx would be universally beneficial.

“I think it’ll definitely vary across campus in terms of people that are really satisfied with what they end up with and who they live with. But I think there’s also gonna be a good healthy chunk of people that are not,” Dugoni said recently. “I think it’s a little bit tricky to assume that people are just going to buy into it, that it’s going to work well for everyone.”

As a member of the selective living group Wayne Manor, Dugoni last year said, “I think SLGs should definitely be able to have blocks on campus. That’s kind of what makes them ‘SLGs’ instead of just ‘SGs.’”

He still stands by that, noting that he dislikes the way QuadEx has pushed back on the existence of SLGs, and hopes that two systems can co-exist.

“It’s tricky to justify how SLGs could continue to exist at the same time as QuadEx is taking shape. So I wish that would change. I wish they could somehow do both. But if you can’t provide a living space, at least support their existence because it’s not like you could just wipe SLGs away,” Dugoni said.

Junior Amanda He, who rushed Maxwell House as a sophomore, said in the 2021 article that she was “curious if Duke is trying to slowly do away with SLGs, and Greek life as a byproduct.” However, she did not think they would ever be phased out due to the fact that “Greek life is a big enough community … that it’ll still be here for years and years as long as Duke is allowing it to persist.”

Now, however, she has a slightly more “disheartening” view of the future of SLGs specifically, predicting that in a few years, SLGs will be “completely wiped” and Greek Life will continue to persist.

She agrees with her statement in the 2021 article that Greek life will continue to thrive due to both its current existence as a large community and the fact that students who would have rushed for SLGs will now look to sororities and fraternities for community. However, she foresees a few dangers that might come with restricting SLGs on campus.

“It’s even more harmful to people with specific identities, like those who are LGBTQ+. Those communities will definitely be affected because some of the SLGs on campus have particularly made efforts to welcome those identities,” he said.

DUKE LIFTS CLASSROOM MASK MANDATE

By Milla Surjadi, Kathryn Thomas and Adway Wadekar September

16,

2022

After two years of requiring masks in classrooms, Duke announced that the classroom mask mandate will be lifted next Thursday, Sept. 22. Unvaccinated individuals will also no longer be required to wear masks indoors.

By then, Durham’s community level will have been below the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s high-risk category for two consecutive weeks, allowing Duke to “take this next step towards more normalcy on campus and in classrooms,” according to a Friday email sent to the Duke community from Provost Sally Kornbluth and Russell Thompson, interim vice president of operations and emergency coordinator.

Faculty members will be allowed to request that students continue to wear masks in their individual classrooms and “should clearly communicate those expectations to the class” if they wish to do so, the email read.

“Medical experts caution that we are not out of this pandemic yet, and we can expect ongoing variants to emerge that may prove more elusive to vaccines and antibodies and could lead to increases in severe illness and hospitalizations,” the Friday email read. “If so, we must be ready to embrace a return to familiar restrictions and requirements, including indoor masking, that have proven effective in safeguarding our community.”

Professors and students react

Although masks are no longer required in classrooms, some professors are still requiring students to wear them, citing health risks due to their age, while others are taking a middle ground.

Berndt Mueller, James B. Duke distinguished professor of physics, is still requiring masks in Physics 142L, General Physics II. A major consideration for him is that he, along with another instructor teaching the class alongside him, are over the age of 65.

“We [are in] the vulnerable age bracket and although we are vaccinated and boosted, we feel it’s an unnecessary risk because quite a few students in our class have come down with COVID,” Mueller said. “So the best thing we can do under these circumstances is that everybody wears masks.”

Campbell Harvey, J. Paul Sticht distinguished professor of international business in the Fuqua School of Business, has been outspoken in the past about the University’s policies regarding COVID-19. In September’s Academic Council meeting, Harvey expressed concern about the accuracy of Duke’s COVID-19 testing data. He has previously advocated for the use of higher-quality KN95 masks in classrooms and long-term solutions like upgrading air filtration systems in classrooms.

But now that Durham is no longer in the high-risk category, Harvey said that he would choose not to mandate masks in class if he were teaching this semester because it makes in-class communication and forming connections with students a lot easier.

Harvey said that he was recently at a conference where a former student approached him. He didn’t recognize who the student was because it was the first time he saw the student without a mask.

“It is very hard to have that kind of personal interaction when you’re looking at eyes,” Harvey said. “I much prefer teaching when people can actually see me rather than just my eyes.”

In Computer Science 230, Discrete Math for Computer Science, Bruce Donald, James B. Duke distinguished professor of computer science, is taking a middle ground. His policy balances the in-class experience of students with health and safety concerns.

Although students must still wear a mask in class, they are welcome to remove it when asking a question because it’s easier to see and hear them, according to Donald. He also allows his students to remove their masks to eat or drink in class.

Donald wrote in an email to The Chronicle that he will “generally remove [his] mask to make it easier for [students] to see and understand [him] while lecturing.”

“Personally, this is the first time I have taught without a mask in nearly two years so I do find that invigorating,” he wrote.

Harvey said that he understood that “different faculty [members] are in different positions” with their masking policies, due to their age and risk for COVID-19. If Durham were to return to the highrisk category, he would also require students to wear a high-quality mask in classrooms if the policy doesn’t shift back.

He also added that given the six-week length of courses at the Fuqua School of Business where he teaches, it makes sense that professors want to mitigate their risk of missing class due to isolating from COVID-19.

“At the business school, our courses are six weeks long. So if you’re out for a week, or a week and a half, that’s a huge chunk of the course gone,” he said.

Mueller felt similarly about his class, which has both a lecture and a discussion component.

“In a physics class of that type, if you miss two lectures, and maybe one discussion session, you are seriously behind,” he said.

Mueller added that while what students do outside of the classroom is outside of his control, his goal is to “deliver the best and safest service to the students.”

Senior Zach Furie took a contrary view and said that he wasn’t sure how effective the classroom mask requirement was in mitigating the spread of COVID-19 among students, but also understood why professors may choose to implement a policy to protect themselves.

“It seems a little silly to force people to wear masks in lectures while everyone knows that people are going to go to different parties later that night, while we’re all triply vaccinated,” senior Senior Ronan Tegerdine wrote in a message to The Chronicle.

Katie Tan

Non-Greek selective living groups held a non-recruitment open house Sept 4 after administrators banned SLG recruitment events.

By Staff Reports

2023-2024 Senior Year

The Class of 2024’s senior year saw Duke celebrating its 100th year, demonstrations over the Israel-Hamas war and the effects of the Supreme Court’s decision to strike affirmative action in higher-education.

Duke rose to No. 7 in the U.S. News and World Report’s Best National Colleges Ranking, the highest in the University’s history. During the admissions cycle, Duke saw a 28% increase in Early Decision applicants and accepted a record low 12.9%. In the Regular Decision round, Duke admitted another record low 4.1% of applicants, resulting in an overall acceptance rate of 5.1% for the Class of 2028.

In January, Duke kicked off its centennial celebrations in Cameron Indoor Stadium, hosting student dance groups, former men’s basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski and actor Ken Jeong, Trinity ‘90. The University also received a $100 million award from the Duke Endowment, which will be used to provide financial aid for students from the Carolinas and underrepresented backgrounds; to increase student support, community engagement and experiential learning initiatives; and to remodel the Reuben-Cooke building. The award is the single largest in Duke’s history.

Following the Oct. 7 attacks in southern Israel, protests erupted on college campuses across the country. At Duke, proIsrael vigils honored the victims of the attacks and demanded a return of the hostages. Meanwhile, pro-Palestinian protesters also demanded that Duke call for a cease-fire and that it divest from its holdings in Israel. In an effort to encourage civil discourse, Provost Alec Gallimore launched the Provost’s Initiative on the Middle East, a year-long initiative hosting an array of experts to discuss the conflict in the region.

In November, Durham County hosted its municipal general election, which decided Durham’s mayor, Leonardo Williams, and three new City Council members: Javiera Caballero, Nate Baker and Carl Rist. Williams gave his inaugural State of City address in April, emphasizing the importance of investing in education in Durham. In the March 5 primary election, Durham voters set up a gubernatorial race between Democrat Josh Stein and Republican Mark Robinson. Former president Donald Trump came out victorious over Nikki Haley after both candidates campaigned in North Carolina ahead of Super Tuesday.

Duke made national headlines in September after a New York Times Magazine article named Duke among the ‘least economically diverse’ of the elite colleges. In response to the article, President Vincent Price characterized the article as

By Rebecca Fan April 4, 2023

portraying the University “in a rather harsh light.” However, students resoundingly agreed with the article’s findings.

The University received national backlash again after it announced plans to close its herbarium after over 100 years of operations. According to Duke biology professors, the decision holds serious implications for research in climate change and biodiversity.

Following the Supreme Court’s June 2023 ruling ending race-based affirmative action, the University announced the end of the Reginaldo Howard Memorial Scholarship Program, a fullride scholarship for select Black students. The scholarship will be replaced with the Reginaldo Howard Leadership Program and will be open to all undergraduate students, regardless of race.

The University also faced a number of lawsuits, ranging from allegations that the Alice M. Baldwin Scholars program engaged in “reverse discrimination” to a class-action lawsuit charging the University with practicing need-aware admissions, which it settled by paying $24 million.

Duke Football had a whirlwind of a season this year. Students rushed the field in excitement after the team upset No. 9 Clemson during its season opener at Wade Wallace Stadium, the squad rose to an all-time high No. 16 in the AP Poll and College Gameday came to Duke’s matchup against Notre Dame where students watched the beginning of the end of the Elko Era. After an end-ofgame injury for junior quarterback Riley Leonard, the season hit a downward spiral, as a number of players entered the transfer portal following coach Mike Elko’s surprise departure to Texas A&M. Incoming coach Manny Diaz marks a new era of Duke football.

Duke men’s basketball had a season of ups and downs, dropping from its No. 2 preseason ranking after an early loss to the No. 12 Arizona Wildcats. The team eventually found its groove, yet still fell to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill during both match-ups at the Dean E. Smith Center and Cameron Indoor Stadium. Throughout the season, freshman guard Jared McCain dominated both on the court with his stellar 3-point shooting performance and off the court with his TikTok dances — most notably to “2 Days Into College” by Aimee Carty. With the topranked recruiting class, the team also experienced a transfer craze, with only two starters remaining on next year’s roster.

The Cameron Crazies experienced changes to tenting in Krzyzewskiville this year with the implementation of a Wellness Week and a decision to raise the “grace” temperature from 25 F to 32 F. The policy changes were made in response to complaints from last year’s tenters that tenting was “too mentally and physically overwhelming.”

Duke women’s basketball also experienced an electric season, dancing its way past No. 7 Ohio State in the Elite Eight to earn a spot in the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 2018. Duke softball also had itself a season, climbing to No. 1 for the first time in program history in April. Duke field hockey found its way to the Final Four in its Cinderella season, falling in a heartbreaker to Northwestern.

Divestment was a hot topic on campus this year. Climateconscious students built on a decade-long campaign to get the University to divest from fossil fuels, holding multiple demonstrations and publishing a report about fossil fuel-funded research at Duke. The Advisory Committee on Investment Responsibility published a report in February recommending Price and the Board of Trustees against divestment.

The Duke community also mourned the loss of some of its this year. Angela Risi, a second-year master of fine arts student, died in October. Hans Joris Van Miegroet, professor of art and art history, died in February. Joseph Izatt, chair of the department of biomedical engineering and Michael J. Fitzpatrick professor of engineering, died in April.

After plans to revise the Trinity curriculum beginning in February 2022, the Arts & Sciences Council approved a new curriculum in April to take effect in fall 2025. The new curriculum places a greater emphasis on the humanities amidst declines in humanities enrollment nationwide.

The Mary Lou Center for Black Culture reopened in March following a nearly 18-month closure after a burst chilled pipe in the Flowers Building forced the center to relocate to the Bryan Center. The reopening was originally slated to occur in fall 2023, yet was delayed to spring 2024 due to delays in constructions.

Duke continued its construction efforts, announcing plans to begin a two-year renovation of Lilly Library. Renovations were initially slated to start in 2020, but were delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Another one of Duke’s East Campus facilities was also shut down indefinitely, this time due to lead dust being detected in various parts of the Brodie Recreation Center. The University notified 2,800 people who had entered the facility when the lead dust was exposed.

In this year’s student elections, junior Heather Raslan pulled out victorious in a field of three candidates vying for Duke Student Government president, replacing senior Isaiah Hamilton. Senior Drew Greene was selected as the undergraduate Young Trustee.

On the last day of classes, students celebrated their achievements with a live concert headlined by Swae Lee and performances by Weston Estate and Elley Duhé.

Arts & Sciences Council passes new Trinity curriculum

Arts & Sciences Council passed a new Trinity curriculum in its Thursday meeting, meaning it will come into effect for incoming students starting fall 2025.

The curriculum, which passed in a 32-1 vote, creates new general education requirements for Trinity students at Duke that incorporate a greater focus on the humanities and a new first-year program that links together three courses by topic.

“I’m really excited that this new curriculum is going to double down on the arts and humanities,” Dean of Trinity College Gary Bennett said. “I’m pretty confident that that’s the ball our students need right now.”

The current Trinity undergraduate curriculum was created in 2000, with minor changes made in 2004. Duke’s last attempt at a curriculum update in 2017 failed to reach a consensus.

The current push to revise the curriculum began in February 2022 with the creation of the Trinity Curriculum Development Committee after then-Provost Sally Kornbluth and then-Dean of Trinity College Valerie Ashby charged the Council with renewing the curriculum.

The TCDC first proposed the new curriculum in January 2024. After council members provided feedback, a new proposal was presented in March.

The new curriculum will replace the current six Modes of Inquiry and five Areas of Knowledge requirements with six new categories, including Creating and Engaging with Art (CE), Humanistic Inquiry (HI), Interpreting Institutions, Justice and Power (IJ), Investigating the Natural World (NW), Quantitative and Computational Reasoning (QC) and Social and Behavioral Analysis (SB). Students will complete two courses in each of the six categories to fulfill their graduation requirements.

The new categories will place a greater emphasis on the arts and humanities in the Trinity undergraduate curriculum, as the current Arts, Literature & Performance requirement is split into CE and HE. The other new categories closely resemble the current other four Areas of Knowledge requirements.

According to the 2024 Curriculum Proposal, the current Trinity model invites “gamification,” with “students naturally seek[ing] out courses that count toward more curricular codes, and faculty are incentivized to request as many codes as possible for their courses.”

The new proposal seeks to mitigate this problem by scrapping the Modes of Inquiry and creating “century courses” that allow Trinity students to fulfill two required courses with a single century course for up to two of the six general education categories. These courses are intended to incentivize students to take high-quality

and engaging courses instead of hunting for classes that fulfill the highest number of graduation requirements.

“Really what [the students] need is slow learning. They need reflection, they need consideration,” Bennett said. “They need deliberation, they need to be confronted by the notion that the greatest ideas of our time have been wrestled by some of the greatest minds of our time for centuries, without resolution.”

The first-year experience and course requirements will also be impacted by the introduction of “Constellations,” a set of three interconnected courses that explore a topic from multiple perspectives. The courses include one first-year writing course and two other courses. At least one of the non-writing courses must be taken in the first semester, and at least one must involve small-group learning.

The new Constellation courses focus on the importance of building connections, encouraging curiosity and promoting epistemic humility. The program will encourage the formation of “cohorts” during the first-year experience to help ease students’ transition into college.

The new curriculum also requires all students to take at least two foreign language courses, doing away with students’ current ability to take one 300-level or higher language course to fulfill the requirement.

DUKE KICKS OFF CENTENNIAL CELEBRATIONS

By Jazper Lu and Mia Penner

January 9, 2024

Thousands of Duke community members packed into Cameron Indoor Stadium Tuesday for Duke’s centennial celebration, commemorating 100 years since Trinity College became Duke University.

The event was hosted by actor and comedian Ken Jeong, Trinity ‘90, Lisa Borders, former president of the Women’s National Basketball Association and Trinity ‘79, and former men’s basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski. It also featured performances from student dance groups and appearances by select Duke community members.

With giant video screens displaying “1924” and “2024” in the background, the show kicked off with short performances from On Tap, Nakisai, Dhamaka, Street Med, Duke Chinese Dance and Devils en Pointe. A succession of videos and speakers followed, highlighting various stories that celebrated many of Duke’s achievements.

Jeong took the stage first, crediting Duke with his decision to become an actor after taking an introductory acting course in his sophomore year.

“Being at Duke gives you opportunities you never thought you’d have,” he said. “It honestly made me who I am. Duke is home.”

Jeong joked that another “Ken-tennial” celebration would be held next week, earning laughter from the crowd. After a short introductory video showing shots of Duke throughout its history, including a segment showing the office of The Chronicle, Borders reminded the crowd that “we are all part of Duke’s future.”

“Duke is a place where each of us has the opportunity to make our own mark to be ourselves and to make an impact,” she said. “ ... Making an impact doesn’t always mean making a splash, like a lot of impacts, it starts out small.”

Borders proceeded to show a short video highlighting the stories of senior Isaiah Hamilton, president of Duke Student Government, and Keanu Valibia, a master’s student studying public policy and environmental management. Hamilton and Valibia then shared the stage with Borders.

Hamilton spoke about his and his classmates’ experiences navigating the uncertainty of the pandemic.

‘Being at Duke gives you opportunities you never thought you’d have. It honestly made me who I am. Duke is home.’

“It was the ability that we had to learn to embrace that unknown and persevere through those tough times that I think is going to be surmounting any other lesson,” he said.

A second video featured Anna Gassman-Pines, director of graduate studies in the Sanford School of Public Policy and professor of psychology and neuroscience, along with Felipe De Brigard, Fuchsberg-Levine Family associate professor of philosophy. After they both joined Borders on the stage, Gassman-Pines and Brigard spoke about how Duke’s fostering of interdisciplinary scholarship helped further their research.

“I’m a philosophy professor that works in the psychology and the clunky neuroscience of memory and forgiveness with a research project that has potential feedback for public policy,” Brigard said. “I need a place like Duke because I need a place that values and fosters both the philosophy and the science.”

The next video subject and stage guest was Shree Bose, School of Medicine ‘23. While she is currently pursuing her medical residency at the University of Chicago, Bose claimed that Duke remains a large part of her identity.

“Duke is where you grow up,” she said. “It’s where you find your best friends. It’s where you find your mentors. It’s where you figure out what matters to you, what really makes you who you are.”

Another video then recounted the journey of director of residential dining Barbara Stokes, who first came to Duke as an undergraduate student and held a work-study job as an egg cook. Stokes spoke to the crowd about developing her employees personally and professionally by listening to and understanding their “concerns and needs.”

The final video featured the Sinnamon Family, whose two-year-old son Easton was the first person to receive a combination heart transplant and allogeneic processed thymus

tissue implantation. The video chronicled how Joseph Turek, chief of pediatric cardiac surgery and Mary Louise Markert, professor emeritus of pediatrics, collaborated to pioneer the historic operation at Duke University Hospital.

Following a brief choir and dance performance, the Sinnamon family was brought out to a standing ovation. Jeong then brought out President Vincent Price, who said he was “incredibly moved” by the speakers before him.

“Our Centennial is a gift to us,” he said. “It’s a chance to pause and reflect on our past. It’s an opportunity to appreciate the present and to plan for the future.”

Krzyzewski, the final speaker, spoke about the values that embody Duke, telling a story about a play made by former Duke men’s basketball player Grayson Allen in the 2015 men’s basketball championship game. Krzyzewski described how, despite being the eighth player on the roster, Allen had the courage to dive for a loose ball and draw a foul in front of millions of people. Allen then screamed “Let’s go!”, which shifted the momentum to favor Duke and helped secure the team’s most recent national championship.

“No one knew that we were going to be as good as we were,” Krzyzewski said. “The thing is, they have no clue about how much better we’re going to be.”

As the event came to a close, the featured performers and speakers returned to the court, accompanied by the cheerleading team and the Dancing Devils. Blue and white balloons fell from overhead as the audience members danced and sang along to “Everytime We Touch.” Duke will be hosting a variety of centennial events throughout the year, the next being a commemoration of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. The event, hosted by the Office of Institutional Equity, will take place on Jan. 14 at 4 p.m. in the Duke Chapel.

‘Wealth is ubiquitous’

Students react to NYT article naming Duke as among ‘least economically diverse’ elite colleges

By Abby Spiller September 14, 2023

Following a Sept. 7 article in the New York Times Magazine that described Duke as falling substantially behind peer universities in socioeconomic diversity, several students resoundingly agreed with the article’s findings but remained uncertain on whether it will push the University to increase socioeconomic diversity in future student bodies.

The article, which described Duke as the “exception to the exception” among top-ranked universities, cited a July research study published by Opportunity Insights, a nonprofit organization run by Harvard economist Raj Chetty, which stated that only 12% of Duke students in “recent years” were Pell Grant eligible.

President Vincent Price wrote in a message responding to the article that 17% of the Class of 2027 is Pell Grant-eligible, and that the University remains “firmly committed to building on our recent recruitment efforts.”

However, sophomore Caroline Joo said that although Duke promotes racial and ethnic diversity, she has yet to meet many students who are on financial aid. Even among students she knows who are on financial aid, Joo does not believe that she has met anyone in the bottom 50th percentile of household income.

“I definitely agree with the sentiment that wealth is ubiquitous on Duke’s campus,” sophomore Carly Pyles said. “As a student and child of a faculty member at a private high school in Brooklyn, I thought I had already been exposed to the highest levels of affluence. In my opinion, Duke is at a whole new level.”

Beyond the numbers, some students believe the socioeconomic divide is most evident in the social scene.

For junior Anjali Kapadia, socioeconomic disparities on campus are most apparent across dominant extracurricular activities, including Greek Life, club sports and other selective groups where students are required to pay dues to participate. These barriers to entry, she said, emphasize the lack of accessibility on campus for low-income students.

Junior Victoria Ely, a first-generation student, pointed out a dilemma many first-generation students at Duke feel upon joining the campus community.

“You want to be involved, and you want to feel like a normal Duke student, but there are just so many obstacles to doing so,” she said. “Yes, I got in. But what happens after?”

In navigating her time at Duke, Ely said that the Duke LowIncome First-Generation Engagement office has helped positively shape her experience. Older Duke LIFE students gave Ely and other incoming Duke LIFE students tips on how to navigate Duke’s expensive social life, which they would have otherwise not known.

Kapadia and Joo said, aside from Duke LIFE, they are unaware of the resources available for low-income students at Duke.

“Even just the very small things that happen, I just feel that, not necessarily personal attacks to low-income students, but you’re really just trying to make it so much harder,” Ely said. She added that the replacement of Panda Express, which students viewed as

one of the few affordable on-campus dining options, further limits food choices for low-income students.

Despite a desire to see change, Kapadia and Joo emphasized the concept of Duke as a “business” that seeks to maximize its profits. They are unsure of whether the administration is both willing and able to truly increase socioeconomic diversity.

“One thing the Times article said is how if [Duke] increased to 25% of Pell Grant recipients, [Duke] would end up losing around $10 million per year in tuition money,” Kapadia said.

Despite optimism from University administration, Kapadia said she is not surprised that progress continues to be stagnant. Students must make persistent efforts to ensure that the administration actually keeps their word, she added.

Ely noted that after the release of the New York Times Magazine’s article, she felt like the focus shifted to the “optics of admitting more lower-class students.” However, she notes that there “also has to be a focus on what you do [to help] those students.”

“We are at the worst of the elite, but in [the] aggregate, everyone needs to be better … I think what Duke could take this as is a chance to be the best,” Kapadia said. “I think we will all look back as a university and be like, ‘Wow, we should be proud that we took this step that was needed long ago, but at least we were the ones to be at the forefront of change.’”

Holly Keegan contributed reporting.

Jerry Zou

Pro-Israel groups display Israeli flags commemorating Oct. 7 deaths, pro-Palestinian students stage protest

By Abby Spiller March 4, 2024

A pro-Israel coalition of Duke students and other supporters organized a display Monday, setting up 1,200 Israeli flags on Abele Quad to memorialize the lives lost in the Hamas-led Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel. Several proPalestinian students quickly mobilized a protest, decrying what they termed “Israel’s genocide.”

The demonstration marks the first simultaneous protest by pro-Israel and proPalestinian students on Duke’s campus since the onset of the Israel-Hamas war.

Duke Students Supporting Israel, End Jew Hatred and Passages organized the display of Israeli flags. Over 100 students stood on the quad at the demonstration’s peak, with some taking a stand on their respective issues and engaging in arguments across ideological lines while others observed from afar or walked by.

Organizers began installing the memorial early Monday morning, 150 days since the initial Oct. 7 attack.

SSI Co-President Alanna Peykar, a senior, maintained that the demonstration was about raising awareness of the Oct. 7 attack.

“We think it’s important to keep reminding people that these are lives lost, and every single person in Israel is affected by it, every single Jewish person around the world has been affected by it,” Peykar said. “At the end of the day, this is a fight for Jewish survival.”

According to junior Alexandra Ahdoot, co-president of Duke SSI who helped lead the organizing effort, the display hoped to raise awareness of the Israelis who were killed by Hamas on Oct. 7.

“While a lot of the conversation around Israel and the current war that’s going on has become highly politicized, the massacre of 1,200 civilians on Oct. 7 is absolutely not political whatsoever,” she said. “It’s a total humanitarian crisis, and this is all we’re trying to emphasize today.”

Ahdoot added that they chose Abele Quad given its central location and visibility on campus.

In a debate with Ahdoot, senior Benjamin Koch argued that “genocide should not be countered by nicety.” Koch later added in an email to The Chronicle that “events like these, which are argued to be apolitical by the students which organize them, are used as a space to justify an ongoing genocide and should also not be countered by niceties.”

Gaza health officials estimate that Israeli strikes have killed at least 30,000 people in the region, although this is likely an incomplete estimate due to the number of people who are still unaccounted for.

Pro-Palestinian students began mobilizing on the quad at around 10:45 a.m., bringing signs to promote their opposition to “Israel’s genocide” throughout the past five months.

Junior Lina Leyhausen was the first proPalestinian protester to arrive at the scene,

‘I feel like Duke should have the platform to be able to engage in this dialogue. I hope one day that we do ... I think we’re on the path to do it, but it’s not as effective as it could be.’

as she stood among the Israeli flags holding a sign that read, “30,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israel. How can we stand by and watch a genocide?”

“I am horrified that Duke is letting these people celebrate Israel’s murder, genocide of 30,000 people,” she said. “… I understand that they are saying this is a peaceful, non-political demonstration, but at the end of the day, this is incredibly political.”

Ahdoot and Sebastián Parra, a director of specialized trips from Passages, approached Leyhausen to request that she not stand amidst the display of flags, but she refused to move.

A Durham police officer came to the scene and spoke with Parra, before calling Duke security to address the situation at the quad.

Leyhausen and other protesters were allowed to continue peacefully demonstrating on the quad as long as they did not remove any of the flags or cover the lawn sign put up by SSI.

Although Leyhousen said that she appreciates SSI’s intentions to commemorate the Israeli lives lost, she believes that they should have put up another sign saying that they “do not endorse the murder of Palestinians by Israel.”

The crowd on the quad grew at around 11:30 a.m., as students from both sides contended with

each other’s stances. Most of the pro-Palestinian students moved to face the field of Israeli flags and unfurled a long list with the names of many of the Palestinians killed by Israeli Defense Forces since the initial Oct. 7 attack.

Amidst calls for a ceasefire by proPalestinian students, Peykar pointed to the fact that Israel has called for cease-fires, but that Hamas has denied those requests. Israel has also rejected multiple cease-fire proposals.

Senior Zella Hanson, a Jewish student, stood alongside pro-Palestinian protesters with a sign reading “Jews for a Free Palestine.”

“My faith and my heritage and my culture are all important to me, but I don’t think that that’s synonymous with supporting a colonial project that is responsible for the brutal occupation and wrongful death of many, many thousands of people,” Hanson said. “A blatant genocide is not something that I think aligns with [Judaism] in any way, shape or form.”

Ahdoot and a group of students in Chabad traveled to Israel last week to observe the impact of the war so far.

“We visited and witnessed firsthand some of the kibbutzim, which are the communities that were the most heavily impacted on October 7,” Ahdoot said. “Keeping that impact going on campus is a really powerful thing.”

Ahdoot clarified that the display of flags was created to represent the Israeli civilians who were “massacred” on Oct. 7, not to discredit the Palestinian civilians who are dying.

The Israeli flags were removed by 4:43 p.m., but pro-Palestinian protesters remained on the quad. Some students in support of the display remained at the scene off to the side as Hanson and another pro-Palestinian student led their supporters in chants.

“Israel, Israel, what do you say? How many kids did you kill today?” students chanted. “Gaza, Gaza, don’t you cry — the whole world is on your side.”

Many of the chants directly addressed members of the Duke community, charging them with complicity through inaction.

“SSI, you can’t hide — you’re supporting genocide,” students chanted. They followed up with similar statements targeted at “President Price” and “Duke University.”

The pro-Palestinian students concluded their demonstration 5:27 p.m., though many stayed on the quad conversing with each other until 6 p.m.

Sophomore Erel Amit said that he is disappointed that people turned the memorial into a protest.

“I think you can respect murdered civilians and let different groups have their place and have their moment without disrupting their grief,” he said.

Amit also spoke about how the action of helping to set up all 1,200 flags for the display prompted him to reflect on the gravity of the war’s impact and the weight of each individual casualty.

“Every time I was trying to hammer a flag down, I was thinking, ‘This is a human life — an innocent man, woman, child, infant, Holocaust survivor — who was murdered in their home in the early hours of the morning’ … It’s really sobering,” Amit said.

Hanson spoke to the tension she experiences as an anti-Zionist Jewish student and her frustration with Israel and its supporters.

“I guess it makes me really upset because I think that they don’t understand Judaism, and they think I don’t understand Judaism,” Hanson said. “I think what they’re doing is antisemitic. I think they’re bringing stain and ruin upon the Jewish faith.”

In a later message to The Chronicle, Hanson clarified that she does not think that Zionists are acting in accordance with Jewish principles. She added that she thinks it feeds antisemitism to weaponize Jewish memory and trauma to justify the genocide, as it stains Judaism as a tradition, shared culture, faith and ethnicity.

“I feel like Duke should have the platform to be able to engage in this dialogue,” Peykar said. “I hope one day that we do … I think we’re on the path to do it, but it’s not as effective as it could be.”

Claire Cranford, Samanyu Gangappa and Zoe Kolenovsky contributed reporting.

Heber Ford

Heber Ford

Heber Ford

Heber Ford

Heber Ford

SENIORS REFLECT

FROM PAGE 3

The first-year experience

For many graduating seniors, arriving in Durham at the onset of the pandemic disrupted the social dynamics of their first-year experience. Knothe remembered staying in her room most of the day and “never see[ing] another living soul.”

“It’s honestly kind of a surprise that I made any friends at all. Just because I felt like I was very nervous of social interaction after spending months and months inside during the lockdown,” she said.

The semester of virtual and hybrid learning was coupled with “to go” dining for students, who often ate in their dorms alone. Dining seats were taped off and plexiglass barriers were installed at Marketplace.

Despite the dining restrictions, the nowseniors still found a way to foster social connections. Knothe’s first-year social circle began when she met two students while ordering takeout from pitchforks, both of whom became some of her closest friends and roommates.

Player encountered similar difficulties making friends while complying with social distancing protocols. She noted that most social connections were made in dorms, given the limited interaction over online classes and lack of extracurricular activities.

According to Player, many students faced pressure to form a small circle of friends despite the circumstances because “two people is better than nobody.”

“People latched on to the first person they could find and made it work, and there are a lot of really great friendships that still exist because of that,” she said.

Feelings about graduation

Seniors expressed both apprehension towards leaving their college home and anticipation for their lives after Duke.

Player, who will be pursuing a masters degree in architecture at the University of Virginia, said she has not come to terms with the reality that graduation is just around the corner. For her, the realization that she will see some people for the last time is a “depressing thought.”

“I literally am the opposite of the song that Jared McCain sings. I [have] two days left of college and I’m about three AutoCAD plans behind from graduating,” Player said.

Lai is proud of the four-year journey he had in Durham and believes that “everything worked out for the best.” He now prepares for his next chapter: medical school.

However, while taking graduation photos for his friends and classmates as a portrait photographer, he couldn’t shake off a sense of sadness.

“It’s not exactly disheartening, but it feels kind of strange to be capturing these final few moments,” he said.

Knothe said that if she visited Duke again in the future, she would take a stroll in the Sarah P. Duke Gardens.

“Freshman year, the Gardens was really the only thing outside of my room and Zoom that I was able to enjoy,” she said. “That was really a saving grace and a safe space freshman year.”

Player said she would like to relive her first night moving into Duke as a first-year, when she took a bike ride around campus and saw the Chapel for the first time.

“It’s so gorgeous and so many people are like, ‘it looks like Hogwarts.’ But also, it’s beautiful in its own right,” Player said. “That’s a nice small moment that always made my day — it’s coming up Chapel Drive and seeing the Chapel.”

SENIOR

world and lots of new people to meet and things to do. Take your time exploring what makes you happy and what is interesting to you. What we

thought Duke looked like as freshmen was not even close to what it has been the past three years. It will work out. It might not work out the way you initially pictured your life to be — but however it does, you’ll find your own joy and happiness.

Dharshan Varia: Take every opportunity, but take every opportunity that makes you happy. Don’t feel like you have to do everything. Try out as many different clubs as you can in the beginning, just see what would be fun and interesting. Duke has so much to offer. And if it takes you time to figure out what that is going to be for you, that’s totally okay.

Celia Vergara: Your priorities, your friend groups and the things that you are doing is going to shift in the next several years. And don’t be afraid of that. So take advantage of every moment you can with the people and things that you’re doing now.

How would you recommend spending time outside of class?

Glatt: I’ve spent most of my time outside of class either doing activities or just enjoying my friend’s company. I’m the co-chair of the Student Dining [Advisory] Committee and a volunteer at Puppy Kindergarten, which are some of the most meaningful things that I’ve done on campus. My favorite moments during college have been with my best friends, doing random things on a Wednesday afternoon or getting ice cream any day of the week.

Varia: So I like to say that my second home on campus is BC Plaza. I love hanging out, seeing so many different people [and] getting to know other people. For me, Duke has been about the people making the place.

Vergara: Find at least one extracurricular thing that you’d like to do. Don’t stress too much about doing everything. Have something that you are looking forward to every single day and something that you’re going to continue to build.

How did you know that you were pursuing something (a major, for instance) that was right for you?

Glatt: I came in as a global health and Spanish double major. Once I got here, I really had no idea what I was doing, besides the fact that I was pre-med. And I just took the time to explore and speak with faculty and professors to help me figure out what suited my interest, and I ended up as a Program II major.

Varia: I came in not knowing what I was going to do. I was an economics major for a while, went to public policy, went back and forth, and actually redeclared my junior year. I think you should really prioritize the classes that make you happy and that you’re genuinely interested in.

Vergara: I came into college not knowing my major. But I ended up taking computer science during my freshman spring. I fell in love with it. And then I just kept going with it.

Any advice on balancing academics with extracurriculars, social life, hobbies and everything else?

Glatt: I think sometimes you have to prioritize academics and sometimes you have to prioritize your friends. By far the thing I’m most proud of leaving college are my friendships and those relationships that I’ve built. So sometimes that means staying up late to complete an assignment because you hung out with your friends all night. What helped me complete my academics and be successful is having the support of my friends and being reenergized by spending time with them.

Varia: Making sure you have a chance to do the extracurriculars or things you want to do, but also being able to take the classes you want. Pick a schedule, make a life for yourself that you’ll be happy with, that you’ll look back on your experience fondly with.

Vergara: The “work hard, play hard” mentality is very real for a lot of people. So

prioritize the things. Breaking up the things in your life. You got to do homework, and you got to do your fun stuff with your friends. You also need a little bit of time for yourself that lets you recharge after all of these things. Establish that rhythm that works for you as soon as possible.

What is something you wish you could have done or known more about before you graduated?

Glatt: Give myself more grace. There’s so many things and opportunities pulling you in every direction here. And you’re never going to be able to do it all. But give yourself grace and do what makes you happy. Not necessarily what your friends are doing, or what you think will look good for a job or a grad school application. And just being kind to yourself, on a daily basis. I wish I had known that and been better at that as a freshman.

Varia: Something I would really want to be intentional with starting after freshman year is tap into the alumni network. Get to know people and figure out what your passion is. Don’t feel like you have to do something because everyone else does it.

Vergara: I wish I had taken more advantage of getting closer to my professors, doing FLUNCHes and generally just staying after class, asking questions and going to office hours. I just never made the time for it and I think that I would have really benefited from having developed a mentor within my major.

What are the most important lessons you learned during your time at Duke, or any words of wisdom that you’ve carried with you throughout these past 4 years?

Glatt: Saying yes to things that I might not have expected that I wanted to do or might have been hesitant to do. All those unexpected tiny moments of hanging out, staying up till 2 a.m., rehashing the exact same topic over and over again — those have been my favorite moments of college and the things that I will take with me long after I leave. In terms of academics and extracurriculars, the things that I applied to randomly as a freshman and I said “yes” to have led to some of my favorite things on campus. So embracing the unexpected, embracing the unknown — really just embracing “yes.”

Varia: Find your people and don’t settle for people who aren’t going to be people you’re genuinely happy and excited to see. It takes a while to put together that village, but I think your life will be so much more fulfilling when you find the right people instead of forcing people who aren’t going to stick around. Don’t be scared, take risks. Also, challenge the mindset that everyone else has to do. You will get so much more respect from your peers and yourself if you prioritize your passion.

Vergara: Surround yourself [with] people who are smarter and more accomplished than you at the things that you want to be good at. It is so easy to find people that you can latch onto and learn from. And my absolute favorite part of my experience has been getting to call all these incredibly amazing people my friends. That being said too, if you currently have somebody in your life who is holding you back in some way, don’t be afraid to drop [them] and then move on and find something else.

Editor’s note: This story has been edited and condensed for print.

QUADEX

FROM PAGE 8

those who choose not to join selective social organizations (and even for those who do choose to join selective social organizations).”

Wang wrote that “administrators’ intentions are not to restrict the student experience, but rather to expand it.”

“I think a misconception that many students have is that administrators are attempting to limit student freedoms and create restrictions around what students can and cannot do socially, but a large goal behind this program is really to foster inclusivity and community across the board and create a less segmented Duke student experience,” she wrote.

Student feedback

Both Wang and Spence noted that Duke implemented student feedback into the design process of QuadEx. Wang wrote that there were many student focus groups “designed and selected to incorporate the many diverse facets of student spaces and experiences” that were invited to share their opinions about social, academic and residential life at Duke.

Spence wrote that there will be more opportunities in place coming up for students to voice their opinions on quads and the implementation of QuadEx, including giveaways.

CLIMATE PROTEST

FROM PAGE 10

year, the committee also rejected a 40 page long report written by the DCC that summarized the financial case for divestment.

DCC held a divestment protest in April and filed a legal complaint with the North Carolina attorney general.

“[The complaint] outlines how the University has violated North Carolina nonprofit laws by refusing to divest from fossil fuels,” McDonald said. “We’re hoping that this action will result in an investigation of Duke administration’s investment policies and hold the administration accountable.”

QUADEX RETURN

FROM PAGE 11

Junior Joy Bao-Dai said in the 2021 article that when it comes to QuadEx, “the one word I immediately think of that describes it is restriction.” At the time, she said that she felt Duke was building more walls between students because “one of the exciting things about entering into sophomore year is that the divide between [first-year] quads is really brought down.”

However, now at the end of her junior year, she noted that her description of “restrictive” may have been a reflection of the pandemic.

“Where you live doesn’t determine who your friends are,” she continued. “A lot of it has to do with your interests, like maybe sports clubs or pre-professional interests. Those are what really determine who you’re friends with. And so, a lot of times it doesn’t have to do with where you even live.”

Bao-Dai shares similar sentiments to Dugoni and He on how “Duke has forced these previously established communities to really break apart” in what she says was a harsh and sudden change with a lot of disregard towards communities people have worked so hard to establish.

“If Duke were to redo QuadEx over again, I wouldn’t be like ‘No, don’t do QuadEx.’ I would be like, ‘Ok, can you implement it in a way that’s more considerate towards the upperclassmen who’ve allowed their entire Duke experience to be shaped by these SLGs?’”

Bao-Dai said.

A year later, Bao-Dai has not seen an increase in student engagement with QuadEx despite the events they have been hosting, citing Crowell Quad’s Halloween celebration last October.

Bao-Dai said she was disappointed because the Quad Council had put in a lot of effort, but students stuck to the norm and still showed up to their SLG and Greek life events.

She also has noticed that while Crowell Quad Council has done a great job of using their large budget to plan events and provide free food and merch to the students, she knows of people in other quads who have complained about their Quad Council’s lack of action.

For these specific quads, Bao-Dai said that “QuadEx has essentially not only restricted their communities but also not given them any benefits that QuadEx promised to give.”

“And I feel like largely that falls on the people who are in charge of the funds and in charge of coming up with fun things to do,” she said.

While He believes there is hope for the next Class of 2027 to continue the momentum of forming traditions and fostering inclusion, she thinks “it’s really hard to say right now that there was a change.”

“I just don’t think there is enough momentum to really foster that sense of belonging to a dorm just yet,” she said.

Editor’s note: This story has been edited and condensed for print.

A&S COUNCIL

FROM PAGE 12

Such drastic changes to the Trinity curriculum will require significant efforts in the coming months, and the Council expressed their commitment to providing adequate resources for its implementation.

Bennett acknowledged that the Council “see[s] the need for funds for new course development” and has already secured $1 million. Bennett added that the council will continue to raise funds to aid in the curriculum’s implementation and establish a new office to aid in the transformation of the first-year experience.

“We’re dedicated to the task of helping to support colleagues as they both develop the courses and also as they are instructing them,” Bennett said.

GRADUATION PHOTOS

Congratulations to our 2024 Graduates!

To the Class of 2024, You’ve made it—congratulations! It’s time for you all to celebrate, take in the past four years and most of all, get some well-deserved rest. But first, I’d like to recognize the journey that brought you all here today.

When I think of this year’s senior class, I think of the resilience that you all have shown throughout the past five years — before you even stepped foot on Duke’s campus. You graduated high school amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, most, if not all of you, without a traditional graduation. Then, you came to Duke, transitioning into a new environment with anything but normalcy on your side. Despite all that, you all have persevered.

In addition to an unconventional start to your Duke experience, your class has seen it all: from student activism, Greek Life disaffiliation, QuadEx, the highs and lows of Duke basketball and the University’s 100th year — the list goes on. Between the already hectic nature of being a Duke student, you have also been activists, athletes, researchers, DSG Senators … a truly impressive bunch.

My hope is that this year’s commencement issue can serve as a time capsule for you to look back on all you’ve experienced throughout your time at Duke. We’ve included a senior reflection as an ode to your past four years, as well as a senior advice column to help guide the incoming class in their transition to Duke. The content of these articles is a true testament to what makes Duke so special, and most of all, how you all played a role in shaping this wonderful community.

So, as you cross the stage in Wallace Wade on Sunday into a new chapter of your life, take it all in. Look at the crowd and your loved ones. Reflect on these past four years and how you’ve grown. And don’t forget, no matter where your life takes you, you will always be a Blue Devil.

Congratulations,

Abby Spiller, Editor-in-Chief

GENDER, SEXUALITY & FEMINIST STUDIES FIRST MAJORS

Lauren Elisabeth Elias

Jennifer Lissette Gobaira (2nd Major in Theater Studies)

Katie Rose Margolis

GENDER, SEXUALITY & FEMINIST STUDIES SECOND MAJORS

Isabel Florence Siebrecht (1st Major in Global Health)

GENDER, SEXUALITY & FEMINIST STUDIES MINORS

Tess Olivia Roesch DiMenna (Major in Psychology)

Paige M Knudsen (Major in Computer Science)

Kay Yanily Maldonado (Major in Political Science)

Isabella Perle Mellody (Major in Theater Studies)

Jillian Ashley Miller (Major in International Comparative Studies)

Maya Kaelan Regal (Majors in Computer Science & Linguistics)

SEXUALITY STUDIES MINOR

Mackenzie Elizabeth Culp (Majors in Sociology and Spanish)

Rujia Xie (Majors in Public Policy & Global Health)

GRADUATE STUDENTS COMPLETING THE CERTIFICATE IN FEMINIST STUDIES

Jacqueline Mercier Allain (PhD, History)

Natalie Gasparowicz (PhD, History)

Dana Victoria Hogan (PhD, Art & Art History)

SaeHim Park (PhD, Art & Art History)

Tania Rispoli (PhD, Romance Studies)

Congratulationstoour2024graduates!

**Doctor of Philosophy

**Boyang Ma

**Majors

*Jamira Saida Chouikha

*Corali Salome FranciscoZelkine

*Rachel Alexandra Kamis

*Madeleine Olivia Menkes

*Caroline Emily Overton

*Rodricka L. Robinson

*Sabrina Elena SebastianSan Miguel

*Jessica Anastasia Sue-KamLing-Lewis

*Malynda Ellen Wollert

*Huiyin Zhou

* Second Majors

*Wonkyung Ashley Bae

*Andrew Curtis McCallum

*Minors

*Jacob Donald Gerardi

*Karrissa Antoinette Guerrero

*Ruitian Hu

*Shreya Prasanna Joshi

*Christian Alareese Knight

*Juanita Annette Mackey

*Sloane Ailene McGuire

*Ashley May Rees

*Katheryn Laine Turner

*Catherine Xia

** Graduation with Distinction

Courtesy of Jonathan Piland

Courtesy of Cayla Park

Courtesy of Alice Spahr

Courtesy of Amy Guan

Congratulations to our

2024 FOREVER DUKE STUDENT LEADERSHIP AWARD WINNERS!

The Forever Duke Student Leadership Award recognizes graduating students from across campus who embody the “Forever Duke” spirit in their service to the university. Recipients are individuals of high integrity who have done great things not only at Duke but for Duke, and they are leaving the university a better place than they found it. Congratulations and welcome to the Duke Alumni family!

Lily Annenberg ’24 Layla Arty ’24

Danica Bajaj ’25

Navya Belavadi ’24

Nicholas Biondo ’24

Joshua Crittenden ’03

Julia Davis ’24

Anna Demelo ’24

Nathan Drapela ’24

Catherine Ehrhart ’24

Brittany Forniotis ’24

Brittany Gabriel ’24

Casey Goldstein ’24

Bonnie Hepler 2003-2024

Aden Klein ’24

Advika Kumar ’24

Neelan Kumar ’24

Jessica Lalonde ’24

Elyse McFalls ’24

Leah Miller (Benn) ’24

Jessica On ’24

SaeHim Park ’24

Jack Parker ’24

Meredith Schmehl ’24

Robert Sprung ’24

Jessica Sue-KamLing-Lewis ’24

Jonathan Van Dongen ’24

Cat Xia ’24

Marilyn Yamamoto MD’24

Zixin (aka “Finnie”) Zhao ’24

The Duke Alumni community is here for you. Stay connected with your classmates and fellow alums through regional events, meet-ups and more. Visit alumni.duke.edu today. Set up your new alumni profile

Editor-in-Chief: Abby Spiller

Sports Editor: Ranjan Jindal

Managing Editor: Michael Austin

News Editor: Zoe Kolensovsky

Photography Editors: Morgan Chu, Karen Xu

Opinion Editor: Alice Qin

Recess Editor: Zev van Zanten

Enterprise Editors: Jothi Gupta, Zoe Spicer

Senior Editors: Holly Keegan, Ishita Vaid

Editors at Large: Andrew Bae and Michelle Brown

Features Managing Editor: Claire Cranford

University News Editors: Kate Haver, Lucas Lin

Centennial/Elections Editor: Jazper Lu

Health/Science Editor: Winston Qian

Local/National News Editor: Samanyu Gangappa

Associate News Editors: Ana Despa, Aseel Ibrahim, Ryan Kilgallen, Ava Littman, Madera Longstreet-Lipson, Halle Vazquez, Michelle Voicu

Sports Managing Editors: Sophie Levenson, Dom Fenoglio

Data Editor: Audrey Wang

CONGRATULATIONS!

CONGRATULATIONS!

DUKE SPIRE FELLOWS | CLASS OF 2024

DUKE SPIRE FELLOWS | CLASS OF 2024

Sarah Bailey

Sarah Bailey

Maddie Dawson

Maddie Dawson

Arianna Dwomoh

Arianna Dwomoh

Major Glenn

Major Glenn

Kassie Hamilton

Kassie Hamilton

Maiya Hayes

Maiya Hayes

Trevon Helm

Trevon Helm

Madeleine Jones

Madeleine Jones

Camila Rodriguez

Camila Rodriguez

Rose Lee

Rose Lee

Colin Royal

Colin Royal

Kaitlyn Lewars

Kaitlyn Lewars

Alanna Manfredini

Mitchelle Mojekwu

Stephon Ricks

Ashley Shaaf

Ashley Shaaf

amael Smith

Jamael Smith

haran Sokhi

Sharan Sokhi

Cindy Xu

Cindy Xu

lena Zhang

Alena Zhang

Alyzea Benjamin

Alyzea Benjamin

Jordan Campbell

Jordan Campbell

Allison Falls

Allison Falls

Charla Gentry

Charla Gentry

Sarah Houston

Sarah Houston

Essence

Essence

Michael

Acelo Worku

Acelo Worku