Curators' Statements

This exhibit was curated by a 2023 Story+ humanities research team including four undergraduates: Caroline Edmondson (T’26), Prisha Gupta (T’26), Zoe Tishaev (T’24), and Melody Tzang (T’25). Our Project Manager was Jessica Orzulak, Ph.D., and our team included University Archivist Valerie Gillispie, Exhibition Services Head Meg Brown, and Centennial Archivist Ani Karagianis. We are grateful for Jessica, Val, Meg, and Ani’s expertise, support, and encouragement!

We spent six weeks in the summer of 2023 researching in the University Archives, searching for objects that spoke to different parts of the Duke story. This research led us everywhere from the Duke Lemur Center to the Medical Center Archives and spanned topics from military innovation to student recreation. Working in the University Archives was an amazing opportunity, and we encourage viewers to engage with the Archives in person and online, especially student groups, faculty, and alumni who may be interested in submitting their materials to the Archives.

We recognize that our point of view is limited and that our selections do not fully encompass the Duke story. Hoping to further our understanding of the vast array of Duke experiences, we spoke with various students, alumni, and former faculty and staff. We are grateful to them for sharing their perspectives.

Caroline Edmondson (T’26), Prisha Gupta (T’26), Zoe Tishaev (T’24), and Melody Tzang (T’25)