Melody Tzang (T'25)
In pursuing majors in Public Policy, Music, and a minor in Classical Civilizations, I've realized how important storytelling is to preserve our past and guide our future. This exhibit is a way to show our collective excitement about Duke's trajectory. As a Duke Presidential Ambassador, I love seeing the eyes of Duke alumni light up when I talk about Duke's campus, allowing them to share their special memories with me. My role as an ambassador has helped me collect bits and pieces of Duke history, such as the 1993 "I Ran with Nan" inauguration run with President Nannerl Keohane and the story of the 1971 founding of the public policy department. These small details have allowed me to fully appreciate the connection we share through this institution.
Curation is an artform, and it's an honor to showcase our shared stories in this medium.
It is my hope that visitors can find both the joy of belonging to the Duke community and a deeper understanding of our shared history.
Top Six Items
Satloff
In researching for this exhibit, my project team and I came across some amazing stories from Jewish Life at Duke. The story of the first Jewish baccalaureate service is included in our exhibit, but another story surfaced during our research this summer unexpectedly connecting back to my hometown of Kansas City, Kansas. A link is included here, which details a tragic act of violence against a local Jewish community center. This had an incredibly deep impact on my community, and eventually spurned an academic scholarship that I received in my senior year of high school. It's a story I would have never expected to come full circle, but I'm glad our exhibit can highlight more positive aspects of student life and culture on campus.
Gardens
Like the Nasher and the Chapel, the Sarah P. Duke Gardens is another of my favorite places for respite and sanctuary. I love seeing all the students, faculty, and community members enjoy the beautiful scenery out on the garden lawn. Visiting the chicken coop in the Charlotte Brody Discovery Garden is a must for me every time!
Meta Library Exhibit
What's not to love about something a little meta? This photograph of a Duke University student looking at the first centennial exhibit was one of our project team's favorite finds in the University Archives. We hope you find yourself in the exhibit with the same excitement!
Alma Mater
The Duke alma mater printing plate is one of the most interesting artifacts I came across in the University Archives. The item itself is a solid brick of metal with a considerable weight and the lyrics and music are etched backwards. As someone interested in music, I loved the novelty of the item and its history spanning all the way back to Trinity College.
Chapel Architecture
The Duke Chapel has been a place of worship and belonging for me every Sunday morning. It has also provided a sense of familiarity for many others, with the carillon bell chimes every day at 5:00 p.m. Architecturally, it is a work of art, having been crafted with over one million pieces of stained glass (represented with colored pencil in the illustration).
Nasher
Hands down, the Nasher Museum of Art is one of the most beautiful spaces on campus. You can often find me walking around the exhibit spaces or at the cafe with my favorite dessert: the Rustic Berry Tart with forest fruit sorbet.
