Okay, okay. Yes, I am starting the "we'll miss you, Nan" bandwagon. Someone had to do it. Maybe it's tacky, but all I'm saying is, "Go, Nan! Go!" Imagine me with pom-poms as I cheer Nan's name. Just humor me for a second. Thanks.
Now I present to the prestigious Duke community the seven reasons why I love Nan.
- Nan: a woman with power.
Nan is only the second woman to lead a major research institution in this country. Imagine the obstacles she had to face moving up the institutional ladder of power and responsibility.
To be appointed president of Duke University is no small feat for anyone, let alone a woman who dares to transgress traditional gender roles. With a campus administration heavily white and male, Nan had to carefully navigate the halls of power in the Allen building upon arrival.
I am sure Nan's first appearance discomfited some of her senior administrators, as the culture of male power at a once gender-segregated institution was shaken for the first time in Duke's history. Nan's adeptness and style make her a role model for all of us, especially women who are eyeing similar seats of responsibility.
- Nan: a scholar.
Nan returns to research and teaching as one of the nation's premier scholars in political philosophy. Nan has buttressed research efforts of professors and students, always reinforcing the importance of scholarly work at all levels of higher education. Nothing speaks greater of that commitment than her own return to a life of the scholar after years of supporting the research of others.
- Nan: princess of Liechtenstein.
I thought I had a cool name: Christopher Eugene Goerdt Scoville. Four names always gives me a sense of royalty, but who can beat Nannerl Overholser Keohane? What is she doing at Duke? Shouldn't she be heading some small European fiefdom or principality, like Liechtenstein? Her name is even cooler than mine. And rumor has it she was named after Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's sister, Nannerl. I'm not sure where the Overholser comes from, but you can make fun phrases like "horse lover" with the same letters. "Horse lover" beats Brodhead anytime. And she certainly isn't your average Cohen either. Keohane--with its elusive pronunciation and spelling--adds the final oomph.
- Nan: leading humanely.
Under Nan's leadership, Duke has continued to transition from a provincial Southern university to a nationally and, increasingly, an internationally renowned institution. Nan's influence reaches from across the street to around the world. The Neighborhood Partnership is quickly changing the face of Durham as Duke becomes more of an engaged citizen in the community and less of an ivory tower. She has strengthened academic and social ties with UNC-Chapel Hill and other surrounding universities, expanding Duke's purview in the academic world.
Much to DCU's chagrin, Nan has emboldened the presence of minorities on campus with increased outreach to minority students and faculty. She has ensured that all full-time employees receive a living wage, and she has spoken out on issues of social justice vis-à-vis sweatshops and labor unions. She responded promptly and adeptly to "the demands" last semester and remains committed to the voices of students who approach her.
Duke's global presence continues to expand as Duke now offers financial aid to international students. Duke has a long way to go before it becomes a household name in Slovenia, but Nan's leadership has set the tone for a future Duke University founded upon humanitarian and global values.
- Nan: on fire.
With over 2.3 billion in the bank, Nan's fundraising drive has astounded the world of higher education.
Enough said.
- Nan: setting trends.
Nan may not have coined the term "effortless perfection," but she certainly landed it straight onto the pages of Webster's Dictionary.
Perhaps one of Nan's greatest accomplishments, the Women's Initiative has become a nationwide guide to assessing and addressing issues of gender disparity and social climate for students, faculty and employees at universities across the country.
The dialogue the report generated has been phenomenal, if not unprecedented, at Duke, and the national discourse continues to expand. It's hard to envision or describe the full range of impact the report will have on Duke and countless other colleges in the coming years.
I am certain that the report has already changed some people's lives at Duke, as these issues no longer carry the same taboo in our daily interactions.
- Nan: a professorship.
Finding a scholar to fill the position of Nannerl O. Keohane Distinguished Visiting Professorship at UNC-Chapel Hill and Duke University will certainly be a cumbersome task.
To equal such a regal and prominent name/person will require a scholar of enviable talents and distinguished accomplishments. Nan may just have to return to the Triangle and take the position herself.
All the best to Nan: a woman, scholar, princess, leader, fundraiser, trend-setter, professorship and most of all one hell of a president.
Christopher Scoville is a Trinity junior. His column appears every fourth Thursday.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.