Sophomore Claire Crowley passed away the evening of Dec. 23 after she was struck by a car earlier in the day.
Crowley was riding her bicycle when a moving vehicle hit her at approximately 5:15 p.m. near her home in Clemmons, N.C., Dean of Students Sue Wasiolek said. Crowley died five hours later. Wasiolek said that to her knowledge no charges have been filed in the case.
Crowley's friends praised the sophomore as a loving, devoted friend who always had a great sense of humor and a smile on her face.
"Claire honestly was one of the most beautiful and amazing people that I've known in my life," said sophomore Laura Cannon, who became friends with Crowley after they lived together in the same freshman dormitory.
"I think the thing that I appreciated most about Claire was the way that she was always genuine, she was always completely herself and very at ease with herself-very proud and confident in everything that she did," she added.
On campus, Crowley was vice president of the women's ultimate team, Chakra, and was also active in the Women's Institute for Secondary Education and Research, a Duke program that aims to create a boarding school for girls in Kenya.
Crowley's biology professor, Sherryl Broverman, said Crowley developed a strong interest in gender inequality in Kenya when she took a class taught by Broverman on AIDS and emerging disease last fall.
"Of her own accord, she definitely took on a leadership role," Broverman said.
Through WISER, Crowley was working to create a summer program on adolescent health and leadership and had planned to work at the camp in Kenya next summer.
"She was really excited. She was really getting pumped up about going this summer," Broverman said. "She put a lot of energy above and beyond the class into the project."
Crowley's funeral was held Thursday, Dec. 28 at Clemmons Presbyterian Church. Wasiolek said several students, faculty and other members of the Duke community were in attendance.
In honor of the sophomore, a Claire Crowley Memorial Fund at the Duke University Women's Institute for Secondary Education for Muhuru Bay, Kenya, has been established.
The fund is currently accepting donations at Box 90338, Durham, N.C., 27708.
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