Duke alumni celebrated Homecoming with several events over the weekend, including Friday’s pep rally and President Brodhead’s Homecoming Dance, with Tailgate and a football game against Army Saturday. The Chronicle’s Matt Barnett interviewed several alumni about their experiences and thoughts on being back on campus after graduating into the real world.
“We had a wonderful time. There were lots of things to do, all these new things to see, places to go, things I never knew existed at Duke. I’m glad that Duke has done so well since I’ve been here.”
—Ann Dorminy, Trinity ’89
“I think [Duke] has changed for the better since we’ve been here. The campus has kind of grown a lot. It’s changed physically, and I think the student body has changed a little bit too since then.”
—Brett Gordon, Trinity ’96
“There’s been some structural changes on campus, but it’s the same old Duke. Go Duke! The dance was a ton of fun. There were so many people there, it was awesome and all of the student performers were really good.”
—Melissa Fann, Trinity ’06
“It’s much better when we win the football game, but that’s OK. You’re here to visit and see folks and Duke puts on a good party all the time. Duke has grown a lot. I’ve been really impressed with Brodhead and the stuff he’s done in advancing Duke’s reputation.”
—Karen Smith, School of Nursing ’84
“I got to go out and cheer like old times; it was very good. They moved the student section and the band [and] it’s a little bit different from the old games but I like it a lot better—everyone’s closer together. It was a great time; I’m looking forward to next year.”
—Amanda Poland, Trinity ’05
“The attendance at the Homecoming Pep Rally was not as extensive as it used to be. Some students stayed around to the end, but the attendance was not what I had hoped for.”
—J. Ray Kirby, Graduate School ’57 and Ph.D. ’60
“I feel like the further out you get, the more exciting it is to come back to campus. I went to the ball last night and I went to the events of some of the groups I was involved with when I was here. The ball was fun; it’s a great event.”
—Brian Fleming, Pratt ’09, Masters ’10
“I think this was probably the best Homecoming in the seven that I’ve been to as an alum. I really like how the president’s dance has been revitalized. It wasn’t a big deal when I was an [undergraduate], and I think it’s great that President Brodhead has used it to showcase the various talented student groups. Kudos to the Duke Alumni Association for an awesome event!”
—Rosie Canizares, Trinity ’04, School of Medicine ’07
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