As the umbrella organization for the arts on campus, duARTS deeply values the diverse, passionate and interdisciplinary experiences of all Duke student artists. In evaluating the Young Trustee finalists, we hoped to identify the candidate that would best represent that wide array of experiences and characteristics. duARTS endorses Anna Knight for Young Trustee because she brings a unique, broad-based and energetic perspective to the task of speaking for students on the Board.
Many endorsements have already noted Anna’s unique background as a Panhellenic engineer, as well as her commitment to staying in touch with students while pursuing her PhD at Duke over the next several years. We value those elements of her candidacy, and were also equally impressed by her sincerity and passion. As Anna spoke of her desire to build a culture that places the arts at the center of campus life, her energy for the idea was palpable.
That energy is also evident in Anna’s other priorities for the position of Young Trustee. Her explanations of those goals—such as promoting research and expanding access to community resources like PACT training—were detailed and enthusiastic.
Furthermore, Anna has integrated the arts into her Duke experience through serving on the Dance Council, and has remained intimately involved with the arts community throughout her time on campus. Thanks to the intersectionality of her experience as a student advocate, an engineer, and a dancer, she recognizes how involvement with the arts enhances campus life - whether such involvement is curricular, co-curricular, or anywhere in-between.
We were also impressed by David Robertson, due to his deep understanding of long-term institutional strategy and his strong connections to a diverse array of campus student groups. However, we believe that Anna Knight is best equipped to advocate for not just the irreplaceable value of the Duke arts community, but also the unique interests of the students body as a whole.
The duARTS Executive Board
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