In my two years here, I’ve been lucky to watch more Chapel sunsets than I can count—and there’s no better vantage point than an open window in The Chronicle’s offices in 301 Flowers. If there’s a breeze, I’ll lean out the window and just watch, trying to take in the tower of Hillsborough bluestone with the same fresh eyes as the rising high school senior whose breath it took away.
But I can’t. And I’m glad.
If there is anything I’m proud of in my first two years of Duke, it’s that I know exponentially more about this place and the people who call it home than when I arrived here. Some of this comes naturally as you find your niche within the Duke bubble and settle into campus life, but most of it has come from asking questions. And if there’s anything that’s defined my Duke experience so far, it’s that I’ve gotten to ask a lot of questions.
At The Chronicle, we have the privilege and duty of asking important, tough and fair questions, of going beyond watching Duke exist and digging into what pushes it, what makes it squirm and what it doesn’t always want to share.
This year, we investigated whether Greek life and Selective Living Groups at Duke are as homogenous as you think, and why there were no female managers for the men’s basketball program—again.
As the MeToo movement gained national attention, we asked why a professor found guilty of sexual harassment by Duke was hired at another school and why some students are hesitant to report harassment. When the walk-up line in Krzyzewskiville devolved into a drunken mob, we investigated what went wrong.
We also asked less weighty questions, like how to spend $106.36 at Longhorn steakhouse.
We published our first issue as the Trinity Chronicle in 1905, about two decades before West Campus would be built and before the University transformed from Trinity College to Duke University. We are the meticulous, play-by-play record of Duke’s history, our front pages a print edition of life here. If you visit our offices, you’ll see papers hung on the walls covering everything from Duke’s first ever national championship in men’s soccer in 1986 to the first Nobel Prize in 2012.
But we don’t take ourselves too seriously. Part of the magic of 301 Flowers is that pretty soon it starts to feel like home, and the people you share it with become a family bonded by the adrenaline rush of breaking news, the late nights of editing and, when the weather’s nice, a game of frisbee on the quad.
Our news department covers a broad swath of life at Duke, from investigating the attendance records of Duke Student Government senators to breaking news when racially charged incidents strike campus. News reporters always know the ins-and-outs of what’s going on around Duke. When big discoveries happen or major decisions are made, we’re the ones who delve into them and question the people involved. If longer form work is your interest, consider joining our Towerview section, which delves into rich storylines to produce in-depth features.
If you want the best seat in the house at Cameron Indoor Stadium, consider joining our sports department. We cover all 27 of Duke’s varsity sports, and we travel around the world to follow them to the biggest games. Whether it’s asking Coach Krzyzewski what went wrong minutes after a tough loss or digging into the majors athletes choose, our sports writers have a front row seat to the world of Duke athletics.
In the Opinion section, our columnists share their ideas and generate conversations around them through an unparalleled platform read by administrators, alumni and students alike. Members of our Editorial Board discuss the most pressing and interesting issues of campus life and construct thoughtful takes on relevant topics.
If you’re passionate about the arts or culture, consider joining our tight-knit Recess section. From traveling to the Sundance festival in Utah and interviewing film directors to exploring why couples tent outside the chapel to reserve it as a wedding venue, Recess sheds light on Duke’s artistic and social side.
Our photography staff are front and center at the biggest games in every sport and news event. From the football sideline to the protest frontline, they capture Duke’s biggest moments. If you enjoy graphic design, consider joining our graphics department. Designers create informative visuals to complement stories.
If none of these areas interest you, let us find a space for you that fits your interests. We’re constantly expanding our digital presence, and our video and audio editors want creative minds to help them explore new ideas in our video products and podcasts. If you’re interested in marketing, consider being involved with our social media strategy.
Whether you’re an upperclassman or a first-year, we’d love to have you on board—no experience necessary.
If you’re not interested in joining The Chronicle, keep up with our work in print and online, through our website, Facebook and Twitter accounts. Join the conversation by writing guest columns and letters to the editor, and send us your story ideas and tips.
We are writers, photographers, graphic designers and editors. We are student journalists, and we’re proud to tell Duke’s stories and hold the University accountable.
For more than one hundred years, we’ve shaped campus dialogue and written the first draft of Duke’s history. We’re a family of student journalists who care deeply about each other and passionately pursue the questions that drive us—whether they dig into the paradigms of college life or just entertain us. We’re in the business of answering them, and we have a lot of fun doing it.
Questions are powerful things. I know you’ve got questions about Duke. We do too.
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Bre is a senior political science major from South Carolina, and she is the current video editor, special projects editor and recruitment chair for The Chronicle. She is also an associate photography editor and an investigations editor. Previously, she was the editor-in-chief and local and national news department head.
Twitter: @brebradham
Email: breanna.bradham@duke.edu