1997 Major: Religious Studies; certificate in Films & Video
"When I took my first Religion class at Duke, I was merely planning to satisfy my Civilizations area degree requirements. It turns out that the course I took--"Religion in Recent American Fiction"--provided the inspiration I needed at the time to adjust to a lot of challenges I was facing with relationships, expectations, academics, and more. Subsequent coursework, including a study abroad program and an independent study on Star Wars as a Religious Saga that led to my teaching a house course for two semesters, only deepened my connection to my chosen major. I'm often asked, given my current career field, if I would have studied something different if given the chance again. My response has always been a resounding "no": I loved my professors, mentors, and classmates, and I feel like I picked up some valuable tools along the way. My critical reading and thinking skills improved, I learned to love to write, and I grew to appreciate a broad diversity of backgrounds and motivations--all while being fascinated by the material I engaged with on a daily basis. Being a Religion major at Duke ended up being wonderful preparation for what I do today."
"My advice would be to take full advantage of interdisciplinary opportunities and make deep connections with people who look at the world via different backgrounds and perspectives. Strong teams built from individuals with complementary and diverse talents will create a brighter future for all of us. (Oh, and take the C.S. Lewis class in Cambridge if it's still available--it's one of the coolest things I've ever done.)"