Phillips recollects her time spent in the now condemned Hanes-Annex dormitory.
Seven years ago, Trent Dormitory was still the residence undergraduates tried to avoid, the social atmosphere was a major concern and the study abroad program was a popular opportunity for students. It seems as if nothing has changed from the time Denise Phillips was a Duke undergraduate from 1992-1996. Currently pursuing her doctorate in the history of science at Harvard University, this Southern girl at heart enjoyed her undergraduate years during Keohane's presidency. Although there were several significant changes under Keohane that affected Phillips and her fellow classmates, Philips could not offer anything but good words about Duke's president.
"I definitely respect her a lot," said Phillips. "I think she was a really good and interesting president and it was nice having a woman in charge of the University. That was really cool."
Among the significant changes that Phillips thought affected students the most was a more stringent alcohol policy that pushed a considerable number of parties from on-campus dorms to off-campus houses.
"[Through the change] I feel like we lost a lot of social unity," Philips said.
Despite the shift however, Philips can boast of a great combination of an academically-challenging atmosphere with an enjoyable social scene during her stay at Duke, which she claims not many graduate students can attest to. She considers this partnership to be the underlying essence of Duke during her undergraduate years.
Besides the parties, Phillips fondly recalled her days of living in the dormitory and chuckled now that freshmen don't have to live in Trent. She also recollected the time when her husband lived in the now condemned Hanes-Annex dormitory. Located at the end of train tracks, near Erwin Road and beside the Duke Medical Center's helicopter pad, the Hanes-Annex dorm was the center of a lot hullabaloo.
While Trent and the Hanes-Annex dorms are no longer residences, other changes since Phillips graduated include the addition of many restaurants, bars and coffee shops around the university. Originally from North Carolina, Phillips loves the area even more, because these additions have made the locations around campus a more active place.
"I feel like the immediate area around Duke is nicer," said Phillips. "There are a lot of bars on Ninth Street that weren't there before. There are more things to do now than there was before."
On a more personal note, working on her thesis in the history department was the best part of her undergraduate years, Phillips recalled.
"I was able to establish a close relationship with other people of the same academic interests during my senior year," she said.
She also credited her time as a member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority to be an integral part of her undergraduate experience. Phillips' made many great friends in her sorority and her younger sister also became a Kappa member. Her sorority also provided social spaces other than the usual commons rooms belonging to the fraternity houses.
"It was nice to have parties on your own turf," Phillips recalled.
The enjoyable social aspect of Duke life combined with a rigorously challenging academic atmosphere created many memories for Phillips. Since she graduated in 1996 Phillips has returned to campus several times--she just couldn't stay away from the South and from her former university. Her time at Duke has given her nothing but great memories which she can laugh about and fondly reminisce.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.