When Newsweek Senior Writer Susannah Meadows arrived in Durham to cover the lacrosse controversy last spring, she did not even have to ask for directions.
One of many reporters amid a media frenzy that hit the campus, Meadows covered the case from the unique perspective of a Duke alumna. A self-described "100-percent reporter," Meadows says she remained completely focused on her task-at-hand but admits she is still enthralled by the Chapel's magical glow.
After spending eight weeks back at her alma mater, Meadows talks to TV's Katherine MacIlwaine about Duke--what's the same, what's different and what it was like covering a scandal at the place she once called home.
You attended Duke as an undergrad. When you come back, what's different?
A lot of things that are different. Most of the people I talked to seemed to only talk about the value of their diplomas and how the yield would be affected, and I didn't even know what that meant when I was a student. And the social order seems reversed to me.
One afternoon I was talking to the AEPi guys on their bench. They said that with the team gone, the hot girls would be dropped down to the middle of the road fraternities, and the middle girls would be stuck with 'losers like us.' Some of the funniest guys are in the absolute basement of the social order, and that just seemed all wrong.
What's the same?
It still feels like a fairyland. Maybe it's because I've been living in New York City, but everything is just so perfect and shiny and nothing is slouchy and that just seems even moreso for me now. Walking around West Campus at night with the Chapel lit up, it's still totally enchanting, just the way it always was. It kept thinking, 'I can't believe I got to live like this for four years.'
So when you come back, do you feel more like you are in the role of a reporter or in the role of an alum?
I spent a total of eight weeks reporting the story. When I'm down there, there's no question that I feel 100 percent reporter. I often forgot that I was a Duke student-It was just such an intense story to report. I spent most of my time walking into bail bonds centers. and meeting strippers for dinner at Brightleaf Square
What is it like to cover the case as an alum?
The biggest impact that it's had on me personally is that I haven't worn my big navy Duke sweatshirt in a long time, but other than that, it's a non-issue.. I remember going straight to the lacrosse house because it was a few doors down from where good friends of mine lived and I knew the address.. I've been teased about that in my office, about ruining the value of my own diploma
What do you think Duke's reputation is now?
I've certainly talked to mothers who have been afraid to send their daughters to Duke but I kind of think that now that the case against the players seems to be so flimsy, the fear of sending your child to Duke will die down. I think Duke will bounce back.
What is your own personal reaction to the attention? Especially the negative attention?
It obviously got a huge, huge amount of coverage and at times I think, 'How can this story matter that much? How can it be as important as Iraq or something like that?'
I also think that the questions that are asked by the story are sort of fundamental questions about what is going on in our country today
Any advice?
I didn't know what I wanted to do when I grew up when I was a student. I found myself wanting to say this over and over again to people I would talk to: Enjoy it and learn and you'll figure it out eventually. It just doesn't matter that much.
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