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GLS eNews August 17, 2020

GLS Weekly News - August 17, 2020

Weekly Virtual Porch Sitting is back! Join us this Thursday at 5 PM via Zoom. Please note the new meeting room link: https://duke.zoom.us/j/99662930148 

GLS House remains closed until further notice. GLS staff are working remotely and may be reached via email.

In this edition:

  • Message from the Director
  • GLS Welcomes New Students
  • Dean's Research Award Applications Open
  • Graduate School Updates and Coronovirus Resources

Message from the Director

Welcome to the first day of classes for the fall semester! We at GLS enjoyed spending some concentrated time last Thursday with our wonderful group of incoming students – as well as our new faculty – and look forward to the semester, despite its challenges. Although we missed gathering at the Washington Duke Inn, we all commented that there were aspects of Zoom orientation that we all liked – most especially all being able to focus on each other, rather than rushing around dealing with logistics and arrangements. The event was, in other words, boiled down to its core – creating community and connection. That’s something we’re going to continue to seek ways to do as our mandate to stay “distant” seems unlikely to end soon. 

On the subject of connection and community, I’ve realized that one thing I miss most about being on campus is the opportunity to attend the dozens of talks, lectures and programs that are always going on at Duke. The parade of accomplished and interesting speakers on this campus is truly astonishing, and when I was here 2002-06 at the Franklin Humanities Institute, I often joked that a dedicated learner could practically engineer a free education for themselves just by being strategic about attending public programs on campus. Back in the pre-COVID19 days, of course, those programs also often included food! 😊 

In any case, as fall cranks up, it’s clear from my email that many of the programs have not gone away, they have gone online. Films, talks, performances, a lot of it is still there, and I urge our students, especially, to seek out these events. Plus, you can now easily participate in similarly stimulating public events at other regional universities and the National Humanities Center in RTP.  Some ways to learn about what is going on at Duke and across the region include: 

This is only a selection. If you check out particular departments, programs, centers, or institutes that interest you – either at Duke or UNC or another of our regional universities – you may find hints of upcoming programs that haven’t yet made their way to the more general calendars. 

Meanwhile, one thing we heard at GLS new student orientation last week was an interest in outdoor activities we in the GLS community might do together. We’ll be talking more about that in the next couple of weeks and seeing what we can come up with that’s safe, but might allow connection beyond the screen. Stay tuned! 

 Warmly, 

GLS Welcomes New Students

We are delighted to welcome eleven new students to the GLS community! Read a bit about our Fall 2020 incoming class below.

Christine Brown

Christine got her bachelor's degree in English and anthropology at the University of South Florida. After teaching English in China for a year, she began editing scholarly publications, managed two psychology journals, and then worked as an editor and consultant for the Congressional Budget Office. She's now a freelance editor who mostly works on academic manuscripts, policy documents, and government reports (when she's not wrangling her 1-year-old).

Christine Browne

Douglass Coleman

I am a single father with two "grown" children, I am Black, I am of mixed heritage, i am cis-male, I was last in class in 1997. I am originally from Los Angeles, where I attended public school as little as humanly possible. I work in a STEM mentoring nonprofit program at the School of Medicine, called BOOST. I love the work I do and the people I work with. I have worked in and around public schools for 30 years. My parents have been political activists since the '50's. I lost my father in January, my father-in-law in June, and several family elders this year, some of them due to COVID-19.

Douglass Coleman

Kelly Davis

Hi! I’m Kelly Davis, a North Carolina native with multi-generational connections to Duke and Durham. I work as a project coordinator with a social science research group here at Duke. We primarily study medical decision making and doctor-patient communication. Through my work, I get to explore fascinating topics like the ethical use of the word “cure” in cancer and HIV populations; how doctors discuss prognosis with parents of critically ill infants; and cost transparency during discussions of treatment options. I love the work and hope that my studies in the GLS program will help to open more doors to further intellectual exploration.

Outside of work, I enjoy undertaking cooking projects with my wife and helping my son build Lego creations. I also volunteer as the Program Director at WXDU, Duke’s campus radio station.

Kelly Davis

Rob Gfeller

After several years of existential questing, Rob Gfeller is thrilled for the opportunity to attend graduate school at Duke. Though he may be shunned by his college buddies from UNC, the chance to take a variety of courses across the humanities—literature, English, Art History, and philosophy—proved too awesome to resist. Prior to becoming a pseudo-devil, Rob taught high school English, worked in marketing, and guided a few fly-fishing trips. In his free time, Rob likes to hang out with his wife Alex, swim, play tennis, and read.

Rob Gfeller, with his wife Alex

James Larson

James Larson has a background as a professional violist. A graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Music, he played four seasons with The Cleveland Orchestra and performed with the Boston Symphony, the Atlanta Symphony, and the San Diego Symphony. His many interests include philosophy, science, art, literature, and travelling.

James Larson

Ashley McKinstry

Ashley McKinstry is excited to be joining the GLS program after working for many years in fundraising for the arts and higher education. She has lived happily in Durham for ten years with her husband and two sons, ages three and six. Ashley majored in English and French in college, studied abroad in Toulouse, France, and taught English for a year in Provence. She is usually busy with work or her family, but when she can, Ashley takes time to run, swim, and read good books.

Ashley McKinstry

Olga Richmond

Olga Richmond is a DUS Assistant in Duke’s Department of Asian & Middle Eastern Studies, where she has enjoyed learning about the languages, cultures, customs, art, music, people and cuisines of the Middle East, East Asia and South Asia. She has most recently traveled to Israel and China and hopes to travel to Japan and Korea in the future!

In her spare time, Olga enjoys reading, yoga, cooking, gardening and travel.

Olga Richmond

Frances Rosseland-Harrison

My name is Frances Rosseland-Harrison, but a lot of my friends call me Franky! I am from Knoxville, Tennessee originally and just completed my undergrad at the University of South Carolina while also playing on the beach volleyball team there. Unfortunately, my senior season was cut short due to COVID-19 but I was still able to graduate with a major in Public Relations and minor in Sport and Entertainment Management! 

I am super excited to be in the MALS program as well as compete on the volleyball team here at Duke! I'd like to consider myself a fairly spontaneous person and always up for an adventure. Some of my favorite things to do are attend concerts or music festivals, paddle boarding or anything to do with the ocean and explore beautiful places to watch the sunset! I'm also really involved with the topic of mental health and was the co-host of a podcast on all things related to mental health during my senior year at South Carolina! I hope to continue opening up the conversation here at Duke and potentially doing research related to mental health during my time in the program. I can't wait to get started!

Frances Rosseland-Harrison

Lelugnim Tokinai

My name is Lelugnim Tokinai. I am a full student in Graduate Liberal Studies (GLS) master’s program at Duke University. Prior to GLS, I graduated from Lomé University in Togo, West Africa with a bachelor in Anthroplogy (2015). Then, I earned a second BA in Political Science at North Carolina Central University (2020)—where I received the department Chair’s Award for my academic accomplishments. It means my future being a student in GLS program. My interests are politics related to ethnic minorities in the United States and international law. My hope is that one day the findings of my studies will help the people.

Lelugnim Tokinai

Cole Wicker

I'm excited to be joining GLS for the next few years. I graduated from Duke with my BA in Cultural Anthropology in 2018, and immediately joined the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, where I currently serve in the Admissions Officer Capacity. My prospective research interests include Public History, particularly through lenses of Public Land and Foodways. Outside of work and academics, I love spending time outdoors - hiking, kayaking, or anything that gets me outside!

Cole Wicker

Laura Young

Laura holds a BA (English/Biology) from the University of Virginia, a MPH from Emory University (Behavioral science) and a JD from the University of Minnesota Law School where she specialized in international human rights. For the past decade, Laura has lived in Kenya and worked across East Africa and the Horn on good governance, human rights, and social cohesion. Laura's interests during her GLS study include the history and impacts of international development in Africa, ethics in cross-cultural research, and innovation in interdisciplinary research methodologies. When not with her husband and dog in Nairobi, Laura spends time enjoying the Triangle's hiking and biking trails with her son. 

Laura Young

Applications Open for Dean's Research Awards for Master's Students

The Dean’s Research Award for Master’s Students will provide up to $1,000 to fund the purchase of materials and supplies relevant to a master’s student’s degree completion. Current students who are in one of The Graduate School’s master’s programs and in good academic standing are eligible to apply.

Application instructions for students are posted on The Graduate School's website. Please note that completed applications must be submitted via email to GLS.

The 2020-2021 application period runs from August 1 to August 31, 2020, and recipients will be notified by September 30, 2020, with the award being disbursed via noncompensatory payroll in October 2020. The awards must be spent by May 31, 2021.

TGS to Offer Virtual Professional Development Workshops for Master's Students

Each semester, The Graduate School offers several workshops specifically designed for students in the school’s research master’s programs as part of the Professional Development Series. Master’s students are also welcome at most other events offered as part of the Professional Development Series. See the master's student workshop lineup here.

Check out the video below to see what GLS alum Ke "Coco" Xu (MALS 2018) and other master's students have gained from the TGS workshops.

video

Online Resources for Graduate Students

Important Dates for GLS Students

Monday, August 17 - Fall semester classes begin

Friday, August 28 - Fall 2020 Drop/Add ends

Tuesday, August 31 - Deadline to apply for Dean's Award

Monday, September 7 - Labor Day holiday - GLS office closed, classes in session

EVERY THURSDAY :

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