We are excited to share that Jules Odendahl-James, formerly the Director of Academic Engagement for the Arts & Humanities at Duke, has joined the Duke Arts team as Director of Engagement!

Tess Redman '24, a Psychology major with minors in Creative Writing and Spanish, always knew she wanted to produce and direct her play, Sugar at Four in the Morning. Last summer, Redman used her Benenson Award funds to develop her play that delves into the journey of a type 1 diabetic who participates in an experimental therapy program that transports volunteers back in time to aid their younger selves in managing diabetes.

In this interview, Mauro Mastrapasqua '25—a 2023 Benenson Awardee—shares how funding from this award supported his dream project. His passion for woodworking and playing the bass inspired him to build an electric bass guitar from scratch.

Marika Niko, co-founder of Meshroom, taking place on Thursday, September 21, shares about the project and its mission to create a space for communal exploration and reflection. Marika says, "between the cozy seating areas and the numerous multisensorial happenings in the space, things are organically and constantly affecting and connecting with each other in micro/macroscopic ways; one is part of the 'mesh.'”

Niu is a film and music video director based in Los Angeles. Her work addresses motifs of freedom, mythology and the Asian diaspora in the United States. She worked as an assistant editor and post-production coordinator on A24’s Everything Everywhere All at Once. Duke Arts and Forever Duke recently caught up with Niu to learn about her work. Read our Q&A below!

In this interview with the Duke Graduate School, Max Brzezinski, who received his Ph.D. in English from Duke in 2007, shares how he landed his position as marketing director at Durham’s Carolina Soul Records.

In this interview with the Duke Entertainment, Media & Arts Network (DEMAN), Sarah Garrahan, MFA EDA ’14, shares advice for students planning to pursue a career in filmmaking. “Stay true to what drew you to this industry in the first place. For me, it’s telling stories that move us toward equity,” she says.

In this interview with the Duke Entertainment, Media & Arts Network (DEMAN), Laurel Toyofuku ‘14 shares how her undergraduate experiences — including a Duke in New York semester and an internship with Duke Performances — helped her navigate a career in the arts. “I loved having the opportunity to be immersed in all sides of presenting artistic experiences,” she says.

In this interview for the Duke Entertainment, Media, and Arts Network (DEMAN), Chelsea Grain ‘16 discusses how she leveraged Duke resources into her current position at Netflix. “Feed your passion—try classes that make you excited, get to know your professors, give yourself permission to fully commit to your interests while you're at Duke,” she shares.

This year’s StudioDuke students and mentors share favorite memories, valuable takeaways, and helpful advice from their experiences. StudioDuke is a program of Duke Innovation & Entrepreneurship in collaboration with DEMAN and Duke Arts. This signature program provides students the opportunity to take their advanced, on-going creative projects to the next level.

In this interview with the Duke Entertainment, Media & Arts Network (DEMAN), Summer Dunsmore, MFA EDA ’18, shares how she created a career in media suited to her diverse interests. “No one has had a career like mine! This gives me the chance to continue paving my own path, to take creative risks, and to keep experimenting,” she says.

In this interview with the alumni network DukeJournos, StudioDuke mentor Aisha Turner '09 shares how she built a career in journalism by working at numerous news organizations including PBS News Hour, Al Jazeera America, 371 Productions, and Milwaukee Public Radio.

Author and Stanford medical student Grace Li ’17 shares insights on her debut novel Portrait of a Thief, which is currently in development to become a Netflix series, as well as advice for students hoping to pursue a career in creative writing. “I think the most important condition to being a writer is being an active participant in the world,” Li says.

In this interview for the Duke Entertainment, Media, and Arts Network (DEMAN), Dillon Fernando ‘18 shares how he made the transition from Duke to late night TV. “Even though I was a biology major at Duke, the cool thing about television is that you need very little prior experience for entry level jobs,” Fernando says.

In this interview with the Duke Entertainment, Media & Arts Network (DEMAN), Robin Sindler ’94 offers advice for Duke students and alumni hoping to break into broadcast journalism. “At Duke, I learned not to be afraid to speak up and reach out to anyone, no matter who they are,” she shares.

In this interview with the Duke Entertainment, Media & Arts Network (DEMAN), Cory Rayborn '98, corporate attorney by day and founder/manager of Three Lobed Recordings by night, shares how he balances his law career with his creative pursuits. “The label offers me an outlet that I simply cannot get out of my ‘day’ job,” he says.

In this interview with the Duke Entertainment, Media & Arts Network (DEMAN), Charlie McSpadden ‘10 offers advice for students pursuing a career in the film industry. “Becoming a quick study, anticipating problems, and being reliable and communicative were crucial skills for the world of film production,” he shares.

In this interview with the alumni network DukeJournos, Riley Griffin '18 shares insights from her career in journalism, from the challenges of reporting during the pandemic to the rewarding aspects of storytelling. “It’s an honor to be able to bring my readers into the room with me,” she says.

In this interview with the Duke Entertainment, Media & Arts Network (DEMAN), stuntman Kevin Wu ‘11 shares his unconventional transition from Duke to the film industry and advises students to be comfortable with being uncomfortable.

Sam Klein ‘19, Coordinator of Program Scheduling at USA & SYFY shares how he transitioned from Duke to his current role at NBCUniversal and offers advice for students pursuing careers in media and entertainment.

In this interview with the Duke Entertainment, Media & Arts Network (DEMAN), Jonathan Wilkins ‘14 discusses how his Duke experience prepared him for a career in the fashion industry post-graduation. “I constantly draw upon my ability, gained from Duke's varied curriculum, to problem-solve in creative ways and meet new challenges head on,” he shares.

In this interview with the Duke Entertainment, Media & Arts Network (DEMAN), Sofía Manfredi ‘15 shares how she navigated a career in comedy post-graduation. “Duke provided a lot of room to write, workshop, and publish, both in class and in campus publications,” she says.

After nearly two years of virtual performances, live theater has made its long-awaited return to both Broadway and Duke’s campus. Samantha Streit ‘22, who was part of the cast of Duke Theater Studies’ Fall Mainstage Show Golem, interviews Duke alumni and faculty about their thoughts on producing theater during the pandemic and what the future holds for live performances.

In this interview with Duke Business Oriented Women, Tori Cohen '15 shares how her time at Duke and Teach For America helped guide her toward a career in design. “I reflected on these experiences and realized that I was the happiest when I was doing something visual and creative,” she shares.

In this interview for the Duke Entertainment, Media, and Arts Network (DEMAN), marketing guru Drew Neisser ‘79 shares his advice for students hoping to turn their creativity into a career. This Wednesday, Nov 3, join Neisser and Duke Marketing Club for an in-person conversation on navigating a career in marketing post-college.

Get to know the students behind the scenes of Duke Arts! From writers to social media superstars, each is an important advocate in supporting our work in growing a culture for the arts across campus.

Jaime Garamella ‘99, Director of The Voice Studio at NYC Guitar School, shares his experience of transitioning from Duke to the music industry and advises students to be adaptable during their career journey.

In this interview for the Duke Entertainment, Media, and Arts Network (DEMAN), Maureen Farrell ‘01 offers advice for students and alumni hoping to pursue a career in journalism after Duke. This Thursday, Oct 7 at 8pm, Farrell will be in conversation with her co-author Eliot Brown about their recently published book, “The Cult of We: WeWork, Adam Neumann, and the Great Startup Delusion.”

In this interview with the alumni network DukeJournos, alumna Kristen Bellstrom shares how she has navigated her career path in print media since her graduation from Duke in 1998. “Journalism has changed a lot since I got my first reporter job and I’m doing my best to change with it,” she says.

In this interview with the Duke Entertainment, Media & Arts Network (DEMAN), Peyton Dilweg ’18 shares how her undergraduate experiences helped her launch her acting and modeling careers. “My post-Duke takeaways entailed learning to take bold risks and going hard after something—even, and especially, at the risk of failure,” she says.

In this interview for the Duke Entertainment, Media, and Arts Network (DEMAN), Nathaniel Hill ‘12 shares advice for students interested in the business of Broadway. This Thursday, September 23 at 8pm, Hill will virtually be in conversation with two alumni directors helping lead the return of Broadway: Charles Randolph-Wright ’78 and Danya Taymor ’10.

In this interview for the Duke Entertainment, Media, and Arts Network (DEMAN), Jon Steinlauf ‘79 shares how his marketing classes at Duke gave way to his current position at Discovery Inc. “If you are lucky enough to find an industry you aspire to be in long term, try to find managers that will help you at good companies with products you believe in,” he says.

In this interview for the Duke Entertainment, Media, and Arts Network (DEMAN), Marina Poole ‘17, video editor at MasterClass, offers advice for students hoping to break into creative industries. “No matter how low on the ladder you are—and you will have to start there—bring your best attitude forth every day,” she shares.

In this interview for the Duke Entertainment, Media, and Arts Network (DEMAN), Tori Bilas ‘17, account manager at Jump Media, discusses her experience navigating different career paths before landing a job she loves in equestrian sports and shares advice for current Duke students.

In this interview for the Duke Entertainment, Media, and Arts Network (DEMAN), Laura Kirby ‘11 discusses how she used her experience as a child clinical psychologist to write a children's book. “My goal is to combine my passion for child development with my love of writing in order to write enjoyable books for kids,” she shares.

In this interview, Duke Performances Advisory Board members Geoff Brock '07 and Suzanne Stevens Brock discuss their relationship with the performing arts and their hopes for the future of the arts at Duke. “I don’t want Duke to only be known for its athletics or business or law programs; I want it to be known for everything,” shares Geoff.

In this interview with Duke Business Oriented Women, Natalie Shammas '18 discusses how she got her start in the tech industry at Google, manages working from home during the pandemic, and finds the motivation to continually improve her skillset.

After working in traditional newsrooms for the last four years, Elizabeth Djinis ‘16 recently founded Grafon Writing Company, which offers professional writing services in a boutique model. In this interview, Djinis offers valuable insight on the various roles she's held in media throughout her career.

In this interview, Daisy Jing ‘10, who founded and operates the skincare company Banish, shares how she forged her path in the beauty industry as an entrepreneur. “I think something a lot of Duke women struggle with is perfectionism,” Jing shares. “That was something I struggled with, and you have to learn how to be okay with not being perfect.”

Meet MFA EDA alum Danny Kim ‘18, who recently founded Docu+, a documentary company specializing in international productions and branded content. He shares how DEMAN helped him transition from Duke to LA and offers advice for students pursuing careers in film.

In this interview with the Duke Entertainment, Media & Arts Network (DEMAN), Lizzie Friedman ’91 shares how she created a career in film production after graduating from Duke. “My job is really simple: I make sure filmmakers and show-runners have everything they need to accomplish their creative goals,” she says.

Pearson discusses his journey into podcasting, shares insights on the industry, and sheds light on how his company has adapted to remote work during the pandemic.

In this interview, Nicole Sales ‘12 shares Duke resources that helped her land her first job post-graduation at the auction house Christie’s. On April 13, she will be in conversation with artist Carrie Able ’04 about their careers at the convergence of art and tech, including the explosion of NFTs.

In this interview with the alumni network DukeJournos, Jillian Apel ’18 shares advice for students hoping to pursue a career in the creative industries after graduation. “It's important to work hard, make connections, and create art, but also just as important to (try) not to compare yourself to others,” she says.

Actor Angela Zhou ‘14, whose credits include “Promising Young Woman” and “Hell on Wheels,” offers advice for students looking to break into entertainment. On April 7, Zhou will join a panel of fellow Duke Asian American alumni working in Hollywood for a conversation about their career paths and experiences.

Kelsey Wang, senior manager of finance at Reese Witherspoon's media brand Hello Sunshine, shares Duke experiences that helped her break into the media and entertainment industries. On March 24, she will be in conversation with fellow Hello Sunshine employees about the company's role in creating diversity in media.

Martavius Parrish ‘14, a teaching artist at the Lincoln Center for Performing Arts, discusses his experience of switching from a medical track to a Theater Studies major while at Duke. "I wound up performing in Ragtime during the Trayvon Martin tragedy and it changed my life. Amazing mentors and academic advisors. . . helped me emotionally, academically, and logistically shift gears from pre-med."

Jordan Zaslav ‘12, Senior Director of Strategy at Axios, shares Duke experiences that helped him secure a career in media and advises students to embrace exploration post-graduation.

Serges Himbaza ‘17, Managing Partner at POPULUS, shares how his Duke experience helped him prepare for his current profession, discusses the value of collaboration, and advises current Duke students to embrace the process of figuring out their ideal career.

Janvi Shah ‘15, MBA Candidate at Harvard Business School and former Product Manager at Google Photos, shares how her involvement in Duke Innovation & Entrepreneurship and major in neuroscience helped shape her career path.

Sophia Roth '22 shares her first original single written during the winter break contemplating what it means to be in a place during the pandemic.

In this interview, Melissa Beretta ‘18, Associate, Corporate Strategy and Development at NBCUniversal, shares her experience as a Duke student, discusses her professional transition from finance to media, and offers advice for students interested in pursuing careers in creative industries.

In this interview with Form Magazine, Laura Corey ‘08 discusses her work on a Metropolitan Museum of Art project called “Making The Met, 1870–2020,” an exhibition that marked the museum’s 150th anniversary. She also offers advice for students and alumni on navigating a museum career.

Chaz Hawkins ’17, screenwriter at Heroes and Villains Entertainment, discusses his transition into the film industry and offers advice for students interested in pursuing careers in creative industries.

Gary Yeh '17 is founder of ArtDrunk, which now has a weekly newsletter that aims to make it easy and fun to learn about contemporary art. We share his interview with the Duke student publication FORM Magazine.

Chapin discusses his career in broadcast journalism, shares insights on the industry, and offers advice to students looking to work in media.

On November 17, Full Frame will present a virtual screening of Rodrigo Dorfman’s 2011 documentary short One Night in Kernersville, which follows jazz bassist and Vice Provost for the Arts John Brown as he makes a big band recording in Kernersville, NC.

Christopher Scully-Thurston's No Conflick at the RAC is an audio triptych collage made only from sounds collected during evenings at the Rubenstein Arts Center, where Scully-Thurston works as a senior technician of venue and production management.

Seymour ruminates on her successful career as a magazine journalist, discusses her current project Covey Club, and shares advice for students looking to work in media.

Bill Fick shares his recent political prints, which you might also spot in and around Durham. Fick is assistant director of visual and studio arts for the Rubenstein Arts Center and lecturing fellow in the Department of Art, Art History and Visual Studies.

Three leaders of Duke's student-run record label, Small Town Records, learned how to innovate, adapt to digital platforms, and create new music opportunities during a pandemic summer. “I can assure you that we will have STR running in some capacity, helping to shape the culture at Duke, for as long as we can," says Ryan Briggs,'21.

After majoring in public policy and receiving a Fulbright-National Geographic Digital Storytelling Fellowship, Thakore is now an associate producer for Full Frontal with Samantha Bee.

Frasson-Nori graduated with degrees in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies and Arabic and a Certificate in Documentary Studies and was a Digital Communications Fellow at the Sanford School of Public Policy.

Meet Detavio Samuels, Duke '02 and the newest COO of Sean "Diddy" Combs' REVOLT TV, leading the way for social justice, journalism, and hip-hop.

Where can your passion in the arts take you at Duke? Meet rising junior Sarah Yu, who is busy developing her interests in illustration into a possible long-term career.

Tori Bilas '17, talks about her path from Duke to a job in equestrian sports—a field she loves—and shares advice for current Duke students.

Hard work, love of music, and generous mentors have taken 2020 Louis Sudler Prize winner Thandolwethu Mamba from a township in southern Africa to the opera stage at Duke and beyond.

Lisa Borders '79, CEO of LMB Group, LLC, Former President/CEO of Time's Up, and Former President of the WNBA, discusses her experience working as a senior executive and elected official as well as strategies she used at the forefront of organizations in the public, private and nonprofit sectors.

Nasher Museum Educator Ryan Helsel reacted to the global pandemic by creating online art projects for teachers and families stuck at home. “We need art to process the world in which we live,” Helsel said. “That will never go away. I see more awareness and appreciation of this need in the broader public already, which makes me hopeful for an increased awareness of the value of all sorts of arts and artists in the future.”

In this interview with Cassie Calvert (Trinity ’16), we learn how this former undergraduate followed her passion as a feature reporter for Duke Athletics to score a role as a Social Media Coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens.

In this interview with Deborah Grausman (Trinity ’02), we learn how this former undergraduate has navigated her passion to perform and sing through opportunities such as doing voice-overs for Sesame Street, performing in productions of Fiddler on the Roof, The Secret Garden and Peter Pan, and more!

In this interview with Matt Riley (Trinity ’18), we learn how this former undergraduate landed journalism roles from NBCUniversal to the Durham Herald-Sun to his current gig as a TruthBuzz Fellow at the International Center for Journalism.

In this interview with Duke FORM, Heidi Zak '00 describes how she has shifted the women's undergarment industry for the better through her company ThirdLove.

Meet Duke senior Naomi Lilly before she launches NAL-Nay Lilly, a networking platform for diverse creative talent in this student-to-student interview.

Since 2006, the student group ArtsConnect has partnered with the Emily K Center to bring arts activities to elementary school children. Joyce Huang, an ArtsConnect member, interviews the group's co-founder Eric Oberstein of Duke Performances.

In this student-to-student interview, a Duke senior and pre-med major shares his journey from the classroom to joining 9th Wonder's team at Jamla Records.

In this interview with Ashley Alman (Trinity ’13), we learn how this former undergraduate navigated experiences from INDY Week to the Huffington Post to her current gig as Creative Marketing Manager at Netflix all while following her passion of utilizing media to share stories to the masses.

Connecting with new people can seem tough—but it doesnʼt have to be! With the tips below from DEMAN 2019 panelist Angela Silak ’09 of Hollywood Resumes, you can make your experiences before, during, and after DEMAN Weekend (Nov. 1–2, 2019) fun, meaningful, and productive.

Meet DukeJournos member and DEMAN Weekend 2019 panelist David A. Graham '09, staff writer at The Atlantic.

In this interview with Kay Young (B.S.E.'84, M.D.'90), we learn what inspired her to fund grants to support creative projects engaging scientific ideas.

Vonnie Quest is an interdisciplinary documentary artist from Milwaukee, WI, whose work weaves together family history, Afro-surrealism, and speculative fiction. As Vonnie seeks to piece together details of his grandmother’s life while in residence at the Power Plant Gallery, he is also reimaging new memories and alternative futures.

In her month-long residency at Duke in the Rubenstein Arts Center, puppeteer Marina Tsaplina created and performed a deeply researched piece of theater exploring human imperfection and the life-denying eugenics impulse.

A fresh-minded PhD in musicology from Duke, Mosley is a bassoonist and pioneer among the new generation of scholars who have made social media an intrinsic part of their academic sphere.

Evan Morgan (T'19) has been awarded the 2019 Louis Sudler Prize, given to an outstanding senior in the creative and performing arts at Duke. Read on to learn more about Evan and his creative process.

In this interview with Reilly Johnson (Trinity ’19), we learn how this Program II student’s love of costuming and textiles grew into an extensive senior research exhibition in the Ruby.

Meet the undergrad Creative Arts Student Team (CAST) members of Duke Arts! CASTs fulfill a variety of roles, from offering tours of the Ruby to operating Duke Arts social media accounts. Applications for CASTs '19-20 are now open.

Living Invisible is a multimedia project exploring what it is like to live with a chronic—but invisible—illness at Duke. Alexandra Bateman (T' 19) discusses her senior capstone project, which is on view in the Ruby through May 12.

When Pedro Lasch's massive sculptural project for Mexico City's main square hit a dead end, he thought that was the end of the story. Twenty years later, Lasch used the Ruby makerspace to create a smaller architectural model of what he once envisioned for that project. Read on to learn his take on this experience and to hear his thoughts on the arts at Duke.

Florian is the managing director of the American Ballet Theatre Studio Company.

Having a strong mentor is a key part of personal and professional development—no matter your field. StudioDuke forges mentorships through one-on-one connections with professionals who have attained distinction in their creative fields.

Learn more about the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival from Artistic Director Sadie Tillery. Tillery shares her inside perspective on what sets this festival apart, while reflecting on the art form: "Documentary is helpful for keeping my eyes wide and trying to understand the people and world around me. Even when it is hard, it also feels essential."

Students sat down with alumni Detavio Samuels (T'02, Urban One Media) and Amanda Lewellyn (T'17, theSkimm) at a recent DEMAN & Donuts. "I would say continually challenge yourself and problem solve your way to making your dreams and ideas a reality," shared Lewellyn. Read on for more creative career insights.

Sujal Manohar (Class of 2020) is a double-major in neuroscience and visual arts. An exhibit of her drawings in the Wellness Center Art Gallery proves the two fields are not as far apart as one might think.

Discover the story behind one of the newest pieces of art on Duke’s campus—a traffic box transformed with color by the Nasher Museum of Art, born out of a collaboration between the City of Durham and a Fall 2018 Duke course. "I discovered that the explorer John Lawson dubbed Durham “the flower of the Carolinas,” says artist Britt Flood.

Chuck Catotti retires from Duke University this week after a year as director of the Rubenstein Arts Center and after 33 years in theater and box office management for venues across campus.

Before we close out 2018, Duke Arts takes a moment to look back at a year of growth, creativity, and diversity in the arts across our community.

Virtual reality is often associated with gaming and entertainment. In this piece, Mark Steelman, the president of Duke's VR club, talks about the limitless possibilities that virtual reality offers—including in the arts.

Meet Durham-born artist and Duke Visiting Instructor Stephen Hayes in this "People of Duke Arts" interview.  "My number one goal is to wow my audience and to have meaning behind it—to have people relate to my work or even just start a conversation," explains Hayes.

Nimmi Ramanujam once envisioned life as a musician but found her purpose in engineering.

Brittany Halberstadt (Class of 2019) shares her journey from becoming a production assistant for The Lion King as a first-year student to a Broadway League intern and a Tony Awards seat filler this past summer.

Meet Kelsey Graywill (Class of 2018), former president of duARTS and a leader in growing the student arts community at Duke. This summer Duke University Union endowed an award in her name: the Graywill Award for Arts Leadership & Service.

As a young man, Sönke Johnsen was an avid photographer who drew and painted, danced like crazy, and did some writing and set design on the side. Then he found that his true artistic calling—biology.

During his #PPGArtists residency this summer, Durham-based painter Anthony Patterson is documenting black lives entangled in a system that's "set up for you to fail."

Anthropologist+Dancer Anne-Maria Makhulu debuts our Arts+ series on faculty who began their careers—and foundational training—in the arts.

A six-week residency at the Power Plant gallery allows Durham artist Rachel Goodwin to think big while inviting the public to follow along with her work in baubles, beads, and hanging trees.

A student-to-student interview with Jeainny Kim, recipient of the Sudler Prize and the Mary Duke Biddle Foundation Award at this year's Arts Awards.

Duke Performances launched its two-year Hip-Hop Initiative with a dance residency by Rennie Harris Puremovement.