When the Tony Awards ceremony highlighted the year’s best work in the theater on Sunday, a Duke alumna walked away with one of the most prestigious awards.

We recently spoke with Marika Niko, our outgoing Duke Arts Administrative Fellow for the 2023-24 academic year, who shared about their experience in the year-long role. Marika has been invaluable to the Duke Arts team and will be missed! If you’re interested in this opportunity, applications are now open for the 2024-25 Duke Arts Administrative Fellowship.

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!

This past September, Cantar, by Cuban-American drummer, composer, and bandleader, Dafnis Prieto, was released, by two Duke alumni: Eric Oberstein (T '07) and Harsha Murthy (T '81).

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.

Cherranda Smith ‘15 shares how her current job at iHeartRadio's Black Information Network allows her to meaningfully explore her interests in both social work and digital media. “I have an awesome opportunity to integrate my social work skills with writing — an activity that used to just be a hobby/calling for me,” she says.

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 Duke Arts, Jess Chen ’20 reflects on her experience as a two-time Benenson Award in the Arts recipient and offers advice to students applying for the award. “My two summer experiences were very different, but that’s the advantage of the Benenson: it is an extremely open-ended grant,” she 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 Duke Arts, Sophie Caplin ’18 reflects on her experience as a Benenson Award in the Arts recipient and offers advice to students applying for the award. “[The Benenson] fueled my fire for performance, and it gave me motivation to work hard,” she shares.

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.

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.

Three Duke alumnae share how they split their time at Duke between rigorous science courses and a steadfast passion for dance. “When I got to college, it wasn’t really a question of whether or not I would continue to dance as I pursued a career in medicine,” Gabby Cooper '20 said. “It was how I could make both of them work.”

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.

Yng-Ru Chen ’01, owner of Praise Shadows Art Gallery in Boston, MA, is presenting an exclusive virtual preview of the new exhibition, “Memento Mori,” on March 11. Ahead of the event, Chen connected with her former professor, Gennifer Weisenfeld, to reflect on their initial meeting at Duke and Chen's journey into the art world.

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.

Fifty years after its conception, late photographer William Gedney’s “A Time of Youth” has been published by Duke University Press in conjunction with the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library. Lisa McCarty ‘13, an alumna of Duke University’s MFA in Experimental and Documentary Arts, edited the book.

Maya Robinson ‘11 reflects on her newsroom’s shift to remote work last March due to the pandemic, necessitating a reimagining of how photography is created. She also shares how her Duke Visual Studies degree taught her the power of photography and critical thinking.

La Colombe Contemporary Glasswork is a homegrown fused glass studio born out of the pandemic. We catch up with Alex Sanchez Bressler '18, formerly arts administration fellow for Duke Arts, to learn about this family business.

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.

Clay Sanders, who received a PhD in civil engineering from Duke in 2020, currently has a painting depicting a dance rehearsal on display in the Rubenstein Arts Center. He shares how making art has helped his career as an engineer and provided him with an outlet during difficult times.

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.

Courtney Liu '13, MFA in Dance '21, shares "Blurring the Lines" created with undergraduate students in Intermediate Ballet. "Creative projects are still being made and it is more important than ever to share, engage with, and celebrate each other's work," shares Emma Geiger, MFA EDA '22, who collaborated on filming and editing.

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.

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.

Christine Doeg '87 shares the documentary film she produced called One Vote. This film captures the compelling stories of diverse Americans on Election Day 2016.

Duke Performances Advisory Board Chair and Duke alumnus Ari Redbord reflects on the importance of the arts, particularly the impact and importance of the performing arts in this moment.

Dave Heaton '89 and Lucy Heaton discuss the connection between the arts, lifelong wellness, and how arts expand students' potential beyond the classroom.

Robinson channelled his academic focus on environmental science and documentary studies into a film, “Louisiana’s Missing Coast”—it’s now a 2020 Student Academy Awards Finalist.

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.

Alexandra Bailliere '92 reflects on the growth of arts at Duke over the past 30 years and shares a piece created during the coronavirus crisis.

Amir Williams '18 shares her multimedia project "capturing the musical ensemble of the current protests and fight for lasting change" titled "with stringed instruments."

Corey Pilson '20 shares his photography series with the Duke Arts community to invite us "to see black men in a new light."

Katherine Jennings '84 shares oil paintings of downtown Durham created while contemplating the future of urban landscapes and profound change in city life due to the coronavirus crisis.

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.

Todd Bashore '94 shares a multitrack solo performance of his transcription of Take 6's "A Quiet Place" as part of our call for "Art and Artists are Essential" collection and invitation.

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.

Inspired by her travels around the world, Fuqua School of Business at Duke alumnus Inesa Preciado shares fine art landscape paintings she has created as a way to find escape and comfort in art during the coronavirus crisis.

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.

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.

Students and alumni reflect on their experiences at the 10th Annual Duke Entertainment, Media & Arts Network (DEMAN) Weekend on November 1–2, 2019.

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.

This traveling photography exhibition is about the storied, charged, and enduring place that we call the South, and is presented by the Power Plant Gallery and Forum for Scholars and Publics at Duke University, in collaboration with the Gregg Museum of Art & Design, NC State.

DEMAN Weekend Keynote Speaker Robb Chavis, T'98, speaks toward the decisions he made to switch from life as a lawyer to working as a TV writer for the series "black-ish".

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.

Jacob Tobia (T '14) is a writer, producer, and author of the forthcoming memoir, Sissy: A Coming-of-Gender Story. Read their interview with DukeJournos, the Duke alumni journalist network.

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

Professor Beverly McIver’s introductory painting class took on a special commission this spring for Durham's Cucciolo restaurant.

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.