Duke’s 100th class is a ‘talented and diverse’ collection

Guttentag gave a shoutout to freshmen from Alaska, Montana, North and South Dakota, and Wyoming, who made it possible for Duke to reach the 50-state mark for the first time in years. He also recognized the students who took a gap year before coming to Duke to experience the world, whether they studied robotics in Japan, made a docuseries about shark conservation in Uruguay, or climbed to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro.

Curran Little-Jensen, an engineering student from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, said he chose Duke because “it felt like the right size, the campus was amazing, and the people were so nice. It just felt right.”

President Vincent Price reminded the class of 2028 of the university’s rich history and past traditions and told them that Duke’s second century “is now in your hands, and in the hands of your classmates.”

Price also encouraged students to seek out new ideas and challenges, and offered advice on how to remain open-minded when dealing with others with differing opinions.

“Bringing you together and creating circumstances where you can learn together, challenge each other, trust each other to speak honestly and listen attentively, and consider the possibility that maybe, just maybe, you’re wrong — that’s Duke’s gift to each of you,” he said. (Read the full text on the president’s website.)

Heather Raslan, president of the Duke Student Government and a senior, urged students to take advantage of the “limitless opportunities,” even if certain experiences were outside their comfort zone.

“Invest in yourself, even when it leads to setbacks, say yes to the unexpected, and stay engaged in the endless opportunities for connection on this campus,” Raslan told them. “Put your name behind work that is a product of your life’s experience and knowledge, not because it’s easy, but because no one else can do it.”

After the speeches and the students’ first singing of Duke’s alma mater, they left Cameron to enjoy frozen treats and chat with administrators and President Price.

Hannon Stern from Connecticut and Pia Visaria from New Jersey enjoyed the day’s events.

“I felt the community, it was nice to be with the whole freshman class. It was a nice introduction to Duke,” Stern said.

Visaria added, “It was a great way to end the week before classes start tomorrow when the faculty and president welcomed us to Duke.”

Nearby, a group of international students gathered for a group photo. Iman Gadzhikulieva, a student from Russia, plans to study biology at Duke. She said she came to Duke for the research opportunities and the close relationships between faculty and students.

“I love the balance between studying and socializing here, that’s a big thing at Duke, not just studying but also having fun and living the life of a student. I love this campus, it’s amazing.”