Pandemic Lessons from Duke’s Class of 2024

Staff members share what they learned from watching students navigate unprecedented challenges of the pandemic era

Chalk numbers in front of Duke Chapel.
Duke staff members create a chalk message in front of Duke University Chapel to welcome first-year students to campus in August of 2020. Photo courtesy of University Marketing & Communications.

In August of 2020, when Carmel Falek and the rest of the class of 2024 arrived at Duke, they found a campus quieted by the COVID pandemic. Masking was mandatory, social distancing protocols were in place, and upon arrival, they were tested for the virus.

As she settled into her single room in Pegram Residence Hall, Falek was unsure about what kind of Duke experience she’d get. But she and her classmates were, at least, here.

“The whole point of the first few weeks of college is to get to know as many people as you can and find the community that clicks with you,” Falek said. “For us, trying to get to know people meant you would probably increase infection rates.”

In a few days, as Duke celebrates commencement, Falek will graduate with a degree in Neuroscience. While her Duke journey began with immense uncertainty, she finishes it with deep friendships and indelible memories, such as tenting in Kzyzewskiville and researching how young brains work with the Duke Identity and Diversity Lab.

Carmel Falek moves into her room in Pegram Residence Hall in August 2020. Photo courtesy of Carmel Falek.

By meeting the challenge of staying safe, her class kept in-person learning going at Duke throughout the pandemic.

And by embracing the opportunity to live and learn together, the class of 2024 helped restore the youthful, ambitious spirit of campus.

“COVID really did teach us to savor every moment that we have because it’s not guaranteed,” Falek said.

As the class of 2024 navigated unprecedented challenges while at Duke, there were many staff and faculty members who saw the journey unfold.

Watching students go from the tense days of the pandemic to the full Duke experience many had left an impression on these Duke community members, too.

We caught up with a few staff members who got an up-close look at the journey to hear what lessons they learned from the class of 2024.

Pulling Together

Students wait in line for COVID tests in August of 2020. Photo courtesy of University Marketing & Communications.
Duke Student Health Medical Director Hunter Spotts played a central role in keeping Duke's students safe during the pandemic. Photo courtesy of Hunter Spotts.

Duke Student Health Medical Director Hunter Spotts got his first look at Duke’s class of 2024 from behind a face shield as he conducted COVID tests during student move-in.

A few years later, many members of the class visited his clinic in the Student Wellness Center to get vaccinations for trips to study abroad.

Spotts’ most meaningful memories of the class of 2024 included asymptomatic students requesting COVID tests to avoid unknowingly endangering others and students delivering meals to classmates who were in isolation.

“You saw how the students really care about each other,” Spotts said. “You hear about how there’s a certain spirit at Duke, a collaborative atmosphere. I think they reinforced that notion.”

Appreciating the Moments

Vice President of Duke Student Affairs Mary Pat McMahon, center, and Trinity College of Arts & Sciences Dean Gary Bennett chat with a student during the fall of 2020. Photo courtesy of University Marketing & Communications.

Whether they were dancing on Abele Quad during the electric move-in celebration in August 2021 or savoring the on-field celebration following a football victory against Clemson, Vice Provost and Vice President of Duke Student Affairs Mary Pat McMahon said she’s found a special thrill in watching students in the class of 2024 savor big moments.

McMahon said she’s often encountered a certain kind of reflectiveness in members of the class. The knowledge of what they missed early in their college careers – as well as at the end of their time in high school – left them especially appreciative for the experiences they do get.

“They remind all of us that things can change overnight, so it’s important to live with more intentionality and purpose,” McMahon said.

Embracing Where You Are

Assistant Vice President for the Dean of Students Office Clay Adams helps first-year students during move-in in August 2020. Photo courtesy of University Marketing & Communications.

Clay Adams, Assistant Vice President for the Dean of Students, recalls how students still found ways to build community in the fall of 2020. He remembers seeing small groups of students eating together outdoors at safe distances, or sharing conversations from under masks. It wasn’t the campus experience they’d planned for, but Adams felt most students were still grateful to simply be on campus.

“You may picture something in your mind and the reality doesn’t necessarily match it, in this case, because you’re in the middle of a global pandemic,” Adams said. “But having the ability to embrace the situation you are in, and make the best of it, can lead to some cool things.”

Committed to Community

Masked students walk on West Campus during the 2020 fall semester. Photo courtesy of University Marketing & Communications.
Dean for Residence Life Deb LoBiondo was inspired by the sense of community first-year students created in 2020. Photo courtesy of Deb LoBiondo.

In the fall of 2020, Duke Dean for Residence Life Deb LoBiondo remembers students diligently keeping up with masking and distancing rules, surveillance testing schedules and symptom-tracking smart phone apps. LoBiondo felt that, despite the safety protocols, the class of 2024 was building its campus community, and the members didn’t want to see it erased by a semester-halting COVID outbreak.

“People need to be in community with one another, they need to feel like they belong,” LoBiondo said. “Even though they were somewhat isolated, I think students still felt like they belonged and that someone cared about them. As we move forward, we need to remember that having a sense of community and a sense of belonging is important.”

Embracing Help

First-year students get to know one another on East Campus during the early days of the fall semester of 2020. Photo courtesy of University Marketing & Communications.
Mary Lou Williams Center for Black Culture Director Stacia Solomon has seen members of the class of 2024 show uncommon empathy for one another. Photo courtesy of Stacia Solomon.

Mary Lou Williams Center for Black Culture Director Stacia Solomon said that she’s noticed many members of the class of 2024 seem to possess an increased amount of compassion, not just for one another, but for themselves, too. She said they’ve been through so much, at such a pivotal time, that getting help for mental well-being has become common.

“I am appreciative of them being more aware of who they are and seeking out the support that they need, especially as it relates to mental health and well-being,” Solomon said. “I’m not sure another class has normalized it as much as this class has and that’s a good thing.”

Staying Positive

Students wear masks during in-person classes in August 2020. Photo courtesy of University Marketing & Communications.
Senior Director of Venue and Production Management Marcy Edenfield oversaw the system for quarantining students in 2020. Photo courtesy of Marcy Edenfield.

In 2020, Senior Director of Venue and Production Management Marcy Edenfield was redeployed to oversee the system which quarantined COVID-positive students in hotels near campus.

While the work was hard and could be emotionally draining, Edenfield remembers some lighter moments from some of the Duke students who humorously documented their isolation experience via TikTok.

“If you can be patient and step back and not just see the worst in everything and try to tease out more than what’s just in front of you, you can get through a lot.” Edenfield said.

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