September 24, 2014 by Duke Chronicle

Soccer Falls After Slow Start

Nursing Adds Women’s Health

Inconsistency may have caused the men’s soccer team to fall 2-1 to UNC Wilmington Tuesday | Page 4

Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner major allows students to specialize in women’s health | Page 2

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2014

ONE HUNDRED AND TENTH YEAR, ISSUE 22

Today, we remember the lives of two Duke students who passed away Sunday.

Alexander Rickabaugh

Kaila Brown Fifth-year graduate student remembered by loved ones for her passion for learning Rachel Chason University Editor

Photo Courtesy of Chris Jernigan At Monday night’s gathering, friends fondly remembered an afternoon of sledding with Alexander Rickabaugh (third from right) outside of his freshman dormitory, Jarvis residence hall.

Pratt sophomore treasured by friends and family for kind heart and infectious passion Ryan Zhang Special Projects Editor When asked to describe Alexander Rickabaugh, even his closest friends are unable to explain just what it was that made him so unique. Rickabaugh, a sophomore in the Pratt School of Engineering, passed away Sunday. The medical examiner has not released a cause of death, but foul play is not suspected. Originally from WinstonSalem, N.C., Rickabaugh was a resident of Kilgo Quadrangle’s Avalon House and lived in Jarvis Residence Hall as a freshman. “Quiet and reserved” at some points and “bold and outgoing” at others, sometimes “extremely goofy” and sometimes “extremely serious,” Rickabaugh was known for living his life with a joy and passion that were contagious, said sophomore and close friend Ruby Watts. “Energy that you just don’t get from a lot of people” “Something that I will remember most about him is [his] love and passion,” said sophomore Chris Jernigan. “He would put 100 percent into anything he had a true passion about.” In a service held Monday evening, approximately 100 friends and classmates gathered to share their memories of Rickabaugh and his “energy that you just don’t get from a lot of people.” A number of Rickabaugh’s high school classmates

joined Duke students and administrators in a Kilgo commons room for the event. A common theme in many of the stories shared was Rickabaugh’s caring attitude toward others. Several students noted that Rickabaugh was always genuinely interested in how other people were doing without expecting anything in return, adding that little conversations with him were often enough to brighten their days. Rickabaugh began taking an EMT class this semester, and those who knew him said he wanted nothing more than to be able to help people. A bright student, Rickabaugh was also known for his poise in academic settings and his friendly, relaxed confidence when preparing for exams. “Everything he didn’t understand I would explain to him, and what I didn’t understand he would explain to me,” Watts said. “We would banter back and forth until we reached the ‘aha!’ moment and were so proud of ourselves.” The joy he brought Rickabaugh’s sense of humor was widely appreciated by his classmates. Friends noted that he was not a traditional class clown, but instead used his subtlety and quick wit to make people laugh. At several points during the service, the crowd broke out in laughter as particularly humorous stories were exchanged. “He was the guy that attentively listened to the conversation and would

See Rickabaugh on Page 3

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Kaila Brown touched those she met with her curiosity, honesty and compassion. Brown—a fifth-year graduate student in English—was described by those who knew her as a passionate scholar, dedicated teacher and caring friend. The cause of her death Sunday has not been determined, but foul play is not suspected. She was 27. The youngest of five children, Brown grew up in Apple Valley, Calif.—a small town in Southern California. Her father, John Brown, said that even as a child Kaila was always organized and “a stickler for doing things right.”

Photo Courtesy of Penni and John Brown Kaila Brown, a fifth-year graduate student, was “a pure, honest soul,” said Professor Ken Rogerson.

A scholar who “literally shone with passion” “What she really loved was Europe, and Her father said Brown loved learning and London in particular was her favorite,” he said. would read anything she could get her hands “Every chance she got, she was going someon. where new.” “She had an immense desire to accumulate Brown served for two summers as an asknowledge,” he said. “She sistant to Sarah Beckwith, always wanted to underprofessor of English and he had an immense stand how and why things theater studies, in the desire to accumulate worked the way they did.” Duke in London Summer Brown received her un- knowledge. She always Arts program. Beckwith dergraduate degree from remembered Brown for Brigham Young University wanted to understand how her “warmth” and “imin 2009 and spent the last and why things worked the mense compassion.” five years pursuing her way they did. Beckwith also noted Ph.D in English and LiteraBrown’s “great love of theture at Duke. — John Brown atre,” adding that she and She was expected to Brown went to the theatre complete her degree in Spring 2015. As a stu- every night for the six weeks they were in Londent, she was involved as an assistant director don. for the Center for Philosophy, Arts and Litera“I appreciated hugely her quickness of ture. mind, wit, wide and capacious reading and efHer dissertation advisor Toril Moi, James fervescent excitement about London literary B. Duke Professor of Literature and Romance life,” Beckwith wrote in an email Tuesday. “She Studies, described Brown as a “hugely talented was capable of great joy and hilarity.” thinker.” She was in the process of writing a dissertation that examined how recent Anglo- A “caring and generous friend” phone authors explore what it means to be Brown also touched those outside of the concerned by something and show concern classroom. Many close to her described her as for others. a kind and thoughtful friend. “Kaila was luminous,” Moi wrote in an Mindy Vawdrey Martins, Trinity ‘13, who email Tuesday. “She literally shone with pas- said she knew Brown best when she was a sion for literature and ideas. I am so sad the sophomore and Brown was a first-year graduworld will never see the works she could have ate student, described her as having a “genuwritten.” ine spirit.” “If she had something nice or positive to say, then she would say it,” Martins said. “If she An enthusiastic traveler John Brown said Duke’s opportunities for had a critique then she would also say it—but travel were one of the things she loved most See Brown on Page 3 about the school.

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