Over the past three years, DUU has become an organization that feels like home to me. Whether sitting in a knitting workshop or singing along to Swae Lee on Abele Quad, there is a special magic that surrounds our organization and everyone who is impacted by our work. Thanks to DUU, I have found a multitude of people and places on campus who love and support me endlessly, and I have been able to grow into the person I am today. I’ve learned so many important leadership lessons and met individuals I look up to and strive to make proud each and every day. When looking at my Duke experience so far, It is my favorite thing in the world to give that joy to others when they attend our events or consume the media projects we work so hard on, and I cannot wait to give that one more go for my senior year.

Looking back on this year, it was truly an incredible success and innovation was really at the forefront of a lot of our work. From tackling our first iteration of the Welcome Back Bash as a team to individual committee first-time events like the LDOC Winter Wonderland or Freewater Presentations’ ”Meet Me at the Movies” Valentine’s event, it was great to see our members really lean into their creativity and be met with such resounding excitement from the Duke community. One of my favorite things about DUU is the platform it provides for students to enact their wildest dreams for our campus, and it’s something I hope to continue to encourage next year. A big dream of mine that came to fruition this year was the DUU Durham committee, our 18th committee, which will have its debut this fall. This push was inspired by the work of two of our previous EVPs and me, who really wanted to encourage Duke students to engage with Durham. I’m excited to see where this new venture will lead!

Continuing to think about the upcoming year, I’m ecstatic to work alongside the incoming Executive Vice President, Jaden Rodriguez, to continue cultivating a community that looks like home for students on campus, both within and outside our organization. I want to show up for our community and ensure that we provide committees the opportunities they need to feel like they belong to something bigger than themselves. Amidst the latter half of DUU’s 70th Anniversary, this becomes especially important as we work to highlight the history of our organization, while looking towards the future and all of the great things to come. I’m so excited to step into the role of DUU president for this year. It is the perfect love letter to an organization that I credit for so much of my Duke experience, and I cannot wait to see all we accomplish!

Best,
Kaitlyn Williams, 2025-2026 Duke University Union President