New Devils 2027: Clare Meehan
With her knees clasping a West African drum, Clare Meehan sat in a circle with 50 of her fellow first-year students. She listened intently as drum circle coordinator David Ntim asked the students to take the rings off their fingers before beginning a 30-minute session with a series of call and response rhythms that he called 鈥渄rum talk.鈥
The simple rhythms boomed throughout the Duke Student Wellness Center as the new students played in unison.
Meehan鈥檚 approach to playing her drum for the first time reflects her quiet, thoughtful and deliberative manner. She鈥檚 given to saying, 鈥淟et me think about that,鈥 before answering a question.
It took her less than a minute to get a handle on the rhythms. Then a wide smile spread across her face like mid-afternoon sunshine heralding the bright promise of her new college career at Duke.
Meehan grew up on a vegetable farm in Saxapahaw, North Carolina. She wore a gray T-shirt with white letters that read, 鈥淲omen Change The World.鈥
When it comes to Meehan, who is a , the T-shirt should have more aptly proclaimed 鈥淲orlds.鈥
Meehan plans to major in physics and is already involved in the field of cosmology, a branch of physics and metaphysics that studies the origins and development of the universe.
Loves all things physics | Saxapahaw, NC
Studying: physics
Why Duke: I knew that Duke was the university for me because it has such stellar academics and a great physics program.
Looking forward to: working with the cosmology group
Little known fact about me: coaches special olympics in cycling events
Prior to arriving at Duke, Meehan said she participated in a cosmology research program with the university鈥檚 physics department.
鈥淭hat was really great,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 loved being on campus. I loved鈥he vibes. It just felt really good. And so, I decided to apply and later come here along those lines. I think I knew that Duke was the university for me because it has, like, such stellar academics. It has a great physics program.鈥
After two weeks of classes, Meehan knew she had made the right decision.
鈥淚 really like my professors,鈥 she said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e all really, really good. They鈥檙e great at explaining things. I like my schedule. It鈥檚 kind of like flexible on the days that I want it to be, which is nice. And my classes are very enjoyable. The material is very interesting. We really go in-depth into a lot of subjects and it鈥檚 pretty cool.鈥
Meehan grew up on a farm 鈥 鈥淭urtle Run鈥 鈥 in southern Alamance County, about 35 miles from Duke. Growing up, she says she was 鈥渧ery into physics鈥 and that her family grew 鈥渢he sweetest red peppers in all of North Carolina.鈥
Few of her fellow students have ever heard of Saxapahaw, her hometown, even though it鈥檚 close by.
鈥淥f course, they鈥檙e like, 鈥業 have no idea,鈥欌 she said.
Meehan said vegetable farms like the one that nurtured her generally have a later start to the workday than farms with animals.
Meehan takes notes in the 鈥淔undamentals of Physics鈥 class.
鈥淭he only early times are during the summer, especially getting ready for the farmers market.鈥
The big difference so far between growing up on a farm and attending Duke?
鈥淚鈥檇 say honestly, the biggest difference is that there are so many walkways that are not dirt here,鈥 she said.
Meehan is in the FOCUS program, a semester-long initiative that exposes students to disciplines across the humanities, along with social and natural sciences to nurture the participants鈥 intellectual curiosity and zeal for academic adventure.
Meehan also participated in Project Wellness, a week-long orientation that focuses on wellness and wellbeing during her undergraduate years.
鈥淚 really like a lot of the activities that we鈥檙e planning on happening in wellness,鈥 Meehan said. 鈥淚 really like yoga and meditation; it just seems nice. It seemed like a good kind of relaxing way to start the semester.鈥
Meehan participates in an activity with fellow first-years as a part of the Project Wellness experiential orientation program, designed to promote mental and physical wellness.
Movin鈥 In
On August 19, Clare and her family were among the students and parents in the early morning pageantry that has come to define first-year move-in day at 老牛影视鈥檚 East Campus.
The sport utility vehicle Meehan was riding in pulled alongside the curb in the rear of the Brown residence hall. She hopped out holding two flowerpots that contained succulents.
Meehan remembers the day the letter from Duke arrived accepting her to the university. She saw the word 鈥渃ongratulations鈥 and leaped into the air.
鈥淪urreal is definitely a good word to describe it,鈥 she said about her first two weeks on campus. 鈥淟ike, I can鈥檛 quite believe I鈥檓 actually here. And yet, it also feels so familiar. I鈥檝e been really enjoying my classes, but it鈥檚 also like, 鈥極h my goodness, I鈥檓 going to class.鈥欌
Meehan sat near the front of physics class during a sunny late morning at the Pratt School of Engineering, where a professor explained one of Sir Isaac Newton鈥檚 laws. She listened intently and used different colored pens to highlight her notes.
Meehan says she doesn鈥檛 want to 鈥渃hange the world,鈥 after receiving a Duke education.
Meehan sits on the bench outside of Brown residence hall.
鈥淏ut I would like to further the field,鈥 she said.
Given Meehan鈥檚 passion for cosmology, she may well change how we look at the universe.
This is the third in a series of stories following members of the Class of 2027 during their experience at Duke.