Duke English - "Armstrong Graduate Suite"
For years, Duke English graduate students sought a department space exclusively for their use. Nancy Armstrong, Gilbert, Louis, and Edward Lehrman Distinguished Professor Emerita of English, and Former Associate Director of Graduate Studies, understood this need, since the department’s lounge (Allen 328) is a busy, public area often full of distractions. She agreed that students needed a quieter, private space, but no extra room was initially available. However, when Professor Armstrong retired and the journal office of “Novel, A Forum on Fiction” returned to Brown University, she jumped at the opportunity to address this need for the graduate students. She proposed transforming the vacated area that had once housed both offices into a suite that would meet the needs of graduate students. With approval from Duke English Chair Charlotte Sussman and then Director of Graduate Studies Kathy Psomiades, the department reconfigured the space and dedicated the Armstrong Graduate Suite in 2023.
The area now features mailboxes for each graduate student, a conference meeting area, a printer, a private inner office, and a professional library with books primarily donated by Professor Armstrong and retired Duke English Professor Emeritus of English and Former Department Chair Len Tennenhouse. In fall 2022, English Department staff members—then business manager Catherine Beaver (now retired), staff assistant Lisa Olds, and Sandy Marks Valdes, then Assistant to the Director of Graduate Studies—teamed with Yeonwoo Koo (English PhD Candidate) to organize the library and transition the space into a welcoming environment for Duke English graduate students.
When Professors Armstrong and Tennenhouse retired, they asked me to help move and organize their books into the new Armstrong Graduate Suite. What began as a practical task quickly became a reflection on their collections. Each decision about which books to keep prompted stories about books central to their work, gifts from colleagues, and titles relevant to different projects.
The process offered a new perspective on both scholars. I learned about another side of them, seeing how they arranged their personal libraries. I sought to reconstruct initial memories from Nancy and Len’s collections and to envision the role these books would play in their new home. The suite has become a living archive shaped by their work and generosity. - Yeonwoo Koo, English PhD Candidate
On January 20, 2023, the department celebrated the official opening of the Armstrong Graduate Suite with a ribbon-cutting, dedication, and a reception.
Since the suite’s dedication, English graduate students have found it invaluable as a space for work, meetings, community-building, and other practical needs. The following testimonials illustrate its impact:
Having a graduate student-specific space for office hours and meetings has been a real help. It allows one-on-one relationships with students and maintains privacy, which isn’t possible in public spaces like the Perk. It also provides a place to eat, connect with colleagues, store heavy books, or rest during busy days. Having a home base in Allen, close to professors and administrative staff, makes teaching, research, and classes much easier. Joelle Troiano, Duke English PhD Candidate
We are all very grateful to have the graduate suite as a space to gather over coffee, lunch, and last-minute readings. I've also conducted several interviews, given virtual conference presentations, held office hours and take stock of the coffee and tea setup in the lounge, my students often remark that I have one of the best offices in Allen! - Elizabeth Apple, Duke English PhD Candidate
The Armstrong Suite is important to my experience as a graduate student at Duke. It provides a space to work and fosters a sense of community, helping us connect despite varied schedules. The suite is an invaluable part of my graduate life. It's hard to imagine Duke without it! - Spencer George, Duke English PhD Candidate
For each course I’ve taught, I’ve held weekly office hours and paper conferences in the Nancy Armstrong Graduate Suite. The quiet, accessible inner office allows me to support students as they develop paper ideas, ask course questions, or continue class discussions. I also use the Graduate Suite library to find texts for exams, lesson plans, or new research. Most of all, I value how the suite supports the graduate student community. On any day, you might see students from all years. Especially since completing coursework, the suite has been a great place to meet new students or reconnect with friends. - Katherine Carithers, Duke English PhD Candidate
Duke English alumni have also reflected on how the suite impacted their PhD experience, emphasizing the ways it fostered both productivity and community:
Reflecting on his time as a graduate student, Hunter Augeri, ‘25, Duke English PhD, shared: "I enjoyed using the grad suite as a quiet place to work; it also became a hub for interaction with fellow students. After exams, when I wasn't seeing people as frequently, the suite offered an informal space to catch up, share experiences, and discuss the PhD journey. Sometimes, even routine items like a shared printer or refrigerator created opportunities to reconnect with classmates. Although I only used it in my last year in Durham and during occasional visits, I consider it a valuable resource and hope it continues to serve future students as a grad lounge."
Another Duke English PhD candidate, Hannah Jorgensen ’25, reflected: "Graduate school in the later years can be lonely, especially during dissertation writing. Having a dedicated space for graduate students made it easy to reconnect with others. Friends dropped by between classes or before meetings, so I had many conversations in the Armstrong Grad Suite. It was a welcoming place to meet our undergraduate students, too."
