Farewell To An Amazing Professor

My Duke pride is pretty obvious. I'm quick to tell you about Coach K, the Duke Gardens, my amazing friends.

But I don't always tell people about what it was like to be in a classroom in Durham.

As I put on my Blue Devils hat to get ready for the final four, I learned very sad news. It was from a simple facebook post by a friend: RIP Susan Tifft.

Dr. Tifft was one of my favorite teachers at school. I had her for two semesters. I liked her so much, she became my Public Policy Studies advisor.

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Before taking her class, I was intimitated. She was the real deal. Dr. Tifft had worked at Time magazine for years. She and her husband had co-authored a pair of books. Both were about media ownership.

That's what she taught. How the changing face of journalism, and media ownership, would impact the content of what was covered.
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First of all, I remember hearing that she wasn't an easy "A." I took that as a challenge. Secondly, I heard that she made her students read the NY Times every day and would periodically quiz you on the day's events.

I was afraid she'd see right through me.

I thought I was a fraud and she'd call me out on it.
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The opposite happened. I remember Dr. Tifft challenged me. But, for some odd reason, she really liked me. When I made points in class (I'm a serial hand-raiser), she engaged them and made me think they were worthy contributions.

I remember writing a paper about the "Pentagon Papers" in her class and getting an "A." That was a really big deal to me.
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When I graduated, I remember telling her I was working in broadcast journalism, and her saying that she was really proud of me. She told me she wanted me to come back to speak to her class.

This year, the University of Miami football team plays AT Duke. I was thinking of going. I thought, maybe I could visit Dr. Tifft's class on the Friday I was up there.

Of course, I hadn't contacted her. This was just an idea that was floating in my head.
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So in her New York Times obituary, it said that she's been battling ovarian cancer for two years. But, to cope, she had started a blog. Of course she had.

She was a tremendous writer and thinker.
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When you're in journalism (or writing of any kind), one of the toughest feelings to deal with is that you're a fraud. I think about it a lot. What gives me the right to do what I'm doing? I often would think of Dr. Tifft. She was legit. And she really liked me. That gave me credibility in my mind. Isn't that a great gift from a teacher?

She cared deeply about doing journalism the right way. Not being impacted by outside forces. Telling a good story and doing it well.

I aspire to that every day.

Dr. Tifft helped me believe I can do it.

I'll miss her.

Coach K isn't the only Dukie I hold close in my heart.