Susan Dudley Stout, B.A. 1992

Arlington County Virginia Attorney’s Office

1992 Major: History

How has being a History graduate from Duke helped shape you personally and/or professionally?

"My history major was the cornerstone of my liberal arts education. I learned how to think, how to write and express myself clearly, how to be curious, how to look at issues from many angles, how to walk in the shoes of others. This has enriched my life and relationships across the board and prepared me well for my eventual success in law school, although I did not have that in mind when I was at Duke."

What advice would you give students in Duke's History programs? 

"Don’t worry about what comes next. Take the courses that interest and challenge you most. Take seminars, and get to know your professors and classmates well. Engage. Listen. You will learn more from your mentors and peers than from any book or particular course of study."

Susan Dudley Stout