Duke University | Undergraduate Research Support Office

Laura Fravel, 2008 Trinity Deans' Fellow

Laura Fravel received a 2008 Trinity Deans’ Summer Fellowship for her proposal: The Foundation of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1870-1913. Her research was the basis for a senior thesis, and she was awarded Graduation with Distinction honor.  Offering a new interpretation of the Met's early history, Laura's paper is the product of original research in the Museum's archives.

Laura had previously received a Mary Duke Biddle Summer Internship in Museum Studies which provides financial support for students interested in museum careers to participate in summer internships at major art museums in the United States and abroad. She interned at Duke’s Nasher Museum and was engaged in collection research and special exhibition projects, including the fall exhibitions of “New at the Nasher,” and “Taste of the Modern: Rothko, Rauschenberg, Oldenburg, and Kline.” Laura graduated in May ’09 with majors in Art, Art History and Visual Studies and a second major in Theater Studies. While at Duke, Laura was a member of the award-winning 2006 Froshlife film team.

Laura's mentor for her senior thesis project was Kim Rorschach in the Department of Art, History and Visual Arts.