John Harpham T'10

John Harpham graduated from Duke in 2010 with degrees in political science and French. He is a doctoral student in the Department of Government at Harvard University, where he studies political theory, in particular the history of political thought. Mr. Harpham is the author of articles on literary history, literary criticism, American history, and intellectual history; and he intends to write a dissertation on the history of the philosophy of slavery, from Aristotle to the American nineteenth century.

Mr. Harpham graduated from Duke magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, as the Earl W. Sasser Angier B. Duke Scholar. As an undergraduate, he was passionate about academic research in the Humanities. He served as a research assistant for several Duke professors and completed independent scholarship for which he received several University awards, including the Robert F. Durden Prize for Excellence in Research. Aside from academics, Mr. Harpham served on The Chronicle's Independent Editorial Board for four years and served as its chair as a junior. He also played club baseball and sat on the Angier B. Duke Scholarship Selection Committee.

Mr. Harpham was elected Young Trustee by the undergraduate student body in 2010, serving as an observer in 2010-11 and voting member in 2011-13. He is a member of the the Academic Affairs Committee and the Committee on Honorary Degrees.

July 2012