For Lieber and Smith, a class taught by Kenan Institute for Ethics Associate Director Ada Gregory, “Just Work: Restorative Justice Models and Applications,” was a notable exception — one that ended up shaping their paths at Duke in unexpected but perhaps unsurprising ways. When Lieber and Smith took Gregory’s course on restorative justice in spring 2023, it solidified interests in criminal justice and incarceration that they’d been developing for years. Lieber and Smith became more involved in the local community, volunteering at organizations like Restorative Justice Durham and StepUp Durham, which offers re-entry programs for formerly incarcerated people.