We asked some of our rock star alumni to tell us, in their own words, just how Duke prepared them for their success. These are their very personal essays.
MADE FOR THIS
33 stories in this collection
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AlumniA Turning Point
Deb LiuDeb Liu
Technology Executive
B.S.E.’98 Civil Engineering
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AlumniNothing Can Overwhelm Me
Michael SorrellMichael Sorrell
President of Paul Quinn College
M.P.P.’90 Public Policy Studies; J.D.’94 Law
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AlumniSeeds of a Career
Jane Anderson TerleskyJane Anderson Terlesky
Film and television actress as Jayne Brook
’82 Drama
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AlumniThe Perfect Fit
Ted KaufmanTed Kaufman
Former U.S. senator from Delaware
Presidential Citizens Medal recipient
B.S.E.’60 Mechanical Engineering
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AlumniDetermination and Teamwork
Luisa VegaLuisa Vega
Founder and CEO, Psych Health Associates
M.S.N.'13 Nursing; D.N.P.'14 Doctor of Nursing Practice
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AlumniA Sense of Belonging
Melissa BernsteinMelissa Bernstein
Co-founder of Melissa & Doug toy company
Duke trustee
’87 Public Policy Studies
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AlumniOn a Great Team
Scott RosenfeldScott Rosenfeld
Professor of orthopedic surgery at Baylor College of Medicine
Team doctor for Team USA at the 2024 Summer Paralympics
’97 Psychology -
AlumniBreaking Barriers
Ibtihaj MuhammadIbtihaj Muhammad
U.S. Olympic medalist in fencing
Children's book author
’07 International Comparative Studies -
AlumniSafe Haven and Sanctuary
Lisa BordersLisa Borders
Business executive
Former president of the WNBA
Duke trustee
’79 French -
AlumniCritical Life Skills
Deborah Lee JamesDeborah Lee James
Business and government executive
Former U.S. secretary of the Air Force
’79 Comparative Studies -
AlumniLinking Science and Policy
Chad NelsenChad Nelsen
CEO of Surfrider Foundation
M.E.M.’96 Coastal Environmental Management -
AlumniIt's a Family
Shelley Moore CapitoShelley Moore Capito
U.S. Senator from West Virginia
1970, Zoology
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AlumniImprovement and Innovation
Joseph TurekJoseph Turek
Duke chief of pediatric cardiac surgery
M.B.A.’20 -
AlumniWorking Harder and Smarter
Carmichael RobertsCarmichael Roberts
Co-founder and managing partner of Material Impact
Duke trustee
’90 Chemistry; Ph.D.’95 Chemistry -
AlumniWith You for Life
Tarang AminTarang Amin
Chairman and CEO of e.l.f. Beauty
’87 Public Policy Studies
M.B.A.’91 -
AlumniConfidence and Hope
Adam SilverAdam Silver
Commissioner of the NBA
Chair of Duke Board of Trustees
’84 Political Science -
AlumniFinding True North
Danny WerfelDanny Werfel
Business executive
Former IRS commissioner
M.P.P.’97 Public Policy Studies -
AlumniThe Fight for Change
Cameron OglesbyCameron Oglesby
Environmental justice advocate
Senior officer at Climate United
’21 Environmental Science and Policy
M.P.P.’23 Public Policy Studies
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AlumniLearning By Listening
Tim CookTim Cook
CEO Apple
Duke trustee
M.B.A.’88 Management -
AlumniThe Foundation for Everything
Scott PetersScott Peters
U.S. representative from California
’80 Political Science
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AlumniA Domino in the Chain
Leslie Olonyi BosireLeslie Olonyi Bosire
Environmental and natural resources lawyer
LL.M.’20 Law
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AlumniMeaningful Change
Taylor PriceTaylor Price
Senior manager, global sustainability, AptarGroup Inc.
M.E.M.’18 Environmental Economics and Policy -
AlumniA Vast New World
Anne CC LeeAnne CC Lee
Global maternal child health researcher
Levinger Family Professor of Pediatrics at Brown University
B.S.E.’96 Biomedical Engineering
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AlumniTerry Sanford's Legacy
Dan BlueDan Blue
North Carolina state senator
J.D.’73 Law -
AlumniA Brilliant Pond
Kelli LuginbuhlKelli Luginbuhl
Co-founder and CEO of Isolere Bio Inc.
M.S.E.’14 Biomedical Engineering
Ph.D.’17 Biomedical Engineering
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AlumniThe Value of Teamwork
Rob CaliffRob Califf
Cardiologist, professor and former commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
’73 Psychology
M.D.’78 -
AlumniA Passion for Service
Angela AlsobrooksAngela Alsobrooks
U.S. senator from Maryland
’93 Public Policy Studies -
AlumniInflection Points
Annabeth GishAnnabeth Gish
Film and television actress
’93 English -
AlumniEntrepreneurial Vision
John AntonelliJohn Antonelli
Co-founder of Real social sports platform
’23 Computer Science -
AlumniDuke Made Me
Jay BilasJay Bilas
ESPN basketball analyst
Former Duke basketball star and assistant coach
’86 Political Science
J.D.’92 Law -
AlumniOpen to the Unexpected
Valerie HillingsValerie Hillings
Director of the North Carolina Museum of Art
’93 Art and Art History -
AlumniIt Is People
Yoav LurieYoav Lurie
SaaS entrepreneur
Founder Simple Energy (now Uplight)
’05, Public Policy Studies -
AlumniInspiring a Late Bloomer
William KaelinWilliam Kaelin Recipient of 2019 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine Sidney Farber Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School ’79 Mathematics and Chemistry M.D.’83