Duke was the perfect fit for me because it was possible to major in engineering and have access to liberal arts courses. Upon graduation I worked in engineering and marketing positions and decided to go to the Wharton School for my M.B.A. This was followed by working for the DuPont company in marketing and finance.
In 1972, I met Joe Biden, which changed my life. He asked me to become involved in his long-shot campaign for U.S. Senate, when he was only 29. After his amazing upset victory, Biden asked me to join his staff and three years later I became his chief of staff.
Something that really helped me was that the senate staffs included so many Duke graduates. Many would become lifelong friends.
In 1987, Sen. Biden was chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, considering Robert Bork’s nomination for the Supreme Court. He convinced Duke law professor Chris Schroeder to play a key role in the effort. Later, Chris asked me to co-teach a new course for Duke Law School and Public Policy School students on the Congress. That led to me teaching for 26 years at Duke, including at the Fuqua School of Business.
In 2009, when Sen. Biden became Barack Obama’s vice president, the governor of Delaware appointed me to take his seat in the Senate. Like so many other Duke graduates, I credit my time as a Blue Devil – and the connections it led to – with helping to prepare me for the varied roles I would take on in my life.