Forever Duke Q&A: Danielle Squires '02

Sterly Wilder '83, associate vice president for alumni affairs, has three questions for the new Duke Black Alumni president

Why do you volunteer for Duke?

I love Duke. I had a really good experience at Duke. I gained a lot of wisdom and insight and knowledge that prepared me for life after Duke. I grew as a person. As a [Reginaldo Howard Memorial] “Reggie” Scholar, I was the recipient of financial aid, and so I have a lot to give back to Duke.

What resonates more with you—your time as a student or your experience as an alumna?

They’re two completely different worlds. My time as a student: I love reflecting upon it, and I miss it. But that really is a four-year bubble. Since I’ve been out, my world has opened up to the alumni experience and to the alumni themselves. To give back as an alumna is fantastic. As alumni, we didn’t all have the same experience. But there is a way in which you can engage with Duke—to find something that you are passionate about to help you get excited again.

As the new president of Duke Black Alumni, what’s your vision?

I want to really engage, unite, and be a voice for our black alumni. I want to bring back our collective voice to the university. Our black alumni are a treasure trove of skill sets and learning and experiences that I don’t think Duke historically has done a great job of bringing back to Duke—and that can only be to the betterment of the university and the current students. We are in the early innings of what I think is an awesome, progressive change at Duke, and I’m happy to be part of it.

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