Alumni Connections
Wherever you are on your journey, the Forever Duke community of 195,000+ alumni are here to help! Whether you have 5 minutes, 15 or more, here are three easy ways to start connecting.
5 minutes
Fill out a short form with a request for advice or connection using Ask A Blue Devil. You can hear back from AI selected alums by email as soon as the next day!15 minutes
Search Duke's private alumni directory by industry, location, identity, or company, and reach out to specific people for opportunities and discovery. Use the directory combined with LinkedIn to find the best contacts!1 hour
Join small-group alumni-student dinners, coffee chats, and more with Duke alumni through Karsh Conversations. Get on the list to be invited to the next event!Body
Dear Blue Devil: Advice to Current Students
A Blue Devil’s path isn’t always a straight line. In honor of the Duke University Centennial (1924-2024), we've asked 100 alumni to share advice with today’s students. Want more inspiration? Discover all alumni by logging into the directory.
Dear Blue Devil
I’m Adonica Black ’11
I Studied: International Comparative Studies (focused on Latin America, the Caribbean, and East Asia); Markets and Management Certificate
My Current Job: Senior Director, Global Head of Talent, Inclusion, and Employee Brand @ Aptiv
My Proudest Moment: I am super proud whenever I learn about ways I have impacted and made another’s life better, often just by examples that others carry with them and can refine and emulate.
A Duke Takeaway:I learned how to connect to people across dimensions. Duke gathers people from all walks of life who share an ethos that connects, even if it looks different in individuals.
Dear Blue Devil
I’m Hosea Chang '03
I Studied: Political Science
My Current Job: COO at Hayden Los Angeles. I make sure everyone's happy and the trains run on time.
My Biggest Fail: Sacrificing family time during the early stages of my career.
My Word of Advice: Be well-rounded; Duke's a great institution for an interdisciplinary education.
Dear Blue Devil
I'm Celeste M. Rohlfing '79
I Studied: Chemistry
My Current Job: Retired Senior Executive and Scientist
My Proudest Moment: Seeing my children graduate from Duke: 2009, 2012, 2016 (Medicine)
My Word of Advice: Get involved in campus clubs, groups, and organizations. Duke is not just about academics.
Dear Blue Devil
I'm Jonathan Lautaha M.B.A. ‘21
I Studied: MBA/Marketing/Decision Sciences
My Current Job: Principal Analyst at Qualtrics
My First Job: Business Consultant at InsideSales.com, helping Fortune 500 companies drive sales growth through strategy and technology changes.
My Word of Advice: Be careful of the story you tell yourself about yourself. We are our own harshest critics. Even if you are objectively awesome, you can crush your self-confidence through negative self-talk.
Dear Blue Devil
I'm Courtney Kennedy ’19
I Studied: Economics
My Current Job: Football Data & Innovation Coordinator for the New York Giants
My Proudest Moment: Being a part of the growth of football analytics, both within our team and across the NFL.
My Duke Memory: Participating in DukeEngage and learning about community-based economic development in both Durham, NC and Durham, England.