Office of Undergraduate Education

Recently Business Week compiled a list of America’s brightest and youngest entrepreneurs, many of whom have made millions before the age of twenty-five.  One highlighted young businessman was Duke alumnus Dylan Smith, T ‘07, an economics-major from Seattle with a penchant for taking calculated risks. Smith left the West Coast for Duke University expecting to be pre-med.  By his sophomore year, however, Smith had changed his sights to business and had begun raking in winnings from online poker tournaments.  At this point, Smith’s childhood friend Aaron Levie contacted him about an online venture in data storage solutions.  With an investment of $11,000 of Smith’s poker winnings, the young Blue Devil and his buddy at USC founded Box.net, an online collaboration tool now used by more than 50,000 companies worldwide.

You can read more about Box.net and its CFO Dylan Smith in this Seattle Times article.

After graduating from Duke in 2007, Rachel Weeks went to Sri Lanka on a Fulbright Scholarship to pursue her interest in ethical fashion, a subject she explored in her Women’s Studies senior honors thesis, “The Wonder Bra: Theorizing Globalization, Women’s Labor, and Consumption for Twenty-First Century Feminism,” a study of the intersections between fashion and academic feminism. But her interest in the topic wasn’t just academic…  You can listen to Rachel recount her own story in a recent radio interview on “The Story with Dick Gordon.” You can also read Rachel’s own words in this month’s Duke Women’s Studies newsletter.

Preliminary numbers from an annual survey of Duke University’s graduating seniors indicate a drop of about 10 percent in the number of students who will be leaving Duke with a job in hand.

The survey, taken by Duke’s Career Center, appears to indicate that a drop in offers from the financial and consulting sectors are a major reason for the decline. Final numbers, expected to be available later next week, will show just how significant the decline is from previous years.

“There’s no doubt that this group of seniors is graduating into a tough job market,” said David Lapinski, associate director of Duke’s Career Center. “Numbers are down for new graduate hires not just at Duke, but all across the country, and in industries almost across the board.

“That said, there are jobs available. They just might be in geographic locations, smaller firms or industries graduates weren’t originally considering.” (more…)

These video clips came out of a series produced for the Baldwin Scholars. Professional and leadership development are central to the Baldwin Scholars program's mission. FOR MORE CAREER ADVICE, <<http://career.studentaffairs.duke.edu >>

When I was in graduate school at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, I worked as a teaching assistant.  Some semesters I led discussion sections of the large American literature survey class; other semesters I taught a small composition class, much like Duke’s Writing 20.  The professor who supervised the teaching assistants offered each of us the chance to be videotaped in the classroom.  It might be hard to watch, she told us, but it would be invaluable training; we could see for ourselves where we succeeded in reaching our students and where we fell short. (more…)

I’ll always think of Nate as the “sweatband” kid in my first-year history course.  Nowadays, however, his long hair reads more “rock star” than John McEnroe. For the lead singer of Stella by Starlight, the moniker is fitting on the Duke campus because everyone knows Stella.  Formed in 2006, Stella by Starlight describes itself as an electropop band, composed of Nathan Fowler (songwriting, production, synths, and vocals) and Sonny Byrd (guitar, additional vocals).  It is a changing lineup, however, as the group has included two other Duke students Greg Laird (Acoustic Drums) and Shuhei Yamamoto (Bass).  In 2007, the group received mtvU’s Woodie Award for Best Music on Campus, which spurred a subsequent management deal.  From this year’s LDOC and senior pub-crawl to college campuses across the country, Stella has had a busy first few years.    Their latest LP, “My Electric Robot Friend,” feels like the synthesized equivalent of the Electric Kool Aid Acid Test–garrish, elfin and audibly psychedelic.  I like the song  “Good as it Gets” and its music video that was filmed in Bostock library.

(more…)

Bill Wright-Swadel, Executive Director of the Career Center, offers some sound and pragmatic advice for students looking for a job in a tough economy.  This video isn’t just for recent or soon -to-be-recent graduates; it offers innovative and useful ideas for students thinking about their future career…for instance, did you know that a reference librarian can help you find a job?

You can find out more advice like this at the Career Center.

Also listen to some wise words on finding jobs and careers from Duke Alumni/ae.

From Duke Chronicle

Paul Harraka, a member of the class of 2012, might be the fastest student Duke has ever admitted.  On the racetrack, that is.  Harraka is a NASCAR driver with the AIM Sports team-and a champion driver at that.  With school in session this September, Harraken won the 2008 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series at California’s All-American Speedway.  Check out his website and keep an eye on his progress, NASCAR fan or not.