New connections, new paths at Duke Women’s Weekend
More than 500 alumnae and friends returned to Duke Feb. 19-21 for networking, connection and learning.
BY ADRIANA DIFRANCO
At first, Kate Snively Colville ’89 hadn’t planned on attending Duke Women’s Weekend.
But when she learned her friends needed one more person for the Airbnb they had rented for the weekend in Durham, she knew where she was headed next.
Colville packed her bags and flew all the way from Pittsburgh to Durham. By the end of the weekend, she knew she had made the right choice.
“I had a wonderful time reuniting with Duke friends and meeting many people of all ages,” Colville said.
During the weekend, now in its ninth year, Colville joined 500 other alumnae and friends from across the U.S. for networking, connection and learning. Attendees heard from 100 speakers covering topics such as building meaningful connections through mentorship, cultivating creativity, prioritizing health and wellness and launching new careers.
They also got to see Duke’s campus up close, with opportunities to dive deep into the Duke Libraries rare books and manuscripts, have lunch with faculty members, learn about Duke’s changemaking breakthroughs and hear from current students who shared about their experiences at Duke.
“I was deeply impressed and incredibly proud all at once,” attendee Colville said about hearing personal stories. “It really gave me hope for the future.”
Weekend guests joined in on several curated social outings, including a women’s basketball game to watch the Blue Devils trounce NC State and a screening of Mistress Dispeller, an award-winning documentary. The film’s producer, Duke alum Emma Miller ’12 was on hand to lead a spirited Q&A with the audience.
“The energy here is absolutely wonderful,” said Laura Meyer Wellman ’73, who has been attending Women’s Weekend since 2007 and is the former president of the Duke Alumni national board. “I really enjoy corralling my friends who’ve never been. Because once they do, they love it as much as I do and see the event’s value in multiple ways. The caliber of speakers is absurdly high,” Wellman added.
Morgan Ramsey ’16 had never attended a Women’s Weekend before, but when Duke reached out with an invitation to speak on an entrepreneurship panel, she said it was “an immediate yes,” as it perfectly dovetailed into her business plans for the year.
Ramsey is founder of TELA, a company with a new take on concierge corporate retreat planning. She said Women’s Weekend provided space for her to connect with other Duke alumnae and friends and to get ideas, inspiration and contacts to move her business forward.
“This year I really wanted to make deeper connections and expand my network of collaborators,” she said. “I felt Duke was a perfect choice because we are so innovative.”
While many attendees said they benefited from the networking and connection opportunities, Carmen Shaw D.N.P. ’16, a healthcare executive and coach who spoke on a panel, said the weekend was also about creating a new personal vision and reaffirming that your choices remain aligned with your purpose.
“It went beyond just starting a business,” she said. “But also having the courage to create what doesn’t yet exist.”
Ana Homayoun ’01, an author and academic advisor who travelled from San Francisco, agreed that the weekend environment was a special one.
“There is a shared spirit of: How can we help each other?” Homayoun said. “How can our honest reflections—our challenges, our wins, our vulnerabilities—be of service to those around us? The openness, the ability to find deep commonality across differences of background, region, and generations—it’s incredibly beautiful and encouraging.”
