Recommended Hotels

Please Note: We only have a special room rate or room block at the Hilton Durham.

Hilton Durham
(10-minute drive to the Duke Campus)
Make a reservation in the room block for $99/night.
3800 Hillsborough Road
Durham, NC 27705
(919) 383-8033

Millennium Hotel
2800 Campus Walk Avenue
Durham, NC 27705
(919) 383-8575
Make a reservation
Shuttle service may be available to and from RDU and Duke, for a small fee.

Washington Duke Inn
(located on the Duke Campus)
3001 Cameron Blvd. (751)
Durham, North Carolina 27705
Reservations: (800) 443-3853
Make a reservation

Thomas Executive Conference Center Hotel
(located on the Duke campus)
1 Science Drive
Durham, NC 27708
(919) 660-6400
Make a reservation

Durham Marriott
(10-minute drive to the Duke campus)
201 Foster Street
Durham, NC 27702
(919) 768-6000
Make a reservation

Radisson Governors Inn (12 miles from the Duke campus, 5 miles from RDU)
I-40 at Davis Drive, Exit 280
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
(919) 549-8631
Make a reservation

Recommended Ground Transportation

Several shuttle and taxi services are available to and from RDU:

Charlene's Safe Ride
Toll free: (800) 835-8053
Local: (919) 309-SAFE (7233)
http://www.charlenesaferide.com/
Call for Duke rate

Durham's Best Cab Co.
Toll free: (866) 680-3330
Local: (919) 680-0089
http://www.durhamtaxi.com/
Call for Duke rate

Taxis are also available at the airport.

Directions to campus
Map of Campus

PARKING
We have parking passes available for panelists and moderators for the parking deck located adjacent to Bryan Center. We expect at least 100 alumni and over 500 students. Therefore, panelists and moderators should allot enough time to find parking and get acquainted prior to their scheduled session.

Select a question... What is the Fannie Mitchell Career Conference? Who is Fannie Mitchell? When is the Fannie Mitchell Career Conference? Where is the Fannie Mitchell Career Conference taking place? Who is organizing the Fannie Mitchell Career Conference? When should panelists/moderators arrive and leave? Is parking available? Does Duke cover my travel costs? How will panelists/moderators know where to go on Saturday, February 6? If I’m not assigned to two sessions, can I listen to another session that I’m interested in? Where should panelists/moderators stay? How will the sessions work? What is the role of the moderator? What will participants know about the panelists/moderators? How long are the sessions? Who will be the attendees?

What is the Fannie Mitchell Career Conference?   [top]
The Fannie Mitchell Career Conference is a day of learning, career exploration, and networking for Duke students of all ages. Through discussion with Duke alumni—both formal and informal—graduate and undergraduate students will discover options and opportunities, and define or refine their dreams.

Who is Fannie Mitchell?   [top]
Fannie Mitchell was Duke’s first placement director. Money contributed by a grateful alumnus in her name partially funds the conference.

When is the Fannie Mitchell Career Conference?   [top]
The conference takes place on Saturday, February 6, 2010. The conference headquarters is in the Bryan Center. Discussions will be held in a number of additional locations on West Campus.

Where is the Fannie Mitchell Career Conference taking place?   [top]
The conference will take place on West Campus. Sessions will be held in multiple classrooms and meeting rooms. The central location will be the Bryan Center, as registration, the reception and some sessions will take place there.

Who is organizing the Fannie Mitchell Career Conference?   [top]
The Fannie Mitchell Career Conference is coordinated by a team comprised of Duke Alumni Affairs and Career Center staff, and two student coordinators. The student coordinatorshave been instrumental in making sure that the conference is of maximum relevance to participants. Career Conference Coordinators:

• William Wright-Swadel
• George Dorfman '85, MA'01
• Holly Duke
• Kim Hanauer '02
• Meg Wilson
• Sarah Schoofs

When should panelists/moderators arrive and leave?   [top]
We need you to be at the conference from 12:00pm to 5:00pm, even if you are only assigned to one session. We have built in significant time for students to talk with you informally, and we will encourage students to email you in advance if they would like to set up a time to talk with you one-on-one.

Is parking available?   [top]
We have parking passes available for panelists and moderators for the parking deck located adjacent to Bryan Center (PG1V). We expect approximately 100 alumni and over 500 students. Therefore, panelists and moderators should allot enough time to find parking and get acquainted prior to their scheduled session.

Does Duke cover my travel costs?   [top]
It is not possible to offer this conference without the generosity of alumni, who donate their time and resources to participate. Due to the nature and scope of the conference, we are not able to pay expenses for presenters. However, if this hinders your ability to attend, a limited number of small travel awards will be available thanks to funding provided by our sponsors. If you would like to apply for a travel award to help offset your costs, please indicate that on your biography form.

How will panelists/moderators know where to go on Saturday, February 6?   [top]
Prior to the conference, panelists and moderators will receive information via email. Moderators are responsible for setting up conference calls between all alumni on the panel to which he/she is assigned. Alumni will also receive phone calls from student volunteers a week before the conference, to answer any last-minute questions. The conference email address is careerconference@studentaffairs.duke.edu, in case you have additional questions. On Saturday, February 6, there will be a registration table in the Bryan Center for alumni/moderators who were unable to attend the alumni brunch and registration.

If I’m not assigned to two sessions, can I listen to another session that I’m interested in?   [top]
Absolutely! Just let the session leader know you’re in the audience. They may well call on you!

Where should panelists/moderators stay?   [top]
While we do not have any special or block rates with area hotels, here is a list of nearby accommodations .

How will the sessions work?   [top]
Most sessions will involve several alumni. Depending on the nature of the topic and the expected number of students in attendance, you may be part of a panel, a small group discussion, or a dialogue with another alum. The career counselor responsible for your session will communicate with you about the planned format. Most sessions will take place twice. Alumni should expect to answer questions such as:

• How did you find your career?
• What activities were you involved in at Duke?
• What skills and resources have you used to find your position?
• What skills do you use in your current job?
• What are the high and low points of your work?
• How did you get your foot in the door?
• What do you wish you would have known before entering your career/leaving Duke?

We hope you’re able to weave in plenty of examples from your career story as you address these questions. You may not be able to tell your story in its entirety, since the sessions are only an hour. We hope that through questions and discussion you will pique student interest and encourage them to learn more about your experiences during the networking lunch and after the second session. Student participation is an important part of the conference.

What is the role of the moderator?   [top]
A moderator, who may be a Duke alum, a faculty member, an administrator or a student, will be responsible for maintaining effective flow during panel sessions. If you are asked to be a moderator, you will be provided with pertinent information by the career counselor responsible for your panel. There will also be a moderator orientation in mid-January. All moderators, whether or not you are an alum, are cordially invited to attend the alumni lunch at 12:00pm on Saturday, February 6, where you can receive your briefing packet. If you are not able to attend the brunch, please pick up your packet by 12:30 on February 6, 2010, from the Bryan Center. Moderators will be asked to keep their assigned session(s) on track and to ensure that all alumni have an opportunity to talk about their experiences and elements of their career path.

What will participants know about the panelists/moderators?   [top]
Information on panelists will be available on DukeConnect for students to review prior to the conference. We will encourage students to review biographies before the conference and to contact alumni with whom they particularly want to spend time.

How long are the sessions?   [top]
The sessions are 75 minutes long with enough time built in for small group and one-on-one interaction afterwards.

Who will be the attendees?   [top]
The majority of the students will be undergraduates and graduate students. Young alumni are also invited to attend. Last year, almost 1,000 students participated in the conference. However, some sessions will be more intimate than others!

• "I am so glad to say that I feel like my time was very well-used! (This is probably the highest compliment I could give) Almost every part of the day was valuable in some way. I also appreciated the opportunities set aside for me to meet with and talk to my fellow alumni." – Susan Silver '85
• "I think the chance to interact with other alumni in a common purpose other than the reunion was a huge win. I also felt like the students were very engaged and interested. I couldn't believe we had standing-room-only for two sessions." – Bob Gilbreath '94
• "The energy and diversity of this conference was apparent from the minute I arrived. There was a lot of exchanging information (and this extended even among panelists) and networking. I think this is exactly one of the roles of the conference." – Lynn Ennis G'89
• "I received a lot of emails from the students and was sought out by a lot of them between panels, at lunch and at the end of the day. I felt like the students were genuinely interested in career advice and help." – Antje Wilmer '88

For more information, please contact:

Sarah Schoofs
Duke Alumni Association
Networking Coordinator
(919) 681-7590
networking@daa.duke.edu.