It was a sunny afternoon and warm gathering of Blue Devil friends and benefactors at the Duke University Office of Gift Planning Heritage Society luncheon at the Bonita Bay Club in Bonita Springs, Florida, on Friday, February 12.  Fellow Heritage Society members George and Susan Krouse were generous and gracious hosts, and the event reflected the same feelings of a “family reunion” of Blue Devil faithful.

Deputy Director of Duke Athletics Tom Coffman joined the Heritage Society luncheon to highlight the recent accomplishments of our students-athletes and programs, as well as the exciting developments underway.  Tom discussed the major upgrades to Wallace Wade Stadium, the new atrium addition to Cameron Indoor Stadium, the addition of naming women’s softball as Duke’s 27th varsity sport, and Duke’s leadership on the ACC Honor Roll once again.

Tom’s presentation, “Athletics: The Front Porch of Duke,” provided a wonderful reminder of all the things that make Duke’s athletic programs stand out from other universities.  It also instills a pride in each of us for our connections to this special place – whether as a student, alumni, parent, or friend.  Watch and share the “Transforming the Athletics Campus” video from the Iron Dukes’ website, shown during Tom’s presentation, to see the future of Duke Athletics facilities.

Duke would not be the internationally renowned institution it is today without the generosity of our alumni and friends.  Thank you for your longstanding commitment to this university.  You help Duke—and our students, faculty, professors, and research—make the world a better place.

We are thankful we could spend time with our Florida friends, and we hope to connect with each of you soon!

About the author

Jane Lee Heuser

jane.heuser@duke.edu

Jane is a native of Chicago and moved to North Carolina in 2005. She is a graduate of the University of Illinois and joined the Office of Gift Planning in 2012. Jane is responsible for handling the day-to-day administration of Duke’s trust and gift annuity accounts. She also works with donors in developing their charitable plans.

Prior to joining Duke, Jane managed trusts and estates at a small law firm and was a vice president with the Northern Trust Company in Chicago. Jane loves to travel and is conversant in Cantonese and French. She keeps busy with her family and is an active volunteer in Durham and Chapel Hill.