A Message from the Parents Program Chair

What I love about Duke and what continues to inspire me and my family is the unique spirit of this incredible community. It is brilliant, curious, warm, and deeply committed to purpose. That spirit binds students, faculty, and families – enabling us all to learn from each other and grow together.

I’ve seen the shared commitment in my daughter, Willow, and her friends to reach higher, think deeper, and lean in as changemakers. The classrooms at Duke incubate conversation, debate, and innovation. That kind of momentum is powerful and as a parent I’ve felt that same spark, it’s a sense of connection that stays with you.

I’m honored to serve as the new Chair of the Parents Committee and look forward to helping more families experience the spirit of Duke that has meant so much to my family. Duke is more than a university it is a lifelong community, and we feel lucky to be part of it.

— Caryn Seidman-Becker P’27
Chair, Duke Parents Committee

Share your time and energy with Duke!

The Duke Parents Program is a vital part of the Duke Annual Fund. Each year, the generosity of Duke parents helps the university support its financial aid program, sustain a world-class faculty, pay for service-learning projects, and provide support for a wealth of innovative learning opportunities for students. The Parents Committee is the premier volunteer opportunity for non-alumni parents at Duke.

In 2024-2025, the Duke Parents Committee raised over $9.5 million to set a new record for the Parents Program! This success would not be possible without the support, dedication, and enthusiasm of 1000+ non-alumni Duke parents from across the country and across the globe. These proud Duke parents provide leadership support for the Annual Fund and reach out to other Duke parents to enlist their support of the Annual Fund. Our parent volunteers enjoy gaining a deeper appreciation for the experiences their children are having as Duke students, meeting fellow parents, and having an opportunity to give back to a university that gives their children so much.

Committee Members are asked to:

• Make a leadership gift to the Annual Fund that is commensurate with your philanthropic capacity and passion for Duke, with the minimum gift being at the Washington Duke Society level.
• Actively participate in any of the following volunteer opportunities, and update Parents Program staff on your outreach throughout the year:
  • Fundraising Volunteers: Educate parents about the importance of giving to Duke, and ask them to join you in supporting the Annual Fund. Resources will be provided to engage them through emails. Send thank you notes to parents after they give.
  • Stewardship Volunteers: Handwrite and mail personalized thank you notes to parent donors at least two times each year, typically in the winter and summer.
  • Welcome Volunteers: Email or call incoming families to welcome them to Duke each spring on behalf of the Parents Committee. Follow up with these families during the fall of their student’s freshman year to provide support and guidance.
• Serve as an ambassador  to help strengthen relationships between parents and the University, and identify potential leadership donors and volunteers from your network.
• Attend Committee events during Family Weekend (October 17-19) and Parents Committee Spring Weekend (March 27-29) as your schedule allows.
• Participate in other opportunities aas you are able, such as hosting or attending regional events, mentoring students, offering internships at your company, or speaking on campus.

Committee Members can expect:

• Meaningful impact at the University through your philanthropy, engagement, and volunteerism.
• Exclusive access to hear from top Duke faculty and administrators at on-campus, regional and virtual events.
• Support from Parents Program staff, including training materials, regular updates, contact information, outreach emails and tips, and other resources.
• Mentorship connections for you and your student in the Committee’s Mentorlink program.
• Connections with fellow parents through outreach, regional events, and on-campus opportunities.
• Staff assistance in navigating Duke and deeper engagement with specific interest areas for you or your student.
  

Complete the form below to request additional information about joining the Parents Committee.

Questions?

Contact us at (919) 684-4419 or parentsprogram@duke.edu.