Engineering Alumni Council (EAC)

Dear Duke Engineering Alumni:

2021 was a year of change and adaptation, yet there is much to celebrate as the Pratt community continues to find ways to optimize the student experience and increase meaningful interactions among alumni and students. The Engineering Alumni Council (EAC) continued virtual engagement initiatives throughout the year, and while we are grateful that these programs have become even more impactful through expanded access to a broader range of alumni, we are invigorated by the prospect of returning key events to campus.

The EAC’s ambitious year-round Pratt Mentoring Program continues to grow, engaging more than 700 alumni and students this year. Our goal is to expand the scope of the mentoring relationship to embrace student purpose, character and well-being as a complement to Pratt’s 360 Coaching advising strategy. Students have requested further engagement opportunities, and we look forward to including career panel discussions and connections to internship opportunities as the program matures.

My heartfelt thanks to the many alumni who give freely of their time and consistently demonstrate overwhelming dedication and willingness to connect with current students and the world-changing ideas they are forming.

Transitioning to an online platform has also significantly expanded alumni participation in the EAC’s resume and mock interview workshops and aligns the student experience with current interviewing norms. Our two-hour virtual event in January engaged over 600 Pratt alumni and students. With interview sessions blocked for eight minutes, students were able to be matched with multiple alumni, resulting in 1,795 total interactions. The virtual platform efficiently delivers multiple opportunities for the students to engage with alumni, hone their resume and interview skills, and seek general advice on work and networking.

Pratt alumni play a key role in supporting students and maintaining a vibrant exchange of knowledge and resources. On behalf of the EAC, my heartfelt thanks to the many alumni who give freely of their time and consistently demonstrate overwhelming dedication and willingness to connect with current students and the world-changing ideas they are forming.

There are so many exciting things happening, and they will all benefit from your involvement. Look over the opportunities for alumni engagement below, and don’t hesitate to reach out to Pam Hanson or Kim Davis in the Dean’s office if you have questions or suggestions.

• Post your openings on Duke Alumni’s job board for internships and job opportunities at all levels
• Connect with and mentor students
• Sign up to participate in Pratt’s Alumni-Student Mentoring Program run by the Engineering Alumni Council, which connects students and alumni for mentoring over the course of an academic year (matching will occur this summer for Fall 2022 mentoring assignments)
• Volunteer with the Ask A Blue Devil Program, which matches specific questions submitted by students to the most qualified alumni
• Update your profile on the alumni network so that it will be easier for students and other alumni to connect with you in the future
• Support the Annual Fund to enable us to continue to offer high-quality programs and opportunities for our students, faculty, and the Pratt community in general
• Submit a nomination for the Engineering Alumni Council for 2022 (nominations due by December 1, 2022)
• Submit a fellow alumni for an Engineering Alumni Award to recognize their work and accomplishments
• Stay in touch!
  Please don’t hesitate to reach out to Pam Hanson or Kim Davis in the Dean’s office. We love to hear from you!

Thank you for staying connected to Duke and the Pratt School of Engineering. Your involvement helps drive an enriched experience for our current students and other alumni. We look forward to seeing you back on campus or at a virtual event soon. Forever Duke!

Learn more & volunteer

What Council Members Do

A member of the Pratt Alumni Council is an active observer to the Pratt Board of Visitors, ensuring that an alumni perspective is heard in deliberations concerning Duke Engineering's future.

Alumni Council representation on the Duke Alumni Association insures vital Duke Engineer representation in overall university alumni affairs.

Alumni Council funding of student club projects—such as the concrete canoe, racing vehicle and electric vehicle intercollegiate teams—provides critically important hands-on design opportunities for Duke Engineering undergraduates.

The council's support of DukEngineer Magazine has been instrumental in maintaining this long-running publication for alumni and friends.

Your Alumni Council has the distinct privilege of reviewing your nominations for the important Distinguished Alumnus/a Award, Distinguished Young Alumnus/a Award and Distinguished Service Award recognition presented at our annual spring banquet.

Member Expectations

• Attendance and active participation in all three annual EAC meetings: Meetings are typically scheduled for Fridays and Saturdays—once in the Fall, Winter, and Spring, respectively—and often coincide with football games, basketball games, or other university events. Brief conference calls and similar committee follow-up tasks commonly occur between meetings in Durham, but do not require extensive additional commitments of time. Although professional, personal, or family commitments may periodically conflict, members are expected to make a concerted effort toward attending meetings.
• Giving: The board fully recognizes that not all alumni have the financial capacity to donate substantial sums. Instead, what is viewed as important by the EAC is the consistency by which members contribute. Each member is committed to Annual Fund giving and timely payment of EAA dues. Council leadership is expected to make a leadership level contribution. In order to ensure diversity of council leadership, an executive committee member can accumulate their gift over the length of their term(s) on the council.
• Support the EAC and other Pratt and Duke programs including local and regional events, student projects, and annual awards banquet.
• Serve as formal and informal representatives of the School.
• Provide professional expertise and individual talent.
• Provide guidance to the Pratt School of Engineering.

The goal of the Student Projects Committee on the Engineering Alumni Council is to facilitate connections between willing alumni, corporations and others to the Duke student clubs, ensure allocated funds by the Alumni Association are used appropriately, and along with other board members, coach the teams on executive oversight expectations. Below are just a few of the great results achieved with the support of the Alumni Association.

• Duke Motorsports Outraces the Pandemic
  Despite a year full of obstacles, the Duke Motorsports team built an 80-MPH racecar from the ground up
• We Have Liftoff!
  Two-stage rocket launched by Duke AERO student team reaches 8,000-foot altitude
• Resilience During COVID-19
  How Duke Engineers for International Development and other groups offered enriching experiences this year

Read student group funding guidelines

Support these & other student groups

The goal of the Awards Committee on the Engineering Alumni Council is to engage and connect alumni with Duke Engineering and each other and to celebrate their service to Duke and the world. We celebrate the service and accomplishments of engineering alumni through the Distinguished Alumni, Distinguished Young Alumni, and Distinguished Service Awards at our annual Awards Banquet.

Nominate an alumnus 

The Pratt Alumni-Student Mentorship Program helps students build professional skills and connect with alumni working in their field of interest. It also re-connects alumni with the Pratt School of Engineering.

Alumni mentors make a positive impact on Pratt students, and mentees receive career guidance and build their professional networks.

More about mentoring

President

• Tracy A. Nickelsburg E’88, P’22 (Alexandria, VA)

Vice President

• James A. Romes E’02, B’10 (Cary, NC)

Council Members

Terms Expiring 2023

• Marietta J. Costa E’85, P’17, P’24 (Dix Hills, NY)
• Ronald J. Epstein G’96 (Chatham, NJ)
• Jessica L. Foley E’01 (Washington, DC)
• John S. Ingalls, Jr. E’11, X’12 (Sunnyvale, CA)
• Tanuj Khurana X’12 (Newport Beach, CA)
• Dyuti Mahendru E’12 (Houston, TX)
• Mark W. Pratt E’11 (Cleveland Heights, OH)
• Evan M. Reilly E’16 (Durham, NC)
• Constandi J. Shami E’13, G’14 (Ann Arbor, MI)

Terms Expiring 2024

• Benjamin J. Aitken E’02, L’06 (Chapel Hill, NC)
• Brian C. Alonso E’01 (Miami, FL)
• Abhishek Balakrishnan E’15, X’15
• Jacqueline E. Brown E’86, B’90 (Durham, NC)
• Margaret P. Chiou E’99 (Larchmont, NY)
• Rachel A. Fleming E’12, X’13 (Durham, NC)
• Stephanie L. Gloster E’96 (Atlanta, GA)
• Robert L. Jacks II E’94 (Old Greenwich, CT)
• Andrew R. Schmidt E’06 (East Grand Rapids, MI)
• Matthew D. Tiberii E’15 (Nashville, TN)

Terms Expiring 2025

• Robert A. Denton E’90, G’91, P’25 (Mclean, VA)
• Sam A. Ghazaleh E’86, P’20, P’24 (Mckinney, TX)
• Alan G. Goedde E’70, G’78 (Pasadena, CA)
• Michael R. Gustafson II E’93, G’99 (Durham, NC)
• Jennifer K. Orriss E’93, P’23 (Los Angeles, CA)
• Preston S. Porter E’09 (Houston, TX)
• Christopher R. Rowland E’09, G’13, G’15 (Durham, NC)
• Michael L. Silver E’09 (Chicago, IL)
• Steven L. Walker E’88, P’23 (Brookhaven, GA)

Engineering Student Government Representatives

• Executive President: Nikita Suri E’23
• Executive Vice President: Jack Rhodes E’24
• Senior Class President: James Zheng E’23
• Junior Class President: Vivian Su E’24

Duke Student Alumni Board Representatives

Undergraduate

• Jeremy Fertig BSE’23
• Sarah Habib BSE’23
• Will Hess BS’23
• Zibran Vastani BSE’24

Graduate

• Anna E. Knight E’15,G’22
• Joseph Rufo G’24