The A-Team: 'Write' Stuff

There was a time when Harriett Crawford didn't enjoy writing or editing. Now, along with a handful of other administrative skills, they might just be her strong suit.

When she started as a secretary with the university's annual giving and development office in 1977, she adorned her desk with a correspondence style manual, dictionary and IBM Selectric typewriter. Before Google could offer answers or automatic spell check confirmed her work, Crawford learned quickly to become detail-oriented.

It was handy as she moved to administrative jobs in Duke University Health System before spending the past 16 years in the university's Provost Office.

"I really had no passion for writing before Duke, but it's amazing how sometimes we end up doing what we never set out to do," said Crawford, now administrative assistant to Jim Roberts, executive vice provost for Finance and Administration. "I tend to be a perfectionist, so now I'm always looking to make sure paragraphs start in the right place, if a period was left out somewhere or the use of bullet points is consistent."

All that is easier now with a Dell desktop computer, but Crawford still keeps a dictionary at her desk. It's handy, especially when proofing several memos or letters a week.

"She's the final OK on a document going out, usually after she's pointed out several areas where we can improve our work," Roberts said. "I really can't remember a time when a glitch has made it through this process without being caught and corrected, thanks to her care and high standards."

Crawford's responsibilities don't end there, however. She schedules appointments, coordinates committee meetings and sets up travel arrangements for Roberts.

"My career has come a long way from my typewriter," Crawford said. "One of reasons I've enjoyed working at Duke is because I'm always learning."