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Supporting the Success of Grad Students

Jacqueline Looney oversees graduate programs to ensure personal and professional growth

Jacqueline Looney, right, greets The Graduate School Dean Paula McClain during a Ph.D. hooding ceremony at Duke. Photo courtesy of Jacqueline Looney.
Jacqueline Looney, right, greets The Graduate School Dean Paula McClain during a Ph.D. hooding ceremony at Duke. Photo courtesy of Jacqueline Looney.

Name: Jacqueline LooneyPosition: Senior associate dean for graduate programs and associate vice provost for academic diversity, The Graduate SchoolYears at Duke: 22

What I do at Duke: I support students pursuing their research master’s or Ph.D. degrees through The Graduate School, which is the second largest school at Duke with a little over 3,000 students enrolled. My office provides support and services to help students with personal, professional and social development in any area that would help them be successful in their graduate career. We’re also responsible for new student orientation and the Ph.D. hooding ceremony at commencement. 

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If I had $5 million, I would: Give it to communities to support elementary, middle and high school students who live in low-income areas. I’d want to provide access for resources that would strengthen academic and personal development to get them ready for college, whether that’s academics or extracurricular activities like music.

My first ever job:  When I was 14 years old, I worked as a cashier and manicurist for my aunt at Jim’s Barber Shop in Memphis, Tennessee. She was the first African-American woman to own this landmark shop, and it offered me something other than hanging around the house all summer. I’d start mornings by getting customers ready and eventually my aunt trained me to be a manicurist. I also helped close the shop, which set me on an early path to be comfortable being in charge of things. 

If someone wanted to start a conversation with me they should ask me about: Bicycling. I’ve really gotten into it in the last four or five years. After a long day or week of stressful work, you can get on your bike and this area is so beautiful to just go and ride. I love the American Tobacco Trail.

The best advice I ever received:  Sometimes when I’m struggling with a decision, I do bibliotherapy - I read things that speak to the kind of decision I’m making. One passage I remember said ‘sometimes what you do chooses you’ and for some reason, that’s stayed with me many years. 

What I love about Duke:  Whether you’re a staff member, administrator, faculty or student, Duke is a place that gives you space to do the things you need to do. You get to have an idea and people around you will help you bring it to life in your work.

When I’m not at work, I like to:  Cook. I owe that to my grandmother for letting me follow her around the kitchen when I was young. She had such order, control and confidence in that space, which has helped me be creative and experiment. 

A memorable day at work for me:  When our team at The Graduate School finishes our annual stressful period getting ready for commencement and our Ph.D. hooding. We have a lot of students, faculty members and visitors who need our attention. This past year we hosted almost 1,700 people, so it’s satisfying when we come together and create something successful with the help of each other.