Skip to main content

Duke in DC Offers a Friendly Space for Furloughed Alumni

A special lunch brings together alumni who are waiting out government shutdown

Jeff Harris and Kristina Jeter welcome furloughed Duke alumni to the Duke in DC offices.
Jeff Harris and Kristina Jeter welcome furloughed Duke alumni to the Duke in DC offices.

Furloughed federal employees may not be able to go into their offices, but they are always welcome back at Duke, as they learned at a special shutdown lunch at the Duke in DC offices Wednesday, Jan. 16. More than 20 alums from various agencies took the time to mingle with colleagues working for the federal government.

The alums shared stories from their time on campus and in the government. From forgetting to set an ‘out-of-office’ email in preparation for this shutdown to barely passing a biology midterm, the collected group had much to share.

Although the event had no formal program, Jeff Harris, director of Duke in DC, and Kristina Jeter, regional director the Duke Alumni Association, spoke briefly to welcome the alums to the office and to thank them for their civil service.

Although the federal employees preferred to be at work, any chance to grab lunch, hash out old memories of Duke and make new friends is always welcome.