Workplace Gratitude Inspires Connections and Purpose at Duke

Senior Program Coordinator Kelley Robbins-Thompson has heard colleagues express gratitude for everything from good music to their loving families to the laughter they share as a team.

“Being intentional about connecting with each other makes it easier and more fun to collaborate, and it also fosters team resilience,” said Robbins-Thompson, who has worked at Duke for five years. “We’ve gotten to know who each other are and we understand where we’re coming from emotionally and we honor each others’ lived experiences.”

Working@Duke invited staff and faculty to share the moments, colleagues and experiences that make the fall season extra special.

As Thanksgiving approaches, take a moment to reflect on how teamwork and meaningful work inspire gratitude this season.

Shanna Fitzpatrick

Shanna Fitzpatrick, Senior Associate Dean and Chief Financial Officer for the Duke University Graduate School, leads the nine-person team in the Office of Finance & Administration. The group of financial planners and data analysts oversee the finances of more than 80 graduate programs, touching seven schools and an array of university offices.

While the work of the team is challenging, Fitzpatrick said she is grateful that the bonds members have created are strong.

In addition to positive collaboration in its work, the team’s connections are nurtured with occasional conversation-filled pot-luck lunches, holiday celebrations and annual retreats that include activities such as painting and axe-throwing.

“We make time to connect with each other, whether it’s discussions about our personal hobbies and life goals, or sharing recent travel adventures,” Fitzpatrick said. “I’m very grateful to be part of a talented, insightful and hard-working team. They help to alleviate stress and I enjoy learning from them.”

Mohamed Noor

Since joining the Duke University in 2005, Mohamed Noor has an immense amount of gratitude for the network of people that have helped him thrive.

Noor, a Professor of Biology and the Executive Vice Provost, said he’s thankful to work with graduate and undergraduate students who, with their energy, enthusiasm, and curiosity, keep him inspired. He said the organizational talents,  insightfulness, and fun personalities of his coworkers have kept him excited to come to work every day. And he’s especially thankful for the contagious creativity found in his fellow faculty members.

“Their passion for scholarship and their advancement of knowledge in such creative ways blows me away every day,” Noor said.

Mannu Soin

Mannu Soin joined the team in the Duke Department of Pathology’s Adult Blood Gas Lab as a Medical Laboratory Scientist in July 2023. While she had plenty of experience working in similar labs – including at Duke – Soin’s role came with some new challenges.

The lab was busy and the team included plenty of other new additions, so Soin and her colleagues had to quickly learn about their work and one another.

Soin said that she is grateful that the lab’s manager, Penny Zimmerman, was an especially adept leader who helped build a positive climate in the lab. She said Zimmerman’s patience, trust and forward-looking mindset helped the lab’s team come together.

“I am privileged to work under Penny’s guidance,” Soin said. “She has been the driving force behind my success through persistent listening and communication. Penny is the reason I did not give up. Her immense patience and grateful attitude are a reminder for me to stay humble and persevere.”

Queen Mayhue

Queen Mayhue grew up in Durham but spent the last two decades living in Texas. When she returned to Durham earlier this year, she still had family and friends to connect with. But she said she is especially appreciative for the new work family she found at the Duke Neurology Clinic on Morreene Road, where she’s worked as a Licensed Practical Nurse since July.

“They totally embraced me,” Mayhue said. “Coming into a whole new arena, I was learning a lot of new information, and my co-workers have been quite helpful answering my many questions. They jump in an assist me without asking when there’s a need and they just overall take care of me. I’m very grateful to be in this environment.”

Tina Lipscomb

For a week in October, Tina Lipscomb was one of the roughly 100 team members from Duke who staffed the North Carolina State Emergency Medical Shelter in Shelby, serving patients who had been displaced by Hurricane Helene.

Lipscomb, a Nurse Case Manager for the Neurosciences Team at Duke University Hospital, helped patients find locations where they could have their complex care needs met.

“We had to be creative because the people and their situations were unique,” Lipscomb said. “When I was there, we had a hodge-podge of people with different situations. Many of them had lost their homes and lost everything, and we had to find a place for them to go.”

While the work was difficult, Lipscomb said it was extremely rewarding. And it made her thankful for the blessings she has.

“This was an extraordinary experience and showcased the best of humanity,” Lipscomb said. “Many of these patients lost everything in both property and personal losses. Seeing this only deepened my gratitude for all that I have including a warm safe bed to return home to. My cup is full.”

Ilana Palmer

Ilana Palmer has been a Communications Consultant for the Pratt School of Engineering’s Graduate Student Programs and Services team for around three years. While the group works a hybrid schedule and often communicates via Zoom, Palmer is grateful for the six-person group’s tight-knit atmosphere.

Palmer said team members are easy to communicate and collaborate with and they bring a personal warmth to their work.

“It really does feel like a work family,” Palmer said. “Everybody on the team has a very kind and caring personality to begin with. We are constantly collaborating on developing curriculum and are very comfortable bringing problems that we’re facing at work to each other to brainstorm solutions so that we can impact students more effectively. I really feel like the atmosphere that’s been created is one that’s super-supportive and feels very welcoming.”