More Than 1,000 Years of Service in One Room
The inaugural Insights Summit created a space for campus communicators to come together and spark new ideas
The morning offered up a menu of presentations that was dubbed “The Blueprint Series.” Fashioned after TED talks, the topics included skills advancement and professional growth, strategic communications, and how to incorporate ChatGPT in work.
Meeting Challenges in Higher Ed
The conference kicked off with a fireside chat with Duke University President Vincent Price. Tramble asked Price: Following last year’s Centennial celebration, what was his vision for the next century? “Our vision remains the same,” Price said. “Support for people, first and foremost,” along with supporting communities, forming purposeful partnerships and creating a network for the university’s more than 200,000 graduates.
Price also pointed to the current challenges for Duke and higher education in general. “Perhaps it’s more amplified now with the advent of artificial intelligence,” Price said. “We need to think in more creative ways about the learning environment that really does adapt to the needs and opportunities in this moment.”
Price said Duke remains centered around community: “That’s hard to do in this political environment, but never more important.”
University Marking and Communications teamed up with Duke Health for the summit, with the goal of strengthening collaborative storytelling across campus. A successful example of that type of collaboration could be seen in a presentation of how the university’s Research Saves Lives campaign came to be.
‘Good content provides value’
The summit’s keynote address was delivered by popular Duke entrepreneurship professor Aaron Dinin. Dinin teaches a course, “Building Global Audiences,” also known as “the Tik Tok class”; his social media content reaches more than 250 million people each year. He offered real-world advice on how to effectively tell the university’s story: “Selfish content does not do well social media. Good content provides value,” he said.
Dinin stressed the value of storytelling by sharing his own story. “The reason I’m such a huge fan of Duke University is, well, it’s because of this.” A photo of a smiling, tow-headed young child on duke.edu with the banner “Duke Research Saves Lives” appeared on the screen behind Dinin. “See, Duke research saves lives. That little girl just happens to be my daughter.” The point drove home the value of telling Duke’s story to communities locally, and beyond.
Dinin’s keynote was followed by Trudy Sullivan Stoudamire, the senior vice-president, chief marketing and communications officer with the Duke University Health System.
Stoudamire presented, “The Four I’s Framework,” emphasizing the value of initiative, inquisitiveness, intentionality and inspiration as a means of elevating integrated communications across the university.
“Never give up, no matter what,” Stoudamire said about the value of inspiration. “What (Aaron Dinin) said about his daughter, that gives us hope.
“We’re better together.”
Recognizing Work
The event also presented an awards ceremony that recognized the outstanding work by Duke communicators. See photos below of the award winners, all pictured with AVP of Human Resources Paul Grantham and AVP of Communications, Marketing & Public Affairs Pamela Gibbs-Smith, who both organized the summit.
