A Spark of Connections at the Freeman Center for Jewish Life

Alumni network gathers to discuss career paths

From Campus to Career with group of people smiling at the camera

On Sunday, April 12, Jewish Life at Duke welcomed students and alumni for its first “From Campus to Career: Panel and Networking Night,” an evening designed to spark connections, conversations, and new possibilities. Hosted in partnership with the Duke Jewish Alumni Network, the event drew more than sixty undergraduate, graduate, and professional students from all religious identities and over twenty-five alumni and parents representing a wide range of fields, all gathering at the Freeman Center for Jewish Life. 

For students, it was a chance to explore a wide range of career paths spanning business, law, public policy, entrepreneurship, entertainment, sustainability, and more, all through candid conversations with Duke alumni and parents who have walked those roads before. Coming at the close of Reunion Weekend, the event also offered alumni a meaningful shift from reminiscing about their Duke days to actively shaping the next generation’s future.

People sitting at a table laughing
The event offered students to explore a wide range of career paths.

The idea for the program took shape within the Jewish Life at Duke Advisory Board, which posed a simple question: How can we offer even greater support to students by tapping into the strength of our alumni and parent community?  A task force of board members, staff, and a student representative drew inspiration from successful models such as Karsh Conversations and Duke Career Center events and adapted them to the needs of the Jewish Life at Duke community. The result was an evening built to provide real‑world insight, meaningful networking, and a clearer understanding of the many paths a Duke degree can open. For many students, the event delivered exactly that — and more.

The program opened with a lively panel of alumni moderated by Greg Victory, assistant vice president of student affairs and Fannie Mitchell Executive Director of the Career Center. Panelists included Julian Dawes, vice chairman at Sotheby’s; Caryn Seidman Becker, chair & CEO at CLEAR; Peter Friedlander, head of global TV at Amazon MGM Studios; and Matthew Schorr, managing director at Lazard. They reflected on the pivotal decisions and unexpected turns that shaped their career paths, emphasizing teamwork, adaptability in an era of rapid technological change, the importance of perseverance, and the power of grit. Caryn Seidman Becker recounted her persistence in pitching the adoption of CLEAR to airports, reminding students that often in business, “most yeses start with nos.”

“Most yeses start with nos.”

Caryn Seidman Becker, Chair & CEO at CLEAR

A moment that resonated deeply came when students learned that nearly all of the panelists left Duke without jobs lined up. Alumnus Peter Friedlander noted that he was well into his late thirties before he ever thought of his work as a “career,” reminding students that pathways often unfold gradually. For many students, this was a welcome dose of perspective. “I realized I don’t have to have it all figured out when I graduate,” one student reflected after the event.

A crowd, with people greeting each other
The evening closed with informal networking, where students and alumni made plans to stay in touch.

After the panel, students moved into pre-assigned networking roundtables organized by career interest. Each table matched students with one or more alumni hosts, creating small, focused groups where conversations could move beyond introductions and into meaningful advice, lived experience, and actionable guidance.

The evening closed with informal networking, where students and alumni continued conversations, exchanged contact information, and made plans to stay in touch. The success of the night underscored the strength and generosity of the Duke network, which continues to support and uplift students long after graduation.

This year’s program was hosted by Jewish Life at Duke and the Duke Jewish Alumni Network and included the following campus partners: Duke Career Center, Duke Business of Retail Society, Duke Entertainment Media & Arts Network, Jewish Business Association, Jewish Graduate Student Association, Jewish Law Students Association, Jewish Medical Student Association, Society of Women Engineers at Duke, The Cube at Duke.

About Jewish Life at Duke

Jewish Life at Duke (JLD) is the hub for all things Jewish on Duke’s campus. An accredited Hillel as well as a department within Duke University’s Division of Student Affairs, Jewish Life at Duke is guided by a mission to empower students to learn and grow intellectually and spiritually; to inspire and nurture personal paths to Jewish identity; and to cultivate community and friendship. Comprising the Freeman Center for Jewish Life and the Rubenstein-Silvers Hillel, JLD takes a pluralistic approach to Judaism to ensure that all students, regardless of affiliation, are welcome and included.