Info for Alumni

The Duke LGBT Alumni Network (DukeLAN) is an organization for Duke alumni/ae, faculty, staff, and students from all Duke undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools. DukeLAN was formed in 2005 with the aim of connecting together alumni in various parts of the country and helping students find Duke LGBT connections while in school and after graduation.

Upcoming Events

Reunions Weekend 2009 LGBT Alumni Reception

Join this event on Facebook!  

Saturday, April 18, 2009

Quotes

"We can all be proud to know that if we attended Duke today there is a place, a wonderful place, to meet other gay and lesbian students and to share our feelings our experiences and our fun. I say this having been a regular visitor to campus over the last several years and stopping by the LGBT Center on Friday afternoons for Socially Queer." - Blake Byrne, Trinity Alumnus '57

"One of the most valuable aspects of (the LGBT) Center is to provide a safe place to hold meetings and social gatherings. The Duke gay community needs a place of its own - a place to connect with others - a visible and welcoming place where students can be themselves in a supportive environment and seek the information and resources they need." - Heather Norton, Trinity Alumna '94

The Black Student Alliance has a catch phrase which declares: 'To look ahead is to look to one another.' As the services for the bisexual, lesbian, and gay community at Duke prosper, the lives we have known in isolation and confusion can be transformed into positive and healthy spaces, distinguished by our ability to persevere with dignity." - Tim'm T. West, Trinity Alumnus '94

William E. Valentine, Trinity Alumnus '71 (1949-1994)

Since my graduation in 1971, my pride in my alma mater was primarily for the way it has thrived as a premier American university, and of course, Duke basketball - but recently I have had the opportunity to reconnect with Duke University in a more meaningful way than I could ever have imagined possible.
In 1993, I attended a Homecoming reception for lesbian, gay, and bisexual alumni, and also spoke to a large student group about my post-Duke life. It's hard to put into words how extremely important I felt it was to be there. I wanted to help those young gay and lesbian students to know that there is a world of people out there who are supportive - people who care about them and their future.

While at Duke I certainly wrestled internally with questions of my sexual orientation, but there was never an opportunity to discuss that with any other person. I was completely closeted. That was not a good time of my life to be so closed - a time when one is supposed to be having new experiences and discovering oneself in new ways. I would have loved to have had male and female friends at Duke who could support who I really was. Had that been possible then, I would clearly have derived even more good from my Duke years.

I am fond of Duke for many reasons, and feel that my Duke experience was a positive and pivotal experience in my life, but I am most concerned that this new, open campus spirit continue in the form of a Center for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual (and Transgender) Life. It is so important that every student be able to claim a meaningful Duke experience of his or her own - and I feel it is important for us, as alumni, to help in any way we can to ensure it." - February 3, 1994

Alumni Chapters

Chapters are available or forming in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, New York City, San Francisco, Washington D.C. area and the NC Triangle area. 

The Byrne Endowment Challenge

Blake Byrne, T'57, has initiated a project at Duke to improve the campus climate for gay and lesbian students. He has pledged up to $25,000 to help friends and Duke graduates create endowments that will support the Center. The minimum to create an endowment is $25,000, Blake will match a gift of $20,000 with $5,000 to fully fund a named endowment. Gifts are payable over five years and can be counted in reunion class giving. The fund will bear the name of the donor's choice, and funds have been named for honoring and memorializing loved ones.

If you would like to fulfill this challenge send a message to the Center for LGBT Life. Blake also generously created the Carolinas Scholarship for Gay and Lesbian students. The scholarship is the first of its kind at Duke, and will benefit a gay student from North or South Carolina who applies for and demonstrates need to Duke's Financial Aid office.

How can I make a gift to the Center for LGBT Life?

Duke has a form for gifts on the Alumni and Development web page.

This is a secure form. On the form make sure you scroll down and earmark your gift by typing "LGBT Center current fund" in the "Additional/Other designations" field.

When you mail in a check, you should make the check out to DUKE and put on the note line or on a note attached "LGBT current fund". You should also indicate if you wish it to be anonymous or not.