The Duke Center for International Development (DCID) has announced plans to collaborate with DukeNIA (Duke Network for International Affairs) to expand outreach and support for Duke alumni working in international affairs around the world.
“This will draw on the strengths of DCID and its global network while serving as a catalyst for Duke alumni to build global alliances and professional and personal communities worldwide,” said Stephanie Alt Lamm, assistant director of the Master of International Development Policy (MIDP) program at DCID.
DukeNIA is a global network of Duke alumni, faculty and students who share an interest in international policy, trade and entrepreneurship. Now with more than 400 members, it has become one of Duke’s fastest growing affiliate groups.
It was founded by Michael Kleine, a foreign service officer with the U.S. State Department who is preparing for his next assignment as deputy chief of mission of the U.S. Embassy in Vientiane, Laos. Kleine earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from Duke in 1990 and his JD from Duke Law in 1993.
“I came up with the idea for DukeNIA after meeting several Duke alumni at a conference on U.S.-Japan relations in Washington. It struck me that there must be a better, more methodical way of meeting Duke alumni who work in international affairs,” he said. “Using a LinkedIn platform, DukeNIA has been able to cut across the university’s various schools and to connect alumni, faculty and students who are interested in international policy, trade and entrepreneurship.”
The MIDP program plans to lend support to DukeNIA through social media, administrative assistance, chapter support and identifying Duke student and alumni ambassadors worldwide. DCID has more than 680 alumni from nearly 100 countries in its MIDP program and has trained over 5,000 international development professionals through its short-term executive education programs.
“Both of our organizations share the goals of creating a Duke community linked by a common interest in international affairs, providing a platform for Duke alumni and scholars to influence the foreign policy debate, and connecting the next generation of global leaders with experts in the field,” Kleine said. “It’s clear to me that DCID alumni are well-positioned to emerge as the future leadership of new DukeNIA chapters throughout the world.”
