Ask A Blue Devil

With nearly 2,000 Duke PT alumni and over 185,000 Duke alumni worldwide, Ask A Blue Devil will connect you with the best experts who can help you with advice and introductions.

You ask, they answer.

You ask.
They answer.

Duke alumni love helping students and fellow alumni. So what’s one question you have for someone who’s done what’s ahead of you?

How It Works

01 You ask.

Need help with an idea or active startup? Wondering about career options?

02 We recruit.

Our technology (powered by Protopia) uses AI to find the best experts to answer you.

03 Get answers.

We search until you have one or more responses. Delivered right to your email inbox.

04 Say ‘thank you.’

And build your network by continuing to stay in touch (such as via LinkedIn).

Not sure how to ask? We’ve got a short video that will turn you into a networking rock star.

“I want to say thank you. Ask a Blue Devil has been such an amazing system for me. Both times I have used it I have been contacted by multiple generous alumni. Most recently, it has helped me find a remote internship for the summer. I definitely intend to use Ask a Blue Devil again and would highly recommend it to others.”

“Ask a Blue Devil facilitates connections between community members needing assistance and alumni that can provide it. When I needed mentorship, support and encouragement for an unfamiliar project, I turned to the platform. I received boundless, genuine guidance from accomplished alumni. This very powerful tool should be utilized by those seeking knowledge or new understanding.”

“Thank you so much for this resource! It is wonderful to be in touch with alumni who have explored so many career paths. The future can be intimidating, and it is incredibly comforting to be in contact with alumni who are willing to help us learn from their experiences and make the best decisions for ourselves.”

“I have always found that the Duke community generously shares their time and expertise. Ask a Blue Devil is fueled on the generosity that Dukies intrinsically have and fosters new relationships with alumni that are outside of one’s own circle. With one question, I was able to connect with four alumni that I otherwise would not have known.”

Need inspiration? Here's what others like you have asked.

“My name is Kolby Smith and I am a current 2nd year student at Duke in the DPT program about to head into my final year of clinical experiences in the coming months.

I am looking for alumni in the Charlotte area. My significant other and I will most likely be ending up there after I complete the program and I would love to reach out to alumni in the area about career advice, networking, professional opportunities, etc. in the Charlotte area.

Thanks for your time and I hope to hear back!

“I am Pat and I am in my final year of the DPT program. I'm researching various opportunities, ideally near Roanoke, VA. To give you all some background about me, my majors in undergrad were Biology and Environmental Science and I am most interested in sports physical therapy.

I'd love to hear from alum about their career path, how they found their first position after graduation and how they are managing work-life balance.

Thank you for the help!"

WHAT CAN I ASK?

Literally anything to help with your academic or professional development. There are thousands of alumni, faculty, staff and friends that can help with class projects, building and growing a startup or figuring out career options.

WHAT'S A GOOD QUESTION?

Think of your question as an advertisement. Share who you are, what you are doing, and what you need help with. Keep it short and sweet. Here’s a short video on how to craft a great question that will get you results and help build your network.

WHO WILL SEE MY QUESTION?

We send your request to the best alumni, faculty, and staff in your area of interest.

CAN I REQUEST SOMEONE SPECIFIC?

No. We make our matches based on availability, proximity, experience and skills.

CAN I ASK A FOLLOW-UP QUESTION?

Yes, of course! Once we make a match you’ll have direct, one-to-one communication and can ask additional questions.

HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO GET AN ANSWER?

Our goal is to get you answers within 3 business days. But it depends on what you’re asking. It can go as quickly as an hour to as long as 10 days or more.

WILL MY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS BE CONFIDENTIAL?

Your question will not be made public. It will be seen only by matched experts and a handful of administrators.

IS THERE A LIMIT TO HOW OFTEN I CAN ASK?

No. You can ask as many questions as you would like. In fact, we encourage it as this is the simplest way for you to build your professional network.

Go ahead and ask

It has never been simpler to get help from others that have done what’s ahead of you.

Seriously.

The use of Ask A Blue Devil is subject to our Terms Of Use. Questions? Contact us at help@daa.duke.edu

You ask.They answer.