Stelfanie Williams, Duke’s vice president for community affairs, relishes the chance to create opportunities not only for neighbors and colleagues but also for the next generation.
“Leaving the world better than we found it is a responsibility we all share,” said Williams, who has spent most of her professional life in education. “It occurs in small ways and large, in our habits, in the decisions we make, and in how we interact with those around us.”
Williams was first appointed to her role in 2018 after serving as president of Vance Granville Community College, just north of the Triangle. She is now in her second term leading Duke Community Affairs. The team, primarily located in the NC Mutual Building in downtown Durham, is dedicated to forging strong partnerships with diverse neighborhood and community leaders across Durham and the Carolinas.
Following her long service in open admissions institutions, Williams says, “Accessibility and opportunity for all are key values for me and are emblematic of my approach to leadership.”
Under Williams’ leadership, Duke continues to expand its reach and connections to communities, including working with local educational institutions and partners, such as Durham Technical Community College and North Carolina Central University.
Duke’s Strategic Community Impact Plan addresses social inequities and health disparities by prioritizing five key areas: education, housing affordability, nutrition and food security, economic mobility, and partnerships with community nonprofits.
More than 650 people from across Durham participated in listening sessions for the plan, providing input about how Duke engages in community partnerships.
The plan’s focus areas, along with other forthcoming efforts in collaboration across Duke, such as the new Center for Community Engagement that will launch in February 2025, aim to improve health and well-being in communities.
“We create community through our choices, and choosing partnership is at the heart of it,” Williams said.
