03 July 2013 11:12AM
Amy Clayton joined the Duke Economics staff in October 2012 as the PhD Program Assistant in the Ecoteach office. Amy recently shared about herself in this interview.
Tell us about yourself.
I have worked at Duke for almost 14 years. I am currently in school as well, studying at Mt. Olive College and finishing a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. The semesters are divided up into five-week sessions, and I usually go to school one night per week.
Prior to joining the Econ staff, I spent the majority of my career at Duke in the Fuqua School of Business, working with a wide variety of faculty that work in areas such as finance, marketing and accounting. I have also worked in Fuqua’s Health Sector Management Program.
My family includes my husband, my 5-year-old son, our beagle/hound mix, our 18lb. cat and me.
What do you like most about your job?
I really enjoy interacting with our PhD students. It's very rewarding to be able to assist them at any level.
It's especially rewarding to help international students because I know that they don't have people to advise and support them when they arrive here in the United States. I like to hear their stories and learn about their backgrounds. It really opens up my world to live vicariously through them! Even though I've lived in North Carolina all my life, I know a little about living internationally, thanks to our students. I'm interested in learning more about China and Asian culture in general.
When you have 30 minutes of free time, how do you spend it?
If it is free time at home, I spend it with my son, Cayson. He’s the light of my life, so every second of free time is spent with him. If it’s 30 minutes here at work, I'd probably spend it going for a walk or checking out Pinterest, a website that allows you to make wish lists, plan projects, and share ideas with others on the website.
What do you do when you are not at work?
I love to play softball and other sports. I play on a recreational women's softball league in Roxboro. I play all positions–whatever is needed–but usually 2nd or 3rd base.
I enjoy volunteering at my son's preschool and my church. This past winter I coordinated the Project Share holiday outreach here in the department. Project Share is a program sponsored by the Duke Community Service Center that provides gifts to Durham individuals and families in need during the holiday season.
I also love traveling with my family and friends. We have traveled to the islands of Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Turks & Caicos, Florida Keys, Grand Cayman, St. Thomas, Puerto Rico, Bahamas, and Cancun.
What is your favorite vacation destination?
We love the Caribbean since we love the sun and sand! Out of all the places we have traveled I would say that I love the islands of Turks & Caicos the most. The sand there is as soft as cotton and the water is just so unbelievably blue. The snorkeling there is unbelievable and so are the local people. The locals are so welcoming and so much fun! One day we hope to become locals of the islands ourselves.