Wilson Society member spotlight: Carol Duquette ’85, ’03S (MBA)

Carol Duquette believes her Rochester education set her up to succeed.

Carol Duquette ’85, ’03S (MBA)

Carol Duquette ’85, ’03S (MBA) recalls graduating from the University of Rochester with a sense that she could do anything. She found the broad education and critical thinking skills she gained from her degrees could be applied successfully in any situation.

Carol grew up in Plattsburgh, NY. In her freshman year of college, she visited a friend in Virginia and went to see the friend’s father’s workplace at Langley Air Force Base, where she had the chance to observe testing on the airfoils that were being modeled for space shuttles. Carol came away from the experience knowing that she wanted to pursue mechanical engineering, though there were few women in the field at the time.

Initially drawn to Rochester by a scholarship and her knowledge of the school’s strong reputation for excellence, Carol was certain it was the right fit after visiting the campus and immediately liking what she saw. Her conviction in the strength of a Rochester education has remained steady. “I learned so much from my peers—it was incredible,” she shares. “As students, we were super-focused, staying up till 2 a.m. doing problem sets. We never took the easy way out.”

After graduating, Carol worked as an engineer and consultant for the City of Rochester, a land development consulting firm, and architectural firms before joining Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. in 1996, where she is now vice president of design services and maintenance. Carol returned to the University of Rochester to earn an MBA at the Simon Business School and credits her professors for completely changing the way she thought about business and helping her develop invaluable leadership skills. Once again, her peers had a large impact on her education. The diversity of the class, coming from so many skillsets and industries, gave her a whole new perspective.

Carol’s family now has a long legacy of attending the University of Rochester. Carol’s son came to the University to study engineering as an undergraduate student and later earned his MBA at Simon as well. Several of Carol’s nieces and nephews have pursued their own Rochester degrees before launching successful careers in development work, engineering, marketing, and law.

Eager to stay connected to the school, Carol has served on many professional societies, such as Rochester’s Society of Women Engineers and has hosted internships for students. After having several opportunities to return to the University as a guest lecturer, Carol shares that she “was completely blown away by how insightful the students were in their questions—their intelligence and intellect, how well-rounded they are and all that they strive to accomplish.”

Now, as a member of the Wilson Society, Carol has set up a deferred charitable gift annuity, which has the advantage of providing a guaranteed income for life. The resulting endowment will provide support for underrepresented students in engineering—ensuring that students continue to benefit from Carol’s generosity well into the future.

“Attending the University of Rochester set me up to succeed in the face of any challenge that has come up in my career. I hope my support helps future students receive the same opportunities I did.”