Spend one minute with Lisa Borders ’79 and you’ll see the immense charm, humility, wit and decision-making that make her leadership a tour de force in the public sector and in the business world. Spend another, and you’ll soon be uplifted by your own inner bravery, ready to clear big hurdles and accomplish lofty goals.

Isela Bahena M.B.A.’04 has dedicated much of her giving to Duke to providing equitable access to education for students at The Fuqua School of Business. She believes that now is the time for women to show their economic power with philanthropy.

Early in my career, after being at Deloitte only a few years, I began to realize that being involved in the local community was an important part of building a professional network. So I joined the Greater Cincinnati Foundation, which awards grants to local nonprofit organizations.

I hope that Duke can continue to nurture the concept of cross-disciplinary collaboration in the quest to solve critical local, national, and global problems. This innovative approach, when coupled with “outrageous ambitions,” will lead to successes that could not be achieved in other ways.

As a young person, I participated in and supported organizations focused on ending the apartheid regime in South Africa, and I organized the fundraising effort of a student organization in my high school to sponsor a child in Burkina Faso.

My parents taught me that when you believe in something or somebody you give whatever you can—mind, body, and soul (and wallet if possible)—in support.

I hope we continue to inspire the next generation of critical thinkers, life-time learners, and visionary leaders to use their strengths to contribute to society.

My parents were my models, even though they didn’t have the resources for philanthropic giving. They did, however, dedicate a significant amount of their time and energy to philanthropic causes and to education in particular. As for philanthropic giving, my models have been friends and peers who have generously given to schools, research groups, and community service organizations.