Duke University. Career Center.

The Career Center, formerly known as the Appointments Office, Office of Placement Services, and Career Development Center is a career placement service for students of Duke University.

The Duke University Appointments Office, a student career placement service, was created around 1938. James Simpson was the first director, serving from 1938 until 1940. When he left in 1940, William Upchurch assumed the position of Director, and he remained in charge until 1942. Fannie Mitchell came to the Appointments Office in 1942 and was acting director until she assumed the full responsibilities of director in 1947. She was the first woman to hold the position of director.

The Appointments Office originally placed students in either teaching or commercial positions, but by the 1950s had expanded the scope of their placement efforts to include a variety of fields. The Appointments Office has helped students locate career leads by inviting representatives of companies to come to campus to interview students. The Appointments Office also counseled students on job searching, interviewing skills, resume writing, and compiled confidential evaluation records of student recommendations.

Fannie Mitchell was a well-connected professional in college recruiting. She relied on acquaintances in the United States and abroad to secure choice recruiters to come to campus, and to further the positive image of Duke University graduates. Mitchell participated in many Duke University conferences regarding the employability of Duke University graduates, and women's achievement in the workplace, and she also advised many academic departments on the interests of recruiters. Mitchell also served on the Woman's College Advisory Committee.

Mitchell held leadership positions in professional organizations including the Southern College Placement Association, College Placement Services, Southern Education Foundation, Western College Placement Association, Durham Business and Professional Women's Club Federation, and the State Business and Professional Women's Club Federation.

When Fannie Mitchell retired from her position in 1968, an endowment created in her honor established the Fannie Mitchell Conference on Career Choices. There is also a Fannie Mitchell student scholarship. Patricia O’Conner succeeded Fanny Mitchell becoming the director in 1968. In 1969, the office was renamed Office of Placement Services. Laurence Maskel was the director from 1988 to 1990, and in 1990 the named of the department changed to the Career Development Center. John Noble became director of the Center in 1991. The department is currently (2007) known as the Career Center.

The Career Center continues to serve all Duke University students and works with academic departments to develop industry-specific job searching strategies. As of 2003, the Career Center of Duke University is a department of the Division of Student Affairs.