DEI Spotlight
Each month we invite you to nominate your colleague(s) for helping foster a kind and inclusive environment. By celebrating Nicholas School students, staff, and faculty each month for these efforts, we can foster a culture of recognition and inspire each other to do better. With your help, we can amplify brave actors and celebrate their contributions toward a more equitable, just, and inclusive community.
Learn more about the DEI Spotlight and see past winners by visiting the DEI Spotlight webpage.
Alumni Spotlight
The Nicholas School is committed to celebrating past students who have utilized the skills and knowledge they gained at Duke to follow their passions and become experts in various environmental fields.
To learn more about these individuals, please visit the Alumni Spotlight webpage.
Mentoring Awards
The Karen Kirchof Staff Award for Excellence in Mentoring Students in the Nicholas School of the Environment
The Nicholas School of the Environment created the Karen Kirchof Award for Excellence in Mentoring Students to celebrate and honor exemplary mentoring that lies at the core of the school’s doctoral, professional, and undergraduate programs. The award recognizes the considerable efforts of full-time staff who consistently invest their time and attention in mentoring students. It is designed to allow students to identify full-time staff who embody thoughtful, intentional, and inclusive mentoring and advising of students outside the classroom.
Each spring, the Nicholas School will recognize a full-time staff member who best exemplifies the characteristics of effective mentoring for students in our doctoral, professional, or undergraduate programs.
Nominations will be accepted from students currently enrolled in the doctoral, professional, or undergraduate programs and can be from individuals or groups. Nominations should be in the form of a single-page letter (PDF) sent to the Assistant Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Nomination letters are due by April 8. Nominating letters should speak directly to the four award criteria below. Nomination letters will be reviewed by the AD of DEI and a subset of members of the Actionator committee. The announcement of the award will be at graduation.
- Participates broadly in student engagement and programming, including clubs and social groups;
- Uses a variety of resources to address student challenges and concerns;
- Demonstrates culturally-inclusive mentoring practices;
- Commits to advancing students’ long-term professional development by connecting students to resources, professional opportunities, and local/national/international networks; and
- Creates a supportive environment by fostering mutual respect and demonstrating sincere and active interest in the well-being of students.
The Norm Christensen Faculty Award for Excellence in Mentoring Doctoral Students in the Nicholas School of the Environment
The Nicholas School of the Environment created the Norm Christensen Award for Excellence in Mentoring Students to celebrate and honor exemplary mentoring that lies at the core of the school’s doctoral programs. The award recognizes the considerable efforts of full-time faculty who consistently invest their time and attention in mentoring students. It is designed to allow students to identify full-time faculty who embody thoughtful, intentional, and inclusive mentoring and advising of students outside the classroom.
Each spring, the Nicholas School will recognize a full-time faculty member who best exemplifies the characteristics of effective mentoring for students in our doctoral programs.
Nominations will be accepted from students currently enrolled in the doctoral programs and can be from individuals or groups. Nominations should be in the form of a single-page letter (PDF) sent to the Assistant Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Nomination letters are due by April 8, 2025. Nominating letters should speak directly to the four award criteria below. Nomination letters will be reviewed by the AD of DEI and a subset of members of the Actionator committee. The announcement of the award will be at graduation.
Award Criteria:
- Participates broadly in student engagement and programming, including clubs and social groups;
- Uses a variety of resources to address student challenges and concerns;
- Demonstrates culturally-inclusive mentoring practices;
- Commits to advancing students’ long-term professional development by connecting students to resources, professional opportunities, and local/national/international networks; and
- Creates a supportive environment by fostering mutual respect and demonstrating sincere and active interest in the well-being of students.
How to Write a Compelling Nomination:
To craft a compelling letter of reference for the Karen Kirchof Staff Award or Norm Christensen Faculty Award for Excellence in Mentoring Doctoral Students, please be sure to highlight the following:
- Author’s Credentials and Relationship to Nominee —Establish the writer’s credibility and explain how they know the nominee.
- Nominee’s Professional Excellence —Highlight career achievements, leadership qualities, and impact in the Nicholas School.
- Specific Achievements and Contributions — Provide concrete examples of the nominee’s work ethic, integrity, and influence on others.
- Connection to DEI Values — Illustrate how the nominee embodies the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Office’s mission by mentoring, advocating, or advancing educational access.
- Endorsement and Impact — Conclude with a strong statement affirming why the nominee is an outstanding choice for this award.
For additional information on writing a compelling nomination, review the following resource by Indeed.