Onboarding Resources
Onboarding Resources

ePack #4

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Topics Featured: Day Trips, Diagnostic Exams, Events Coming Up, ICYMI, Student ID, Summer Check-in, Water Safety Resources, and WhatsApp Group

Welcome to the fourth summer ePack!
Summer onboarding continues this week. We hope your summer is progressing smoothly and you’ve been able to carve out time for fun and relaxation.

This is a gentle reminder that the Orientation RSVP Form is due today.

The next ePack will feature information related to Fall 2025 Course Registration, and we invite you to join the registration-related virtual session scheduled next week. In the meantime, check out the Summer Onboarding Schedule!

If you missed one of the earlier ePacks or want to view it again, ePacks are posted on the Onboarding Resources site after distribution.

Wishing everyone a delightful summer!

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SUMMER CHECK-IN

As we approach the start of the school year, please make sure that you are taking care of things relevant to your transition to Durham, NC, and the beginning of the semester. By now, you should have completed the following or have a plan to finish these things over the next couple of weeks.

STUDENT ID

Mobile DukeCards have become a mainstream choice for Duke students. Students can set up their Mobile Duke ID Card credentials on an iPhone or Android smartphone before arriving on campus. We recommend that students submit their Duke photo at least two weeks before coming to campus. 

Upload your photo for your Duke ID card. You may want to review the setup details before you get started (see Mobile DukeCard Tasks). Mobile DukeCards are easy to use and keep up with, but it does require that students keep their mobile devices with them at all times. Students will need their Mobile DukeCard to access facilities on campus. Manage your DukeCard account by logging into the eAccounts portal or opening the eAccounts mobile app.

Students who do not have a smartphone or need a physical ID card can request one by appointment only.

Questions? Contact the Duke Card Office.

WATER SAFETY AND SWIMMING RESOURCES

During your studies at the Nicholas School, you will likely engage in field and travel activities designed to provide applied, experiential learning. These activities are an essential component of your education and may include day or overnight trips to diverse environments such as forests, streams, mountains, beaches, coastal areas, islands, the ocean, and both urban and rural settings. These excursions offer opportunities to explore and enjoy the outdoor world while gaining practical experiences. Given the nature of these activities, which may occur near, in, or on water, water safety is crucial.

Whether you are a new swimmer, a beginner, or an experienced swimmer looking to learn or improve your skills, there are several resources available to you on campus (not an exhaustive list). You are encouraged to take advantage of these resources to enhance your water safety skills. If you have any questions or need further information, reach out to the contacts in the handout linked above.

WHATSAPP GROUP

Join the Nicholas School’s Orientation WhatsApp Group. Download the app. Once you join, introduce yourself and connect with other new students. Join Now! The Nicholas School’s Student Council (NSSC) and other student leaders manage the WhatsApp Group.

DAY TRIPS

If you are in town, join the day trips scheduled this summer hosted by the university’s Graduate and Professional Student Services office. This summer, the GPSS office has brought you informative webinars to help you transition to Duke University through the summer transition series. Now, they aim to help you build connections with peers across academic programs at Duke.

Advanced registration is required. Limited capacity. Check back next week to register.

  • August 1: Downtown Scavenger Hunt
  • August 7: Duke Gardens and Nasher Museum
  • August 14: Durham Bulls Baseball Game (Marquee Event)

DIAGNOSTIC EXAMS

All students must take and pass the calculus and statistics diagnostic exams, regardless of their concentration. Testing takes place in Canvas. Students who have completed prerequisite courses in calculus and statistics will take the diagnostic exams this summer, including the late testing window in August. Therefore, if you have not met the prerequisites to take the exams this summer, your next opportunity to test will be late Fall 2025. If you fail or do not take the tests this summer, you will need to wait until a later term to enroll in courses that require calculus and statistics.

Summer Testing: Opens on Friday, July 18 at 12:00 AM (ET) – Closes on Friday, August 8 at 11:59 PM (ET)

  • Access Test Site: All incoming students have been granted access to the NSOE Diagnostic Exams Canvas test site. Check your Duke email for the access link.
  • Honor Code Pledge: For each exam, students must complete and submit the Honor Code Pledge.
  • Exam Details and Best Practices: Take a few minutes to review the exam details and best practice information before you take the exams.
  • Format: Exams consist mostly of multiple-choice questions, and calculators are not allowed. Exams are timed, and students have 1 hour and 15 minutes to complete each test.
  • Z Table: Download the Z table before you start the statistics exam and keep it handy. You will need the Z table for the statistics diagnostic exam.
  • Practice Tests: Students will find two practice tests and modules for review on the Canvas site. All students can access the practice tests, which can be taken multiple times.

ICYMI

In case you missed it (ICYMI) or will need to miss one of the upcoming summer sessions, recordings will be posted on the Summer Onboarding Schedule.

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COMING UP!

Additional sessions will be scheduled throughout the summer. Please refer to the ‘Upcoming Dates’ section and ‘Onboarding Schedule’ for updates.

Should you have trouble accessing any of the information on the Onboarding Resources site, please contact me directly.

Welcome to the Nicholas School and Duke University communities!

Erika Lovelace-Young | MSc | Registrar and Director of Professional Programs and Administration
Office of Student Services
Nicholas School of the Environment
e.love@duke.edu