Fall ePack #1

Welcome to the first fall ePack!
The Nicholas School’s Student Services office will use ePacks to communicate with new students throughout the fall. Each ePack will cover essential topics for students to focus on at specific times during the fall. These messages are designed to help students prepare for the upcoming school year.

After distribution, the fall ePacks will be posted on the Onboarding Resources website.

We look forward to welcoming you to campus in January!
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DUKE EMAIL & NETID

All new students should have received their Duke NetID and email address by now. Your NetID is required to access most Duke online platforms, including DukeHub, where you will register for classes and request transcripts. If you cannot find the setup instructions in your Inbox, please check your Spam or Junk folder.

If you are unable to find this information, you can contact the Office of Information Technology (OIT) to request that the initial setup instructions be resent to you. Please be prepared to provide some personal identification markers, such as your date of birth and permanent address. You can find additional OIT Resources for Students on the OIT website.

LISTSERVS & DUKE ALIAS EMAIL

Your Duke email will be added to the relevant Concentration listservs in the next two weeks. Please note that these email lists are meant for academic purposes only. We will use your Duke Alias email to subscribe you to the listservs. Typically, the Duke Alias email is your firstname.lastname@duke.edu. Please notify our office if you have changed or plan to change your Duke alias email address. If you do not notify our office, you will not receive messages sent to the listservs. 

The Concentration listserv addresses for first-year students are as follows, and they end with the following – @nicholas.duke.edu, for example firstcams@nicholas.duke.edu:

• Environment Concentrations: firstcams (Coastal and Marine Systems), firstee (Energy and Environment), firsteeh (Ecotoxicology and Environmental Health), and firsttfe (Terrestrial and Freshwater Environments)
• Management Concentrations: firstbe (Business and Environment), firstceej (Community Engagement and Environmental Justice), firsteam (Environmental Analytics and Modeling), and firsteep (Environmental Economics and Policy)
• Forestry: firstmf (Master of Forestry)
• First Years: proffirst (All new students)

ONBOARDING SCHEDULE

HOUSING and TRANSPORTATION

It is not too early to start looking for housing options. Although there are many housing options available in Durham, we suggest beginning the search early to have a better chance of selecting a place that meets your living and financial needs. The Off-Campus & Community Life, Student Affairs, recently held a virtual session on ‘Search Tips for Off-Campus Housing in Durham.’ View recording.

Alongside your housing search, it is also important to consider an array of alternative transportation options available at Duke and in Durham. Learn more about transit, walking, biking, carpooling, and commuting options at the Onboarding Resources website.

IMMUNIZATION COMPLIANCE

North Carolina State Law requires that all students entering college present a certificate of immunization that documents they have received all immunizations required by law. While your state or country of origin may have different immunization requirements, you must comply with North Carolina laws and Duke requirements. Although immunization records are due by December 15, it is most important to submit this information before the start of the semester. So, please do not worry if you cannot meet this deadline. On the Student Health website, select Steps for Immunization Compliance. In Step #4, you will use the form for ‘Immunization Requirements for Graduate Students.’ Please do not send immunization records to the Office of Student Services at the Nicholas School.

You can view the following video for an overview of the NC Immunization Process: Summer 2025 Session.

PREREQUISITE LETTERS

All incoming students should have received their prerequisite notification letter by now. Check your Duke email. If you are enrolled or intend to enroll in a prerequisite course this fall, be sure to submit the prerequisite notification form.

TECH PREP

In the Master of Environmental Management and Master of Forestry professional degree programs, students must be well-prepared for using various technologies in their classes and on special projects. New students are encouraged to spend time getting familiar with these platforms over the summer and reviewing the fundamentals.