Onboarding Resources
Onboarding Resources

Orientation Schedule 2025

🌱 = Student-led activity
📌= Mandatory session
🌻= Connect, Chat or Relax

WELCOME to the NICHOLAS SCHOOL OF THE ENVIRONMENT!
9 Circuit Dr., Durham, NC

Overview of the Week
  • Orientation marks the beginning of your journey at the Nicholas School and Duke. It involves more than simply academic sessions and course registration. It offers a chance to meet new people, discover what’s possible, and begin shaping your experience here. The week is designed to help you:
    • Build community with your cohort
    • Connect with returning students, faculty, and staff
    • Explore campus and discover key resources
    • Meet your academic advisor and fellow classmates
  • What to Expect
    • The first day is designed to offer a smooth and flexible transition into the week.
    • Several sessions throughout Orientation are mandatory – your full participation in these is expected.
    • The rest of the schedule offers a variety of optional sessions and activities, and we strongly encourage you to join those that interest you. These are great opportunities to start building friendships, discover campus offerings, and feel rooted in your new community. Optional offerings include time to:
      • Join student-led events or campus tours
      • Connect with others in the community
      • Meet individually with your academic advisor
      • Complete assistantship interviews (if applicable)
      • Take care of logistics (e.g., Duke ID, parking, supplies)
      • Unpack, relax, and recharge

MONDAY, AUGUST 18

Meet Your Faculty/Peers & Cohort Building

10:00 AM – 4:00 PM: Check-in (Grainger Hall & Hug Commons, LSRC)
  • Location: From the first floor of Grainger Hall (9 Circuit Drive), walk across the breezeway to Hug Commons, LSRC. Each new student will be given their sustainable name tag, a T-shirt, and tote bag (made from recycled cotton).
  • Check-in & Welcome Packet: Stop by at any time between 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM to pick up your welcome packet.
  • Keep in Mind: Before coming to campus, please eat breakfast. Breakfast/coffee service will not be provided on Monday morning.
  • Immunization Event: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM. Location: Penn Pavilion, West Campus. Open to all students. No appointment necessary. Students can also schedule individual appointments with our immunization nurse by calling 919.681.9355 option 2.
10:30 AM – 12:00 PM: Student-led Activities🌱(Grainger Hall & West Campus)
  • West Campus Tours (Meet outside in the Orchard, First Floor, Grainger Hall)
    • Tours and other activities in this section will be led by the Orientation Champions. West Campus tours will start at 10:30 AM, 10:45 AM, and 11:00 AM. Explore the main part of Duke’s campus!
  • Reservoir Walk (Meet outside in the Orchard, First Floor, Grainger Hall)
    • Looking for a shorter walk? Stretch your legs out and check out the Duke Reservoir. Group to leave at 11:00 AM.
  • Meet with the Champions (Reading Room, Second Floor, Grainger Hall)
    • Join some of our Orientation Champions in the Reading Room to discuss life at Duke and answer any questions you may have! Relax and enjoy informal socializing.
12:00 – 1:00 PM: Lunch: Connect & Chat (Orchard, First Floor, Grainger Hall)🌻
  • New students are cordially invited to lunch on the first floor of Grainger Hall. There will be tables setup outside for students to connect and chat. To help us reduce waste, please bring reusable water bottles, cups, and flatware if you have them. View lunch menu on Monday.
1:00 – 1:15 PM: Transition
  • Transition to afternoon sessions. After lunch, students will attend their Concentration sessions.
  • All students are expected to attend their Concentration Group Advising meetings.
  • Discussions will center on general course planning, program happenings, and degree requirements. Students can move between sessions if they wish. Should your group academic advising session end early, feel free to hang out in the Reading Room, 2nd Floor, Grainger Hall, which will be outfitted with games, snacks, and other fun things to Connect, Chat or Relax.
1:15 – 2:15 PM: Environment Concentrations Group Academic Advising📌
2:15 – 2:30 PM: Break
  • Take a quick break. Then, go directly to your Management Concentration Session.
2:30 – 3:30 PM: Management Concentrations Group Academic Advising📌
3:30 – 5:00 PM: Forestry and Coastal Group Academic Advising Meetings📌
  • Coastal and Marine Systems Small Group Advising Meetings (A247, Second Floor, LSRC)
  • Master of Forestry Group Academic Advising (1111, First Floor, Grainger Hall)
    • Group academic advising for students enrolling in the Master of Forestry degree program (MF only and dual MEM/MF students). Professors Ram Oren and Bin Mei.
      • Time: 3:45 – 4:45 PM

3:30 – 5:00 PM: Afternoon Happenings🌱📌🌻
  • The following activities are occurring concurrently. Students can move between these activities.
  • Advising: Students should schedule time to meet with their advisor during this time.
  • Assistantship Interviews: Students who were awarded an assistantship should use this time to participate in interviews.
  • Take a Short Break:🌱3:30 – 4:00 PM. The Orientation Champions will gather in the Orchard for a short break following the end of Concentration Sessions before heading out for the Scavenger Hunt. Meet in the Orchard, First Floor, Grainger Hall.
  • HR Office Hours:📌3:30 – 5:00 PM. Location: Suite 5110, 5th Floor, Grainger Hall. Students with assistantships must stop by the Human Resources Office, at least once this week, to complete the payroll process and have their documents photocopied. Other times are available throughout the week. Students needing to get on payroll for assistantships should review the list of acceptable documents for ID verification. Access the bio data form and learn more here.
  • Course Registration Office Hours: 3:45 – 4:45 PM. Stop by during this time to get your registration-related questions answered. No formal presentation. Location: A148, First Floor, LSRC. Facilitated by Erika Lovelace-Young and Eric Mears.
  • Campus Scavenger Hunt:🌱4:00 – 5:00 PM. Join the Orientation Champions for a campus scavenger hunt! Prizes to be announced for the winning team. The Scavenger Hunt will begin in the Orchard, First Floor, Grainger Hall.
  • Connect, Chat or Relax:🌻Stop by the Reading Room on the second floor of Grainger Hall. For this week only, we have outfitted the room with snacks, meditation pillows, and games. Feel free to stop at any time during the week to Connect, Chat, or Relax.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 19

Academic Foundations & Career Prep

Wear Your Nic School T-Shirt Today!
  • We encourage all new students to wear (or bring) their Nic School T-Shirt on Tuesday for the Class Picture at 10:45 AM.
8:00 – 9:30 AM: Morning Happenings
  • Advising: Students should schedule time to meet with their advisor during this time.
  • Assistantship Interviews: Students who were awarded an assistantship should use this time to participate in interviews.
  • Immunization Event: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM. Location: Penn Pavilion, West Campus. Open to all students. No appointment necessary. Students can also schedule individual appointments with our immunization nurse by calling 919.681.9355 option 2.
  • HR Office Hours:📌10:00 AM – 12:00 PM. Location: Suite 5110, 5th Floor, Grainger Hall. Students with assistantships must stop by the Human Resources Office, at least once this week, to complete the payroll process and have their documents photocopied. Other times are available throughout the week. Students needing to get on payroll for assistantships should review the list of acceptable documents for ID verification. Access the bio data form and learn more here.
8:30 – 9:30 AM: Breakfast (Orchard, First Floor, Grainger Hall)
  • Grab a light breakfast before the first morning session. To help us reduce waste, please bring reusable water bottles, cups, and flatware if you have them. View breakfast menu on Tuesday.
9:30 – 10:10 AM: Dean’s Welcome & Leadership Introductions (Love Auditorium, B101, LSRC)
  • 9:30 – 9:55 AM: Dean’s Welcome: Lori Snyder Bennear, Stanback Dean, Nicholas School of the Environment, will deliver welcoming remarks to MEM, MF, and DEL-MEM students.
  • 9:55 – 10:10 AM: Professional Programs Senior Leadership Introductions: Professors Tim Johnson and Grant Murray; and Sherri Nevius, Student Services
10:10 – 10:25 AM: Meet your Orientation Champions🌱(Love Auditorium, B101, LSRC)
  • Meet your Orientation student volunteers affectionately known as Orientation Champions
  • Anli Raymond, Environmental Economics and Policy/Energy and Environment
  • Annabel Weyhrich, Business and Environment/Terrestrial and Freshwater Environments + MBA, Fuqua
  • Camber Vincent, Coastal and Marine Systems/Environmental Analytics and Modeling
  • Charlotte Del Col, Energy and Environment/Environmental Economics and Policy + MBA, Fuqua
  • Emily Burghart, Terrestrial and Freshwater Environments/Community Engagement and Environmental Justice
  • Hazal Maral, Environmental Economics and Policy/Energy and Environment
  • Lindsay Bell, Environmental Economics and Policy/Terrestrial and Freshwater Environments
  • Maddie Latimore, Energy and Environment/Business and Environment + MBA, Fuqua
  • Samia Aboni, Energy and Environment/Business and Environment + MBA, UNC
  • Scout Yokely, Environmental Economics and Policy/Coastal and Marine Systems
  • Shraddha Sharma, Business and Environment/Energy and Environment
  • Terry Uranbold, Business and Environment/Energy and Environment
  • Will Lin, Energy and Environment/Environmental Analytics and Modeling + MPP, Sanford
10:25 – 10:45 AM: Icebreaker Activity (Love Auditorium, B101, LSRC)
  • The orientation student leaders will facilitate an icebreaker activity.
10:45 – 11:00 AM: Class of 2027 Group Photo (LSRC Courtyard) & Break
  • Students will gather in the LSRC Courtyard for a group photo. The LSRC Courtyard is located just outside of Love Auditorium and Hug Commons (i.e., near the Check-in area).
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Honor Code Orientation (Love Auditorium, B101, LSRC)📌
  • All new students must attend the Honor Code Orientation.
  • Presenter: Professor Grant Murray
  • After the Honor Code Orientation, all students must submit the Honor Code Statement by Friday, August 22. Do not submit the Honor Code Statement prior to the Honor Code Orientation. Early submissions will not be accepted. Blocks will be placed in DukeHub for students who do not submit the Honor Code Statement prior to the start of classes on Monday, August 25.
12:00 – 1:00 PM: Lunch: Connect & Chat (Orchard, First Floor, Grainger Hall)🌻
  • New students are cordially invited to lunch on the first floor of Grainger Hall. There will be tables setup outside for students to connect and chat. To help us reduce waste, please bring reusable water bottles, cups, and flatware if you have them. View lunch menu on Tuesday.
1:00 – 2:00 PM: Create the Career You Want (Love Auditorium, B101, LSRC)📌
  • Do you want a great job after graduation? Do you want to learn how to prepare? The Nicholas School’s Career and Professional Development Center (CPDC) is here to partner with you to make your professional goals a reality! In this interactive presentation, we will offer tools and steps to make consistent investments in career development while in graduate school. We encourage you to take advantage of the many career-related resources Duke has to offer.
  • Career Team: Allison Besch, Courtney Sullivan, and Bailee Starnes
2:00 – 5:00 PM: Afternoon Guidance
  • After 2:00 PM, students can use the afternoon (2:00-5:00 PM) to engage in activities that are of interest to them. The remainder of the day is optional except for advising sessions for Coastal and Marine System students. Students are encouraged to participate in one of the scheduled sessions below, meet with their advisor, participate in assistantship interviews (if applicable) – or use this free time to go home, unwind, and unpack.
2:15 – 2:35 PM: Geospatial Analysis Courses & Certificate (Field Auditorium, First Floor, Grainger Hall)
  • Professors Pat Halpin and Peter Cada will give an overview of geospatial analysis courses and certificate requirements.
  • Permission Numbers: Immediately following this presentation, permission numbers for ENVIRON 559 will be distributed in Hug Commons, First Floor, LSRC, until 3:00 PM. If you are unable to stop by during this time, email the instructors Professors Pat Halpin and Peter Cada directly and be sure to include the lab section that you want to enroll in. Permission numbers are tied to the lab sections.
2:30 – 3:30 PM: Meet Your Career Coach (Suite A135, Near Hug Commons, First Floor, LSRC)
  • This is a chance for new students to meet their career coach in person and ask any career related questions they might have. No appointment needed. We hope to see you there!
  • Career Team: Allison Besch, Courtney Sullivan, and Bailee Starnes
2:35 – 3:00 PM: Study at the Marine Lab (Field Auditorium, First Floor, Grainger Hall)
  • All students, regardless of their Concentrations, have an opportunity to study at the Duke Marine Lab (Beaufort, NC). Stop by during this time to learn about this opportunity.
  • Facilitators: Grant Murray and Kathleen Dunn
3:00 – 5:00 PM: Afternoon Happenings🌱🌻
  • Advising: Students should schedule time to meet with their advisor during this time.
  • Assistantship Interviews: Students who were awarded an assistantship should use this time to participate in assistantship interviews.
  • HR Office Hours:📌1:00 – 4:00 PM. Location: Suite 5110, 5th Floor, Grainger Hall. Students with assistantships must stop by the Human Resources Office, at least once this week, to complete the payroll process and have their documents photocopied. Other times are available throughout the week. Students needing to get on payroll for assistantships should review the list of acceptable documents for ID verification. Access the bio data form and learn more here.
  • Building Tours:🌱Take a tour of Grainger Hall and LSRC. Start times are as follows: 3:00 PM,
    3:10 PM, and 3:20 PM. Meet tour guides outside in the Orchard, first floor, Grainger Hall.
  • Course Registration Office Hours: 3:15 – 4:15 PM. Stop by during this time to get your registration-related questions answered. No formal presentation. Location: A148, First Floor, LSRC. Facilitated by Erika Lovelace-Young and Eric Mears.
  • Connect, Chat or Relax:🌻🌱For those looking for a less active activity, feel free to relax in the Reading Room, second floor Grainger Hall, where some of the orientation student leaders will be present to answer any questions or discuss life at Duke! For this week only, we have outfitted the room with snacks, meditation pillows, and games. Feel free to stop at any time during the week to Connect, Chat or Relax.
3:15 – 5:00 PM: Coastal Advising Meetings (A247, Second Floor, LSRC)📌
4:00 – 5:30 PM: Duke Farm Activity🌱(Field Auditorium, First Floor, Grainger Hall)
  • Team members from the Duke Campus Farm will join us for a presentation and activity as part Orientation. Meet the team.
  • If you plan to attend this activity, please RSVP here for an accurate headcount. As a bonus, the first 30 students who sign up will have the option to take home a FREE fresh produce bundle from the farm. This activity was organized by the Orientation Champions.
    • Light refreshments provided for attendees.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20

Explore & Engage: Interdisciplinary Opportunities

7:00 AM: Tier Two Registration Begins📌
8:30 – 10:00 AM: Morning Happenings🌻📌
  • Keep in Mind: Before coming to campus, please eat breakfast. Breakfast/coffee service will not be provided on Wednesday morning.
  • Advising: Students should schedule time to meet with their advisor during this time.
  • Assistantship Interviews: Students who were awarded an assistantship should use this time to participate in assistantship interviews.
  • Connect, Chat or Relax:🌻Stop by the Reading Room on the second floor of Grainger Hall. For this week only, we have outfitted the room with snacks, meditation pillows, and games. Feel free to stop at any time during the week to connect, chat or relax.
  • Immunization Event: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM. Location: Penn Pavilion, West Campus. Open to all students. No appointment necessary. Students can also schedule individual appointments with our immunization nurse by calling 919.681.9355 option 2.
10:00 AM – 12:25 PM: Being a Nic School Student (Love Auditorium, B101, LSRC)📌
12:25 – 1:30 PM: Lunch & Locopops (Orchard, First Floor, Grainger Hall)🌻
  • New students are cordially invited to lunch and a locopop on the first floor of Grainger Hall. There will be tables setup outside for students to connect and chat. To help us reduce waste, please bring reusable water bottles, cups, and flatware if you have them. View lunch menu on Wednesday.
1:30 – 3:05 PM: Interdisciplinary Sessions Part I.
  • At Duke, you will have an opportunity to engage in several areas of interdisciplinary exploration. Now is your opportunity to begin exploring some of these opportunities.
  • The following sessions are occurring concurrently. View the format of the Interdisciplinary Sessions. Although there is a specific format, students are allowed to come and go as they please. If you miss a session you wanted to attend, contact the presenter directly at the link provided below.
1:30 – 5:00 PM: Afternoon Guidance & Happenings
  • After 1:30 PM, students can use the afternoon (1:30-5:00 PM) to engage in activities that are of interest to them. The remainder of the day is optional. Students are encouraged to participate in one of the scheduled sessions below, meet with their advisor, participate in assistantship interviews (if applicable) – or use this free time to go home, unwind, and unpack.
  • Advising: Students should schedule time to meet with their advisor during this time.
  • Assistantship Interviews: Students who were awarded an assistantship should use this time to participate in assistantship interviews.
  • Connect, Chat or Relax:🌻🌱For those looking for a less active activity, feel free to relax in the Reading Room, second floor Grainger Hall, where some of the orientation student leaders will be present to answer any questions or discuss life at Duke! For this week only, we have outfitted the room with snacks, meditation pillows, and games. Feel free to stop at any time during the week to Connect, Chat or Relax.
  • HR Office Hours:📌1:00 – 4:00 PM. Location: Suite 5110, 5th Floor, Grainger Hall. Students with assistantships must stop by the Human Resources Office, at least once this week, to complete the payroll process and have their documents photocopied. Other times are available throughout the week. Students needing to get on payroll for assistantships should review the list of acceptable documents for ID verification. Access the bio data form and learn more here.
2:30 – 3:30 PM: Interdisciplinary Sessions Part II.
3:30 – 4:30 PM: Peer-to-Peer Student Panel🌱 (Love Auditorium, B101, LSRC)
  • Join us for a student panel with various orientation leaders to hear tips and advice on life in Durham, extracurricular activities, wellness, social spaces, and more. Stop by during this time to hear from your peers.
  • Second Year Students: Moderator: Camber Vincent and Panelists: Emily Burghart, Lindsay Bell, Scout Yokely, Shraddha Sharma, Terry Uranbold
  • If you would like to submit questions in advance, please submit this form by noon on Wednesday, August 20. We may not have time to get to all questions, but we will try to get to as many as we can. If we don’t get to your question, find one of us during the Social Hour to discuss. The Panel will include questions submitted in advance and open mic Q&A.
4:30 – 5:30 PM: Social Hour (Orchard, First Floor, Grainger Hall)🌻🌱
  • Relax and unwind in a casual atmosphere. Light refreshments provided.
  • Join in the “people bingo” icebreaker led by the Nicholas School Student Council.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 21

Making Connections

All activities occurring on this day are optional. Join in the activities that are of interest to you.

8:30 – 11:00 AM: Morning Happenings🌻
  • Keep in Mind: Before coming to campus, please eat breakfast. Breakfast/coffee service will not be provided on Thursday morning.
  • Advising: Students should schedule time to meet with their advisor during this time.
  • Assistantship Interviews: Students who were awarded an assistantship should use this time to participate in interviews.
  • Connect, Chat or Relax:🌻Stop by the Reading Room on the second floor of Grainger Hall. For this week only, we have outfitted the room with snacks, meditation pillows, and games. Feel free to stop at any time during the week to connect, chat or relax.
  • Immunization Event: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM. Location: Penn Pavilion, West Campus. Open to all students. No appointment necessary. Students can also schedule individual appointments with our immunization nurse by calling 919.681.9355 option 2.
  • HR Office Hours (9:00 AM – 4:00 PM):📌Location: Suite 5110, 5th Floor, Grainger Hall. Students with assistantships must stop by the Human Resources Office, at least once this week, to complete the payroll process and have their documents photocopied. Students needing to get on payroll for assistantships should review the list of acceptable documents for ID verification. Access the bio data form and learn more here.
10:00 – 11:30 AM: Recreation on East Campus (Brodie Recreation Center)🌱
  • RSVP in Advance.
  • Join the orientation student leaders at the Duke East Campus, Brodie Recreation Center, for some light pickleball, recreation, volleyball, tennis courts, and socializing. Please bring any pickleball paddles/balls you may own or other outdoor recreation equipment (volleyballs, tennis equipment, etc.).
  • Meet-Up: The Orientation Champions will be in Hug Commons from 9:15-9:30 AM. The group will leave at 9:30 AM to catch the East/West Campus bus for transportation to Brodie.
  • Please keep an eye on to the orientation wide WhatsApp chat for day-of updates. Brodie Recreation Center, East Campus [Maps]
  • After the session, head back to West Campus to use your dining card or explore the ninth street area with other new students!
11:00 –12:15 PM: International Student Mixer🌱 (Field Auditorium, First Floor, Grainger Hall)
  • NSOE is excited to invite students to this start-of-the-year event as a chance to connect with your peers and welcome the new semester together. Before the Mixer, there will be a presentation and icebreaker activity that gives an overview of important topics and resources, advice on how to acclimate to campus life and culture, and much more. All students are welcome to attend. You do not need to be an international student. However, this event is highly recommended for international students. Facilitators: Kevin D’Arco, Akosua Bandoh, Student Volunteer, and the Orientation Champions
Mid-day: Grab Lunch on Campus
  • Grab lunch on campus. Students will receive a Duke Dining Card at check-in on Monday. Duke dining cards are accepted at the Brodhead Center and other on-campus eateries. To help us reduce waste, please bring reusable water bottles, cups, and flatware if you have them.
1:30 – 2:30 PM: Afternoon Sessions
  • OIE Presents: Power in Belonging: Many Voices, One Community (Field Auditorium, First Floor, Grainger Hall)
    • Engage in dynamic activities, discover the Office of Inclusive Excellence (OIE) programs like First Fridays, and share your vision for fostering inclusive excellence at the Nicholas School. Session will be led by Mauriell Amechi.
  • Master of Forestry Info Session (1111, First Floor, Grainger Hall)
    • Interested in learning about the Master of Forestry degree at the Nicholas School? If so, now is your chance. Session will be led by Professors Ram Oren and Bin Mei.
  • Master of Business Administration Interest Meeting (Conference Room, Fourth Floor, Fuqua School of Business, West Campus)
  • Library Tour (Meet at the walkway between Bostock and Perkins Libraries, West Campus)

FRIDAY, AUGUST 22

Prepare for the Start of the Semester

On Friday, August 22, take the day off and enjoy your weekend!

We Want to Hear from You: Tell us what you think! Your feedback helps shape future Orientation experiences. The survey should take approximately 5 minutes to complete.

NSOE staff, administration, and faculty will be away from their offices in the afternoon (on Friday) starting around 1:00 PM for a Faculty and Staff Plenary. Please plan accordingly.

Students with assistantships must stop by the Human Resources Office, at least once this week, to complete the payroll process and have their documents photocopied📌Friday’s Schedule: 10:00 AM-12:00 PM. Location: Suite 5110, 5th Floor, Grainger Hall. Students needing to get on payroll for assistantships should review the list of acceptable documents for ID verification. Access the bio data form and learn more here.

Immunization Event, Student Health Center, 9:00 AM-2:00 PM, Location: Penn Pavilion, West Campus. Open to all students. No appointment necessary. Students can also schedule individual appointments with our immunization nurse by calling 919.681.9355 option 2.

Classes start on Monday, August 25 at 8:30 AM (ET).

Drop/Add course registration ends on Friday, September 5 at 11:59 PM (ET).

We hope that your Orientation experience was welcoming and informative as you begin your journey at
Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment.