The holiday season and the end of the calendar year always inspire a time of gratitude. We are reminded that we have so much to be thankful for at Duke: brilliant faculty, resilient student affairs staff, dedicated support staff, and an incredible student body. Each student brings talent and energy to campus, which truly makes Duke "Duke." 

As the semester draws to a close, we want to remind you that Duke offers a host of resources both in and out of the classroom as students put the finishing touches on the fall semester. Ask them about the resources they're using and encourage them to take advantage of others. That's why all of us are here at Duke!

In the spirit of gratitude, let us also thank you. Thank you for being an extension of our Duke family and cheering on your students. We're grateful for your partnership in supporting all Duke students.

GO DUKE!

New Student and Family Programs

Navigating Important Conversations

Your student's first Thanksgiving back home after starting college can be an incredibly special and emotional time for the whole family. It might be the longest you've ever been apart, or perhaps you've been anxiously anticipating this moment to see how they're really doing after their first few months away. Whatever the circumstances, this occasion often brings a whirlwind of feelings.

Below we have included some short tips that will guide you through the unique challenges and joys of the first holiday break.  

Duke Student Government is happy to pilot their Airport Transit Initiative.  DSG will be providing a shuttle service for students to Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU).  They recommend students choose a departure time from Duke that is at least 2 hours prior to your student's boarding time indicated on their flight reservation. The bus will stop at Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 at Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU).

Pickup Times:

November 26th 

Morning: 5am (arrive by 4:40am)

Afternoon: 11am (arrive by 10:40am)

Evening: 4pm (arrive by 3:40pm)

November 27th 

Morning: 5am (arrive by 4:40am)

Pickup Locations:

East Campus: Campus Drive in front of East Duke Building

West Campus: Science Drive Loop (Robertson Bus Stop)

Here is the form on Duke Groups for students to register, which includes the departure schedule. 

Only students are able to log in and sign up in Duke Groups!  If there is an issue we encourage you to have your student contact Juwan Jacobs, Assistant Director of Student Involvement and Leadership, at juwan.jacobs@duke.edu.

Residence Hall Winter Break Closing

On November 22, all on-campus students received a detailed email that included important information relating to Winter Break Closing.  Highlights included the following: 

Watch the recording of the most recent webinar.

"This session connects families with some of the staff at the Duke Career Center who will share about the career everywhere philosophy, Duke's career development process; the competencies that students will build during their time at Duke; resources and tools that your Blue Devil can access; and how you can partner with the Career Center to help develop your student's career readiness."

FORAGE JOB SIMULATIONS

Whether exploring careers, learning new skills, or preparing for networking or interviews, Forage job simulations could be a great next step for students. Duke Career Center has some recommended experiences in each of the career communities in Career Hub, labeled Employer Projects & Challenges.
The time commitment for simulations ranges from 1-8 hours and each has been developed by employers to insure relevance. A student can try out the work, complete one for an organization they are interested in, or even complete one to be able to make conversation about it while networking or interviewing.

Over winter break might be a perfect time for students to try this risk-free way to experience a day-in-the-life with leading employers. Students can practice their skills and build their confidence to ace applications.

Job simulations are available through Career Hub Career Communities or the Forage website.