Tag Archives: Orientation

Welcome from the PDC!

Hello,

Congratulations & welcome to the Master of Engineering Management Program at Duke!

I am Pratik S. Rath, President of the student led MEM Program Development Committee, an organization dedicated to providing students with holistic development opportunities outside of classes during their time at Duke. I would like to take this opportunity on behalf of the PDC board and student body to welcome you all to the MEM class of 2022!

The Program Development Committee consists of various professional and social clubs. The professional student organizations aim to provide students with opportunities to hone their skills or learn new ones through various client projects, competitions, and workshops. They are a great way to network with other MEM students, alumni and industry professionals while advancing your career. Social clubs work towards building a strong, inclusive, & diverse MEM community.

We are currently in the process of adding a few more organizations to the PDC roster and will keep y’all updated. We will be hosting our PDC Kick-off Event on August 18th where you’ll be able to meet our Club Presidents and learn more about each club, including membership registration, industry projects, and open cabinet member positions.

In the meantime, feel free to reach out with any questions you might have. We are excited to have you join us this fall and cannot wait to meet everyone!

Best,

Pratik S. Rath

Duke University | Pratt School of Engineering
Master of Engineering Management | Class of 2021

Board President | MEM Program Development Committee

217 419 7081 | pratik.rath@duke.edu

COVID Protocols for Beginning of the Fall Semester

Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff,

Together we have made extraordinary progress in combating COVID-19 on campus. More than 81 percent of our faculty and staff and nearly 10,000 of our students are fully vaccinated, and that number increases every week. We ended the Spring semester with a very low number of positive cases and had a joyous in-person celebration for our graduates. In addition, since May 3, there have been 35,000 surveillance tests completed with only 7 positive results.

In preparation for the Fall semester, we continue to work closely with Duke’s infectious diseases experts and follow the guidance of the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, among others, to promote a safe environment for our students, faculty, staff and visitors. While the national news is good, the pandemic is not over yet. Vaccination rates in our region continue to lag and the emergence of new and more transmittable variants of COVID-19 mean we must continue to practice some of our public health protocols as we begin the Fall semester.

These protocols include:

  • Vaccinations: All Duke undergraduate, graduate and professional students must present proof of vaccination in order to attend classes and other campus activities this Fall. All faculty and staff are expected to present proof of vaccination by September 1. Students, faculty and staff may apply for a medical or religious exemption. Individuals granted medical or religious exemptions will be subject to daily symptom monitoring, regular testing, masking and other protocols applicable to those who have not been vaccinated.
  • Testing: All students will be tested upon arrival at Duke and must then participate in weekly surveillance testing regardless of their vaccination status. All students who have obtained an exemption from vaccination will be required to participate in surveillance testing twice a week. Faculty and staff who have not been vaccinated will be required to participate in surveillance testing once per week. The testing schedule for each group is based on the number of interactions they are likely to have that could lead to the transmission of COVID-19. Students tend to live in congregate settings and will likely have substantially more interactions than faculty and staff.
  • Symptom Monitoring: Fully vaccinated faculty, staff, and students will not be required to complete daily symptom monitoring. Anyone who has not been vaccinated, regardless of the circumstances, will be required to complete daily symptom monitoring.
  • Masking: Fully vaccinated faculty, staff and students will not be required to wear a mask in most indoor areas effective July 1. Because masks are still required in certain settings – including health care facilities, buses and shuttles on campus, and childcare centers – everyone should have a mask ready and available if needed. Also, please respect anyone who chooses to continue wearing masks as a means to prevent exposure to themselves or loved ones. Faculty, staff, and students who have not been vaccinated will be required to wear a mask indoors at all times. Masks will be provided to all students as part of the initial testing program.
  • Social Distancing: Social distancing is no longer required on campus, though distancing is still recommended for those who are not vaccinated.
  • Flu Vaccination: All members of the Duke community will be expected to participate in the annual flu vaccine program.

We will continue to assess our COVID protocols and test results as the semester progresses to determine whether it is safe to further ease restrictions.

With your participation and support, Duke has led the way back from this pandemic. Your perseverance, creativity and sheer will to overcome the many challenges that confronted us reflects the best of Duke and will define our future.

Sally Kornbluth,
Provost and Jo Rae Wright University Professor

Kyle Cavanaugh,
Vice President, Administration

Fall 2021 – Welcome to Duke!

We are excited to welcome you to Duke!

This is the first of several onboarding messages you will receive from Graduate Student Programs and Services (GSPS) betweennow and the start of your program. Our goal is to help you efficiently prepare to join us as an engineering master’s student.Please be sure to read each of our messages carefully.

To set you up for a successful transition, we have put together the Engineering Master’s Programs New Student Checklist. Besure to click on the checklist link, which will provide detailed information about each of the required tasks. And mostimportantly, please pay very close attention to the deadlines!

Engineering Master’s Programs New Student Checklist

  1. Activate Your NetID and Set Up Your Duke Email – immediately!
  2. Submit All Required Visa Documents (international students only) – immediately!
  3. Research Local Housing Options – immediately!
  4. Submit Proof of Immunizations – June 15 deadline
  5. Register for Courses – opens July 7
  6. Review Transportation and Parking Options – before July 15
  7. Review the Duke Student Medical Insurance Requirements – before July 15
  8. Upload Your Photo for Your DukeCard – July 15 deadline
  9. Enter in Your Preferred Name – July 15 deadline
  10. Request Reasonable Accommodations for a Disability (if applicable) – before July 15
  11. Familiarize Yourself with Duke Technology Resources – before August 1
  12. Review Duke Community Standard – before August 1
  13. Submit Official Transcript – before August 15
  14. Arrive On Campus! – TBD
  15. Attend New Student Orientation – TBD

Upcoming Communication

The GSPS team will continue to be in touch throughout the summer to remind you about your onboarding requirements anddeadlines. We will also be sharing valuable resources and information that is helpful for you to become familiar with before yourarrival. In addition to our messages, you will receive communications directly from your program/department, internationalstudents can expect to hear from Duke’s International House, and Master of Science (MS) students will hear from Duke’sGraduate School.

Questions?

We invite you to reach out to Graduate Student Programs and Services (pratt-masters-studentservices@duke.edu) at any time.We are here to support you!

Warm regards,

Bridget Kerwin

Graduate Communications & Intercultural Programs news for new students

Greetings,

My name is Bridget Fletcher. I am the director of Graduate Communications and Intercultural Programs (GCIP). Let me start by saying, WELCOME TO DUKE!!!! We are so excited to welcome you to the Duke family and to engage with you this fall.

I’d like to share some information with you about three important topics.

GCIP vs. EIS (English for International Students)

As a Pratt student, your communication support services (including English courses) will be provided through GCIP. This can sometimes be confusing because the Graduate School also has an English program (EIS) which serves the other graduate students at Duke. Your classes and other language support services through GCIP are specifically for Pratt graduate students and have been designed with your unique needs in mind. You are not eligible for EIS services and should not take part in their testing or services. Please email me directly (bridget.fletcher@duke.edu) or gcc-pratt@duke.edu if you have any questions about your communications support services and options.

English Placement Exams

Due to the challenges we are all facing as a result of COVID 19 and the remote nature of our teaching and learning community, we will be delaying our English placement exams until spring 2021. You will be contacted during the fall semester if you are required to take English placement exams and will be given further information about testing and English courses at that time. For now, please do not worry about English placement exams. Instead, concentrate on getting acclimated and adjusted to this new learning environment we all find ourselves in! In fact, we want to help you with that….

Community Cohort Initiative

We will be launching an awesome new program this fall, the Community Cohort Initiative. This will be a class for incoming master’s students that will provide you with an opportunity for weekly connections with peers, tips for adjusting to graduate school, a head start on your career search plan, communications training, and much, much more! You will learn more about this course at orientation, so stay tuned. We hope you are as excited as we are about this!

Additionally, please know that GCIP is always here to support you in multiple ways! Please visit our website https://pratt.duke.edu/gcip to learn more and stay tuned for more details from us during orientation. You can also visit our CHILL video series for some hot tips to help you prepare for your time at Duke!

  • Go to: https://sakai.duke.edu/portal/site/chillf2020·
  • If prompted, log in with Duke credentials (NetID and password)
  • You will see a window that asks “Would you like to join and become a member of this site?”, click “YES, ADD ME”
  • You can now interact with the CHILL video content collection. Videos with interactive

We look forward to working with you soon!

Bridget + the GCIP team

Bridget Fletcher, MA
Director, Graduate Communications and Intercultural Programs
Adjunct Assistant Professor
Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University

Fall 2020 Incoming Student Email #7

Dear Incoming MEM students,

We are very excited for the start of your program in August! Below are some reminders that will help you have a smooth transition to Duke. Please note the important deadlines listed for each.

    1. Net ID and Email – immediately!
    2. Immunizations – immediately!
    3. Duke Student ID Card – upload photo by July 24
    4. Preferred Name – update by July 24
    5. Transcript Reminder – send by August 10
  1. Net ID and Email – begin using immediately!

All Engineering Master’s students should have received instructions to set up your NetID and email. Please do this immediately so you can begin accessing the resources you need while you are studying at Duke. All official email from Duke will be sent to your Duke issued email address so this is essential.

  1. Immunizations – submit form immediately!

North Carolina State Law requires that all students entering college present a certificate of immunization that documents that the student has 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. Any student who arrives on campus will be required to complete the immunization process by the 30th day of class. This requirements is not necessary for students who will be studying remotely.

  1. Duke Student ID Card – upload photo by July 24

Your Duke Student ID is one of the most important cards you will carry while you are studying at Duke. This card is a photo ID, with your name and unique ID number on it. With your card, you can access academic buildings, recreational facilities, library books, parking lots, campus events, and campus photocopying. If you plan to enroll in on campus classes in the fall, you will need a DukeID. Graduate Student Programs and Services (GSPS) will order your Duke ID Card and have it available for campus students to pick up during the first week of classes. You must first upload your photo by going to this link: https://dukecard.duke.edu/get-your-dukecard/submit-your-dukecard-photo.

  1. Preferred Name – update by July 24

The name that will be on the class lists that professors use to address their students is the preferred name. Please go to DukeHub, then click on the tab that says “Profile.” On that page, go to the edit button next to “Name” and from there you can update your “Preferred Name.”

  1. Official transcripts – send by August 10

All incoming Engineering Master’s Program students must submit official transcripts to enroll at Duke. MEng and MEM students, click here. 

Please complete all of these important tasks mentioned in this email by the noted deadlines. If you have questions, feel free to email pratt-masters-steudentservices@duke.edu.

You will be hearing from us with the complete orientation schedule the week of July 27!

Sincerely,

Bridget Kerwin

_______________________________________

Pratt Master’s Student Services

Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University

pratt-masters-studentservices@duke.edu

I House – Fall 2020 Orientation

From: Ling Jin
Sent: Tuesday, July 14, 2020 11:50 AM
Subject: 2020 International Graduate and Professional Students Orientation

Dear incoming graduate and professional students,

Welcome to Duke!

My name is Ling Jin and I am the Student Development Coordinator at the International House. I am glad to announce that the 2020 International Graduate and Professional Students Orientation schedule is now available on our website.

As part of the Duke’s efforts to ensure everyone’s safety and well-being as we plan for the Fall semester, the orientation will be held virtually from Monday, August 3 to Friday, August 7. We believe that a virtual orientation will allow more accessibility and flexibility for all international students.

Whether you will be taking classes at Duke or online in your home country during Fall 2020, you will learn about helpful information and resources at the orientation. There will be three components to the orientation:

  1. Live Webinar Sessions: Every morning from 9:30 to 11:00 AM (Durham/Eastern Time), we will have two live webinar sessions on campus resources and the different aspects of campus life. There will also be Q&As at the end of each session.
  2. Pre-recorded Sessions: Every day, we will publish several pre-recorded videos on academic life, professional development, campus life and campus resources (such as health care, insurance, safety, etc.).
  3. Virtual Networking Hour with IHOPs: Every day, we will offer 1-2 virtual networking session(s) for students to chat with your International House Orientation Peers (IHOPs) and meet other incoming international students in an informal and casual setting.

You MUST register to attend the Live Webinars and the Virtual Networking Hours. For more detailed information about the orientation and to access the registration links, please visit our website and this document.

Please note that we will use Zoom for all the live webinar sessions and virtual networking hours. Please make sure you familiarize yourself with the online meeting tool Zoom in advance and activate your Duke NetID and access Zoom with it.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions regarding the orientation. For more information on Duke’s plan to returning to campus in Fall 2020, please visit https://returnto.duke.edu.

I look forward to seeing you at the orientation!

Ling

_________________________________

​Ling Jin  金玲 she/her/hers

Student Development Coordinator

Want to Chat? Make an Appointment with Me Here!

International House, Duke University

2 Epworth Dorm Lane, East Campus

ling.jin@duke.edu | 919.613.0509

Incoming Student Updates (July 2020)

This is a long but important email that contains important information about your Duke master’s program. Please read it in its entirety. Thank you!

Dear MEM Students,

We hope this finds you healthy and well. We at Duke Engineering are preparing diligently for you to begin your master’s degree program, and we are incredibly excited to welcome you to the Duke Engineering family in August!

This is truly an unprecedented time, and many of you are facing challenges and uncertainties, whether because of your individual visa situation, potential travel restrictions, health concerns, or otherwise. We want you to know that we here at Duke Engineering are doing everything we can to make your experience at Duke as safe, academically fulfilling, and enjoyable as possible.

On June 30, Duke President Vincent Price sent a message to all Duke students with important information about fall plans. If you have not yet read the latest message in its entirety, please do so now—you can find this and previous updates on Duke’s coronavirus response website

Adding to that information, we are writing to provide more details on what you can expect as you transition to campus as a Duke Engineering master’s student.

Academic Calendar and Registration 

The Duke Engineering Master’s Program will follow the Duke Undergraduate Calendar. Classes will begin on August 17, and final exams will conclude before Thanksgiving (Tuesday, November 24). There will be no fall break.

The Duke Registrar is currently in the process of creating a new class schedule that incorporates considerations of physical distancing, health standards, and remote learning. As President Price noted, courses will be offered in multiple formats, and Duke Engineering is ensuring that we have a range and wealth of learning opportunities available to our students, whether you are able to join us on campus or will be engaging in classes remotely.

The full class schedule will be available on July 27, at which time you will be able to select and “bookbag” your courses. Class registration will take place August 3-12, in advance of classes beginning August 17. 

MEM Innovations and Flexible Class Options  

Duke Engineering has been working diligently to ensure that all students, whether remote or on campus, have the opportunity to engage in a world-class educational experience that prepares you to achieve your career aspirations. We have taken on this challenge as an opportunity to innovate, investing in new technology and training to be able to deliver course content in multiple ways to meet the varied needs of our global student population.

We in the MEM Program are uniquely positioned to provide excellent learning opportunities in these unique times, having delivered online education for over 10 years. Our faculty are skilled at being able to teach both in person and with remote learners. 

We are planning to offer our full array of class offerings, including 19 unique EGRMGMT course offerings for Fall 2020. All courses will be available online if that is your preferred delivery method. This number is consistent with what we have historically offered.

·                9 courses will be online only

The delivery approach in these courses will vary by faculty member; they will often include pre-  recorded content with synchronous class discussions on Zoom. 

·                10 courses will be offered both in-person and online

This delivery approach permits both synchronous and asynchronous (lecture capture) learning supplemented with discussion boards and/or discussion sections.  

Summer Career-Building Opportunities  

In addition to our comprehensive course offerings, we are excited to share that Duke Engineering’s Summer Industry Projects Program (SIPP), which was initiated in Summer 2020, will be available to MEM students again in Summer 2021. This program allows students to engage in a meaningful industry-defined project while fulfilling their MEM internship requirement (if applicable) and gaining valuable career-building experience. Some of these projects are paid. This is a good alternative if an international student is not eligible for CPT or if internships are difficult to secure in Summer 2021.   

Career Services and Professional Development Support 

We know that the ability to pursue exciting career options is a big part of your decision to come to Duke Engineering, and we will continue to do everything we can to support your career goals.

The Career Services and Professional Development (CSPD) team will continue providing a full range of student coaching and support services, all of which will be available virtually in Fall 2020. These offerings include our regular career coaching appointments; events with industry employers including TechConnect and the Duke Career Fair, among others; and new opportunities to engage in Virtual Career Treks, which will allow students to “visit” employers virtually and learn about exciting companies and roles.  

New Cohort-Based Course and Communications Support 

Responding to the needs of our diverse global student population, we have created a new cohort-based course designed to meet the needs of all incoming master’s students. This class is designed to build community within your department or program, provide connections to resources and support, and provide English language support to students who may need it. This class will be led by our Graduate Communications and Intercultural Programs (GCIP) team, with active engagement from our Student Engagement and Support and Career Services and Professional Development teams. We are excited about bringing this innovative experience to our students, and in partnership with your home department, we strongly encourage you to actively participate and benefit from this unique opportunity. 

In addition to the cohort meetings, GCIP will also continue to offer its full suite of communications supports in a virtual environment, including individual appointments, workshops, and weekly informal SnackChat conversations with fellow students and staff. 

Technology Support 

If you will be engaging in classes as a remote learner this fall, Duke University Learning Innovation offers a wealth of resources to help you be as effective as possible at keeplearning.duke.edu. Duke Engineering also has a dedicated Director of Online and Distance Education, who is working with our Pratt Information Technology team on engineering-specific resources and support for remote learning.

Community Health and Safety

Your health, wellness, and safety are of utmost importance to us. We need to all work together to do what is necessary to keep our community strong and healthy.

As noted in President Price’s June 30 message, “All members of the Duke community who come to campus—faculty, students, staff, and visitors—will be required to complete daily symptom monitoring, wear face coverings in classroom and public settings, and practice physical distancing.” COVID-19 follow-up, including testing, will be required for any members of the Duke community who are symptomatic or deemed at risk due to contact tracing. 

In addition, all students living in the Durham area are expected to stay in the Durham area throughout the fall semester until finals conclude in late November, in accordance with current public health recommendations.

All students will also be required to complete and abide by the Duke Compact, “a statement of mutual commitment to community health and behavioral standards that every student, faculty, and staff member will be required to agree to before the start of the semester.” Our community at Duke is strong and resilient, and this will allow us to come back together safely. Updates and more information will be available throughout the summer at returnto.duke.edu.

For those of you joining us for courses on campus, Duke Parking and Transportation is working to ensure students have a range of options for transportation to, from and around campus to accommodate the range of class and lab schedules that will be followed. 

Preparing for Your Arrival

We know that many of you are facing unknowns and challenges associated with securing your visa. Please find the latest information and updates from Duke Visa Services at visaservices.duke.edu.

Orientation programming for incoming students will begin in early August, with Pratt School of Engineering-specific programming taking place the week of August 10.

In addition to the Orientation itself, you have been and will continue to receive valuable information through our weekly onboarding emails. Please watch your Duke inbox for new messages each Monday morning, and be sure to view all of the short videos and review any additional materials as these messages arrive. We’re doing everything we can to help you transition to Duke Engineering successfully, and these ongoing messages are an important step!

Again, we are incredibly excited to have you join the Duke Engineering community, and we are here to support you! If you have any questions, please reach out to pratt-masters-studentservices@duke.edu 

 

Go Duke! 

Brad Fox, PhD
Executive Director of the Master of Engineering Management Program 
Associate Dean of Master’s Programs
Duke University Pratt School of Engineering  

and 

Deb Wojcik, PhD
Managing Director of Graduate Student Programs and Services
Duke University Pratt School of Engineering  

Fall 2020 Incoming Student Email #2

Dear MEM Students,

Welcome to week two of your Duke Engineering Master’s Programs onboarding process!

The video clip below will introduce you to the comprehensive and integrated structure of support we have at Duke Engineering. This is all designed to help you have an exceptional student experience!

Onboarding Video 2: Comprehensive and Integrated Structure of Student Support

MEM Program Message:

We hope you are as excited as we are to have you join the Master of Engineering Management program. Included in this email is further information to help you prepare for the 2020 Fall semester with Duke University – Carolyn & Tracie

Important Dates and Reminders:

  • Watch for a new installment of onboarding materials delivered to your inbox each Monday!
  • The first day of classes for Pratt master’s students will be Monday, August 17 (complete academic calendar)
  • In addition to these onboarding emails, we will be hosting a number of Pratt Orientation sessions for new students. Most events are scheduled to take place during the week of August 10; a complete list of sessions will be communicated in the coming weeks. All sessions will be delivered virtually in order to accommodate those who will be remote this fall or who will not arrive on campus before this time.
  • The Virtual Summer Workshop Series continues! See attached flyer for upcoming sessions and registration links. Any questions about the series can be directed to Dr. Michelle M. Campbell at michelle.m.campbell@duke.edu.

MEM Student Website

Log-in and bookmark your MEM Student Website. Everything you need to know about MEM in one place! https://sites.duke.edu/mgmt/

(Log-in at the top with your Duke NetID & Password)

Facebook Group

The official Facebook group for Duke MEM Students 2020-2021 is open. Join here! Feel free to introduce yourself to the returning MEMers, ask questions, stay updated on PDC events, and socials.

Academic Advisors

Academic Advisors have been assigned! A few weeks ago, we sent you a survey to get your input on your interests to determine what advisor would best fit your needs. If you didn’t fill out the survey, or were still undecided, you have still been assigned to an advisor that will be willing to help you and can provide information to guide you through the program.

(You can find their contact information on your home page in Duke Hub, listed at the bottom right of the page)

Questions?

Feel free to reach out to Graduate Student Programs and Services (pratt-masters-studentservices@duke.edu) at any time. We are here to support you!

Have a great week!

_________________________________________

Pratt Master’s Student Services

Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University

pratt-masters-studentservices@duke.edu

Fall 2020 Incoming Student Email #1

Dear MEMP students,

We are so excited to welcome you to Duke!

This is the first in our series of weekly onboarding messages that will help you prepare effectively to join us as a Duke Engineering student.

Please watch the below clip that will introduce you to our onboarding process:

Onboarding Video 1: Welcome to Duke! Introduction to Onboarding Process

Reminders

  • Watch for a new installment of onboarding materials delivered to your inbox each Monday!
  • The first day of classes for Pratt master’s students will be Monday, August 17. This will be preceded by a week of Pratt orientation activities beginning Monday, August 10. All of our orientation activities will be available online. Incoming master’s students who are able to join us on campus should arrive in Durham by August 10, if possible. Additional information about orientation activities beyond Duke Engineering programming will be finalized and communicated later this month.

Virtual Summer Workshop Series

Instructors from our Graduate Communications and Intercultural Programs Team (GCIP) and Duke University Libraries are partnering to offer an 8-workshop series throughout the summer, focusing on how to search and write literature reviews (i.e., systematic reviews) and how to use tools such as EndNote and Overleaf to help the process. Incoming students are welcome and encouraged to join! Workshops will be in mixed formats, including presentations, interviews, and moderated discussions. See attached flyer for details and registration links. Any questions about the series can be directed to Dr. Michelle M. Campbell at michelle.m.campbell@duke.edu

 Questions? Feel free to reach out to Graduate Student Programs and Services (pratt-masters-studentservices@duke.edu) at any time. We are here to support you!

Have a great week!

_________________________________________

Pratt Master’s Student Services
Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University
Virtual Summer Workshop Seriespratt-masters-studentservices@duke.edu