April/May 2020 Working@Duke

LEGACY OF SUPPORT 9

FINANCIAL PLANNING FOR LIFE 12

NE W S YOU CA N USE • A P R I L / M AY 2020

Mental Fitness

FIGHTING A PLASTICS PROBLEM 15

Editor’s Note

CONTENTS

LEANORA MINAI

The Issue that Never Printed Dear Readers, This edition of Working@Duke was close to going to press when stay-at-home orders took effect in March, and many of us retreated to our homes, where we continue to work.

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4 Mental Fitness

According to a report in 2019, more Americans were stressed, angry and worried than at most times during the past 10 years. Hear from Duke colleagues who implement well-being techniques in their lives.

In light of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we did not print or distribute this issue. On March 12, we adjusted our editorial approach and shifted much of our focus to preparing, sharing and connecting Duke staff and faculty with accurate and timely campus information and resources on the Working@Duke section of Duke Today [working.duke.edu].

10 The Value of Recognition

Looking through these pages, you will find evergreen topics. The cover story features six courageous colleagues who share their personal struggles and provide their well-being practices and tools that help them with each day. Perhaps now, more than ever, their wisdom is the tonic we sorely need. Frozen in time, other pieces within this issue highlight special events, a reminder of the sacrifices we made to keep our community safe.

12 Retirement Planning for Life

Due to the fast-changing crisis, we skipped the June-July issue entirely but resumed the print publication with the October/November 2020 issue, which you‘ll receive at home.

We decided to make available and share the PDF of the April-May 2020 issue for historical purposes. I hope you’ll take some time to read it, reminisce and be reminded of the special place and people we’ll come back to again.

Stay well.

More tangible than a simple thank you but without the formality of an official award, a special coin makes recognizing a job well done a personal experience.

11 Get Free Software

The Office of Information Technology offers about 100 free or discounted software items to download for work or personal use.

The conventional formula for retirement savings seems simple: contribute early, let the money grow and, when retirement comes, your nest egg awaits. But careers, unexpected expenses and competing priorities complicate goals.

14 One-of-a-kind jewelry at a discount 15

Fighting a plastics problem

Contact us Editor/Executive Director of Communications: Leanora Minai (919) 681-4533 leanora.minai@duke.edu Assistant Vice President: Paul S. Grantham (919) 681-4534 paul.grantham@duke.edu

Graphic Design & Layout: Paul Figuerado (919) 684-2107 paul.figuerado@duke.edu

Jonathan Black Writer (919) 681-9965 jonathan.c.black@duke.edu

Stephen Schramm Senior Writer (919) 684-4639 stephen.schramm@duke.edu

Working@Duke is published every other month by Duke’s Office of Communication Services. We invite your feedback and story ideas. Send email to working@duke.edu or call (919) 681-4533.

Visit Working@Duke daily on Duke Today: working.duke.edu

September 2020 Cover: Rachel Meyer boxes in a gym in Raleigh in early 2020. Photo by Alex Boerner.

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WORKING@DUKE WORKING@DUKE

2017, 2014 Gold, 2019, 2015, 2013, Silver, 2016, 2009, 2007 Bronze, Print Internal Audience Publications and 2012, 2011, 2009, 2008, 2007 Gold Medal, Internal Periodical Staff Writing

BRIEFLY Duke’s response to coronavirus Officials at Duke and infectious disease specialists, along with health officials worldwide, continue to monitor and respond to the coronavirus disease that first appeared in late 2019 in Wuhan, China.

In response to COVID-19, a Duke-wide task force continues to make a number of preparations and decisions to protect the health and safety of the Duke community including patients, students, staff and faculty.

“Our physicians are in regular contact with federal, state and local public health officials and are deeply engaged in planning for a potential clinical response should there be an outbreak in this region,” said Duke University President Vincent E. Price.

To stay up to date on all announcements regarding Duke’s response to coronavirus, visit coronavirus.duke.edu.

Get help with budgeting and retirement planning May 18-21 Duke employees can learn about saving money, retirement planning and building a budget during Financial Fitness Week, a collection of free workshops and webinars aimed at providing the tools to reach financial goals.

This year, most workshops will be conducted online.

The Retirement Planning Workshop, which is geared toward employees who are 55 and older and nearing retirement, will be in the Searle Center. But the remainder of the 25 sessions, which will be conducted by Fidelity Investments, will be available as live webinars that can be accessed remotely and archived for later viewing.

“We want to capture as many people in our Duke population as we can,” said Percy Hill, a financial performance and quality analyst with Duke Human Resources.

Julie Underwood, a Duke Dermatology research analyst, attended a workshop last year about saving for retirement. She came away with a new understanding of how much money she needs to put away, and the kind of accounts she needed to contribute to.

“It’s extremely helpful,” said Underwood, 35. “I grew up in a generation that doesn’t know much about retirement. When I saw this was offered, I figured I needed to look into it.”

Visit hr.duke.edu/financialfitness for the full schedule.

Securely shred your personal documents The Duke Credit Union will host a free shred event from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. (or until the truck is full) on April 18 at 2200 West Main St. The event is open to only individuals, not businesses.

The Credit Union recommends shredding credit card information and statements, canceled checks, bills, medical records and anything else you would not want someone to read. Identity fraud affected a record high of 14.4 million Americans in 2018, according to research firm Javelin.

“Don't become a victim by making it easy to get your information,” said Cassandra Taylor, financial adviser for Duke Credit Union. “Shredding is the safest and quickest way to dispose of papers, statements and bills.”

Taylor recommends keeping tax documents and bank statements for about five years. Visitors can shred up to three personal boxes of paper. The credit union has partnered with Shred-it to destroy personal documents.

For more information, visit dukefcu.org or call 919-684-6704.

20th season of Duke Farmers Market opens April 24 Nathan Amos’ ideal Friday from April to September involves soaking up sunshine and dining on chicken tikka masala.

Amos, a clinical social worker for Duke University Hospital, and his colleagues get lunch every Friday and shop for fresh fruits, vegetables and bread at the Duke Farmers Market.

“It’s nice to take a break from staring at the computer screen to get out in nature and enjoy delicious food,” Amos said. “I always feel mentally and physically replenished after a visit to the farmers market.”

The Duke Farmers Market celebrates its 20th season with an extended run. The market will be open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 24 to Oct. 30, a one-month extension, at the Duke Medicine Pavilion Greenway.

On opening day, April 24, sample free strawberries and get a health assessment.

Learn more at hr.duke.edu/farmersmarket.

Ken Jeong to deliver Duke Commencement address Actor and comedian Ken Jeong will deliver Duke University’s 2020 commencement address on Sunday, May 10.

Jeong received a bachelor’s degree from Duke in 1990, went to medical school at the University of North Carolina, and worked as a physician for years before a small role on “The Office” launched his acting career. He is currently a judge on the TV show “The Masked Ken Jeong Singer.”

“College is about self-discovery, and if I hadn't attended Duke, I never would have been an actor, comedian, and Instagram model,” Jeong said. “I am honored and thrilled to be coming home and sharing my love with my Blue Devil family.”

Duke community members are invited to volunteer at commencement, which is open to the public, in Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium. Visit bit.ly/DukeCommencementVolunteer2020 for more information. Learn more about Commencement at commencement.duke.edu.

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Mental Fitness Techniques and resources for emotional health and well-being

Rachel Meyer boxes at MADabolic gym in Raleigh earlier this year.

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I

n a staggered stance, Rachel Meyer faces the teardrop-shaped punching bag. Filled with water and weighing nearly 200 pounds, the bag hangs in the MADabolic gym in Raleigh, ready to absorb Meyer’s energy.

Elbows tight against her sides, Meyer turns her hips and throws a combination of blows: jab, cross, upper cut, hook.

Electronic dance music fills the gym as she punches, working her right side, then the left.

When a digital timer on the wall stops, she pulls off a black and teal glove and looks down at her bare knuckles.

“A little red. Not too bad,” Meyer says with a grin.

Boxing is part of Meyer’s therapy, an antidote for anxiety and recent life changes, including the end of a long-term relationship and buying her first home. To manage stress, she is intentional with self-care, building a robust toolbox that includes everything from group exercise classes and time with family and friends to regular talks with a counselor through the Cigna behavioral health benefit and monitoring symptoms with her primary care physician.

“I think we live in a culture where it’s really easy to have high expectations of yourself, which, for me, leads to excessive worrying,” said Meyer, 37, who has worked at Duke eight years and develops and implements holistic wellness programs for clergy and congregations through the Divinity School. “I’m better able to manage my anxiety if I’m exercising.”

According to the "Gallup Global Emotions" report and U.S. results shared in 2019, more Americans were "stressed, angry and worried" than at most times during the previous 10 years. And the National Alliance on Mental Illness reports that one in five U.S. adults experience mental illness, which includes depression, anxiety disorders and other conditions.

At Duke, the Personal Assistance Service provides up to eight confidential counseling sessions per concern at no charge for staff and faculty and immediate family members. Last year, the service saw the highest use by clients than in previous years.

Many seek support for emotional concerns such as depression, anxiety, stress and grief, and most clients report improved coping and productivity after using the service.

Dr. Beth-Anne Blue, assistant director for Personal Assistance Service, said the stigma associated with mental health concerns has decreased. More people are talking publicly about challenges. “You don’t need a huge reason to come and seek our services,” she said.

When she sees a new client, Blue asks about self-care and setting healthy boundaries for activities that bring joy.

“Are you cutting out enough time in your life to do the things that make you and only you happy and building some reserve?” she asked. “A happy employee is going to be a productive employee.”

Many Duke employees, like Meyer who boxes, are taking Blue’s question to heart, implementing well-being techniques in their lives. They share their experiences to help other colleagues who also encounter stressful or emotional times in a tumultuous world.

William Hanley III, 40 Electronic Resources Management Specialist Duke University Libraries

Concern: William’s primary concern involves the well-being

of his brother, who is studying electrical engineering. After their parents passed away, William, the full-time wage-earner, wanted to help his only immediate family. “I care about him a lot,” William said of his younger brother. “It's just me and him.”

Well-being practice:

Wherever he goes, William carries his Nikon camera. You can usually find him in Sarah P. Duke Gardens, capturing close-ups of plants and blooming beds as a volunteer photographer. In these moments strolling in nature, typically on Saturdays, he is fully present, mindful of the 55 acres of beauty around him. “Whenever I walk around Duke Gardens, I feel peaceful,” he says. “I let nature unfold around me. I don't try to go into nature and look for stuff. I stand or sit and let things flow around me. I allow God to unveil nature to me.” His pictures have appeared on the gardens’ social media accounts and in a gardens photo journal with blank pages for writing, drawing and journaling. Making pictures is a meditative practice for him.

“When I think about where I am right in that minute, I don't think of my troubles, and I don't think of worries,” William says. “It helps to quiet my mind.”

Resources used:

William, who has worked at Duke for 14 years, has used Duke Personal Assistance Service, and he talks with a therapist through the Cigna behavioral health benefit.

Employees covered by Duke’s most popular medical plans – Duke Select and Duke Basic – pay $20 for in-network visits through the Cigna benefit. William says Duke’s mental health and wellness offerings through the Healthy Duke initiative are among the most valuable resources. “It's one of the reasons that keeps me at Duke,” he said. “I'm not sure if I would want to go anywhere else because the benefits are so good.”

William Hanley III captured this red chrysanthemum in Duke Gardens last October. “When I am taking the photo, there's nothing else there. It's just me and the photograph,” he said. Photo courtesy of William Hanley III.

>> continued on page 6 working.duke.edu

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Katie Lumpkins, 35 Certified Medical Assistant Duke University Hospital, Cancer Center Clinic

Concern: Katie, who moved from Maine and took a job

at Duke in 2018, experiences effects of family concerns, including the divorce of her parents. She has been diagnosed with depression, and she’s not alone. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, more than 17 million U.S. adults experienced at least one major depressive episode in the past year. “I can go through really happy times, and then a lot of the times when I'm alone and I've had too much time to think, that's when I tend to start beating myself up for things and thinking about things too much,” Katie said.

Well-being practice: She makes kombucha and goes

fishing to feel the sun on her skin. “It allows my brain to focus on something else,” she says of fishing. “And that's a big thing – if I can just get out of that one-track mind that I have going on at the moment.” At work, Katie finds comfort in the 60 seconds of wellbeing that cap off daily staff huddles in her clinic. Led by Margaret Leddy, a physician assistant in the melanoma surgery clinic, the

Ian Philipp, Ph.D., 29 Statistician Biodemography of Aging Research Unit

Concern: Ian, who studies the genetics of Alzheimer’s

Disease for the Social Science Research Institute, has general anxiety disorder. For him, a worry about an interaction or a fear of making a mistake writing code can derail his day. “It just starts to permeate all my thoughts,” he explained. “This negative nature, this worry about everything basically.” The National Alliance on Mental Illness reports that anxiety disorders are the most common mental health concern in the U.S.; more than 40 million adults experience an anxiety disorder, which involves persistent, excessive fear or worry in situations that are not threatening.

Well-being practice:

To ease worries, Ian meditates daily for 20 minutes. He often finds a spot in his office building, where he closes his eyes, focuses on his breath and lets thoughts dissolve. He credits therapy and meditation for discontinuing medication. “As someone who suffers from generalized anxiety disorder, meditation saved me,” Ian said. “And when I am most

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well-being minute centers on integrating a helpful practice into life such as accepting a compliment or offering a compliment that speaks to the core of a person. “If you can just get little pieces and parts of positive psychology, you can start rewiring the brain and make some shifts to the positive,” Leddy said.

Resources used:

Katie asks for help when she recognizes events or circumstances that bring on a low mood and cloudy thinking. Last year, after putting her 16-year-old cat, Booger, to sleep, Katie fell into despair. Booger, who was born in Katie’s living room, had been with Katie for her adult life. When her mood changed, Katie reached out to the Personal Assistance Service.

“I did the support services a couple of different times to get back on a better track,” Katie said.

consistent, the effects are dramatic: I take things less personally, and my worry is under control instead of incapacitating me.” For anyone who wants to begin a practice, Ian recommends the book “Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind” by Shunryu Suzuki. “Meditation and just being mindful in general helps you separate the past and the future from the present, which fixes your anxiety,” Ian said. “If you can turn off your thoughts about the future and your thoughts about the past, there's nothing to be anxious about.”

Resources used:

With Duke’s Cigna behavioral health benefit, Ian sees a therapist for help sorting out emotions.

“Sometimes they paraphrase what you said in such a concise way that it's like a breakthrough,” he said. “That can really help you get hold of your thought patterns.”

Gloria Manley, 58 Financial Care Counselor Patient Revenue Management Organization, Duke Outpatient Clinic

Concern: Gloria struggled when she went through a divorce five years ago. “I was depressed and sad,” she said. “I had my daughters, and I was trying to be strong for them.”

Well-being practice:

Gloria, whose office walls are dotted with motivational quotes such as “Today is the Day,” begins her day with a prayer and ends each day by writing down “three good things” from the day. Her positive reflections vary but favorite moments involve encouraging loved ones, including her 80-year-old mother, Grace, and daughters, Amber and Taylor. She often lends a sympathetic ear to patients and colleagues in Duke Outpatient Clinic, which provides her a sense of service. Writing down three positive things for at least two weeks can train your brain to focus on positive emotions and not dwell on the negative.

“And that has a spiraling effect,” said Carrie Adair, Ph.D., assistant director for Duke Center for Healthcare Safety and Quality. Adair, Bryan Sexton and their collaborators are leaders in conducting research on healthcare worker burnout and resilience. The center [hsq.dukehealth.org] provides an array of resiliency tools.

Resource used: During the divorce, Gloria received help

from Personal Assistance Service to confidently make a change in her life after 18 years of marriage. She talked with a therapist four times at no charge, a benefit she appreciates to this day. “I needed to talk to someone who didn't know me, so that I could just be honest and candid and get a different side and tools on how to move forward,” said Gloria, who joined Duke in 1991.

Tip:

Get moving each day with a fun, physical activity. As a teenager, music was an outlet for Gloria, who trained under dancer and choreographer Chuck Davis and performs traditional African dance. While she makes time to exercise, she allows an occasional reward. “I do the best I can,” said Gloria, adding “and who can say ‘no’ to Red Lobster’s butter and garlic biscuits?”

Personal Assistance Service Assessment Categories 41% Emotional

2% Financial

27% MRelationship arital, Family,

3% Physical/Medical

17% Work related

4% Alcohol/Drug 6% Other >> continued on page 8

Source: Duke Personal Assistance Service, 2019.

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Akemi Huynh, 36 Patient Service Associate Radiology

Concern: Akemi left her position as a school psychologist after

nine years, became a certified nursing assistant and moved from Northern Virginia to join Duke – a career change that ignited a love for chemistry and biology but left her unsure of her next move in healthcare. She’s interested in nursing. “I tend to be a pretty linear person,” said Akemi, who joined Duke in late 2019. “As long as I can connect A to B and I'm on that path, I'm secure and I'm confident,” she said. “Being in this place where I'm switching careers and I don't quite know where I'm going has thrown me.”

Well-being practice:

Akemi is intentional about planning her days and weeks with activities that bring happiness and joy: rock-climbing, journaling about emotions, trying out new restaurants with her husband, Phong, and cooking for friends. With her dog Sachi by her side in the kitchen, Akemi bakes cheesecakes and sweet potato cupcakes. She’s even made yogurt and dim sum.

“You achieve that state of flow where nothing else exists, and it's just you in the kitchen,” she said.

Resources used: Akemi is rebuilding her professional

identity. “It's really taken a hit on my self-esteem,” she explained.

“When you meet people, what's one of the first questions? ‘What do you do?’ And right now, I don't have an answer, and I went through a number of months of just internal turmoil. I felt ashamed.” To stay positive, she schedules self-care activities and reserves one hour each week to talk with a counselor through the Cigna behavioral health benefit. “I come with the list of notes,” she said.

“And I say, ‘this is what I want to work on, these are my goals.’”

Well-being Tools and Resources Healthy Duke The healthy campus initiative focuses on five core areas: food and nutrition; mental and emotional well-being; physical activity and movement; fulfillment and purpose; and environment and culture. healthy.duke.edu

Well-being and happiness strategies Anyone looking to become a champion of wellbeing, can use these toolkits of resources to create a culture of well-being or bring more joy into a day. hsq.dukehealth.org/well-being-toolkit

Meditation and more Staff and faculty can participate in a variety of free activities at the Student Wellness Center.

Offerings include guided meditation, knitting and more. studentaffairs.duke.edu/wellness

Duke Personal Assistance Service Licensed professionals offer assessment, shortterm counseling and referrals for personal, work and family problems. Services are available at no charge to benefits-eligible faculty, staff and their family members. pas.duke.edu

Cigna Behavioral Health benefit Duke offers outpatient and inpatient behavioral health and substance abuse benefits under its medical plans. hr.duke.edu/behavioralhealth

National Alliance on Mental Illness The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is celebrating its 40th anniversary and is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization. nami.org

By Leanora Minai Photography by Alex Boerner

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Leaving a Legacy of Support For four decades, Jacki Silar helped set the tone in Athletics

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n early 2001, former Duke football player Troy Austin was a few weeks into his Duke Athletics internship and taking his first unsteady steps into an eventual career in administration.

Sensing that Austin needed to trust his instincts more, Jacki Silar called him into her office and told him to only check with her on big things but handle everything else on his own.

“That one five-minute interaction built a lot of confidence in me,” said Austin, now Duke’s senior associate director of athletics for internal affairs. “In the years since, I’ve found myself using a lot of her advice and guidance.”

After 41 years in Duke Athletics as a coach and administrator, Silar, who has cameos in many stories of people’s personal development, will retire at the end of June.

With a reputation for being a sympathetic and encouraging confidant for Duke’s student-athletes, Silar leaves an equally important legacy as someone who created a culture of selflessness, accountability and growth among colleagues.

“She’s able to make people across the board, from an 18-year old to a 68-year old, feel safe and OK and accepted,” said Leslie Barnes, assistant athletics director and director of Student-Athlete Development. “If you’re going to build a culture of leadership and developing young men and women, that’s the foundation that you need.”

Silar came to Duke in 1979, serving as an assistant women’s basketball coach.

Two years later, she added head field hockey coach to her responsibilities. In 1995, then Duke Athletics Director Tom Butters asked her to become the Senior Woman Administrator, a new position that oversaw the women’s teams and served as a valuable adviser for athletes, coaches and parents.

In that role, Silar flourished. With experience as a coach, administrator and college athlete – she played basketball and field hockey at High Point University – she related to experiences of those around her. And with her ability to simultaneously be empathetic and blunt, her advice resonated.

“She’s approachable, sympathetic and warm,” said Senior Deputy Athletics Director Chris Kennedy, who’s been at Duke since 1977. “People trust her. She’s genuinely kind, and that’s stood out in every role she’s had.”

When discussing navigating a trying job-related moment or major career decision, it’s not uncommon for Duke Athletics staff members to bring up a piece of Silar’s advice.

“I think Duke Athletics has always talked about ‘family,’” Silar said. “And when you think about family, you think about supporting one another.” 

In four decades with Duke Athletics, Jackie Silar has served student athletes as an administrator, above, and a coach for such sports as women’s basketball and field hockey, below.

Photos courtesy of Duke Athletics.

By Stephen Schramm

Is someone special in your area retiring soon? Let us know at hr.duke.edu/sendnews

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The Value of Recognition A special coin rewards employees

Pat Evans holds a coin she earned. At right, Evans has earned five coins. Photos by Stephen Schramm.

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at Evans was working in her office when Jeffrey Ferranti, chief information officer and vice president for medical informatics at Duke Health, popped in to ask for a moment of her time.

Evans, a Duke Health Technology Solutions corporate accounting clerk, had helped Ferranti solve a problem with his work cell phone, so she assumed he had another issue to address. Instead, Ferranti, also a practicing neonatologist with Duke University Hospital, sat down and began to explain how much he appreciated Evans. He then reached into his white lab coat and pulled out a shiny coin.

“I was ecstatic,” Evans said.

For employees in Duke Health Technology Solutions, these moments – when leaders present employees with symbolic coins in recognition of good work – are a part of the organization’s culture. More tangible than a simple thank you but without the formality of an official award, the coins make recognizing a job well done a personal experience.

Dan Bruno, chief operating officer for Duke Health Technology Solutions, brought the idea for the coin with him when he arrived at Duke nine years ago.

With a three-decade career in the U.S. Army, where recognition coins are part of the culture of each unit, he saw the coins as a way to recognize employees who demonstrate health system core values of excellence, integrity, safety, diversity and teamwork.

“It’s a way to give them something tangible that they can put on their desk or carry with them,” Bruno said. “It’s longer lasting than just a ‘Thank you.’”

The look of the coin is refreshed every year or so, and new designs are voted on by employees in the unit.

Willa Bonner, an administrative specialist who’s earned two coins, said the coins serve as motivation.

“It builds staff selfesteem and, when people see other staff members getting a coin, it gives them incentive to work harder,” Bonner said.

Antwan Lofton, Duke’s assistant vice president for Staff and Labor Relations whose team oversees several institutionwide employee recognition programs, said rewards, such as the coin, play a crucial role in building a sense of purpose.

“Sometimes people don’t see the connection between what they do every day and the larger picture,” Lofton said.

“So stopping in that moment and telling them ‘Thank you’ and explaining the impact that they make, goes a long way.”

Evans, who’s received five coins, including three from Bruno, agrees.

Said Evans, “it makes you feel valuable.”

By Stephen Schramm

Traditions of Recognition Does your school, department or unit do something special for recognition? Let us know:

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Get

Free Software Sonja Likness uses LastPass while working from her office in January. Photo by Megan Mendenhall, University Communications.

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onja Likness has a personal portfolio of online account usernames and passwords to remember.

There’s Pinterest and Instagram, her account with USAA, and Netflix and Roku, just to name a few. And that doesn’t even include the social media accounts for University Communications.

“We all have too many accounts that we have to keep track of and secure,” said Likness, director of social media and content strategy for University Communications.

To manage about 400 personal and work accounts, Likness uses LastPass Enterprise, a password manager software tool that is offered at no charge to Duke community members.

LastPass is among about 100 free or discounted software items available to staff, faculty and students through Duke’s Office of Information Technology (OIT). At software.duke. edu, you can search for programs by platform, category, vendor and more.

“We’re interested in providing software that offers great value to a large portion of the Duke community.” said Terril Lonergan, analyst for OIT Software Licensing. “We want to

help Duke departments save money whenever possible.”

Here’s a look at some available software for home or work use.

for Your Computer An annual subscription for Creative Cloud for staff and faculty is $150 a year. The retail price starts at nearly $600 annually.

Microsoft Office - Office 365

NVivo12

Microsoft’s Office 365 keeps Laurie Hyland’s personal life in order.

She downloaded the suite for free on her personal Mac, saving her about $70 a year. The suite includes Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote and more.

Hyland uses Excel to organize her grocery list; OneNote to save recipes; and Outlook to manage her personal calendar.

“My life would be all over the place without Microsoft,” said Hyland, director of information technology for Duke Athletics. “It’s how I keep my head above water in managing kids, work and all of the other obligations.”

Make sense of research and find themes quickly using NVivo12.

The software, available to the Duke community for free, supports the analysis of qualitative data from interviews, focus groups, surveys, social media and more. The program typically starts at $600.

Noelle Wyman Roth, associate in research at the Duke Social Science Research Institute, uses the software.

“A one-hour conversation produces about 20 pages of transcribed text,” Wyman Roth said. “That adds up when you start adding multiple interviews. NVivo is a fantastic organization tool and helps me analyze data.”

Adobe Creative Cloud Get a significant discount on Adobe Creative Cloud’s desktop application, which includes access to 24 products such as Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator and Premiere.

The software can be used for personal or work purposes.

By Jonathan Black

Download Software Search for programs by platform, category, vendor and more at software.duke.edu.

working.duke.edu

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Retirement Planning for Life

Sarah Rogers finds ways to save money such as taking part in clothing swaps.

F

When life throws curveballs, there are ways to prepare for the future

or Sarah Rogers, gaining control of her money meant taking action.

While reviewing her expenses, Rogers, 37, saw overspending on discretionary items hindered her savings. The Franklin Humanities Institute program coordinator tightened spending, ended unused subscriptions and negotiated lower prices on internet service and car insurance.

Now she directs 10 percent of each monthly paycheck to Duke’s Faculty and Staff Retirement Plan and adds more each time she has a pay increase or pays off a loan.

“I wasn’t thinking enough about the big picture of my future,” said Rogers, a full-time Duke employee since 2013.

The conventional formula for retirement savings seems simple: contribute early, let the money grow and, when retirement comes, your nest egg awaits. But careers, unexpected expenses and competing priorities complicate goals.

“Everybody has a different story,” said Alan Collins, retirement planner with Fidelity Investments, the primary record keeper for Duke’s Faculty and Staff Retirement Plan. “We have 40,000 employees at Duke. We can’t have the same approach for everyone.”

A recent National Institute on Retirement Security study said two-thirds of Millennials – individuals between ages 29 and 39 – are not saving for retirement, while 34 percent participate in their employer’s plans. At Duke, 56 percent of eligible employees contribute to the Faculty and Staff Retirement Plan.

“Duke offers a very comprehensive benefits package, and retirement is a huge part of that,” said Linda Phelps, a retirement plan manager for Duke Human Resources. “Retirees typically depend on three sources of income in retirement, an employeesponsored plan, social security and personal savings. We can’t

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encourage employees enough to start saving early. It’s the best way to enjoy a secure retirement.”

Starting Early

Retirement is a long way off for Duke Raleigh Hospital Clinical Nurse Robert Pineiro Ortiz. With a passion for nursing, Ortiz, 26, is in no hurry to leave the profession.

“People feel accomplished in different ways,” said Ortiz, who joined Duke in 2018. “I get that from working.”

Still, Ortiz enrolled in the Faculty and Staff Retirement Plan, which experts agree is a smart move. The Faculty and Staff Retirement Plan for monthly paid employees is funded by contributions from both Duke and the employee.

Ortiz contributes 5 percent of each month’s pay, despite priorities such as student loans and saving for emergencies and professional training.

Jianna Torre, a behavioral researcher for Duke’s Center for Advanced Hindsight, said competing priorities for young professionals are common stumbling blocks for saving.

“Humans are incredibly presentbiased,” Torre said. “We overvalue the present at the expense of the future.”

It’s important to not lose sight of retirement, where the payoff is

While he’s only one year into his tenure at Duke Raleigh Hospital, Robert Pineiro Ortiz is already contributing to the Duke Faculty and Staff Retirement Plan.

years away. And with the growth retirement savings accounts experience, small early contributions, such as those by Ortiz, become substantial.

“Experiencing compounding growth over 40 years, as opposed to 30 years, makes a huge difference,” said Fidelity’s Collins.

Catching Up

Ruth Eckles needed time to find her professional fit.

As Duke Service Learning’s communications and event specialist, where she tells stories of infusing community engagement into Duke students’ academic experience, she found it.

Years before joining Duke, Eckles used part-time jobs to support her passions of writing, photography and music.

After earning an interactive media master’s degree Duke Service Learning’s Ruth Eckles is planning for from Elon with multiple strategies, including reducing University, Eckles retirement future expenses by paying off her mortgage. turned her love of storytelling into a career, leading her to Duke in 2017.

But Eckles, 51, knows she’s behind in saving for retirement.

“As a young person, I didn’t think about it,” she said. “That’s human nature. You don’t think about these things until it’s actually real for you.”

According to a 2019 Transamerica study, 14 percent of Gen Xers, like Eckles, feel “very confident” they’ll retire comfortably.

Collins often meets mid-career professionals anxious about retirement. He tells them to consider reducing expenses and, if they aren’t already, to put money into a retirement plan.

“You’ve got to start somewhere today,” Collins said. “I’ll ask people ‘How much can you save now?’ Then we’ll look at the budget and see if they can do more.”

As a bi-weekly paid employee, Eckles participates in the Duke-funded Employees’ Retirement Plan, also known as the Duke Pension Plan, which provides retirement income based on compensation, experience and age.

Bi-weekly staff can also enroll in the Faculty and Staff Retirement Plan but don’t receive a separate Duke contribution

since they’re enrolled in the Duke Pension Plan. Eckles recently enrolled in the Faculty and Staff Retirement Plan and has been making bi-weekly contributions, which she said she’ll increase after consulting with a Fidelity adviser.

“It’s really important that employees save on their own for retirement,” said Phelps, the Duke Pension Plan manager, pointing to the value of all employees contributing to the Faculty and Staff Retirement Plan. “It’s going to help you down the road.”

Making it Real

When Myra Townes started working at Duke in 1984, she put $50 a month toward retirement.

“I figured, if you put that away when you start, you’ll never miss it,” said Townes, 62, who now puts 15 percent of her monthly pay toward retirement.

Thirty-six years later, Townes, a lab supervisor in Duke’s Clinical Microbiology Laboratory, knows that those contributions will make up the financial bedrock of her fastapproaching retirement.

Her priority now is figuring out how much money she and her husband, Robert, will need to live comfortably.

Center for Advanced Hindsight Senior Behavioral Researcher Emory Nelms said this part of retirement planning is tricky, since people underestimate how much money they’ll need to maintain the same standard of living.

“One of the most expensive things in life is free time,” Nelms said.

“People can find all kinds Myra Townes of Duke Clinical Microbiology started of ways to spend money saving for retirement early. that they didn’t have before they had more time on their hands.”

Nelms suggests bumping cost-of-living estimates higher to cover unexpected medical expenses or overlooked costs.

Townes, who feels confident about her retirement outlook, is doing her homework by consulting retired friends and family members about their finances.

“We’re seeing what it will take for us to make it,” she said. 

By Stephen Schramm Photography by Justin Cook

Get Control of Your Money Financial Fitness Week returns May 18-21 with free workshops. Visit hr.duke.edu/financialfitness.

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PERQS EMPLOYEE DISCOUNTS

One-of-a-Kind Jewelry at a Discount

Dan Maxwell had an ancient Roman coin made into a unique piece of jewelry at Jewelsmith. Photo by Stephen Schramm.

Jewelsmith creates custom jewelry and offers unique pieces

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hen Dan Maxwell came into possession of an ancient Roman coin, he thought the worn bronze, with its portrait of Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius, would look nice as a pendent.

As soon as he had the idea, he knew exactly who could make it a reality.

“I immediately thought about Jewelsmith,” Maxwell said.

Last year, Maxwell, a senior library assistant with Duke University Libraries’ Technical Services unit, had the bronze coin ringed with gold and made into a pendent by artisans at Jewelsmith, a full-service jeweler with four decades of history in Durham.

Maxwell’s custom piece is attached to a sturdy chain and features gold that looks beautifully weathered, matching the primitive feel of the coin, which dates from 148 A.D. “They did a fantastic job. I was really pleased,” said Maxwell, who first shopped with Jewelsmith in 1995, when he and his wife had custom wedding bands made there. “It was exactly what I wanted.”

By creating well-loved custom jewelry to offering a showroom filled with unique pieces to fit nearly every taste, Jewelsmith has built a loyal following. The store offers Duke employees 10 percent off jewelry, including custom pieces. The discount does not cover repair work, appraisals and diamonds over .25 carat.

Jewelsmith opened in Durham’s Lakewood neighborhood in 1976 and moved to Brightleaf Square and then Erwin Square,

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WORKING@DUKE

where it’s been since 1999. From the beginning, Jewelsmith established its business on acquiring high-quality gems and unique materials and letting its team of designers and goldsmiths create pieces that can’t be found elsewhere.

The result is a showroom filled with pieces featuring gold, diamonds and delicate elegance, and more avant-garde jewelry with vividly colored stones and textured metals. There’s even one set of jewelry currently on sale that’s made from street stones from the home of Albert Einstein.

“We love traditional jewelry, we love traditional stones that people are familiar with, like diamonds, sapphires, rubies, emeralds,” said manager Kristine Wylie Warsaw. “But we also look for the hard-to-find, possibly-never-see-again pieces.”

The other piece to Jewelsmith’s formula is working with customers to turn their visions into one-of-a-kind keepsakes.

Jewelsmith designer Delouis Wilson worked with Dan Maxwell to create his pendent. With three decades of experience at Jewelsmith, Wilson said the collaboration involved in projects such as Maxwell’s – where she took inspiration from ancient artifacts to create the perfect feel for the piece – is what makes Jewelsmith unique.

“That’s the basis of what we do,” Wilson said. “It only works if we’re listening.” 

By Stephen Schramm

Visit hr.duke.edu/discounts for a full list of savings.

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SUSTAINABLE DUKE YOUR SOURCE FOR GREEN NEWS AT DUKE

Fighting a Plastics Problem Breast imaging unit deploys reusable baskets instead of plastic bags

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hile using “I think when a lot of disposable people consider making plastic such sustainable changes, they as bags, think it’s change it all bottles and or change nothing,” said straws can be convenient, Rebecca Hoeffler, program Ginger Connor tries to and communications keep the big picture in coordinator with mind.

Sustainable Duke. “But National Geographic honestly, taking one step reported that around at a time makes a big 40 percent of all plastic difference.” produced is for singleAt the Duke use products and only University School of 9 percent of the world’s Medicine’s Office of plastic is recycled. When Curricular Affairs, staff Connor takes cloth bags From left to right, Dianne Baggett, Alexis Eaves, Ginger Connor and Bee Bee Schmidt show off reusable members quit providing baskets that patients at Duke Women’s Cancer Care Macon Pond use to hold personal items. Photo to the grocery store and disposable plastic water courtesy of Ginger Connor. packs lunch in reusable bottles for most meetings. containers when she They provide reusable “I figured that, if I can make changes heads to Duke Women’s Cancer Care coffee mugs and dishware and worked like this at home, why can’t I bring that to Macon Pond, where she’s a breast imaging with the housekeeping staff to empty office work?” Connor said. specialist, she’s helping reverse the trend. wastebaskets less frequently, thus cutting After clearing the idea with her “As a society, we waste a lot,” Connor down on trash bags. manager and helping find 12 blue plastic said. “I want to try to do better.”

The Office of Curricular Affairs baskets, Connor’s plan was put into Last year, Connor saw an opportunity received a Green Workplace Certification practice. to bring that mission to work. last year.

“In the beginning, patients were like At her office, patients were given “We just wanted to do what we could ‘I’m putting them in a shopping basket?’” plastic bags for clothes and belongings to be more sustainable,” said Program Connor said. “Once you explain why, they before mammograms. After visits, the Coordinator Paula Alford, who worked loved it.” single-use bags – most days they’d go with Sustainable Duke on the certification.

At Duke, moves such as this one and through about 30 – were discarded.

“We wanted to do our part. If everybody Duke Dining’s ban on disposable plastics Unnerved by the steady flow of plastic does a little bit, it can make things so much at its 34 venues, are signs of a large-scale trash, Connor suggested giving patients better.”  commitment to cut plastic waste. But reusable baskets, which would be washed smaller steps, made on an individual or

By Stephen Schramm between uses, in which to store their office level, are also important in breaking belongings. the habit of relying on disposable plastics.

Learn how your part of Duke can earn a Green Certification at sustainability.duke.edu/action/certification

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March 2, 2020

#HealthyDuke Gordon Keeler earned his forth milestone t-shirt by running his 250th parkrun. parkrun (no caps) is a free timed 5k held every Saturday at 8am at Durham's Southern Boundaries Park. https:// www.parkrun.us/durhamnc/.

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Check out two new @artshealthduke exhibits this month. Photographer Bill Gregory has images of rural bait shops on display @dukeeyecenter, and Fayetteville's Griffin Carrick has her paper quilling creations up in Duke South. https://arts.duke.edu/events/ @DukeArts

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