A GREENER FUTURE 8
MAKE THE MOST OF FRIDAY 10
SAVE ON A NEW CAR 15
NE W S YOU CA N USE • F E B R U A R Y / M A R C H 2020
Many Roads to
Duke
Editor’s Note
CONTENTS
LEANORA MINAI
Our Roads to Duke Duke staff and faculty hail from six continents and all 50 states, bringing rich cultural perspectives and professional experiences that make up the diverse fabric of our community. In this month’s issue, we explore the roads that lead colleagues to Duke. We examine one year – 2018 – when Duke added 5,601 new benefits eligible employees to its workforce. That year, 146,886 people applied for 11,552 individual positions. Jennifer Gorny, a certified medical assistant, wanted a change in scenery and fresh start. She arrived at Duke from Minnesota in 2018. New friendships and positive interactions with patients eased her transition. “I heard lots of positive things about Duke when I came down to Raleigh on a vacation,” she said. “Everyone talked about Duke when I asked where a good place to work would be.” Duke has earned recognition from various organizations, including Forbes, which named the university one of the “Best Employers for Diversity” in 2020, the second consecutive year for the honor. Many of us relocate for new opportunities. According to a 2018 report by Glassdoor, a job and recruiting website, job seekers looking to relocate are more interested in an organization’s culture than pay. “Rather than choosing a new city, applicants usually first choose a new employer or job that offers a unique opportunity, great pay or pleasant company culture,” says Glassdoor’s “Metro Movers” report. I relocated for a new opportunity. After nearly 11 years in Florida as a reporter for the St. Petersburg Times, now the Tampa Bay Times, I changed careers and joined Duke’s communications team in late 2004. Like you, I add a patch to Duke’s unique workforce quilt. Born in Tripoli, Libya, I lived in Asia and Africa and traveled growing up. That experience shaped me and enriches Duke’s environment just like the staff and faculty featured in our story on page 4. At Duke every day, you can meet people from all over the world. Those interactions and partnerships expand all of us. They open our minds and expose us to new knowledge and perspectives, which help us grow as leaders and team members.
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4 Many Roads to Duke
Duke added 5,601 new colleagues to our workforce in 2018. While most came from nearby – including 1,411 from Durham County – nearly one third came from outside of North Carolina.
8 Toward a Greener Future
When looking at data, Duke’s sustainability advances are hard to miss. Since 2007, greenhouse gas emissions dropped by 20 percent and energy use per square foot of building space is down 19 percent. These advances are due to changes in the way Duke community members behave and think.
10 Make the Most of Friday
With energy waning and the weekend competing for attention, staying on task on Fridays can be challenging. Check out some tips for a fruitful Friday.
11 Save for your dreams with the Duke Credit Union 12 Duke Sign Shop leaves its mark on campus 13 Develop your cultural intelligence 14 Duke Chapel’s stained glass gets new life 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
Cover: With new hires in 2018 hailing from all 50 states and six continents, Duke’s workforce continues to come from all over the globe. Photo by Justin Cook. Leanora Minai at her desk in the St. Petersburg Times newsroom in Florida.
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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 Touch a real brain during ‘Discovery Day’ The Duke Institute for Brain Sciences will hold its annual Discovery Day from 1-4 p.m. on March 29 at the Levine Science Research Center. The event, which drew 565 guests last year, features hands-on brain-related activities for all ages and informative exhibits on brain function and health from the Bass Connections Program and the Duke Center on Autism and Brain Development. Shuntoya Lee, manager of academic services at the Duke Law School, brought her 7-year old son Ryder to the event last year and plans on going again in March. “I think events like this are extremely important because science is a huge focus,” Lee said. “I think it helps kids, even at their age, start shaping what they may want to do in life. And it also exposes parents to issues of brain health, so it’s a win-win for both adults and children.” There will be a sensory-friendly version of the event from 12-1 p.m. for children and adults who need a quieter environment. There will also be a quiet room available during the event. Free parking will be available in the Circuit Drive lot. Find more information at dibs.duke.edu.
Spring into action with Duke Run/Walk Club Enjoy warm weather and social connections with the Duke Run/Walk Club, which begins March 9. The club meets weekly at 5:30 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays through May 27 on East and West campuses. The free 12-week program, organized by LIVE FOR LIVE, Duke’s employee wellness program, is open to Duke staff and faculty at all fitness levels. Participants also have access to free strength and fitness classes. Claudia E. Pamanes began participating in the Run/Walk Club in 2018 to prepare for a half marathon. With the help of the club, Pamanes successfully ran the Holly Springs Half Marathon in 2019. “Everyone is very encouraging,” said Pamanes, research scholar for the Duke Department of Neurosurgery. “It’s a great way to hold yourself accountable, improve discipline and stick to a training schedule.” If you can’t make the sessions, participate by tracking workouts online. Register for the club at hr.duke.edu/runwalk.
Get free tax help Duke Law School volunteers are providing free state and federal income tax assistance to the Duke and Durham communities. Duke employees and members of the public with a household income of $64,000 or less can use
full-service, drop-off or online self-assisted tax preparation, which ends April 8. Households with an income under $66,000 can use an online facilitated self-assisted service. Appointments are recommended, but walk-ins are accepted if time permits. Appointments take place at the Duke Credit Union or the Duke Law School’s Blue Lounge. Participants must bring their tax documents. This is the 38th year the Duke Law VITA student organization has organized the service. Last year, VITA completed 423 tax returns and netted about $575,000 in federal and state refunds and roughly $142,000 in tax credits. “VITA is a great service that alleviates the financial burden of having to pay for income tax preparation,” said Kim Burrucker, director of public interest and pro bono for the Duke Law School. Services are also available for foreign students and scholars affiliated with Duke University. Make an appointment at sites.duke.edu/dukelawvita/home.
Get familiar with IT tools The Learn IT @ Lunch series returns this spring with seven sessions focused on helping you get a deeper understanding of popular software programs. Among the topics covered this spring will be Qualtrics, Last Pass, Microsoft Teams, Zoom and document accessibility. “We want to keep everybody at the forefront of what’s happening around IT,” said Trina Rodriguez, education and training coordinator for Duke’s Office of Information Technology, which hosts the series. “This program provides hands-on learning opportunities that can help people navigate IT here on campus.” Quanta Holden, web and communication specialist for the English Department, has been a frequent attendee at the sessions. He said the workshops help him get a more in-depth understanding of digital tools. “Technology changes so quickly, so these sessions provide an opportunity to get ahold of some of the updates, developments and features that you may not be aware of,” Holden said. The Wednesday workshops run through April in Perkins and Bostock Libraries. Find the schedule at sites.duke.edu/training/ learn-it-lunch-2.
Race (or walk) through Duke Forest Up for a walk or run through Duke Forest? Register for the 11th Pine Cone Pacer 5K, which is April 18. The Pine Cone Pacer is the largest fundraiser for the Duke Forest Improvement Fund. Money from the race helps expand environmental education programs, maintain trails and pay for projects not covered by the forest’s annual budget. “The Pine Cone Pacer is an opportunity for friends and family to come together to share their love for our beautiful forest,” said Sara Childs, director of Duke Forest. Register by April 6 at dukeforest.duke.edu/pcp.
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Many Roads to
Duke
Duke draws talent from around the world and 50 states
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tephanie Stephens wears her Philadelphia roots proudly. She has an unshakable devotion to the Philadelphia Eagles, the city’s GPS coordinates tattooed on her leg, and a replica of the LOVE sculpture on her desk. But after two years as an administrative assistant with the Duke Talent Identification Program, Durham feels like home, too. “I feel blessed that Duke gave me this shot,” she said. Stephens is among the 1,777 staff and faculty who came to Duke in 2018 from outside of North Carolina, now the country’s ninth most populated state. In 2018, Duke’s workforce added 5,601 new benefits eligible employees. While most came from nearby – including 1,411 from Durham County – nearly one third came from outside of North Carolina. That group included people from six continents and all 50 states. And the most common roles filled by out-of-state new hires were nurses or medical caregivers, faculty members, or positions in research fields. A recent report by Glassdoor noted that an organization’s culture is more likely to attract out-of-state job seekers than any other factor. Driven by a range of motivations, including a desire for a change of scenery, a better job or to be closer to family, each new employee travels their own, unique path to Duke. “I think the culture of Duke is one of striving continuously for excellence, be that in patient care, research, education or all of our administrative areas,” said Kyle Cavanaugh, Duke’s vice president for Administration. “We attract a lot of people that identify with that aspiration. The combination of culture, compensation and benefits make this one of the most attractive places in the nation to work.” For Stephanie Stephens, a fresh start attracted her to Duke. Since college, she worked in the hospitality industry, from front desk to catering sales. But by early 2018, Stephens, then working
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The desire for a new challenge brought Stephanie Stephens from Philadelphia to Duke’s Talent Identification Program.
at Philadelphia’s Ritz-Carlton, was ready to see what life offered outside of the city she always called home. “I just wanted to see what my other opportunities were,” said Stephens, 30. “I was ready to go. I just needed someone to give me a shot.” That opportunity came when she applied for the position at Duke’s Talent Identification Program (TIP), where she develops onboarding strategies, oversees customer service operations and upgrades the department’s database system. “Duke has given me a chance to show what I’m capable of,” Stephens said.
Be Counted Every 10 years, the U.S. Census Bureau counts all the nation’s living people, providing data that determines things such as electoral representation and the allocation of government resources. All U.S. residents are required to participate in the 2020 Census, which can be done online, by phone or by mail. To learn more about the 2020 Census, visit 2020Census.gov
State of Growth An avid camper, Rebecca Young loved that living in Davis, California, had her a short drive from Yosemite National Park, redwood forests and the Sierra Nevadas. As a vegetarian, she treasured California’s year-round availability of fresh produce. But after a decade, she and her husband, Renny, knew that California’s high cost of living meant their future would likely unfold elsewhere. “For us, the California dream was over, we’d been looking to leave for a long time,” said Young, who joined the Duke Department of Pediatrics’ Infectious Diseases division as a biostatistician in 2018. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, North Carolina added 112,820 people in 2018 – including the Youngs – ranking behind Texas, Florida, California and Arizona in the number of new residents. A strong job market is a prime driver of the influx. The North Carolina Department of Commerce projects that, by 2026, the state will add around 389,000 new jobs. “With the quality of life, the type of jobs and the type of incomes people can earn, it’s not hard to get anyone in the world to move here,” said North Carolina Secretary of Commerce Anthony Copeland. “And anybody would be happy to move here and be associated with a place like Duke.” Denise Motley, executive director of Duke Human Resources Recruitment, Staffing and the Career Resource Center, said that Duke’s reputation as a world-class research university and health system coupled with robust employee benefits, are major factors in attracting top talent. And Motley, who moved here from Pennsylvania, said that North Carolina is a strong selling point. “North Carolina has so much to offer,” Motley said. “If applicants prefer city life, they can get that feel here. For those who like a more rural environment, that can be realized here, as well. I believe this rich geographic diversity is another reason we successfully attract applicants from all over the United States.” After two years in North Carolina, Rebecca Young, 32, has found plenty to appreciate about her new home. She enjoys working with Duke’s accomplished faculty members, fellows, residents and medical students, showing them how math and coding fuel research breakthroughs. A more affordable housing market has put home ownership within reach for her. Young’s mother, who moved to Asheville from Pennsylvania in 2018, is close by, and Young has made a network of friends in Durham. “This is where we’re planning on being long-term,” said Young, who’s explored North Carolina’s wine country and Outer Banks. “I would never have thought I’d be a North Carolinian. But I like it a lot.” >> continued on page 6
The high cost of living in California was a major factor in Rebecca Young’s decision to come to Duke, where she’s a biostatistician.
Where Duke’s 2018 Hires Work 2,815 Nursing and Medical Care
1,060 Administrative, Managerial and Office Support
1,035 Research, Education and Technology
358 Service, Skilled Crafts, Other
333 Faculty
Source: Duke Human Resources
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Global Perspective At first, Can Zhang’s fascination with how mathematics intersects with the real world led him to a degree in civil engineering. Then, after developing an interest in how understanding transportation and supply chains can help solve thorny problems, he pursued a Ph. D. in industrial engineering. “And now, I’m at a business school,” said Zhang, assistant professor at the Fuqua School of Business. His research focuses on improving health care and agricultural supply chains in developing countries. His curiosity also led him halfway around the world. Zhang, a native of China’s Hunan province, earned degrees from Beijing’s Tsinghua University and Georgia Tech before joining Duke’s faculty in 2018. Together Duke, the university’s strategic plan, states that “Faculty with diverse histories, backgrounds, experiences and expertise are necessary for an academic community that values unique perspectives, histories, and ways of thinking about important, complicated questions.” That diversity is reflected in how the faculty grew in 2018. Of the 333 new faculty hires, 38 came from different countries, according to Duke Human Resources. Zhang, 30, said he’s been embraced by his colleagues at Fuqua, who have invited him to social outings and given him a favorable teaching schedule that allows him to have sufficient time to devote to research projects. He’s enjoyed working alongside accomplished researchers and teaching operations management courses to students in the Daytime MBA program. And, after he found a grocery store that sold the Chinese noodles and dumplings he craved, adjusting to life in Durham has been relatively easy, too. Quipped Zhang, “I live in the United States, but I still have an eastern stomach.” Originally from China, Can Zhang, assistant professor at the Fuqua School of Business, enjoys teaching and research opportunities Duke offers.
Home States
In 2018, Duke hired employees from all 50 states. Take a look at the 10 states that produced the most new hires.
3,824
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VA
140
NY
122
FL121 PA 110
Searching for the Best Shanna Kramer is still getting used to humid summers, mild winters and the funny looks she gets when she uses words such as pop, instead of soda, or supper, in place of dinner. “Sometimes my coworkers will say ‘Your Midwest is showing,’” said Kramer, an ambulatory care nurse at Duke Women’s Health Associates at Patterson Place. Kramer, 27, moved to Durham from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, in 2018 when her husband, Brent, began an ophthalmology residency at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Employing around 8,000 nurses at three hospitals and a network of clinics, Duke is always recruiting for qualified nurses. To find nurses, especially in specialized areas such as cardiothoracic and respiratory care, Duke casts a wide net for the best candidates. In 2018, nearly 27 percent of Duke’s benefits eligible hires were for nursing jobs. Of the 1,506 nursing jobs filled in 2018, nearly 36 percent were by people from outside of North Carolina. According to North Carolina Department of Commerce projections, North Carolina will add around 93,000 jobs in health care and social assistance by 2026 due in large part to the state’s aging population. “In the past, we met our needs with local talent and our strong reputation, but with our growth, we now frequently recruit nurses from outside of the region,” said Sylvia Alston, assistant vice president for nursing recruitment and hospital administrative systems for Duke University Health System. Duke recruiters are regular visitors to nursing conferences and local and regional colleges and universities, building a network of contacts across the profession to find nurses who embody Duke’s goal of innovative, compassionate, expert care. Alston said the priority Duke places on professional development, whether it’s helping nurses gain experience in
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A native of South Dakota, Shanna Kramer has grown fond of her new home in North Carolina and her team at Duke Women’s Health Associates at Patterson Place.
specialized work areas or providing support for continuing education, attracts ambitious nurses. “We encourage professional growth and education for our nursing and clinical workforce,” Alston said. Kramer, the ambulatory care nurse, took advantage of those resources when she used a Duke stipend to get certified in electronic fetal heart monitoring. While she’s in a new place, with her career moving forward, Kramer knows she’s in the right one. “I feel like I’m a part of Duke now,” Kramer said. “I’m close with the providers and the people on my team. I feel like the people that I work with are proud to work at Duke.”
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By Stephen Schramm Photography by Justin Cook
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Duke Moves Toward a Green
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hen looking at data, Duke’s sustainability advances are hard to miss. Since 2007, greenhouse gas emissions dropped by 20 percent and energy use per square foot of building space is down 19 percent. Around 3,000 employees work in certified green offices, and nearly a quarter of food served in Duke’s residential dining program is locally sourced.
These advances are the product of changes in the way Duke and its community members behave and think. “Duke’s sustainability achievements have been the result of senior leadership support, shared accountability among many different departments and grassroots efforts from the campus community,” said Tavey Capps, Duke’s Sustainability director. While numbers are impressive, the stories of people helping push for change paint a full picture.
Emissions Each month, Zach Johnson gets a home energy bill filled with useful data. It shows energy use by month and compared to area homes. Johnson began to wonder, with Duke’s goal of climate neutrality by 2024, why can’t decision makers in departments, schools and units receive similar reports showing their share of Duke’s overall carbon footprint? “This could be a way to make those big goals applicable to the local level,” said Johnson, a financial analyst at the Sanford School of Public Policy. Johnson’s idea became the subject of his group project during the 2018 Duke Leadership Academy, which produced an easy-to-read two-page report for the Sanford School. The next step involved expanding the idea to cover other parts of Duke, where energy use and monitoring methods get complex. For that, teams of students and faculty from the Bass Connections and Data+ programs have taken up the challenge. If all goes well, leaders at schools across Duke will soon have data they can use to craft their unit’s sustainability plan. “Working toward those huge goals of emission containment starts with doing something, even if it’s something small,” Johnson said.
19% 30% During the past 12 years, Duke University has added more than 3 million gross square feet of building space on campus. Despite the increase, Duke has implemented various efficiency and conservation measures to decrease energy use by 19 percent per gross square foot and potable water use by 30 percent per gross square foot.
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C02 Since signing the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment in 2007, Duke has reduced its overall emissions by 20 percent, despite the growth of Duke’s footprint by about 3 million square feet.
Infrastructure From Grainger Hall’s roof garden to the Brodhead Center’s built-in compost system, Duke has woven sustainability into constructing and renovating campus buildings, 44 of which have been recognized by Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) for green features. As campus building energy and water use trend downward, Duke is raising the bar by creating and adopting a new High Performance Building Framework, approved by the Board of Trustees. The plan takes a holistic view of green building that includes outlining an improved process for planning campus buildings; a rigorous sustainable design standard for all new buildings and major renovations; and a new tracking and rating system to examine how facilities perform. The approach differs from LEED certification, which scores individual buildings based on number of sustainable features. Future projects, such as the Garden Gateway welcome center at Sarah P. Duke Gardens, will be among the first projects under the new framework. “We hope this process challenges Duke to think harder about what it wants to do with its buildings,” said Casey Collins, Duke Facilities Energy Manager. “It’s intended to make Duke develop more information and spend more design time making sure buildings are going to perform after we build them.”
ner Future Campus Operations
Local Sourced
SUSTAINABLE DUKE YOUR SOURCE FOR GREEN NEWS AT DUKE
Sustainable Seafood
Fair Trade Coffee
Marcus Carson, Duke Dining’s assistant director for sustainability and quality control, is used to studying how responsibly sourced food affects places Duke purchased 24 percent Thirty eight percent of Duke’s Duke only sources fair trade where it comes from. With a growing focus of its food for its residential seafood purchased for its coffee for its residential dining on food production’s carbon footprint, he’s dining program from local residential dining program was program, so 100 percent is also looking at how it affects the providers, including the Duke locally sourced, certified by the considered sustainable. planet as a whole. Campus Farm. Marine Stewardship Council or recommended by Seafood Watch. “There’s been a lot of high-level research and an increased focus on the relationship between food production and climate change,” Carson said. featuring a reduced carbon footprint through use plant-based According to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture proteins or less meat. Organization, livestock production accounts for 14.5 percent Carson is enlisting Nicholas School of the Environment students of all greenhouse gas emissions, a segment that’s larger than to provide a thorough accounting of the carbon cost of ingredients all the world’s transportation-related emissions combined. as part of the initiative. It’s against this backdrop that Carson is leading Duke’s “My goal is for Duke Dining to be an expert in food and Climate Conscious Dining initiative. The campaign will include sustainability issues,” Carson said. “So if we can stay ahead special meals created with help from Student Health dietitians of the curve on this, that’s the goal.”
Outreach While efficient buildings and operations make Duke greener, the community’s embrace of sustainability drives change. Few embody that commitment like the Duke Clinical and Translational Science Institute’s Translational Population Health Research (TransPop) group. Last January, TransPop
Green Workplace
Green Lab
certified workplaces
certified labs
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Green Classroom
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certified courses
certified events
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staff members started the process of earning Sustainable Duke’s Green Workplace Certification, a checklist of 58 ecofriendly actions. Green Certification – also available for classrooms, labs and dorm rooms – requires community members to learn about the environmental toll of decisions and consult with Sustainable Duke experts on ways to lessen their footprint. To get certified, a workplace must achieve 40 of the 58 criteria. The twist here is that, unlike on-campus workplaces that can easily collaborate with Sustainable Duke staff, the TransPop workplace is roughly two hours from Durham in Kannapolis. “It wasn’t exactly an easy process,” said Office Management Assistant Mary Lou Perry, who teamed with Staff Assistant Selina Baker to lead the push at TransPop offices. The TransPop team took sustainability to heart, supplying recyclable plates and cutlery at workplace functions, using web conferencing to reduce travel and exploring options with building management for more efficient operation. Said Perry, “I feel like we’re doing our part for the environment.”
By Stephen Schramm
Sustainable Duke has created various certifications that provide guidelines to promote sustainable behaviors and actions. The certifications provide a template for individuals, departments and schools to reduce GHG emissions through work, study, research and events.
Find ways to make Duke greener at sustainability.duke.edu
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Make the Most of How to have a fruitful (and fun) day before the weekend
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eslie Allen, program coordinator for International Studies in Duke Law School, said her Fridays can be “a little chaotic.” There’s a morning staff meeting, a regular lunch meeting and an afternoon filled with emails to answer and plans to make. And all of this comes on a day when, for many, it’s not always easy to focus. “That’s a precious time to get caught up before the weekend,” Allen said. “It’s also time to sit back and celebrate making it through the week.” With energy waning and the weekend competing with our attention, staying on task on Fridays can be challenging. “As humans, we require time to transition into different patterns,” said Becky Rayburn-Reeves, senior behavioral researcher with the Center for Advanced Hindsight at Duke. “Fridays are an extension of the weekend, and we need time to prioritize our thoughts to more personal aspects of our lives. It’s a natural thing.” Check out these strategies for embracing the transition.
Pick the Right Tasks
When motivation is at a premium, find projects that are easier on a Friday. Reeves suggests looking for smaller tasks that you know you can complete in a single day, or larger items on your to-do list that are close to completion. “Most of us, when we’re nearing a reward, tend to speed up,” Reeves said. “So, are there any tasks that are close to being finished? If so, maybe prioritize that on a Friday and reward yourself for getting it done before the weekend.”
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Take Time to Plan While it’s natural to look toward the weekend, why not look at the following week, too? Plan for your return to work by writing to-do lists or nailing down your meeting schedule – valuable ways to spend part of a Friday. “One of the best things you can do is plan for your future self,” Reeves said. “If you try to plan your week on Mondays, you’re already in it and it’s very hard to implement that plan as effectively.”
Find Time for Fun
Attending campus events, such as the Ruby Fridays series at the Rubenstein Arts Center or the Duke Farmers Market, which runs from April to September, can help you end your week on a high note. Leslie Allen and the staff in Duke Law School’s International Studies Office have a Friday lunch meeting with international students participating in the Master of Laws program. The informal gathering gives students a chance to ask about things such as library rules or how to find graduation weekend hotel rooms. “I enjoy it, it’s always super-fun,” Allen said of the meeting. “The students look forward to it and we do, too.”
By Stephen Schramm
Find courses on a variety of subjects, including time management, at hr.duke.edu/training
Save for Your
Dreams
Duke Credit Union offers a variety of financial services Duke Credit Union helped Monique Watson purchase her first home, above, in Oxford. Photo courtesy of Monique Watson.
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hen Monique and Robert Watson bought their first house in 2019, the windows needed to be replaced, the roof needed repair and electrical outlets needed rewiring. Something the Watsons didn’t have to worry about was the mortgage. Working with the Duke Credit Union, the Watsons received a low annual interest rate and only needed to provide a down payment of 3.5 percent. The median payment for first-time homebuyers is 6 percent, according to the National Association of Realtors. “Duke Credit Union made the financial part of buying a home the easiest part,” said Monique Watson, a nursing care assistant for Duke University Hospital and member of Duke Credit Union. “I knew they would take care of us.” Duke Credit Union, which has served members for more than 50 years, is a not-for-profit financial cooperative with about 16,000 Duke employees, students, alumni, retirees and their immediate family as members. The credit union offers a range of checking and savings accounts, as well as car and home loans and financial seminars. Because the Duke Credit Union is a non-profit,
it can provide more competitive rates on loans and higher yields on savings than commercial banks, according to Dan Berry, Duke Credit Union’s chief executive officer. “Our goal is to help Duke community members save money,” Berry said. “We are your credit union for your life. We’re here to support however you manage your finances.” In addition to loans, the Duke Credit Union can help you with other services.
Choose from savings and checking accounts To join, community members pay a $5 fee and $25 minimum deposit, which are placed in a “Share Savings” account for you and qualifies you as a member of the Credit Union. There are eight other interest-earning savings accounts and three checking accounts. Savings account options include the “Holiday Club,” which automatically drafts a set amount each month through payroll deduction. Every October, money from the holiday account is transferred to your “Share Savings” account for use. There’s also a “Rainy Day” savings account for emergency expenses.
Discover more about the Duke Credit Union at dukefcu.org
“We’re giving our members options to save for whatever they need,” Berry said.
Lower interest credit card Duke Credit Union provides three credit card options with interest rates generally lower than the national average, according to Berry. Interest rates for credit cards through Duke Credit Union start at 8.5 percent. The average credit card interest rate for new offers is 19.21 percent, according to WalletHub’s 2019 “Credit Card Landscape Report.”
Community perks You don’t have to be a Duke Credit Union member to enjoy benefits. About six times a year, Credit Union employees host free workshops at their offices in Erwin Square, 2200 West Main St. Topics include home buying, credit card use and student loan repayment. The Credit Union also hosts a shred event every spring to securely destroy bank and credit card statements, canceled checks, bills and other personal records.
By Jonathan Black
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From the Duke Sign and Graphics Services Shop, Brian Backus, left, and Juan Silva, right, produce signs, banners and more for Duke. Photo by Stephen Schramm.
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Leaving a Mark on Campus
campus to meet accessibility standards. The job n the aftermath of Duke’s 2015 NCAA men’s called for around 1,500 new signs. basketball championship, the Duke Sign The Duke Sign and Graphic Services Shop, and Graphic Services Shop was handed a which has been around since the 1980s, features challenge. printers that create photo-quality images on vinyl A shipment of about 100 new basketballs for walls, vehicles and banners. Machines engrave would arrive on campus two days before letters and images on plastic and metal. Another the team’s annual banquet. In the interim, machine adds braille type to signs for the visually part of each ball needed to be painted white, impaired. emblazoned with the score and date of the title After Duke won the 2015 NCAA title in Deanna Szymanski, unit services coordinator game and be ready for the team’s signatures. men’s basketball, around 100 souvenir for the Emergency Department in Duke Brian Backus, supervisor for Sign and basketballs were produced by the shop. University Hospital, requests work from the shop Graphic Services, and colleague Juan Silva Photo by Laura Ann Howard. often. The shop has tackled many projects such kicked into action, inflating, painting and as applying 26-inch tall letters to the walls of the department’s lettering each ball in time for the banquet. ambulance bay. “We’re a full-service sign shop,” Backus said. “Our work “I give them the basics of what I want, and they come up is everywhere.” with the rest,” Szymanski said. “And it’s always amazing.” Tucked away near the Duke South loading docks, the Duke Backus has worked in the shop for 25 years, while engraver Sign and Graphic Services Shop is easy to miss. But venture to Juan Silva has been a full-time staff member for 15. The any part of the university and health system campus and you’re experience helps when customers have questions about colors, bound to encounter the shop’s work. designs, logos and regulations. Work requests come from across Duke and range from room “They take it to heart,” said David Edwards, ambulatory signs for occupants – the shop’s most common item – to banners manager for Duke Health Engineering and Operations. “Brian and brass tags on rocking chairs given as gifts. While contractors and Juan don’t want anything they’re not totally satisfied with to handle signs in new buildings, any sign that needs to be changed leave this shop.” – often due to renovation or occupant changes – is handled by As their work behind Duke’s basketball title showed, the the shop. shop’s staff is ready to tackle just about any job. All told, the shop handles several hundred orders for “For us, no two days are the same,” Backus said. “That’s one thousands of items each year. One recent task was upgrading all of the best parts of the job.” room identification signs in outlying buildings of Duke's medical By Stephen Schramm
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Reach the Duke Sign and Graphics Services Shop at eo.duhs.duke.edu or call 919-660-7446
Develop Your Cultural Intelligence Use Duke resources to form diverse partnerships
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n a brisk fall afternoon on the Bryan Center Plaza, Elchanan Solomon sat and chatted in Elchanan Solomon, left, and Maria Carolina Cuellar, right, meet at the Bryan Center Plaza to practice speaking English and Spanish. Photo by Les Todd. Spanish with Maria Carolina Cuellar about a trip to Boston. The talks, which include a light lunch, are noon to 1 p.m. Suddenly, Solomon stopped mid-sentence. He didn’t on Wednesdays during the academic year. know how to say snowflakes. See the schedule at igs.duke.edu/series/Wednesdays and Cuellar, a native Spanish speaker from Chile, pulled out find other talks at calendar.duke.edu. a piece of paper and wrote “copos de nieve” for Solomon. “We’re learning a language and connecting about our shared experiences,” said Solomon, assistant research professor Connect with the International House of mathematics at Duke. “We come from different parts of the Duke’s International House offers programs to help Duke world but can still discuss food, travel and family.” community members from all over the world learn from each Cuellar, who is visiting Durham while her husband other and become open-minded global citizens. completes a medical fellowship at Duke, wants to improve her Among the programs are various foreign language clubs, English, and Solomon wants to learn Spanish, so the partnership as well as the International Friends Program that matches is a perfect fit. They connected through the Duke Language international students, scholars and spouses with Duke Partner Program, an International House offering that pairs two community members. native speakers of different languages. Learn more about International House programs: The program is among the resources available to Duke studentaffairs.duke.edu/ihouse. community members who want to build their cultural intelligence. Here are some other ways to build diverse partnerships.
Check your implicit bias
Attend talks on a variety of topics SangHee Jeong, who advises students on global and civic engagement opportunities at the Duke Academic Advising Center, attends “Wednesdays at the Center,” a weekly series at the John Hope Franklin Center, to learn about the work of scholars, artists and others. Jeong has attended lectures about U.S.-China relations, student research in India and Taiwan’s effort to teach Buddhism. “The more I learn, the better I can suggest programs and courses that would benefit and enrich students’ academic experience,” said Jeong, director of academic engagement for the Academic Advising Center.
Duke community members can take the voluntary and confidential “Implicit Association Test” through the Office for Institutional Equity website. The tests investigate thoughts and feelings that are largely outside of active awareness or control. Individuals who take the tests can find out implicit associations about race, gender, sexual orientation and other topics. “The tests make us more vigilant toward how our biases may be impacting our choices and decisions,” said Robert Crouch, director of diversity, equity and inclusion for Duke’s Office for Institutional Equity. Take a test: implicit.harvard.edu/implicit.
By Jonathan Black
working.duke.edu
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Old Glass, New Life Restoration helps Duke Chapel’s windows shine on
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By painting the building’s interior with colorful light Stained-glass windows are one of the most beloved features of the Duke University Chapel. Here, Guido Goldkuhle works on one of the windows. Photo by University Communications.
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ois Oliver, a longtime docent at Duke University Chapel, often sees visitors wowed by the vibrant colors of the towering stained-glass windows. She also knows that Duke Chapel regulars are moved by the windows’ magic, too. “Members of the choir will say that, when the sun is right, the whole ceiling will be lit with a purple glow,” Oliver said. “The windows bring so much life into the building.” This February, when window No. 224 returns to the Chapel’s east side, all 77 of the Chapel’s windows will shine, completing a 26-year restoration by craftsmen from a single family. “These are big windows, but they’re made up of many, many little pieces,” said Guido Goldkuhle, who has worked on the Duke Chapel windows for nearly 20 years. “When you see them up close, you can’t help but marvel.” Made by New York’s Bonawit Company in the early 1930s, the windows have delighted visitors for decades. More than one million pieces of glass in varying thickness were used to create the windows over nearly three years. But over time, the glass panels bulged and buckled. In the early 1990s, Duke enlisted the help of German-born artisan Dieter Goldkuhle to restore the windows. In March 1994, he began by removing the windows depicting biblical characters Ruth and Naomi, which face Chapel Quad. Once removed, each of the Chapel’s windows, which are made of hundreds of tiny glass panels held in place by small pieces of lead, are taken apart. The glass is cleaned and reset in new, sturdier lead framing. “There’s virtually no automation, it’s all handwork,” said Ray Walker, staff architect with Duke Facilities Management. “It’s a craft, and it’s done the same way now as it was centuries ago.” Guido Goldkuhle joined his father’s business full-time in 2001, eventually taking over the lead role in the project and repairing the Chapel windows in his Traverse City, Michigan, studio. While the windows of Duke Chapel tell stories from the old and new testaments of the Bible, Guido sees his story in there, too. He can pick out windows he was working on when his three children were born. He knows window No. 205 was the first he worked on with his father, and the South Transept window was the last. He was working on window No. 223 in 2011 when he found out his father died. “It’ll be really, really hard to walk away from it, but at the same time, it’ll be really satisfying because my father loved the Chapel, loved the windows, the work and the people,” Guido said. “Knowing that we started the job and now we’re going to finish it is incredibly gratifying.” By Stephen Schramm
Visit chapel.duke.edu to learn more about Duke Chapel
PERQS EMPLOYEE DISCOUNTS
Put the Pedal to the Savings Duke employee discounts on vehicle purchases
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ver the past several years, Lizet Leon has driven to her former home in Long Island, New York, in her reliable Toyota RAV4. The vehicle offers about 25 miles per gallon, emergency brake assist and heated mirrors that can be defrosted on chilly mornings. Leon saved about $2,000 when she purchased the new car in 2016 using the Duke employee discount at Mark Jacobson Toyota. The Durham dealership at 4516 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd. provides special pricing on new Toyotas and preowned vehicles. “The employee discount made it possible to buy this car,” said Leon, an ambulatory care nurse at Duke Primary Care Waverly Place. If you’re in the market for a car, Duke’s employee discount program offers savings at car dealerships. Here are some other dealer discounts available to staff and faculty.
Volvo Yasmin Sadiq needed an SUV with room for her daughter, Raniya, after she was born in 2017. Sadiq purchased a 2017 Volvo XC90 because of the vehicle’s safety rating, spacious interior and sleek appearance. “I’ve loved Volvos for as long as I can remember,” said Sadiq, a Maestro Care program manager for Duke Health Technology Solutions. “They check all the boxes. They’re safe, they look great and drive terrifically.” Sadiq saved about $9,000 on the purchase by having access to Volvo’s A-Plan through Duke. The plan allows Duke employees and family members to pay the factory invoice price on Volvo vehicles, the same price for company employees and family members.
Lizet Leon, seated behind the wheel, saved on a Toyota RAV4 using Duke’s employee discount. Photo by Jonathan Black.
Ford Motor Company The Partner Recognition Program discount pricing is available for purchasing or leasing most Ford, Lincoln, Land Rover and Mercury vehicles at participating Ford dealerships. The discount saves Duke employees up to $5,000, depending on the vehicle. The program is available to Duke employees, retirees, spouses and other household members.
Affiliate Awards Program Employees can purchase or lease eligible select new Chrysler, Jeep or Dodge vehicles at 1 percent below factory invoice.
BMW The BMW Group Corporate Sales Program provides Duke employees discounts on leasing and purchasing a new BMW or MINI vehicle.
By Jonathan Black
Visit hr.duke.edu/discounts and select “Car Dealerships” for a full list of vehicle-related savings. Your NetID and password may be needed to access deals.
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December 17, 2019
Duke University's Disability Management System and Duke Athletics have teamed up with KultureCity to make Cameron Indoor Stadium sensory inclusive. The initiative assists individuals with autism, dementia, posttraumatic stress disorder and other similar conditions. Via Working@Duke
Ways to Snack Smart Use these tips to prepare your next healthy snack at the office. bit.ly/SnackSmartatWork Crack a Book with Colleagues Join a book club or start your own. bit.ly/CrackABook
TODAY.DUKE.EDU Cameron Indoor Stadium Becomes Sensory Inclusive Duke’s Disability Management System and Duke Athletics have...
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Loading Dock Logistics Entities work as a team to coordinate deliveries at a campus hub. bit.ly/DukeLoadingDock
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