Part II: Recognizing the Unsung Heroes

The Nicholas School Student Council is made up of a group of students committed to responding to the needs of the students.  The group acts as a bridge between us (the students) and the Dean’s office, Nicholas school faculty and alumni, and other graduate schools at Duke.  Although there are many accomplishments to speak of in the past year, I will highlight some of the more memorable ones:

•      Improved Communications: NSSC has streamlined communication by bundling announcements and solicitations into a weekly digest modeled after the Graduate and Professional Student Council (GPSC) email digest.  Students appreciate being informed in a way that minimizes email traffic in their inboxes.  A newer and more substantial communications tool that was recently unveiled is Nickipedia.  The Nickipedia is a wiki page that will become the central portal for all communication at the school.  It has a central calendar for all Nicholas-related events, pages for all student groups, and the flexibility to create many more sections.  It is truly the best way to pass down institutional knowledge from one class to the next.
•     Better transitions for new students: NSSC members really wanted to reinvent a plan for orientation week.  They proposed many changes to the orientation schedule that would ensure a more efficient, less stressful week with more engaging activities to help new students get to know each other.  Another new feature enacted by NSSC was a 2^nd year peer advising session for 1^st years.  Advisors volunteered to meet with first year students concerning courses they took in the past and the master’s project (MP) process. 
•     It’s in the details:  The council has taken care of the little things that go a long way.  Staplers are fully stocked in the computer labs now, new magazines are available in the common space, and funding was obtained to purchase cleaning products and reusable kitchenware for the kitchen.