Working

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CysWE1Rv2/

BEGINNING TODAY: Forest Closure for Deer Management thru Dec. 11

The 19th annual deer herd reduction program on the Duke Forest has commenced today, Monday, September 21, 2026, and will end on Friday, December 11, 2026. During this time, the Durham, Korstian, and Blackwood Divisions will be closed to public access and all recreation Monday through Friday. Saturdays and Sundays will be open for normal use.

This closure is for your safety and for the effectiveness of our deer herd reduction hunt, a critical operation for ecosystem health.

Read more information and FAQs on our website: https://dukeforest.duke.edu/DMAP

If you’re heading to the Duke Football Employee Celebration game tomorrow, look back at the history of Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium.

The stadium hosted its first game in 1929, and ahead of a major transformation in 2015, Working@Duke explored the plans to build a stadium for the future.

Read the October/November 2014 story: https://issuu.com/workingatduke/docs/w_d_octnov_2014l

Duke Athletics

Back in June, Melinda Davis, a Patient Services Associate at the Duke Dermatology Clinic in Duke South, welcomed Devlin, Working@Duke’s flat, cut-out correspondent, to her clinic. A quick visit turned into an extended stay as Devlin got ready for his trip to Maryland!

During Devlin’s extended stay, Davis shared a moment with the correspondent as a “temp” staff member.

“As you can see, Devlin has great success with patients at 3K,” Davis said. “He has amassed 10 stars. We will hate to see him go, but his expertise should be shared with all of Duke.”

Want Devlin to visit you? Complete our interest form:

https://today.duke.edu/2026/02/strike-pose-devlin-workingduke-correspondent?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExaFlETTdaSXdlblRjbndaUnNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR4gS7Z6MJCz_3FHISkV-T5uwT9EOAr1CEcgP_SFq-a-wve55oOhfqm5a-YOLA_aem_qBOFmBkkzWIjbbNMh219qA

Jackie Little’s Duke career started in 2008 as a temporary housekeeper. Eighteen years later, she’s a Senior Supervisor in Duke Facilities Management, leading roughly 30 housekeepers across some of West Campus’ busiest facilities.

Along the way, mentors and professional development opportunities helped her grow into leadership.

Now, she encourages new employees to look beyond their first job and consider where their next opportunity could lead.

“Don’t think that you can’t do something,” Little said. “There’s always an opportunity. You’ve just got to find the right path.”

Read Little’s story for a closer look at her career journey and how professional development can help Duke staff build what comes next.

What opportunity at Duke helped you grow in your career? Share it in the comments.

Jackie Little Started as a Temp and Now Leads a Team of 30 | Duke Today Jackie Little Started as a Temp and Now Leads a Team of 30 University Environmental Services Senior Supervisor encourages colleagues to think beyond their first job Image Since arriving at Duke in 2008, Jackie Little has made the most of the professional opportunities that have come her way. Photo b...

If you have colleagues whose contributions stand out, now is the time to recognize them.

Nominations are open for the 2027 Presidential Awards, which honor exceptional contributions by Duke University and Duke Health staff and faculty.

Nominees should exemplify Duke’s institutional values of Respect, Trust, Inclusion, Discovery and Excellence through exceptional contributions over the past year or extraordinary service over a longer period.

Any member of the Duke community can nominate an individual or team. Nominations are due by 5 p.m. Oct. 16, 2026.

See the nomination requirements and submit a nomination: https://today.duke.edu/2026/09/nominate-individuals-and-teams-2027-presidential-awards

🌱 A little greenery can go a long way in the office.

In the latest Working@Duke Answers video, Jason Holmes, curator at Sarah P. Duke Gardens , shares why philodendrons are a smart choice and what makes these tropical plants so well suited to office life.

Originally native to regions stretching from Mexico to Argentina, philodendrons can adapt well to indoor conditions and bring a bit of nature to your workspace.

Watch the video for Holmes’ advice and why this plant may be a good fit for your desk or office. Got some office greenery of your own? Drop a photo of your desk or office plant in the comments.

Working@Duke Answers: What’s the Best Plant for My Office? Have you ever wondered what plant would thrive in your office? Jaso...

When a crisis hits, there may not be time to build trust. You have to draw on the trust you’ve built already.

That was one of the lessons Duke University Vice Provost Manoj Mohanan shared during a candid lunchtime conversation with 24 scholars in the Duke Leadership Academy.

Mohanan talked about the groundwork of leadership: building relationships, managing people, encouraging creativity, learning from setbacks and surrounding yourself with the right people.

For emerging leaders, the yearlong academy offers a chance to strengthen those skills while hearing directly from senior leaders about the experiences that shaped their own leadership journeys.

Read the story for more of Mohanan’s leadership lessons and a closer look at the 16th Duke Leadership Academy.

What’s one leadership lesson you learned through experience? Share it in the comments.

At Duke Leadership Academy, Vice Provost Shares Lessons on the Groundwork of Leadership | Duke Today At Duke Leadership Academy, Vice Provost Shares Lessons on the Groundwork of Leadership Manoj Mohanan shares lessons on trust, relationships and managing people with emerging leaders in the Duke Leadership Academy Image Manoj Mohanan, the the Creed C. Black Professor at the Sanford School of Public....

Our flat correspondent, Devlin, had a great time with our friends at Duke Dining. You can have you own visit from Devlin by sending us a request here: https://today.duke.edu/2026/02/strike-pose-devlin-workingduke-correspondent

A kind greeting. A patient word. An encouraging presence when the day gets hard.

Across Duke, staff and faculty say small, intentional acts like these can make a meaningful difference in how a workplace feels.

Their stories are a reminder that positivity is about making room for kindness, trust and joy alongside them.

Meet some of Duke’s “workplace rays of sunshine” and see the ways they lift up the people around them.

☀️ Know someone who brings that kind of light to your workday? Give them a shoutout in the comments.

Duke Health Duke University Student Affairs Duke University Graduate School

Duke Colleagues Who Make Workdays Brighter | Duke Today Duke Colleagues Who Make Workdays Brighter Meet staff and faculty who show how encouragement, compassion and authentic positivity matters at work Image Photo courtesy of Canva Caption Close Image Photo courtesy of Canva Published September 16, 2026 Credits Jodie Valade Senior Writer, Working@Duke Ta...

With victories in its first two games, Duke Football returns home to face Atlantic Coast Conference foe Stanford at 4 p.m. Saturday at Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium. As part of the 919 Day promotion, Duke University and Duke Health employees can buy tickets for $9.19 each using the link below.

Tickets are available while supplies last, so don’t wait!

https://goduke.evenue.net/promotions/event/F26/F02/F-919