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Corrie Walston will receive the Karen Kirchof Staff Award for Excellence in Mentoring ���Ĵ�ýs from the Nicholas School of the Environment during a recognition ceremony for Ph.D. graduate students, which begins at 10 a.m. Friday, May 8, in Love Auditorium, located in the Levine Science Research Center at Duke. Walston is senior program manager in ���Ĵ�ý Services and assistant to the directors of graduate studies, and provides support to most of the Nicholas School’s Ph.D. programs.

Created in 2023, the Karen Kirchof Staff Award honors exemplary mentoring that lies at the core of the Nicholas School’s undergraduate, professional and doctoral programs. ���Ĵ�ýs nominate full-time staff who embody the example of thoughtful, intentional and inclusive mentoring set by the late Karen Kirchof, who directed the Nicholas School’s Career and Professional Development Center for 27 years, also serving as assistant dean for much of that time.

Sixteen students nominated Walston for the award, describing her as an “unwavering source of support for our doctoral community” and lauding her open-door policy.

Nominators also highlighted Walston’s “extraordinary patience and resourcefulness.” “No challenge is too complicated for her to take on,” they noted, adding that she is skilled at “navigating logistics that would have been impossible for a student to manage alone.”

Walston cultivates Ph.D. student camaraderie as well. “Corrie actively fosters community…[by] bringing students from different cohorts together and creating a sense of belonging that helps us through tough times,” students wrote.

For more information on Nicholas School recognition ceremonies, visit the schedule of events. For more information on Duke’s commencement activities, visit .