• MEM Environment Concentration: Terrestrial and Freshwater Environments (TFE)
  • MEM Management Concentration:鈥疎nvironmental Analytics and Modeling (EAM)
  • Expected Graduation Date: May 2028
     

What factors were most important in your decision to choose the Nicholas School for your graduate studies? And, how will your time at the Nicholas School help you reach your career aspirations?

Being recognized as a Nicholas Scholar made coming to Duke an easy choice. Not only did the scholarship make my studies more financially viable, but it affirmed my belonging at the Nicholas School and gave me the confidence I needed to pursue my master鈥檚 degree in a new field.  

After years of working in environmental education and community outreach, I am coming to the Nicholas School to pursue water resource planning and learn new technical skills to complement my interpersonal ones. The MEM program is the perfect way to do that, as it allows me to choose coursework that aligns with my specific goals and gives me access to a supportive network of professors and alumni who have years of experience in the water resources field. After only two weeks of being on campus as an MEM student, I have already been offered valuable career guidance by Nicholas School faculty and second-year students. Furthermore, the alumni I have spoken with all strike me as engaged problem-solvers who are doing important work across disciplines. I am honored to now be a part of this community of like-minded, thoughtful individuals who are eager to make a positive impact.  

Over the next two years, courses focused on freshwater ecology and geospatial analysis will provide the backbone of my studies, but I am particularly excited to apply this knowledge to real-world problems while an MEM student. The opportunities to get involved in environmental planning & resiliency work through research and community-based projects sets Duke apart from other institutions. I also appreciate the ability to take classes from other schools, such as UNC鈥檚 Department of City & Regional Planning and Duke鈥檚 Sanford School of Public Policy. The interdisciplinary and collaborative nature of the MEM program will allow me to tailor my degree to the skills that will be most valuable in my career and engage with potential employers in my home state of North Carolina. It feels like an incredible privilege to be in such a robust learning environment, and I can鈥檛 wait to see where it takes me.