Faculty Excellence
Recruiting and Retaining the Best Faculty to Prepare Tomorrow’s Leaders
Investing in the best and brightest faculty members is essential for providing exceptional education to future environmental leaders. By supporting endowment funds, we demonstrate our commitment to recruiting, rewarding, and retaining faculty who stand out as both educators and researchers.
Research Innovation
Conducting Innovative Research to Move the Needle on Climate Change
The complex problems we face today demand innovative, interdisciplinary solutions. Nicholas School faculty and students are uniquely equipped to tackle cutting-edge research that can address our most pressing environmental issues, whether it is plastics in our oceans, forever chemicals, or wildfires and storms caused by rising temperatures
Student Experience
Providing Transformational Hands-On Learning Opportunities for Students
The Nicholas School understands that, no matter how many hours students spend in class, they have to go out into the field to understand the real issues and develop effective solutions. That’s why the Nicholas School and Duke Marine Lab offer students transformational opportunities for hands-on research and field work.
Duke University Marine Lab
Tapping into Oceans’ Potential to Improve Planetary and Human Health
The Duke Marine Lab is uniquely poised to ensure healthy oceans for future generations. Marine science is also key to improving human health through the discovery of new therapies and insights into how we can best treat issues like infections and cancer.
Annual Fund
Supporting Education and Innovation through the Annual Fund
Your support of the Annual Fund helps make everything possible at the Nicholas School. Gifts to the Annual Fund help provide a steady stream of flexible resources that can be allocated toward financial aid for students, educational technology and tools, field trips, internships, curriculum development, career services and more.
Ways to Give
The Nicholas School accepts many types of donations and offers a wide range of giving opportunities. Your gift also can be a useful financial planning tool. We invite you to talk with us about your personal areas of interest and preferred giving level, so we can find the perfect giving opportunity for you.
Donate Money
Credit Card
Donate via our secure giving site. On the giving site, you will have options for one-time or recurring gifts for any time period. This is quickest and easiest way to give!
Check
Please print a pledge card and mail it with your check.
Bank Draft
Call (919) 684-2338 to authorize a one-time or recurring bank draft from your checking account.
Electronic Transfer
Call (919) 684-2338 to set up a wire transfer or a transfer via the Automated Clearing House Network (ACH), which may have lower fees than a traditional wire transfer.
Payroll Deduction (Duke employees only)
Duke employees can make charitable contributions by payroll deduction through Duke@WORK under MyPay.
Donate Property
Stocks, bonds, and mutual funds
Donate via our stock donation form.
Personal property
Computers or laboratory equipment, artwork, athletic event tickets and other types of donations are welcome. Call (919) 684-2338 to discuss a donation of personal property.
Real estate
We can accept full or fractional interest in many types of property. Learn more about this option and call (919) 684-2338 to discuss your options.
Make a Planned Gift
Create a legacy for the environment
Whether you’re just starting out in your career or enjoying the early days of your retirement, it’s easier than you might think to establish a planned gift of any amount from your estate to benefit the Nicholas School of the Environment! We can help you explore all your options — like naming the Nicholas School of the Environment or the Duke University Marine Lab as a beneficiary of your retirement plan, including them in your will, or establishing a life income gift that supports the Nicholas School or the Marine Lab and pays you back.
Why include a gift from your estate to the Nicholas School of the Environment or Duke University Marine Lab?
A legacy gift provides a very special way for you to make a significant contribution that will continue to have an impact in the lives of students and faculty for many years to come.
Why choose the Nicholas School of the Environment or Duke University Marine Lab for your legacy gift? There are many reasons!
The Nicholas School of the Environment is one of the top environmental schools in the country – training the world’s future environmental leaders! Offering undergraduate, certificate, master’s and PhD degree programs, the Nicholas School is paving the way for students at every level to make an impact on the environment.
These environmental leaders of consequence are the future experts who will direct policy, apply science, and find solutions to the world’s most pressing concerns – including climate change. Arming them with the knowledge and expertise developed at the Nicholas School allows for a narrative of hope for our future, knowing that these leaders can make real change.
Legacy gift options
You can make an impact today - whether you are considering a future gift of $5,000 or $5 million, you have an opportunity now to plan for a truly personal, meaningful gift to benefit the Nicholas School of the Environment or the Duke Marine Lab.
Consider naming the Nicholas School or Marine Lab as a beneficiary of your retirement plan, include the Nicholas School of the Environment in your will, or establish a life income gift that supports the programs and pays you back. There are many options available to you, and we’re happy to help you find the best fit. These options can allow you to:
- receive income as you give through Charitable Gift Annuities or Charitable Remainder Trusts;
- make an immediate impact with Gifts of Securities or Real Estate, Charitable IRA Rollovers or Donor Advised Funds;
- or plan for your future with Bequest Gifts, Gifts of Retirement Plans or Charitable Lead Trusts.
As a part of your legacy gift, you may want to consider contributing toward an endowment -- a gift that keeps giving! We can help you create an endowment to support the Nicholas School or Marine Lab in perpetuity. An endowment may support our general operations, or there are many options for restricted areas of support such as student research, PhD fellowships, endowing a scholar’s program or creating a scholarship. You may also choose to endow a faculty position, helping to reward and recruit the most highly sought after experts in their fields. For more information on endowments, visit Endowment Giving - Giving To Duke.
Learn more
For more information on planning legacy gifts and endowments, contact Ann Thurston at 919-613-8018 or ann.thurston@duke.edu. You may also want to download our legacy gifts form. If you have already named us in your will or as a beneficiary of your retirement plan, please notify us so that we can ensure that Duke University is notified of your intent and prepared to designate your gift specifically to the area of your choice when it is ultimately received. You may also visit Gift Planning - Giving To Duke for additional information on creating your legacy at Duke.
with gratitude
Thank You to Our Loyal Supporters
With grateful appreciation, we recognize our leadership donors and committed Nicholas School alumni who have engaged in the Go·Grow·Give program during the previous academic year.
Leadership Gift Societies
Our leadership donors consist of a community of alumni, parents and friends who support the school’s mission in a shared vision to surpass the challenges that stand before us today and in the future. While gifts of every size advance our efforts, our leadership gift societies recognize those who go the extra mile to make an investment in tomorrow’s leaders.
Contact Us
Please reach out to our Office of Development & Alumni Relations to discuss giving options and find the best fit for you.
Kevin McCarthy, Associate Dean
(919) 613-8003
kevin.p.mccarthy@duke.edu
01 / 05 • FEATURES
Alum Gives Back to Provide Opportunities for Others
Niles Barnes, DEL-MEM’14, donates to the Nicholas School because it prepared him for a career finding climate solutions. “I want to share in those opportunities for others to benefit,” he said.
02 / 05 • FEATURES
Opening Doors for Aspiring Environmental Leaders
Funded by five endowments and the Nicholas School’s Annual Fund, the Nicholas Scholars program awards scholarships covering up to two-thirds of tuition to as many as 15 of the most highly qualified Master of Environmental Management (MEM) or Master of Forestry (MF) applicants each year.
03 / 05 • FEATURES
Duke Aquafarm Gives Students Hands-On Experience
Students at the Duke Aquafarm are furthering their education in marine science and conservation while finding ways to help oyster farmers on the N.C. coast.
04 / 05 • FEATURES
Celebrating 30 Years of Impact at the Nicholas School
Duke Environment Magazine celebrates the Nicholas School’s 30th anniversary with a collection of 30 remarkable discoveries, innovations, and research initiatives that illustrate the breadth and depth of our faculty’s expertise and its far-reaching impacts. The magazine also honors teaching and outreach work spanning back three decades.
05 / 05 • FEATURES
Celebrating Ten Years of Entrepreneurship and Innovation
In the ten years since the Nicholas School ventured into the world of high-tech innovation and impact investing, efforts have funded numerous student-led start-ups and created new internship and networking opportunities for students.