We know the program administrators help keep track of students’ committees, exams, and coursework and ensure that they get their paychecks every month. We know they help DGSes manage admissions, reporting, and compliance with university requirements and policies. We know they manage events like orientations, recruitment dinners, seminars, and student gatherings. But we also know they do so much more than these day-to-day tasks, so I asked them to share some of the highlights of their roles over the past year.
What is your favorite annual event?
- PhD student welcome events
- Departmental retreats
- Recruitment dinners and other events
- Graduation celebrations
- Special events like Bulls games, ice cream socials, and picnics
What is your most challenging task?
- Learning the many Duke systems required to do the job
- Onboarding PhD students into payroll
- Finding volunteers for various events
- Assisting with preparations for T32 training grant submissions and renewals
- Handling student financial accounts for paying tuition, fees, insurance, and stipends
- Making sure PhD students are keeping up with their milestone requirements
- Handling difficult situations where the answers aren’t in any policy guide
What is one change you’ve made in your department or program this year?
- Started regular professional development workshops in conjunction with OBGE
- Began sending out quarterly reminders to students about upcoming milestones
- Removed some of the burden from students for assisting with departmental activities/retreats
- Improved the virtual interview process for applicants
- Moved HR/payroll duties for PhD students to the program administrator position
- Working to change the culture of the office so students feel comfortable asking questions and getting help with issues
What is one act that a student has thanked you for?
- Received a bouquet of flowers from all the students as thanks for everything
- For being here 20 years and knowing what to do in any situation
- For checking in during weekly seminar with students who look as if they’ve had a tough day
- For taking the time to ask how students are feeling
- For helping care for students whose advisor has left Duke
- For making it easier to navigate upcoming milestones like committee meetings and defenses
- For helping students when they are last minute with getting their milestones into T3
- For responding to emails promptly
- For caring
To speak to the humble and devoted nature of our PhD program administrators, I’ll share this anecdote. I asked for responses to one additional question: What have you done this year that falls outside your job description? Almost every answer I received to this question centered around a concept perfectly articulated by Medical Physics PhD program coordinator Olga Baranova: “My job description is wide, so whatever I do falls inside.” While HR would probably disagree, it is approaching their work with this attitude that makes our program coordinators so special. They are willing to embrace whatever comes their way for the good of the students, the faculty, and the PhD program. School of Medicine is fortunate to have cultivated an outstanding group of PhD program coordinators, and as this academic year wraps up, we hope you’ll take a moment to ensure that they are duly recognized for all that they do.