Falling for Duke During Orientation Week

How the university helps incoming students make Duke and Durham their home away from home

Student falling into a group of students
A group of students bonds during an orientation week activity.

Duke welcomes first year students into the university community with its distinctive Experiential Orientation program. How it works: After students fill out a questionnaire about their interests, they are matched with one of 22 themed projects — all designed to foster connections and introduce students to campus and Durham.

The themes of the projects embrace a range of interests, including academic, community engagement, outdoors, and civic engagement. Within the themed projects, upperclass student leaders play a central role in shaping activities – from dance workshops to field trips across the Triangle. Each of the themes culminates in a capstone project. 

Here are some moments captured from this year’s orientation week, Aug. 17 to Aug. 22. 

Throughout the week, students in Project Wave split time exploring the coast at the Duke University Marine Lab and camping at Falls Lake.  
Project Citizen participants posed at the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C., before a tour. 
Project Habitat participants worked on a landscaping project at a Habitat for Humanity development in nearby Orange County. 
Before orientation week officially started, students participating in Passport to Duke and Durham painted the East Campus bridge.
Project Band kicked off with a splash, with students spending a sunny afternoon exploring Falls Lake State Recreation Area. Students bonded while canoeing and kayaking across the lake and relaxing on the shore. 
Project BUILD (Building Undergraduate Involvement in the Life of Durham) first years helped teachers at Forest View Elementary School in Durham prepare for students.
Students in Project Global practiced the Afro-Brazilian artform “capoeira” as part of a workshop featuring three dance styles from around the globe. 

Students in the Project Earth group explored Duke Forest. They learned about the forest’s history and ecology, sampled a plot for regeneration and more.

Photos by James Mu '26; Jasmin Riley '26; Kyla Greene '28; Scarlett Simmons '27, all with Student Affairs; Tyler Gibson/Duke Forest; Jared Lazarus/University Communications and Marketing