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Class of 2023
B.N. Duke Scholar

Hometown: Bryson City, North Carolina

Major: Environmental Sciences
Minor: Computational Biology & Bioinformatics

Hobbies: Drawing, Painting, Quilting, Gardening, Reading, & Exercising

Why Duke?

In high school, Duke was actually the only college I ever toured. Even though I fell in love with the campus—the verdant temperate forests, the mixed architectural styles, and the proximity to downtown—I'll be honest that Duke was not my first choice. I came here primarily because it was the best fiscal decision for me and my family, but I stayed because of the sheer hospitality and kindness I was met with. 

Since coming to Duke, I've been involved as a Gallery Guide at the Nasher Museum of Art, designing and conducting museum visits for K-12 and adult audiences. Through the Green Devils internship program, I offered free sustainability consulting and help to on-campus and off-campus organizations. In the past year, I've also gotten invested in the work that Duke Men's Project and Common Ground do—fostering compassion for others and analysis of how we move through social structures. I was fortunate to continue studying under one of my FOCUS professors by doing an independent research study in her lab. Despite being met with many fruitless research projects, I'm proud of myself for persisting and seeking new research experiences.

To me, being a part of the B.N. community makes me feel validated in the way I engage with those around me. Coming in with loads of imposter syndrome, I feel deeply understood and appreciated in ways that I haven't found in other places at Duke. I am constantly learning how to be a better person from my peers in the program.