The Robertson Scholars Leadership Program is proud to congratulate Desireé LaGrappe (UNC ’10) on being named a Fulbright Scholar in the prestigious Fulbright Public Policy Fellowship 2023-2024. “I have devoted my career to promoting gender equity and advocating for the prevention of gender-based violence. I strive to use my knowledge in various health care service delivery and research areas to make a lasting impact through research and policy change,” Desireé said in an article posted on La Trobe University’s website. She’ll be heading to Vietnam as part of the fellowship, where she’ll build on her research exploring the intersection of reproductive coercion and abuse, controlling behaviors, and domestic, family, and sexual violence.

Desireé shares that this opportunity is directly linked to her Robertson experience, “This achievement builds on the pathways and opportunities the Robertson Scholars Leadership Program provided me more than a decade ago.  The summers and cross-campus academic opportunities, like Duke’s Global Health courses, exposed me to the significant issues and opportunities in global health and taught me about the flexibility required to live and work effectively in cross-cultural contexts. The examples set by Mr. Robertson and fellow scholars/alumni gave me the confidence to network and collaborate with others in order to make a positive difference, rather than to shy away from complex problems.”