Campus: Duke
Hometown: Ft. Lauderdale, FL
High School: American Heritage School

For the first half of my high school career, I was partial to the STEM fields. Through intriguing chemistry classes and a research project on the effects of BTEX chemicals on C. Elegans, I was sure I would pursue a career in the sciences. I gained new perspective in the summer of my sophomore year when I participated in a six-week African American studies program that concentrated on the intersections of gender, sexuality, and blackness in the formation of identity. Exploring black studies since has enabled me both to better articulate my experiences and observations as a person of color and to better understand the experiences of others. It has fed my passion for creating productive dialogue surrounding social issues, whether in the classroom or through club activities.

Another formative part of my high school experience was my relationship with my local Boys & Girls Club where I volunteered as a tutor for elementary school-aged children. Through tutoring, I was awakened to the dominant role that education disparity, especially along racial and economic lines, plays in determining children’s futures and realized a strong belief in the facilitation of true equality of access to resources. As I still do maintain an interest in the STEM fields, in my future pursuits, I hope to integrate my interests in the natural and social sciences to that end.

Throughout my entire educational career, I’ve developed an affinity for the Spanish language. I was the president of my school’s Spanish Honor Society and was fortunate enough to win a travel award to Peru with 22 other students. In college I hope to study abroad in a Spanish-speaking country to pursue fluency in the language I’ve come to love.

I’ve fostered my appreciation for music by playing piano, singing in my school’s a cappella choir, and studying music theory. In my free time, I enjoy a good laugh with close friends.

What drew you to the Robertson Program? 

The Robertson Program boasts an unparalleled array of incredible opportunities—”dual citizenship” at two top universities, three fully funded summer experiences, and valuable mentorship. But what really drew me to program is the intent with which it offers these resources: its dedication to maximizing the potential of its scholars to positively impact the world. Meeting finalists and current scholars at Finalist weekend solidified my attraction to the program. The community of driven, like-minded yet wonderfully diverse individuals was unlike anything I’d ever experienced and made me thrilled to join their ranks.