Where I’m From: I’m from La Canada, California, which is a suburb of Los Angeles. I have lived here my whole life, and am definitely a sun and beach-loving California girl.
Activities in High School: Like many high schoolers, I was very busy with academic and extra-curricular activities. I was in student government all four years and was the student body president my senior year. I ran cross country for all four years, and was the captain of my team from sophomore-senior year. I spent countless hours volunteering at various organizations in my community, and enjoyed it so much that I have continued at Duke.
Major: This is an open-ended category right now. In the future, I hope to be an elementary school teacher in inner-city schools in Los Angeles, but I’m looking to major in something other than education. Right now, I’m planning on majoring in Public Policy, but I’m taking my first PubPol class this coming fall, so I’ll update this profile if it changes after that. The rest of the “plan” is to minor in Spanish and get a Children in Contemporary Society Certificate. The certificate includes a variety of classes in the education, psychology, and public policy departments. I’m also interested in African Studies, which started with a service trip in the summer of ’06 and has continued with classes at Duke.
Activities at Duke: There are so many ways to get involved at Duke that it is too bad that there is homework that gets in the way. I guess my first “activity” at Duke was participating in the pre-orientation trip, Project Waves (PWaves) before school started last summer – I would recommend it to any incoming freshman. The most rewarding activity for me this past year was volunteering for an organization called Partners for Youth where I tutored a boy in 11th grade from Durham throughout the year. I also was actively involved in my church group, Westminster Presbyterian Fellowship. I went through rush second semester and joined the sorority Alpha Delta Pi (ADPi), which has been a great way to meet new people and volunteer. Throughout the year I was involved in Amnesty International, and am now on the Exec Board. You might see me at orientation week because I am also a Freshman Advisory Counselor (FAC). My FAVORITE activity though, is of course the Baldwin Scholars program.
Things I Love: My cat, the beach, warm weather, home-made guacamole, any kind of Italian or Mexican food, running, yoga, step class, singing loudly and dancing with my friends, my family, a good book, sleeping in on weekends, shopping with my mom, and spending time with people I love. What I love MOST though is Duke Basketball. GO BLUE DEVILS!!
Favorite Things: I am addicted to Law & Order: SVU. During the year, I watch Desperate Housewives, Grey’s Anatomy, Entourage, House, and The Office with my friends. An all-time favorite show is Will & Grace. Some of my favorite books are Kite Runner, A Thousand Splendid Suns, A Long Way Gone and any Nicholas Sparks book. Three books that I’ve finished and loved this summer were King Leopold’s Ghost, Lipstick Jungle, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows. I’m currently reading The Poisonwood Bible. My all-time favorite movie is Remember the Titans. I love almost any romantic comedy and most dramas. My current summer favorite movie is Wall-E.
What I’m Doing This Summer: I participated in a Duke study-abroad program in Puebla, Mexico. I studied Spanish at UDLA for six weeks and lived with a homestay family; it was a wonderful experience. Right now I’m working as a Teacher’s Aide at my local elementary summer school helping 2nd-5th graders with reading and phonics. My goal for this summer is to watch all the Denzel Washington movies, but we’ll see how that goes (I’ve watched about six and I’m hoping to watch at least ten more before summer ends).
What I Love About Baldwin Scholars: There are so many wonderful things about the Baldwin Scholars program, but I would have to say my favorite aspect so far has been all the friendships I’ve made with the other amazing women in the program – bright, motivated, strong, and inspiring women. Having a Baldwin mentor also really helped me my freshman year. She is not only my mentor but is a great friend. Colleen Scott and Donna Lisker have been an important support network to help me accomplish my goals at Duke. I’m looking forward to being the Social Chair for my class this upcoming year.