Duke University | Baldwin Scholars Program

Hi! My name is Allie Speidel.  I live in Syracuse, NY but was born and raised in Columbia, MD.  I am majoring in Biomedical Engineering and am interested in either becoming a doctor or going into medical research.  I am a member of the Duke varsity swim team.  I also love all kinds of art and creative expression especially drawing, painting, scultping, and music. 

My college decision was probably one of the hardest I have ever had to make.  If you told me two years ago that I would be at Duke University I probably wouldn't have believed you.  I almost didn't even apply to Duke, it was the last application of the 14 I sent in.  I realized on May 1st when I finally sent in my deposit to come here that part of the reason I had to apply to fourteen different schools and had such a hard time deciding on a school was because I really didn't know who I was as a person.  I could give you a list of basic facts resembling the previous paragraph about my interests and biographical information, but something was missing.  I felt as though the past couple of years of my life had been so focused on preparing for college from an academic and extracurricular standpoint that I hadn't really had the chance to cultivate myself as a person...and this is probably the most important growth of all.  

From the moment I set foot on Duke's campus I felt like I was in a safe haven, a comfortable place where I could learn how to unearth that identity that I had been seeking.  Here I have been able to foster each of my interests in science, swimming, and art into passions.  Through the Baldwin Scholars I have been able to meet seventy one other girls with similar goals of finding out who they are and making their mark on the world.  I have been inspired and challenged by each and every one of them.  I can easily say that applying to become a Baldwin scholar was the best decision I have made since my decision to come Duke.

If you have any questions about Baldwin, or even Duke in general feel free to facebook me or shoot me an email (ats13@duke.edu).