Hi! My name is Bahiyyih Grant. I’ve grown up in Atlanta, with a few years living in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. I have a brother who’s just a year younger than me, and one of my closest friends. A fun fact is that I was homeschooled in middle school - an experience that gave me a deep appreciation for learning and knowledge.
My family originally comes from Iran, and this background provides a lot of context for how I perceive different aspects of my identity. Members of the Baha’i Faith are unable to attend higher education, and women face severe inequality. These two examples of injustice serve as a reminder in my life as to the importance of advocating for justice and taking advantage of the opportunities I’ve been given.
Before starting college, I took a gap year during which I volunteered at the Baha’i World Centre in Haifa, Israel. I developed a deeper appreciation for my faith, and was also lucky to interact with people from so many different life backgrounds. I learned so much about what it means to not only be a Baha’i, but to be a person committed to serving the well-being of society.
I love the outdoors, and I’m really passionate about the environment. This came in part from a family commitment to visit National Parks wherever we go, and subsequently co-teaching a class about the Parks in high school. At Duke, I’m planning on majoring in environmental science or environmental engineering - specifically to think about creating sustainable systems and processes.
I’m so excited to be a part of the Baldwin Scholars program, and a community so committed to empowerment and meaningful leadership. I know I’m going to learn plenty about the world, my community, those around me, and myself - and I can’t wait.