Chisom Ezigbo

In May 2025, I graduated from Duke University with a B.S. in psychology and a minor in visual arts. Many things changed throughout my time at Duke, but one thing stayed the same: being a Baldwin Scholar. I was drawn to this program because of my desire to be part of a tight-knit community, and the Baldwin Scholars gave me that--and so much more.

 

In some ways, my journey has been non-traditional. Despite being pre-med, I majored in a social science and immersed myself in the arts, starting a club centered on cartooning, pursuing a grant-funded independent study in graphic novel development, and co-creating a mural in honor of the Duke Centennial. I even painted the Baldwin bench sitting right in front of Few! Though I embraced more typical pre-med pursuits, including research and clinical activities, I also devoted time to my other passions.

 

From the very beginning, the Baldwin Scholars recognized that I had something meaningful to offer. Over my four years at Duke, I received invaluable guidance, mentorship, and inspiration from members of my cohort and upperclassmen--information that I was then able to impart to others. As a junior, I co-designed the house course "Raising Women in Power at Duke and Beyond" to share our pillars with students outside of the program. The Baldwin Scholars also supported me in other ways, such as providing the funding I needed to pursue a clinical research internship with Duke Emergency Medicine.

 

Now that I've graduated, my journey continues. I am currently working as a research assistant at the Duke Center for Eating Disorders and volunteering with the Community Empowerment Fund in Durham, among other endeavors. While I will miss afternoon teas at the Washington Duke Inn and ball games at Durham Bulls Athletic Park, I plan to remain engaged in this community for many years to come. If you would like to connect with me, my email address is caezigbo@gmail.com.