Hi! My name is Elizabeth Edel and I am so happy to be a member of the Baldwin Class of 2020.
Although I am now a proud resident of Durham, I spent the first 18 years of my life in Los Angeles. My family still resides on the West Coast, but we also have roots in England, where my mom grew up. As a child, I heard endless stories about the North of England and all the different experiences my mom had when she lived there. My family also benefits from my dad’s heritage as the great grandson of Romanian Ashkenazi Jewish immigrants. These different backgrounds created in me an understanding of multiculturalism that I cannot wait to expand upon as a member of the Baldwin Scholars.
At Duke I plan on double majoring in Public Policy and Music. I am very used to the surprise I meet whenever I tell anyone about this combination, seeing as there is no crossover between the majors, at least in courses. However, I am very passionate about both of these subjects and want to learn as much about them as possible with the multitudinous resources at Duke. I have been singing since I was four years old, so performing is a huge part of my identity. My passion for music has expanded from just performing to learning about all aspects of all types of music and the power it has to affect people. I also have been interested in politics from a very young age. I am lucky enough to have parents who always promoted political discussions in which we were encouraged to voice our own opinions and speak freely about what we believed. I look forward to spending my years at Duke discovering all there is to know about my two passions.
While not in classes at Duke I participate in three performing groups: Vespers, Duke Chorale and Duke Rhythm and Blue. I am so lucky to have been able to find and become part of these groups, because they have allowed me to become friends with incredible people from entirely different places. I know that as a part of the Baldwin Scholars program I am going to be exposed to even more incredible, empowered women.