Hi! I’m Jasmine Gong, and I am incredibly delighted to be a member of the Baldwin Scholars Class of 2026.
I was born in Plano, Texas but spent most of my life in Rockville, Maryland. In middle school, I was assigned to the wrestling unit of gym class. Immediately, I was drawn to the sport’s grittiness and technicality.
When I entered high school, I decided to join the wrestling team despite the fact that it had traditionally been all male. My first year of wrestling was difficult. I was told by my teammates that girls can’t wrestle, endured many crude “jokes,” and ended the season with one win. Despite this, I deeply desired respect and a sense of belongingness on my team. Motivated to improve, I took advantage of off-season practices and clinics, even lifting with the football team. By my senior year, I had the honor of captaining my wrestling team, fostering a more inclusive team culture, and reforming state-wide wrestling policies. Over the years, I grew empowered to use my voice as a result of the support and inspiration of other female wrestlers.
Currently, I’ve created Duke’s Women’s Wrestling Club with the support of the North Carolina wrestling community. I hope to encourage other women to discover their strength through this sport. Aside from that, I am a proud member of the Duke University Marching Band (I play the snare drum!) and the RUF ministry. In my free time, I love discovering new hobbies (or as I like to call them, side quests). My current side quest has been DJing!
Being inspired by the ambition, resilience, and authenticity of other women has been a crucial element of my wrestling journey. I am incredibly excited to be a member of the Baldwin Scholars community, and I look forward to our experiences learning and growing together.