My name is Mackenzie Warren, and it is my great honor to be a Baldwin Scholar of Duke’s Class of 2024 where I majored in Psychology and minored in Education. My favorite part of being a Baldwin is how it has allowed me to learn from and collaborate with insanely brilliant and passionate female leaders who have taught me about myself—the strengths I bring to the table as well as the areas in which I can evolve—and taught me to appreciate the stories of those around me.
I’m first and foremost passionate about family and building community. I know that I wouldn’t be where I am today without my biological family AND my chosen family—all people who have contributed to me championing the values of faith, hope, kindness, humility, authenticity, fellowship, hard-work, resilience, growth and self-improvement, and giving back to others. Every day, I am trying to make decisions that mold me into being someone who—when sitting on their porch at age 80 reflecting on my life—will feel fulfilled knowing their legacy will have been loving others well; prioritizing people and relationships over all else; and having a genuine desire to uplift and help others, especially those in need. All this to say, while in college, being a Baldwin made me realize that I personally am not fulfilled by chasing the cliche of “changing the world” by being famous or having my name written in lights or in textbooks. Rather, what fulfills me is leading a life of impact where my priority is: Am I positively contributing to and changing the lives of the people—no matter the quantity—who are in MY world???
Something else that energizes me is my passion for serving historically-marginalized and economically-disadvantaged students through disseminating educational resources, tools, and advice to them. Because I recognize the injustice that some children are better positioned to thrive in the classroom simply due to coming from high-income households with involved parents, in 2019, I founded my own nonprofit called Mack’s School Prep (MSP) with the mission of serving as a role model who empowers under-resourced high schoolers to take advantage of their education and get into their dream college.
In alignment with my passion for addressing the inequity in our American education systems, while attending Duke, I chose to invest time in extracurriculars such as volunteering with Families Moving Forward and at the Boys and Girls Club of Durham and Orange Counties; working as a part-time post-secondary access advisor with the Game Plan: College Team of the Emily K Center; and doing program coordination work via a “Success and Support” initiative with Students to Scholars 501(c)(3). The career goal that I am moving towards is going to law school to study children’s rights so that I can spend my future advocating for one of the most vulnerable demographics of our world—young people. I want to make a positive difference in the lives at-risk youths who have tragically suffered unfortunate circumstances: poverty, neglect / abuse, family dysfunction, substance use, violence, criminality, PTSD, and more.
Last but not least, it would be remiss of me to not use my alumni-hood to impart some advice to current Baldwins at Duke. Be inspired every day by the world and the people around you. Choose to learn from, as opposed to being intimidated by, those who are up to big things you dream of doing. Remember that vulnerability and authenticity creates the kind of caring community that will help you metamorphose into a beautiful butterfly. Practice joy and gratitude, even when it feels like nothing is going right, because every hard time is only temporary. Get out of your comfort zone as often as you can because all growth happens in the stretch zone. Rest isn’t earned; it’s deserved always. Be proud of yourself: you did at least one thing today, and that deserves an applause.