My name is Veronica Sanjurjo, and I am so excited to be part of the Baldwin Scholars Class of 2025!
I was born and raised in Miami, Florida, a city that makes others think of sprawling beaches and lively culture but which makes me think of comfort. I grew up living with my parents, my older brother, and my grandmother yet my sense of home expands way beyond that, as I’m incredibly close with my big Cuban-American family. My absolute favorite thing to do is be in the kitchen, as I find peace in the process of cooking and baking and find fulfillment in watching my friends and family enjoy what I make for them.
During high school, I was able to find passion in community service. I tutored at a school for children with autism and learning disabilities and eventually combined my passions by starting a cooking program at the school with interactive lessons, teaching the students both the value of healthy eating and of using cooking as an escape. I also served as the President of a foreign language tutoring program at my former elementary school and as part of the Speech team, the first activity that taught me the importance of making my voice heard.
At Duke, I plan on majoring in Public Policy, a path that allows me to combine my desires to learn about history, political science, and the policy that shapes our lives. I plan on eventually entering into law after completing my time at Duke but still don’t have a perfect image of what path within the field I want to follow. What I do know is that I want to apply my education to make a difference in the real world.
I’ve always had a loose vision for my future, an image I could keep in my pocket as encouragement. However, it wasn’t until I learned about Baldwin Scholars that I realized how much I could expand the confines of that vision. Baldwin Scholars provides a community of females to look up to, one of driven students and alumni with the will and determination to not only pass by in this world as women but thrive. I can’t wait to be part of the Baldwin community both during the four years and beyond!