2008 Woodie Awards
Women's group tries to build on Baldwin benefits
By: Zak Kazzaz
Issue date: 9/10/07 Section: News
Last update: 9/10/07 at 6:57 AM EST
Last update: 9/10/07 at 6:57 AM EST
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The notion for the program emerged last spring from forums regarding the Campus Cultural Initiative Steering Committee Report, Herring said.
"We were just talking about the different issues involved with being a woman at Duke," she said. "As upperclassmen we wish we had known a lot of things as freshmen, and we were hoping to create a mentoring program to help the freshmen out."
Sophomore Katie Unverferth said freshmen girls can often find upperclassman women intimidating, and the forums would limit any nervous interactions.
Additionally, McKinstry said she hopes to stretch the resources available to Baldwin Scholars to a wider range of students.
"I've really benefited from older women I've met through [the Baldwin Scholars Program], and we often talk about what ways to extend the benefits that we're lucky enough to be a party of," she said. "That's something that really needs to be a part of the Duke community."
Sophomore Karin English, who is involved in the program, added that East Campus often acts as a barrier between freshmen and the Duke community.
"Freshman year is kind of insulated, and there are other girls out there," she said. "There are different ways of fitting in. There are a lot of different kinds of people out there."
Rachel Revelle, a freshman, said she agreed that having upperclassman friends helps freshmen better acclimate to West Campus.
"It's nice to have everything on East, but [having upperclassman friends] gives you somewhere to go if you're on West between classes," she said. "There's someone you know."
"We were just talking about the different issues involved with being a woman at Duke," she said. "As upperclassmen we wish we had known a lot of things as freshmen, and we were hoping to create a mentoring program to help the freshmen out."
Sophomore Katie Unverferth said freshmen girls can often find upperclassman women intimidating, and the forums would limit any nervous interactions.
Additionally, McKinstry said she hopes to stretch the resources available to Baldwin Scholars to a wider range of students.
"I've really benefited from older women I've met through [the Baldwin Scholars Program], and we often talk about what ways to extend the benefits that we're lucky enough to be a party of," she said. "That's something that really needs to be a part of the Duke community."
Sophomore Karin English, who is involved in the program, added that East Campus often acts as a barrier between freshmen and the Duke community.
"Freshman year is kind of insulated, and there are other girls out there," she said. "There are different ways of fitting in. There are a lot of different kinds of people out there."
Rachel Revelle, a freshman, said she agreed that having upperclassman friends helps freshmen better acclimate to West Campus.
"It's nice to have everything on East, but [having upperclassman friends] gives you somewhere to go if you're on West between classes," she said. "There's someone you know."
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