When undergraduate Young Trustee finalist Brandon Goodwin, a senior, arrived on campus as a freshman, he had no idea that his interest in Southern women would direct his educational path at Duke.
The history and political science major chose to attend the University because of the strength of the Sanford Institute of Public Policy. As a junior and one of only a few men in a history department class about 19th-century Southern women, however, he decided to alter this path.
"I thought, 'I like Southern women,'" Goodwin said, explaining why he initially enrolled in what he described as his favorite academic experience at Duke. "I realized I should be a history major."
The Louisiana native has also effectively integrated his roots into several of his other endeavors.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Goodwin-who is also the executive vice president of Duke Student Government-worked with the DukeCard office to create a website that raised $9,000 in student donations of food points and FLEX dollars to the Red Cross.
He is also currently writing an honors senior history thesis on the 1948 Dixiecrat Party.
He plans on maintaining his Southern connections after graduation. Despite applying to law schools across the country, he sees himself eventually starting a career back home.
"There's something exciting about the opportunity to return to Louisiana, live in New Orleans, and give back to my home state," Goodwin said. "The idea of maintaining my goals in the South is important to me."
Those who have worked with Goodwin said they admire this clear sense of direction.
As President of Bench and Bar, the University's undergraduate pre-law society, Goodwin has worked with Gerald Wilson, senior associate dean of Trinity College and pre-law advisor, since last spring.
"He has a real sense of vision-of what should be done and needs to be done, and he does it," Wilson said. "I do think very highly of him and his organizational ability and his thoroughness and willingness to follow through."
Goodwin has shown this sense of vision in creating the platform for his candidacy to become Young Trustee.
With a focus on academics, Goodwin has constructed a three-part approach, which he has entitled the "Three P's."
The first component, which he calls "Professionalism," involves creating a departmentalized application process so that each student can follow a well-defined undergraduate path to his or her career goals. He also wants to strengthen ties between undergraduate and graduate students.
Through the second part, which Goodwin labels "Pre-Frosh," he plans on working to instate programs through which undergraduates can influence younger students across America.
"We can carve a place in American high school communities and abroad," Goodwin said.
Among his ideas for realizing the third component, which he refers to as "Pre-eminent Programs," Goodwin envisions establishing better connections between engineering students and professionals in the Research Triangle and developing a strong architecture program.
In implementing these goals, Goodwin hopes to utilize his involvement with a wide range of student organizations.
An active member of DSG since 2002, he is also a member of Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity and the Interfraternity Council.
"I have been able to do all kinds of things at Duke," Goodwin said. "I understand the direction that Duke is going and what I specifically would be able to see strengthened through the Board of Trustees."
Deborah Hackney, senior program coordinator of student activities and advisor to DSG, has known Goodwin since she began working at the University last spring. She said his ties to so many student groups would make him a well-rounded Young Trustee.
"Brandon is certainly very conscientious about including different constituents in what he's doing," Hackney said. "He's just one of those people who wants to be sure that if there's an issue going on, he hears all sides of it."
If elected Young Trustee, Goodwin hopes to continue this trend.
"The role of the Young Trustee is someone who is proactive," he said. "It's important that the Young Trustee has lines of communication with students, faculty and staff."
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