Hi folks! I'm Program Coordinator with Duke University's Hart Leadership Program, which supports the Laidlaw Scholars Program as well as several other undergraduate experiential learning programs. In May 2024, I completed my doctorate in the Study of Religion at Harvard University with a focus in contemporary Islamic studies and American religions. My dissertation work examined the shape and impact of U.S. Muslim civic organizations and community organizing in the city of Detroit. I also hold a Master of Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School and a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies from Appalachian State University (go Mountaineers!). My studies have been driven by a deep interest in the intersections of religion and civic life in the contemporary U.S. To that end, I've served as research assistant for the Listening to Women about Abortion & Religion Project, a Religion, Spirituality, and Democratic Renewal Fellow with the Social Science Research Council, and an adjunct professor at Stonehill College. In my role with Hart Leadership Program, I'm excited to lean into my training as a researcher, educator, and program builder to provide strong student support and advance community-engaged scholarship and education. Whether you're a Duke student or a Laidlaw Scholar at another institution, I'm always happy to connect and share my knowledge and experience in social science research design and methods, religious studies and anthropology, applying to and navigating graduate school, or putting together strong research grant and fellowship proposals.

Hi, I'm Itiafa Ayeni, a rising sophomore from Nigeria at Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service in Qatar. I major in International Politics with minors in Africana Studies and a certificate in Energy Studies. I am also pursuing the French proficiency academic pathway. My academic interests are deeply shaped by my experience growing up in Nigeria and center on Africa’s future, the place of identity, and the advancement of women and girls globally. This summer, I will be researching how “Y2K” Nollywood (the formative period of Nigeria’s film industry spanning the 1990s and early 2000s) influenced the women who contributed to and consumed it, across a representative social circle that includes actresses and women in the diaspora.

Welcome!! You can call me either Cothney or Theresa. I came back from my study abroad experience at the 'Université de Lille' in France. I will graduate this July, 2026 at the University of Leeds. I am deeply curious. I love researching.. during my first summer as a scholar I  concentred on 'Mapping colonial subjects from the French Resistance'. I had cross cultural experiences between France and the UK while doing my research. For my LIA, I have partnered with 'Star Top Community School', to teach in Lusaka, Zambia; today I am their LIA Champion. Ask me more if you would like to.

Hi~ My name is Galiya, I'm from Kazakhstan, currently based in Hong Kong. Love learning about different cultures and languages, so if you want to connect and discuss literally anything, hit me up on DMs :D Briefly about my interests and achievements: I am interested in AI ethics and learning science and have built a track record at the intersection of education and AI.  My experience spans teaching, admissions consulting, and content creation in international environments across Kazakhstan, South Korea, Italy, and Hong Kong. I am particularly interested in improving access to global education and how AI is reshaping the traditional forms of education. Currently, I am developing research through the Laidlaw Scholars Programme, focusing on university-level assessment methods in the context of GenAI.

Hello! I am Major Richmond, and I enjoy spending time with friends, playing tennis, and visiting the best theme parks in the country. I am a PROUD Blue Devil and a member of Duke University's Class of 2028! I intend to pursue a degree in Public Policy Analysis and explore Environmental Science and Spanish💙😈 In general, The United States is in an unprecedented state of division, specifically in the political realm. The US democratic system has turned into a battle arena full of uncertainty, hatred, and various bad decisions. For my life goal, I have sworn to put a halt to this crippling division and start to put compromise over stubbornness. The best current policy solutions arise when democrats, republicans, conservatives, liberals, and independents unite to create change TOGETHER, rather than separate. As an aspiring politician, I plan to end division for the country's benefit.

Hi, I'm Anushka, a junior at Duke University studying chemistry, medical sociology, and health policy. I'm passionate about leveraging scientific techniques in order to advance health equity, especially for rural and underserved populations. My Laidlaw research is at the University of Leeds' Department for Nuclear and Chemical Engineering addressing the public health challenge of fluoride-contaminated drinking water in Tanzania by developing a novel, sustainable ion-exchange model to selectively remove fluoride from groundwater.