Next Steps

My fellowship and Duke goals, albeit slightly broad, capture exactly what I hope my future in civic engagement looks like. However, after reflecting on this summer, I would like to emphasize a few key words for the future: balance, collaboration, and perspective.

• Balance: I will do my best to manage my time and prioritize what I’m passionate about. This, of course, applies to any volunteer positions I take on. To have a balanced life, I hope to always make time to volunteer in some way.

• Collaboration: Volunteering is not just about giving back to a community, but engaging with it. I can’t wait to collaborate with others, no matter what it is I’m working on.

• Perspective: With each experience, we gain skills, contacts, etc., but most importantly, we gain perspective. For me, a shift in perspective has helped me develop deeper insights about my own life and the world around me, and I hope that my perspective continues to shift, shape, and grow.