Today I am going to be introducing you to our college of the week which is Duke University. Duke University is a private college institution in North Carolina and is considered one of the best 7# out of all the Ivy League. I will be speaking to an alumni who is my vice principal here at The College Academy, Mr. Douglas George. Mr. George attended Duke for his undergraduate degree.
Why did you attend Duke College?
George: “So, Duke I guess it was a combination of things the decision on where I went to college came down two places either Tufts University which is in Boston, or Duke University. My older brother who’s two years older than me and he was at Duke. I didn’t have anyone at Tufts University. I liked both of them and it ultimately came down to one. The money was about the same so if my brother and I are both at the same school I have him as a support. If were traveling we could travel together and also he was having a good time and enjoying Duke.”
Deciding for a college can be an obstacle when you don’t have someone you know that attended. But, for my vice principal, he knew that the best fit for him was Duke University since he had a relative who already attended.
When Mr. George decided to attend Duke University he decided to major in history. His history decision was based in the hope that while studying history in college he would eventually go to law school. Mr. George was interested in pursuing entertainment law since he was able to experience the diversity of jazz when playing the saxophone in a band.
“So, I figured I could at least be involved in the music world. I didn’t know what it meant when I heard entertainment law, but I was like right I’ll do that.”
— Mr. George- Assistant Principal
How did you keep up with the workload?
Mr. George reflected honestly about the importance of seeking extra help. “I mostly studied on my own.” He realized that even though he was attending a Ivy League school, he still needed to speak with his advisors and work with study groups. While he was ultimately successful, Mr. George realized that working independently could hold him back academically. “There could be someone else in the group who maybe went to their professor’s office hours. I wish I would have known [the importance of speaking with my advisor.]”. While in the end he took responsibility and studied on his own to keep up with the workload for his history major, Mr. George now he realizes there are more group projects and collaboration sites in our generation which he is grateful for.
What did you do for fun at Duke University?
George: “I was in the Jazz band all four years. I played tenor and a lot of baritone saxophone. Every year we had at least 10, 12 concerts a year. We had guest musicians they would come in like professionals. There would be big jazz musicians that would send us their music and we would be their back up and they would play the lead and the solo. I shared the stage with huge Jazz musicians which was always fun I enjoyed that every year. Then I was in a fraternity and community service and I was also in the SOCA ( Students of the Caribbean Association). We did parties and had food so that was our cultural appreciation group.”
How did you pay for college?
“A combination of my parents paid the part of the tuition, student loans, work-study, and they gave some grants and financial aid.” “The student loan process is pretty easy. The twist is how long will you take to pay it back. The longer it takes to pay it back, the more interest you have to pay.”
What were some of the resources Duke College helped you with?
- Computer Labs.
- Advisors, Professors (Office Hours)
- Summer internships (Good experience)
- Scholarships (Division 1 recruited athletes)
Did you feel Duke was a diverse college?
“No. Was it in reality? Yes! Was it like the United Nations no where there is one for every country, no not at all. Duke was 85% white, 9% African American 5% Latino, and small and small numbers of [other races]. But, the good thing about Duke is that you find communities like I was able to find groups of people who were also part of the Caribbean. We could take a special trip to buy curry chicken. I was able to find the communities I wanted.”
“I was able to find groups of people who were also part of the Caribbean…the communities I wanted to be a part of.”
— Mr. George-- Assistant Principal
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GOOOO BLUE DEVILS!
