The four finalists for the Graduate and Professional Young Trustee position at Duke University presented their backgrounds, aspirations, and goals for the role to students at an open forum on Wednesday. The finalists—Joshua Crittenden, Nicole De Brigard, Eric Juarez, and Warren Lattimore—share a passion for making a positive mark on the Duke experience.
The Young Trustees are responsible for bringing the voices of students closer to the Board of Trustees. As such, a two-year term is assigned to the selected individuals—one year as an observer and the following as a voting board member.
Brittany Gabriel, chair of the Graduate/Professional Young Trustee Nominating Committee, invited each of the candidates to answer questions on a variety of topics related to higher education, artificial intelligence, and affordable housing.
Fellow doctoral student and graduate resident Joshua Crittenden noted that his time at Duke has enabled him to gain “knowledge about the university system,” helping him prepare to play a pivotal role on the Board. Chicago native Warren Lattimore, who holds a position in Duke’s occupational therapy doctorate program, highlighted his interest in the institution’s role in society, understanding the foundations built on small businesses and by the Durham community.
Third-year juris doctor candidate Nicole De Brigard was interested in the different steps Duke can take to ensure equity and accessibility. She proposed looking at peer institutions, examining current systems at Duke, and increasing retention of underrepresented and marginalized students. Eric Juarez, a Graduate School ’22 candidate, suggested offering more scholarships and training opportunities to help students better succeed in the job market.
Regarding artificial intelligence, the finalists agreed on the importance of ethical usage. They discussed various strategies to ensure that students are prepared to employ AI tools in a responsible manner, as well as ways they can ensure they are giving back to their communities and informing their research.
Finally, they detailed their strategies for maintaining an affordable housing market for graduate and professional students living off-campus. The candidates spoke to the necessity of having conversations with the Durham Housing Authority and Durham City Council, as well as the importance of bringing students closer to the main Duke campus through programs, data-driven decisions, and accessibility.
The Graduate/Professional Young Trustee Nominating Committee, created by Secretary to the Board of Trustees Margaret Epps, will use the students’ feedback from the open forum in order to recommend a potential candidate to President Vincent Price. The presidential selection will be announced in mid-April and approved at the Board of Trustees meeting in May.
The Duke University Board of Trustees oversees the school’s budget, investments, academic affairs, financial goals, the president’s office and other administrative responsibilities. Additionally, they are responsible for leading the institution to ensure it advances its mission with integrity. The trustees meet regularly, and the Young Trustees serve as an additional layer of student representation and perspective.
