This summer could not have been possible without some amazing people. For all of my friends at the Eastern District of North Carolina Federal Public Defender’s Office, I owe you infinite gratitude for the way you welcomed an undergraduate intern into your office. Every time I walked into the office, I was greeted with smiles and genuine conversation from people working one of my dream jobs. Any time any of you are in Durham, let me buy you lunch!
Individuals at the FPD office who deserve a special shoutout are Vidalia Patterson, Snayha Nath, Jay Todd, Halerie Costello, Sonya Allen, and Ken Hall. These people went out of their way to include me on projects, drive me to shadow their meetings in jails, and even give a struggling undergraduate student a free parking pass. I received invaluable professional and personal advice from these individuals, and I am forever grateful for their help this summer.
This summer could not have been possible without the help of Duke faculty and alumni. A big thanks goes to Elena Hammann, the DukeEngage Program Coordinator who supported me through all of my scheduling conflicts and logistical concerns and saw something in me that deserved the support of DukeEngage. My summer would not have been possible without many people, but I would not have been able to work with FPD at all without admittance to BSP and the support along the way. My alumni mentor, Marina Nuzhdova, deserves a big thank you as well. Marina opened my eyes to pathways in immigration law that I had never considered for myself and took time out of her busy and impressive schedule to advise me. I would also like to thank my Boston DukeEngage professors, Dr. David Malone and Dr. Amy Anderson, for fostering my love of service.
Dr. Malone and friends
Lastly, I would like to thank my parents, Merri and Reid Collins, for supporting my ambition and encouraging me to follow my passions my entire life. They are the reason I even know how to make a website like this, and they are the reason I am committed to living a life of serving others in the first place. I love you guys!!
Reid (left) and Merri (right) pre-surprise attack
Reid (left) and Merri (right) surprise attack
