Avery Smedley is both a Robertson and Baldwin Scholar from Silver Spring, Maryland. In her time at Duke she has explored her passion for racial justice through the avenues of teaching/education policy, philanthropy, research, community organizing and political campaigning. This has included, but is not limited to her role as a representative on the President’s Council of Black Affairs or a co-chair for a local political campaign. She will be graduating with a major in Public Policy and a minor in Education. She hopes to pursue a master’s and eventually, a career, in urban planning.

Honors Thesis: A Tale of Two Towns: Understanding Race and Civic Efficacy in Black Autonomous and Black Segregated Communities

Faculty Advisor: Dr. Jay Pearson