This is the first episode of a three-part series called Making It Out. Ari Miller (T’27), a current student, speaks on her experience as an emancipated youth in Kansas and the disparities of the wealth culture at Duke University within the undergraduate population. We explore what it means to make it out of your circumstances to break generational cycles and attend college as a first generation college student.  

Episode 5: Making It Out With Ari Miller (T'27)

In the final episode of our three-part series Making It Out, we sit down with Mia Velasco (T’28), a first-year student at Duke, to discuss her transition from a central New Jersey public high school to life on East Campus in Durham, North Carolina. Mia takes us through her college application journey, breaking down the financial realities of choosing a school as a low-income student. She challenges common myths about affordability and shares what truly influenced her decision. We also explore her experiences with FOCUS clusters, service-learning classes, and her perspectives on access to higher education for first-generation, low-income students. Tune in for an honest and insightful conversation about what it really takes to make it out—and make it work.  

New tracks tagged #DukeLIFE