Without the support of our generous donors, being a part of Duke TIP would be financially out of reach for many academically gifted students. Our inspiring young alumni like Luke Leifker know that every gift, no matter how small, makes an impact. Luke shared with us the difference that TIP made in his life, and why that motivates him to give to TIP.
“Duke TIP allowed me to explore the subjects I was interested in, such as psychology and engineering. It also gave me a place where I could be myself. TIP is a welcoming environment, and it felt great being around people who could relate to me and accept me for who I am. It was freeing not having to suppress any aspects of my identity, and this feeling is what led me to decide to come out as gay. One of the things I loved about TIP was the people, and I made friends and memories that will last a lifetime. I attended TIP all four years that I could, and those 12 total weeks were some of the best of my life. I became a donor because I want other kids to be able to have the same amazing experience at TIP that I was blessed to have. After TIP, I became a National Merit Scholar and started working at Starbucks, where I was recently promoted to the role of Barista Trainer. This fall, I will be attending Texas A&M University, where I am studying political science. I also hope to work with the Aggies’ football team as a part of their production crew. Over the past few months, the inequities and flaws in our criminal justice system have been more apparent than before. In the future, I hope to work in the criminal justice field as a defense attorney, district attorney, and/or as a judge in order to fight these injustices.”