New Devils Ebony Kalin with photo of Ebony

A Democratic Voice From Down Under

A college education can take one far in life.

Ebony Kalin has started that journey by traveling more than 8,500 miles from New Zealand to begin her freshman year at Duke University.

Kalin left her rural home in the South Taranaki District and boarded an 18-hour flight for international move-in day on August 14.

She is among 1,200 international students at Duke, including 800 undergraduates with 90 nationalities represented, according to the Duke International Student Center.

She grew up on a dairy farm in Aurora before moving to Hāwera, South Taranaki’s largest town.

“It’s the same size as Duke University,” she said about her hometown, describing it as “a small, rural, tight-knit community.”

“When I graduate [from] Duke University, I want to be someone who a customer or individual or an organization can approach with a problem and leave with a solution.”
Ebony Kalin

Kalin is a graduate of South Taranaki’s Te Paepae o Aotea, a Maori phrase that translates into “South Taranki’s place of learning.”

Kalin is interested in leadership and democracy. She participated in New Zealand’s Youth Parliament, sponsored by the country’s governing body and described as “a unique opportunity for young New Zealanders to learn first-hand about our democracy, influence government decision-making, and have their voices heard.”

At 16, Kalin became one of the youngest Youth Parliament members.

Last year, she founded EmpowerYouth, a youth-led, first-of-its-kind organization that encourages young people to participate in public policy decision-making with South Taranki’s governing council.

“It’s my proudest achievement,” she says.

She also was a midfielder for her high school field hockey team and over the summer was an assistant coach with the regional team for girls 16 and under.

At Duke, Kalin wants to continue her work in public policy and looks forward to participating in the university’s humanitarian challenges focus cluster.

“When I graduate [from] Duke University, I want to be someone who a customer or individual or an organization can approach with a problem and leave with a solution,” she says.