USA With Love

Maddy has been dreaming of studying in the USA since she was a Year 7 student at Wenona. She toured Harvard, Princeton and Yale universities before deciding on a double major in Political and Computer Sciences and a minor in Finance, at Duke University in North Carolina.

Founded in 1838, Duke accepts only six per cent of applicants and is ranked among the top universities in the United States. “There are 700 high school valedictorians in our freshman year,” Maddy says. “They are all very smart and excel in different areas. Doubts did creep in, but I tried not to put too much pressure on myself.”

“One thing that attracted me to Duke is that you are not locked into a degree. As long as you fulfil the requirements of your majors, you can choose the subjects you enjoy, whether that be Chemistry, a language, or a writing class. It also has a one-in-four student-to-faculty ratio, with small classes of just 15 students and a work-hard, play-hard attitude, which suits my personality!”

Although it was hard to leave her family, Maddy is enthusiastic about the next four years at Duke. “The college spirit is absolutely incredible – students are passionate about sport and representing their university. A personalised jersey was part of our welcome pack – we have to wear it to all games. Duke is well known for basketball and you can see the players walking around the campus. They are all over seven feet tall!” Maddy has her own rich sporting experiences ahead – she has already signed up for field hockey, swimming and intercollege soccer.

Embraced as an Australian, she enjoys an advantage in a very USA-centric International Relations class – a different point of view. “I have fit in well here. Everyone is very welcomingalthough, they hadn’t heard the word ‘bubbler’!”

Exhilaration is bubbling in Ms Maddy Ingham’s voice as she describes her early impressions of American university life. “I have just had my first class and I am so excited to be here. The beautiful Gothic sandstone architecture is like something from Hogwarts!”

Graduating from Wenona in 2021, Maddy credits her Economics and Geography classes at School with piquing her interest in political science. “I was given so many opportunities at Wenona – I wouldn’t be where I am today without them. I made some wonderful friends and had amazing teachers, some of whom helped me with my applications to American universities.”

It is still early days, but Maddy is considering postgraduate study in America. “I am interested in cyber security. Looking at current world events, defensive and offensive strategies come down to cyber security. We are progressing from physical violence to attacking computer systems. I have many options to consider. The USA just draws you in – it is such a diverse experience; I have met all sorts of people from different backgrounds. I love it here.”