Trinity in Four Acts: Amylyn De Paz-De Paz
Amylyn De Paz-De Paz (Elizabeth Richardson/Trinity Communications)
Sophomore year is when things start to click, and the unknowns become the familiar. Classes feel more purposeful, friendships run deeper, routines develop and campus becomes home. As our four Trinity students return, the series picks back up to follow their next chapter focused on exploring new opportunities, choosing majors and finding momentum. Through stories, photos, videos and social updates, we’ll capture the energy as they lean in, step up — and hit their stride.
Finding Their Stride: Fall Semester
“Every Duke student is cool and has done amazing things, and that's a double-edged sword. You’re surrounded by greatness 24/7, and it's easy for me to forget that I’m also great and have done amazing things.”
At Duke, Amylyn De Paz-De Paz has learned that growth often begins in the uncomfortable spaces, like navigating imposter syndrome as a first-generation student. By leaning into opportunities to teach, interpret and serve, she’s finding her voice and imagining a future where she helps others do the same.
This summer, she participated in an eight-week program with Duke Engage, working in Durham Public Schools building and then implementing a STEM curriculum with 1st-5th graders. With her own experience going through the North Carolina Public School system, De Paz-De Paz felt like she was uniquely positioned to communicate to her peers what worked and what didn’t.
Another thing that may have changed her trajectory at Duke this summer? Working as an interpreter at dental clinics through Remote Area Medical, a student-run program that provides free medical and dental care to the underserved in Durham.
“I’m flirting with the idea of declaring Psychology as my major,” she said, “but it’s probably going to be Biology, and then I’m considering dentistry for the first time because of my experience.”
She’s drawn to the idea of becoming a bridge between science and people’s lives. Whether she pursues medicine or dentistry, De Paz-De Paz wants her future patients to understand complex information about their bodies so they can make the best decisions for their care. That connection, she said, is what excites her most about the field.
De Paz-De Paz said that as a first-year student, especially as a first-generation student, she struggled with imposter syndrome and feeling like she didn’t belong at Duke.
“Every Duke student is cool and has done amazing things, and that's a double-edged sword,” she said. “You’re surrounded by greatness 24/7, and it's easy for me to forget that I’m also great and have done amazing things.”
This past summer, Amylyn De Paz-De Paz worked in Durham Public Schools camps through Duke Engage, where she designed and led STEM lessons for elementary students. (Photo courtesy of Amylyn De Paz-De Paz)
On top of her classes and clubs, Amylyn DePaz-DePaz will continue working at the Campus Farm, a one-acre farm that grows food sustainably and helps the Duke community rethink how we grow, share, and value food. (Elizabeth Richardson/Trinity Communications)
Beginnings and Discoveries: Spring Semester
May 19, 2025
“I’m figuring out how to make all the things I care about fit together.”
Amylyn De Paz-De Paz hit the ground running when she arrived at Duke. Between joining clubs, forming friendships and juggling two campus jobs, she’s spent her first year diving into everything Duke has to offer, while also learning some important lessons about balance, identity and what it means to adapt.
Coming to Duke, De Paz-De Paz felt confident in her academic skills. Despite being at the top of her class in high school, college brought on new challenges that didn’t always respond to her tried-and-tested high school strategies.
“I came in thinking, I know what to do, because I was top of my class,” she says. “But then I applied the same thing here, and it didn’t work in the same way. Having that adaptability and being able to take a step back has been a skill that I wasn’t used to employing as often because I had my own systems.”
That willingness to reassess and adjust has helped De Paz-De Paz stay grounded while navigating Duke’s academic intensity, and she’s still firmly committed to her long-term goal of becoming a doctor.
“Nothing has changed there,” she says. “I don’t want to say it’s locked in, but I think that, if anything, last semester has shown me that I have potential to pursue that track.”
Beyond the classroom, De Paz-De Paz has found meaning and connection in her campus jobs, especially through her work at the Duke Campus Farm. As a student coordinator, she organizes events that bring other students out to the farm to learn more about sustainability and the history of the land.
“I love working at the farm because it's a good way for me to connect with my culture and my parents,” she says. “My parents were farmers, and I love that it helps me go back to my roots.” The role has also expanded her community, introducing her to peers she might never meet in her courses. “I’ve made a lot of friends through the farm. It’s a different kind of space — calmer, more collaborative.”
This summer, De Paz-De Paz will stay in Durham to participate in Duke Engage, where she’ll be working with students of color in the Durham Public Schools system. Through mentorship and hands-on STEAM projects, she’ll help young students see how science, technology, engineering, arts and math can connect to real-life issues in their own communities.
As she looks ahead to sophomore year, De Paz-De Paz knows the pace won’t slow down, but she’s finding her rhythm now.
“I’m still busy,” she said, “but I’m figuring out how to make all the things I care about fit together.”
Amylyn Depaz-DePaz waiting for Natasha Beddingfield at LDOC
Amylyn Depaz-Depaz at her on-campus job at the Duke Farm.
Beginnings and Discoveries: Fall Semester
December 17, 2024
"As a first-generation student, I don't have a lot of people to go to, so I have to be very inquisitive, and, so far, the community has been incredibly supportive."
As a first-generation college student, Amylyn De Paz-De Paz knew she had a lot to consider when choosing a university. After weighing her options, Duke stood out as the best fit for pursuing her professional dreams. "Duke was one of my top choices," she said. "It's a hub for students interested in medicine, and I needed a lot of support as a first-gen student."
De Paz-De Paz, who grew up in Hickory, NC, has academic interests in Chemistry, Biology and Neuroscience. After gaining valuable experience shadowing medical professionals in high school, she’s hoping to major in Biology, and then go to medical school to become a surgeon.
She is also passionate about addressing language barriers in healthcare. "I've seen how language barriers impact patients, including in my own family, and I want to use my bilingual skills to help underserved communities," De Paz-De Paz explained.
De Paz-De Paz is excited about Duke’s opportunities, from the FOCUS program to campus life involvement. While she anticipates challenges — like imposter syndrome — she feels optimistic about the supportive community she’s found.
"Everybody at Duke has been very open to the possibility of forming connections," De Paz-De Paz said. "As a first-generation student, I don't have a lot of people to go to, so I have to be very inquisitive, and so far, the community has been incredibly supportive."
Amylyn's family joined her for move-in day for her first semester at Duke.
Amylyn plans to major in biology and is interested in a career in healthcare.
You never know who you will run into at Duke, including Duke President Vincent Price.
Between classes, she still finds time to cheer on Duke football from the stands.
