Black History Month dedicates a month to reflect, celebrate, and amplifying the many accomplishments of African Americans. As a Black employee of the Duke Center for Applied Genomics & Precision Medicine, we spoke with Julia Walker, whose dedication to Duke and the Center is unmatched.
Julia Walker is a project manager at the Duke Center for Applied Genomics & Precision Medicine. Julia has been with the Center for the past 5 years but isn’t new to Duke. She was born (literally born, at Duke University Hospital) and raised in the Durham community. She truly grew up at Duke. Her parents both were employees of Duke University Hospital, her father in nursing and her mother in food services. In middle school, Julia’s guidance counselor had suggested she participate in a Duke program over the summer that allowed students to work in the hospital to help in various areas. The term “candy striper”, coined in the 1940s, identified these hospital helpers as junior volunteers. Julia was a candy striper in the south pediatric clinic of Duke University Hospital. Early on, Julia worked in a setting that served people - passing out magazines or sodas to patients and their families or sometimes being the formal “greeter” – serving people continues to be important to her to this day.
Julia’s commitment to Duke continued through high school and even to the end of college, where she worked in the summer for Duke’s student services. These experiences gave her opportunities to build life skills early on – whether it was learning how to type or seeing science in action in a Duke pathology lab, she took advantage of these opportunities that are not always taken advantage of from students. Julia’s hardworking attitude and drive didn’t stop after college. She had majored in criminal justice but realized that this might not be her calling and applied to graduate school. Julia attended North Carolina Central University and studied public administration. It was after graduate school she returned to Duke to work in campus services, supporting students at Duke through dining, housekeeping, and other facilities. After a brief shift in roles, Julia found herself back at Duke as a staff assistant for the Duke Institute for Genome Sciences & Policy (IGSP), formerly a unit promoting interdisciplinary research in the genome sciences. Now known as the Duke Center for Applied Genomics & Precision Medicine (CAGPM), Julia is emersed in multiple projects and programs coordinated by the Center. Her agility and time management skills are wholeheartedly appreciated by many of the CAGPM faculty members she supports.
Much of Julia’s time is spent supporting one of the Center’s educational programs, Summer Scholars, which is supported by an R25 grant through the National Human Genome Research Institute. The program is designed to provide an opportunity for underrepresented minority students at any college or university for a 10-week training and mentorship experience to gain knowledge and skills to pursue a career in a STEM field. Beyond the hours Julia spends moving the needle each day to ensure the program’s success, she has truly impacted the lives of many of the scholars through her personal mentorship.
“Many of these students come from challenging backgrounds and don’t know who to turn to,” shared Julia. “I hear from students that their parents don’t have an education past ninth grade and might not know how to guide them.” Julia has helped many of these students navigate through basic needs to complete the program but also has filled many of the students with the encouragement they need.
Julia attributes her mentorship to those who mentored her. Her father, who encouraged her to get an education, and her grandfather, who worked on a tobacco farm in Kinston, North Carolina, gave her the drive and hardworking attitude she has today. Julia’s accomplishments on the many successful programs she has supported at Duke and at the Center are applauded.
"It’s important to recognize accomplishments of the Black community during Black History Month especially for young people to see people of color doing successful things” - Julia Walker
She embeds this hardworking attitude on many of the students she interacts with. “Young people are so impressionable,” said Julia. “I remind them to be great and to push through – whether it is completing the scholar’s program or pursuing their PhD, I believe in them.”
Julia has been an advocate for many of these underrepresented minority students part of CAGPM’s Summer Scholars program and she reminds them to advocate for themselves to break down these barriers. “Ask questions, be a sponge, learn from the people around you,” Julia shared as advice she gives to mentees.
Black History Month is not only a time to recognize accomplishments of the Black community but also to share these stories of how those in the Black community were shaped. People like Julia were shaped by family, mentors, and elders in her community, empowering her to where she is today. Julia has continued to pay it forward to help young Black students feel empowered. “It’s important to recognize accomplishments of the Black community during Black History Month especially for young people to see people of color doing successful things,” said Julia. “I have a mini library at home filled with books about Black History Month – I tell youth that they should be taking their education seriously, as those who came before you in the Black community fought for the opportunity for you to sit in school."
Whether it is serving people through her work done at CAGPM or serving youth in the community that need a boost, Julia continues to make an impact in many areas of Duke.
Julia is an inspiration to us all, and she aspires to be like her grandmother. My grandmother always told her, “There is good in everyone.” These are some of the words of wisdom she lives by each day.