Tell us about yourself
My name is Liv Schramkowski and I am a senior from Atlanta, Georgia. I am a Program II major and my title is Battleground for the Beloved Community: Grassroots, Culture, and Politics in the American South.
What inspired you to pursue public policy?
Working in grassroots organizing throughout high school first opened my eyes to how policy decisions shape people’s everyday lives, and it inspired me to imagine a career in public service. When I arrived at Duke, seeing how the Sanford School invested in its students and the wide range of opportunities they had to not only think about policymaking but also develop their own leadership convinced me to intentionally weave public policy into my Program II.
What policy issues or areas are you most passionate about
I am particularly passionate about strengthening our democracy by protecting the right to vote. In high school I had the honor to work with the late Congressman John Lewis, and hearing how he and others were willing to give their lives for the right to vote impressed on me the profound moral weight of this struggle. Volunteering on Georgia's voter protection hotline showed me directly how procedural barriers and targeted tactics can keep people from casting a ballot. At Duke, working in the Student Voting Rights Lab deepened this understanding, especially as I saw how legislators suppress student voters and even had my own vote challenged in Jefferson Griffin’s voter challenge. Protecting voting rights matters because it safeguards the most fundamental mechanism we have for shaping our collective future.
What other activities are you involved in at Duke (internships, projects, sports, etc…)?
I have been a part of Duke Student Government since my freshman year, and this year I am the Vice President of Durham and Community Affairs. I also mentor middle school girls through The Growing Club and I serve as Danny Werfel’s research assistant through Polis. I also participated in the Service Opportunities in Leadership Fellowship through the Hart Leadership Program where I spent this past summer as a Policy Fellow with the Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Youth Education and Development. I also was a part of the first Project Citizen cohort!
Fun fact or hobby about yourself
A fun fact about me is I am a triplet! I have two brothers that go to the University of Georgia and Belmont University.