In this two-part series, first-year students Polly Hurlburt and Kris Miller sat down to discuss Kris's groundbreaking role as the first Black president of the Duke PA Program's student society, the Stead Society.
Part Two: Looking Forward
Q: What’s on the horizon for Stead Society/DPAP Class of 2025 that you’re most excited for?
A: Our PA Formal, coming up this spring! The PA Formal is basically a grown-up prom. It’s a chance for us to get together, relax, and celebrate as a class, while also raising funds to contribute to a local charitable organization. This year, proceeds from the PA Formal will go to Housing for New Hope, an organization that provides safe and affordable housing to individuals facing homelessness in Durham. It takes a lot of work to make the PA Formal happen, but knowing that we’re going to have a night to just have fun and relax together, while also contributing to a good cause, brings a smile to my face.
Another passion project that’s especially close to my heart emerged from my vision to unite my love of sports with the PA profession. We’ve been able to establish a new partnership between DPAP and the Durham Bulls baseball team, and we’re currently making plans for a PA Advocacy Day to take place at a Bulls game in April. We’ll be teaching local school-aged students, from elementary to high schoolers, about the PA profession and exposing them to different avenues where PAs can work, including in sports medicine – Maybe even at a Durham Bulls game!
Q: What are your hopes/vision for the rest of your tenure as the President of the Class of 2025?
A: One of my hopes is to continue supporting my peers within Stead Society in any way that they need as we begin to take account of the seeds we’ve planted to pass down to next year’s incoming class. I’m thinking ahead to that transition in leadership between the class of 2025 and the class of 2026, and I want us to be able to share some lessons with next year’s Stead Society in terms of how to change things for the better and challenges they may face. Ultimately, the goal is to continue the good work we’ve started, and to be able to see it grow even after our class has moved beyond the walls of DPAP.
Q: Any words of wisdom for current or future PA students who are interested in pursuing leadership positions, during PA school and beyond?
A: The biggest thing to know is that when it comes to being a leader, you’re not doing it alone. I ran on the slogan: “Teamwork makes the dream work.” I stand firmly behind that sentiment, and whether we’re talking about leadership amongst your PA school cohort or on a national level, you have to be able to delegate and trust that you’re all working towards the same mission. You can’t take this role on by yourself and no one expects you to. Recognize that the accomplishments that you reach are a result of the teamwork that went into them, and the defeats that you’ve faced are not single-handedly yours either.
Q: Any advice or encouragement for current or prospective PA students who belong to groups that are underrepresented in the PA profession?
A: Even having the desire to be on this journey already displays a level of commitment to change. Let that desire continue to motivate you, because unfortunately, the world is still full of disparities and while one person cannot completely change the world on their own, the more people we can get sitting at the table who come from diverse backgrounds and underrepresented groups, the easier it will be to help influence the decisions being made.
Q: To close out our conversation today, I wanted to share with you some reflections on your leadership from some of your fellow Stead Society officers and reps:
From Estelle Kelty (Vice President of Stead Society): What is unique about Kris as a leader is her inclination to lead by example. Not only does Kris spearhead important outreach, support her peer officers, and bring the DPAP community together, but she consistently models our program's values and inspires others to do the same through her actions.
From Kavitha Komatineni (Diversity Chair): What I appreciate most about Kris as a leader is that she demonstrates unconditional support for her team and always greets us with excitement when we bring up new ideas. She is also an approachable leader that I know I can lean on in times of stress and will always come through.
From Sara Bertuccio (Treasurer): Kris is one of the most hard working, down to earth, and reliable people I have ever had the privilege of working with. She has the biggest heart and you can rest assured that she will be your calming presence, your shoulder to cry on, and your biggest cheerleader whenever you need her.
From Blake Glenn (NCAPA Student Rep): Kris has really brought a sense of family to our class, and she has made sure our class stays motivated to remain involved in our community despite the academic challenges we all face. Our class could not have asked for a better president or friend.
Any thoughts in response to these reflections?
A: First and foremost, thank you all for allowing me to have this position, because I know there’s a certain level of trust that goes into putting someone in this position. I truly couldn’t do this without everyone in this class. I’ve always been the kid who’s willing to talk to anybody – that’s a product of being a military brat -- and I love that people feel like they can come talk to me about whatever they need, and I love that they trust me enough to make sure that their voice is heard. Even if they feel like they can’t find the microphone on their own, I will gladly amplify their message and help to be a microphone for them. Thank you for trusting me.