Jonathan Kennedy is a second-year student in the DGHI Master of Science in Global Health program.
At a place such as Duke, where excellence seems to be woven into the very fabric of the university, it’s easy to feel like your experiences don’t measure up. Surrounded by peers who present themselves as effortlessly accomplished, I’ve found myself asking a question that I suspect many others have asked: Does my experience truly matter?
This question nagged at me from the moment I decided to pursue my graduate degree in global health. I majored in psychology as an undergraduate student, and global health felt like stepping into a completely foreign field. I didn’t have a perfect academic record or years of professional experience. Unlike some of my classmates, I wasn’t walking in with a clear map of where I was going or a list of professional accolades to anchor my confidence. Instead, I was walking in with a lot of questions — and the quiet fear that I didn’t belong.
The feelings of uncertainty hit me particularly hard in classes on ethics or discussions of big, thorny challenges facing global health. How am I supposed to weigh in on the moral implications of someone else’s decision when I don’t even have a firm grasp on my own moral compass? I was trying to stay afloat in a tidal wave of new frameworks and concepts. At times, it felt almost laughable that I might have anything valuable to contribute.
And yet one thing I've come to realize is this: If you’ve made it here, it’s not by accident. You’re here because your experience does matter, even if it doesn’t look like everyone else’s. Maybe you, like me, weren’t at the top of your class. Maybe you came from a background that doesn’t perfectly align with your current path. But these so-called gaps in our resumes are not shortcomings. They are the unique aspects of our journey that shape how we see the world and how we contribute to it.
Those moments of doubt, of feeling like an outsider, shape us in ways that make us more empathetic, more resilient and ultimately more capable of contributing something meaningful.
This feeling of being new to everything can actually be an asset. There’s something valuable about coming into a field without preconceptions or rigid ideas of how things should be. Sometimes, it’s the fresh perspectives, the questions that seem "basic" or "naive," that uncover the gaps others may have overlooked. In global health, where so many issues have entrenched histories and complex solutions, it’s often those who are willing to ask the simplest questions that bring new clarity.
And if I’m being honest, maybe it’s a good thing I don’t have all the answers. After all, ethics isn’t about being right all the time—it’s about grappling with complexity, embracing uncertainty, and sometimes sitting with the discomfort of not knowing.
The reality is that no one has all the answers, no matter how polished they may seem. The vulnerability, the uncertainty, the doubt—these aren’t signs that you’re not enough. They’re part of the process, and in many ways, they’re the most important parts. It’s about how we navigate the challenges, how we learn from the stumbles, and how we persist even when we feel out of place. Those moments of doubt, of feeling like an outsider, shape us in ways that make us more empathetic, more resilient and ultimately more capable of contributing something meaningful.
In graduate school, we’re constantly told to measure up and hit certain benchmarks. The pressure to succeed can sometimes feel overwhelming. But here’s something I wish someone had told me earlier: Pressure is not the enemy. It’s a privilege. We feel pressure because we’re being challenged to grow, to expand our thinking and to push beyond our comfort zones. Yes, it’s uncomfortable, but it’s a signal that we are exactly where we are supposed to be.
Graduate school is hard. There’s no denying that. But to anyone who is struggling to find their place in this new world, remember that you are enough, right now, as you are. Your experience matters, even if it doesn’t look like anyone else’s. No matter your background or how much experience you think you lack, you bring something to the table that no one else can: your perspective, your way of thinking and your unique journey.
It’s not about having the most impressive résumé or the highest GPA. It’s about showing up as your authentic self, ready to learn and contribute in ways that are true to who you are. Your success will be shaped by the entirety of your journey, not just the polished parts.
