Duke University opens Baldwin Scholars program to all students amid federal DEI enforcement
The program, previously limited to those identifying as female, has now been opened to all students.
Duke University has ended the Baldwin Scholars program’s long-standing female-only admissions policy, opening it to all undergraduates as part of a broader response to the Trump administration’s restrictions on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in higher education.
The program, which for nearly two decades accepted only “female-identified students,” was originally designed to help women build confidence and leadership skills.
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Its updated eligibility criteria now welcome applicants of any gender while maintaining a stated emphasis on developing women’s leadership.
References to gendered language have been removed from the program’s website, but can still be seen on an archived version.
The policy change comes as Duke implements its new “Inclusive Excellence” framework, which requires all university programs to be open to every student regardless of sex, race, or other protected characteristics.
The focus of the program will remain on women.
”To be admitted, any applicant must demonstrate the same deep commitment to women’s leadership as the program has always required,” Baldwin Scholars Program director Colleen Scott told The Chronicle. “The selection bar to become a Baldwin Scholar is already very high, and we are not lowering it.”
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The move follows months of federal scrutiny directed toward Duke and other major universities. A January executive order from President Trump targeted DEI practices at federally funded institutions, and subsequent guidance from the U.S. Department of Education warned schools that maintaining DEI-based eligibility criteria could jeopardize federal funding.
In July, the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services opened investigations into Duke’s admissions and scholarship policies for potential civil rights violations.
