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Jax Nalley is a fourth-year Robertson Scholar from Northwest Arkansas, majoring in Public Policy and Romance Studies. On campus, he serves as Chief of Staff for Duke Student Government, is a Chapel Scholar, and a member of the POLIS Student Committee. He also serves on the Trinity Board of Visitors and as a student representative on the Trustee’s Undergraduate Education Committee. His most formative college experiences include coordinating client services at the New Orleans Public Defenders Office, studying abroad in Provence and Oxford, advocating for Durham residents facing homelessness, and interning on the health team of President Biden’s Domestic Policy Council. At Duke, Jax is most proud of founding the Karsh Student Advisory Board, which gives undergraduates a seat at the table in financial aid policymaking. He is broadly interested in economic justice advocacy in the South and hopes to one day work as a civil rights impact litigator.
Jax is interested in serving as Young Trustee to help Duke navigate the challenges facing higher education, to address the growing lack of public trust in institutions like Duke, and to champion Duke’s value to outside stakeholders. He is committed to ensuring that despite external pressures, Duke remains innovative, inclusive, and meaningfully engaged with Durham, our region, and the broader world. Coming from a rural background disconnected from elite institutions, he understands the barriers many face in accessing places like Duke, and he is eager to advance strategies that make the university more accessible while strengthening its public service mission.