Meet Isis Duncan: Entrepreneur, Writer and CSU’s Fall 2023 Valedictorian – The Cauldron

Isis Duncan, a poetry enthusiast, entrepreneur and student, has spent the past four years of her life aiming to be the best.

Now, she will graduate as Cleveland State University’s fall 2023 valedictorian—though her route to graduation was filled with twists and turns. 

Meet Isis Duncan: the multi-talented, passionate, diligent valedictorian of Cleveland State University’s Fall 2023 graduating class. Photo Credit: Isis Duncan

When Duncan graduated from Bard High School Early College Cleveland with her high school diploma and an Associate’s degree, she knew she wanted to earn her Bachelor’s. She originally hoped to attend a university in Maryland, but finances were not in her favor.

As a first-generation college student, Duncan needed to find a way to get an education without breaking the bank. She decided to take a two-year gap between high school and college to focus on saving up money, but Duncan explained that making the decision was not easy.

“That really took a toll on me. I felt like I couldn’t amount to a lot and I would always have to be working,” Duncan shared. “I took 2 months to wallow in sadness, but then I got up and said ‘it’s time to make money so that we can work on the thing you truly want.’”

During her gap years, Duncan worked as a gas station associate, a poetry fellowship intern and a worker at Amazon. She designed and executed a plan to save as much money as possible for college. 

“I told myself, I’m only working [at Amazon] for a year,” she said. “Every paycheck I receive, I will set aside $100 for myself and also pay my bills. And after that year, go back to school, and that’s exactly what I did.”

Duncan added that not many people who follow the typical college trajectory get to experience the real world until they’re in their mid-twenties. With her two-year experience, she met many people who shaped how she views the world today.

“I gave myself time to really be in the real world…I met so many different people from so many different backgrounds along the elements of where I stand on things and I could truly curate my own ideas,” she said. “For me, it was really helpful.”

Duncan is an English major focused on creative writing since it has always been her passion to teach others how to write. Though she is enthusiastic about helping others, she has also learned a lot about herself throughout her time at Cleveland State thanks to the major she chose.  

“One thing that stands out to me is truly understanding why I love English and why I love creative writing,” Duncan began. “I think the main thing that fills me with joy is focusing on other words and examining them deeply, as well as creating my own world of interest. The best part about this major is that I had to examine myself a lot every day, and I think it’s difficult sometimes for people to sit within themselves versus just holding onto that and continuing with all these outside experiences.”

Photo Credit: Isis Duncan

As a mixed African-American woman, Duncan shared challenges she has faced throughout her life, especially during her college career. 

“Being mixed not only affected how I felt as an individual, but everyone also gave me identity, lack of identity, or entitlement,” she said. “It was very difficult to understand who I am, and it made me feel like a wandering ghost within my own body.”

Duncan also faced mental health issues as she grew up, which she credits as helping to shape her into the person she is today. The older you get, the harder dealing with your mental health becomes, she believes.

Although Duncan is in a much better place now, she still has bad days. To overcome them, she has learned to recognize what her body is feeling, respect and give it rest. She believes that her current negative emotions come from her younger self, and she tries to be respectful of her. 

“If I am not listening to myself, who will?”

Also providing encouragement to her peers, Duncan wishes to share one thing with the student body: 

“To the students, the discomfort of your life is your fuel! I know this statement may seem as if it lacks sympathy, but it truly is drenched in love.”

Duncan believes that people grow and change when faced with pressure, whether minor inconveniences or major life events. At the same time, she recognizes that fear of an invisible outcome can prevent people, especially college students, from growing.

Duncan proceeded to offer one last piece of advice:

“We are the outcomes, we make the world shift in ways no one else could envision when we continue to examine discomforts and live among them, understanding them vs pushing them away, we can find value in ourselves and our complex relationships with the world and people around us.” 

Duncan is set to graduate with her Bachelor of Arts in English on Saturday, Dec. 16 and plans to not only find work work in her field, but also take time to cultivate her photography business, which can be found on Instagram at _isis_photography.

Photo Credit: Isis Duncan