I’m pursuing a master’s in divinity and public policy. The two programs complement each other well. At Sanford, everyone has interesting backgrounds and they’re passionate about what they do. But more than passion, they’re capable. That’s what I love about Sanford. At the divinity school we are taught to do no harm, do good and love God. Depending on the church’s need, ministers sometimes spend more time addressing individual needs than correcting systematic injustices. At Sanford, people understand the costs that come along with doing good in effective ways, and they bear them every day as public servants who make systematic change.

I’m in the Army Reserves now and aim to be an Army chaplain. As a chaplain, you work with individuals, and you give a listening ear to leaders who are making decisions on things that happen in real time, and often what they do becomes policy. I want to offer ethical insight to the people that I’m speaking with, so I came to Sanford to understand how policy functions.

When I received the call to be in ministry, I knew I didn’t want to be someone who seems to just stand telling people what to do from lofty places. I am far from perfect. I love to be with those who are experiencing new things or going through difficult things in life. I show up awkwardly with my odd sense of humor, quirky joy and stand with you trying my best to remind you that you’re sacred amidst the messiness of life. So many people at Duke Divinity and Sanford have certainly taken the time to do that very thing for me and I do not take that kindness for granted.

When soldiers come home from deployments some struggle to adjust. Being in the military, you become accustomed to following orders and] you’re constantly thinking about the person next to you more than you’re thinking about yourself to achieve a common goal. When you come home everyone thinks about themselves quite a lot, sometimes asserting their will above that of the common good. It can be very frustrating. As a chaplain, I hope to help bridge that gap and help soldiers be resilient human beings when they transition back to civilian life. – Brittany Long MPP-MDIV ’24 #HumansofDukeSanford