Profiles

Diku Rogers embodies the warmth and authenticity that defines Peddie. A graduate of the Class of 2012 and now a residential faculty member, she sits at a round table in Room 201 in Annenberg Hall, radiating a desire to make everyone she meets instantly feel a part of Peddie’s community — a community that has come to mean so much to her because of its humility and inclusiveness.

Growing up in Brooklyn, N.Y., Diku became involved with the TEAK Fellowship, a non-profit organization with a mission to “unlock access to outstanding education and transformative experiences for talented students from low-income families.” TEAK first exposed her to the idea of a boarding school experience and, after some research, she immediately knew Peddie was where she wanted to attend. “I was sold when I felt the spirit of Peddie when I first visited campus,” she says. “People were genuine and caring. They seemed to really enjoy being here. I knew in my gut I could see myself here.”

While Diku’s mother encouraged her attendance at Peddie, Diku laughs when she recalls that her father was a bit reluctant to let her go away and held a space for her at Bard High School Early College in New York City up until two weeks before she left for Peddie — just in case she changed her mind.