2026 Duke Sanford Graduates: Victoria Zuchowski

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During her time at Duke, Zuchowski balanced the demands of Army service and graduate school with life as a new parent. At times, that meant moving straight from coursework to childcare, or bringing her daughter to class in a sling, folding motherhood into the rhythm of daily life at Sanford. Some of her most meaningful moments from the program had nothing to do with assignments or deadlines. They happened in between. Her daughter took her first steps inside the Sanford building. Just outside Rhodes Conference room, walking toward her during a class break. 

“We even got it on video”, she said. "She saw me and was like, ' Here I go!”

Behind those moments was a network of support that made it all possible. Managing military responsibilities, graduate coursework and raising young children required more than discipline. It required people she could rely on.

“My husband, who is also a service member, carried much of the responsibility at home during particularly demanding periods of the program,” she said. “His support played a major role in my ability to succeed academically.”

“My mother also stepped in to help when needed, driving from Georgia several times to assist with childcare when school or work demanded more of my time.”

That support allowed her to show up fully, both in the classroom and at home, and underscored how much community matters when the stakes are high and the demands are constant.

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A path shaped by service

“I joined the Army because I wanted to be part of something larger than myself,” Zuchowski said. “Public service has always appealed to me, and the military offered a lifestyle centered on discipline, responsibility, leadership, and physical and mental resilience.”

She found that sense of purpose in the infantry. At the University of North Georgia, a senior military college, she saw firsthand the culture and trust that defined those units and the bonds built through shared hardship.

“The Infantry in particular stood out to me because it is one of the few professions that truly exists only within the military,” she said. “That responsibility carries a certain weight and purpose that drew me in.”

Her path through the Army has included enlisted service in the Georgia National Guard as a military police soldier, followed by commissioning as an officer and serving in roles across Infantry, Civil Affairs and now as a Strategist. Each stage expanded her perspective on how teams operate and how leaders grow.

“Leadership is multidimensional,” she said. “Good leaders are not only capable decision-makers, they are also good followers. Everyone answers to someone, and understanding how to support leadership above you is just as important as leading those below you.”

Over time, she saw her role evolve. Early in her career, success often depended on technical skill and direct expertise. With greater responsibility came a shift toward integrating different perspectives and guiding teams with varied talents.

“A leader does not need to be the expert in everything. Strong teams rely on people with different strengths and expertise. Effective leaders understand those strengths, empower their teammates, and help them grow.”

Connecting service and policy

As her career progressed, Zuchowski became increasingly interested in the broader policy environment shaping national security decisions. The challenges she encountered in operational settings were often tied to decisions made far beyond the immediate mission.

“Military operations do not exist in isolation,” she said. “They are connected to economic policy, international partnerships, technological development, and diplomatic strategy.”

At Duke, she found an environment that encouraged her to explore those connections more deeply. In classrooms filled with peers from a wide range of professional backgrounds, discussions pushed her to think beyond a single lens and consider how policy decisions shape outcomes on the ground.

“The Sanford School of Public Policy provided an opportunity to study those issues in an academic environment that values both analytical rigor and real-world application,” she said. That experience sharpened how she approaches complex problems and deepened her understanding of the systems behind them. “Military leaders often focus on operational problems, but those problems are usually connected to larger policy frameworks,” she said.

It also strengthened her sense of purpose in pursuing this work.

“Public policy matters because the decisions made by leaders today shape the security, stability, and prosperity of future generations,” she said.

Carrying it all forward

Zuchowski’s time at Duke demanded that she carry multiple responsibilities at once, often under pressure and with little room for pause. 

“What I am most proud of is balancing everything simultaneously,” she said. “During this program I managed graduate coursework, military responsibilities, pregnancy and parenting, and a six-month deployment. My journey reflects the idea that leadership is a continuous process of growth. Every stage of my career, from enlisted service to officer leadership, from operational roles to policy education, has added a new perspective.”

Becoming a parent reshaped how she thinks about the future and the impact of her work.

“Having children makes the long-term consequences of policy decisions feel much more personal,” she said. “It reinforces the idea that the decisions leaders make today shape the world the next generation will inherit.”

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The next steps

After graduating from the Master of National Security Policy program, Zuchowski will remain at Sanford to begin the Master of Public Policy program this fall. After that, she will attend the Army’s Basic Strategic Art Program as part of her transition into the Army Strategist field.

“Some of my favorite memories during this program are personal ones,” she said. “With me returning in the fall to begin the MPP program, there is a chance my son might take his first steps here too. In that way, Sanford has become part of our family’s story.”

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The views, opinions, and experiences expressed in this article are solely those of the interviewee and do not represent the official position of the U. S. Government, the Department of War, the U.S. Army or U.S. Army Special Operations Command nor do they imply official endorsement of any educational institution or program.