SPHS Model Paves The Runway For A Career In Medicine

It was black as night. Only a white runway was visible, and the lone sound was the unified bray of camera shutters. That was the runway reality for 17-year-old Severna Park High School senior Sydney Duncan, who recently modeled at New York Fashion Week for Bradelis of New York, a lingerie brand. In just 18 months, Duncan went from watching her idol model, Victoria’s Secret Angel Gigi Hadid, to living her dream.

“I always wanted to model,” Duncan explained. “My aunt was a model in the ‘90s. My aunt died unexpectedly in her 20s in New York, so my dad wasn’t into me modeling.”

But in August 2014, Duncan submitted photos, attended an open call and was signed on the spot with Cima Talent Management in Columbia, Maryland. Now she’s signed with four additional agencies: OKAY Models in Hamburg, Germany; Marilyn’s Agency in North Carolina, and Click Model Management in New York and Philadelphia. She’s booked numerous print jobs, including New Jersey Bride magazine and Girls’ Life magazine, as well as online fashion jobs, including South Moon Under, GiGi Active and Boscov’s. She has also booked a television commercial for Huntington Learning Center with Pat Moran Casting in Baltimore.

The experience and the reaction have been surreal. “I was in homeroom and my teacher said, ‘I saw you last week in a commercial,’” Duncan said. Beyond surprise sightings, the senior said her modeling has not really changed how she interacts with her peers. “It’s not the topic of conversation,” Duncan said.

Beauty and composure aren’t the only attributes this 5-foot-9-inch, 115-pound woman has going for her; she also has brains, ambition and drive. Duncan applied to five colleges and has been accepted to all of them. She is currently deciding between University of Maryland and University of Georgia, with plans to continue modeling and be a pre-med major.

“When I started modeling, it was just for fun, a hobby,” Duncan said. “I don’t do sports. Then I got money from it and bought a car – a 2001 Jeep Cherokee Sport, which cost $5,000. Now I want my hobby to help me pay for my college, books, meal plan and med school.”

Though her experience at New York Fashion Week was an amazing one, as she met people from all over the world and heard their stories, Duncan said confidence was her biggest gift gained. “I guess I’m better than I thought,” Duncan said. “But I still prefer print, just because it’s less nerve-wracking. In print, you have to think about what they want, and you can achieve that look more accurately. With runway, it’s one and done.”

Duncan’s advice for aspiring models is simple: Work for it, get out there and listen well. “I had to do three jobs just to build my book. It takes time to build experience,” Duncan said.

The time investment has taken commitment, traveling a couple of hours each way to Philadelphia for most open calls and jobs. But with any great passion — like sports, dance or music — comes a significant investment of time. Duncan just hopes her investment in modeling will pave her way for a career in medicine.