Sanford School of Public Policy
Duke University

Student Organizations

Duke MPP students have developed a variety of student-led organizations to give them opportunities to share specialized knowledge and talents with a like-minded community, to cultivate professional contacts, engage in community service activities and gain real-world policymaking experience.

Sanford MPP Student Council

The Sanford Student Representative Council is responsible for bringing any concerns, questions and recommendations regarding the MPP program (e.g., curriculum, faculty, facilities, etc.), to the administration. It facilitates student involvement in Sanford School planning, in partnership with the Director of Graduate Studies and MPP Director of Student Services.

2011-2012 Representatives:

• Second-Year Representatives: Megha Bansal, Matt Schuneman
• First-Year Representatives: Chris Marsicano, Katherine White
• Dual-Degree Representative: Francisco Santiago-Avila (MPP-MEM)
• Dean's Liaison: Harrison Gilbert
• Treasurer: Alexis D'Agostino
• Judicial Board Representative: Jenni Heissel

Academic Committee

The Academic Committee serves as a forum for student concerns regarding topics such as: requirements for academic concentrations, course offerings and electives, core curriculum needs, Master’s Projects and faculty and student interaction and advising.

2011-2012 Academic Committee Contact: Katie Klimczak

MPP Student Social Committee

The MPP Social Committee coordinates MPP social gatherings, such as a pizza party in September, a formal holiday party, international potluck dinners and a graduation party. The committee’s objective is to bring the MPP and MIDP students, faculty and staff together.

2011-2012 Social Committee Contacts: Maureena Thompson, Adrian Macias

Living Policy Forum (LPF)

LPF’s goal is to create a forum for discussion and learning about development and delivery of innovative public policy. The group is particularly interested in policy initiatives that cross traditional sector boundaries between the nonprofit, business, community and public sectors. LPF also wants to facilitate opportunities to learn from practitioners about public policy delivery in our local community. LPF does all this by inviting speakers to the Sanford, making site visits to Durham organizations and by arranging roundtable discussions with policy faculty.

2011-2012 LPF Contacts: Jenny Orgill, Maureen Richey

Social Entrepreneurship and Policy Initiative (SEPI)

SEPI's mission is to provide opportunities for and leverage the skills of our members through ventures, leadership, and education in social entrepreneurship and policy in four core areas: community, career, curriculum, and collaboration. SEPI hosts or co-sponsors social entrepreneuship panel discussions, professional development opportunities, and networking events.

2011-2012 Contact: Kevin Tsay

Graduate Professional Student Council (GPSC)

The Graduate and Professional Student Council of Duke University (GPSC – pronounced “gypsy”) is the umbrella student government organization for Duke’s eight graduate and professional schools.

Black Graduate and Professional Student Association

The BGPSA’s three-fold mission is to enhance the Duke experience for its members through community service, social events and academically-based programming; to contribute to the community; and to assist in the development of minority leadership.

Duke Microfinance Leadership Initiative (DMLI)

The Duke Microfinance Leadership Initiative (DMLI) is a collection of students, faculty and staff at Duke University building connections across campus and beyond to the fast-growing worlds of microfinance, social entrepreneurship, and sustainable enterprise. They are associated with the Sanford School of Public Policy, the Nicholas School of Environment, the Fuqua School of Business, the Duke Center for International Development, the Center for Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship, and a locally run non-profit called the Institute for Sustainable Development.

Graduate and Professional Women's Network (GPWN)

The Graduate and Professional Women’s Network has been providing Duke’s graduate and professional women students with personal and professional networking opportunities since 1994. The group’s goals include fostering networking opportunities across departments and schools; sponsoring programs that will teach graduate and professional school women skills that will help them succeed in their careers; providing a forum for discussion of campus and community issues; and advocating on behalf of graduate and professional school students to the Duke administration.

Sanford Journal of Public Policy (SJPP)

The Sanford Journal of Public Policy (SJPP) was created in 2009 as a forum for public policy students and professionals to contribute to the current policy discourse through insightful analysis and innovative solutions.  It is run by graduate students at the Sanford School and is published online on an annual basis.  The SJPP solicits articles across the spectrum of public policy in a variety of formats, including policy research and position papers, issue briefs, opinion pieces, reviews of recently published books, and interviews with policy professionals. Its website (http://sjpp.sanford.duke.edu/) is designed to be a place where public policy students and practitioners can stay connected to current policy discussions and express their own views on today’s policy challenges.

The SJPP is recruiting staff to edit submissions, blog about current policy issues, help keep our website up-to-date, and more.  We hope you will join us!

2011-2012 Editors:Gillian Locke, Patricia Rowan

Sanford Board Leadership Initiative (SBLI)

Sanford Board Leadership Initiative places Duke Masters of Public Policy (MPP) graduate students as non-voting members on local nonprofit leadership boards for one calendar year. This partnership offers nonprofits strategic support from graduate students with policy-specific knowledge and the opportunity for students to learn about nonprofit governance.

2011-2012 Contacts: Jess Harris, Lauren Hungarland, and Jamie Attard