Our students spend their summers around the globe, some traveling north to large East Coast cities, others to the West Coast, and still others pursue internships in Europe, Asia and elsewhere. They share in common a passion to improve our the world by applying their new policy knowledge and skills. 

Jazper Lu (PPS/PoliSci ’25)

News & Observer, Raleigh, NC

Jazper worked his way up at the Chronicle to managing editor. Then, during the summer of 2023, he landed an internship at the N&O. He was a part of the team that covered President Biden's visit to Fort Liberty (formerly Fort Bragg) in North Carolina. Jazper says he is really interested in politics and is glad to have nabbed an internship at the N&O covering the North Carolina state legislature and local state politics.

Read more about Jazper's experience at Duke.

Loading...

Jazper at Fort Liberty, covering President Biden's visit.

Loading...

Laurel Holley at the White House.

Laurel Holley (PPS’25)

Office of the Ambassador, United States Trade Representative, Washington, DC

Laurel worked in the office of Ambassador Katherine Tai. Ambassador Tai leads the nation’s trade policy, as top advisor, negotiator, and spokesperson.  Laurel helped curate the Ambassador’s media presence and contributed to travel planning. “It’s so much fun, I’m learning so much, and I’m meeting so many people!,” Laurel reports.  “I’ve also gotten to see the West Wing and I volunteered at a White House event this summer – all in the first month! I’m feeling very grateful, and so lucky that I have another six weeks to go.”

Gus Gress  (PPS ‘25)

Museo de la Justicia (Museum of Justice) in Asunción, Paraguay

Through DukeEngage Paraguay, Gus conducted human rights research in The Archives of Terror ( "Archivo del Terror”) at the Museum of Justice in Asunción, Paraguay. He and Emely Arredondo, fellow researcher and DukeEngage participant, explored police documentation of civilians and dissidents of the Alfredo Stroessner dictatorship. Their focus became the surveillance of two former U.S. Ambassadors to Paraguay – Robert White and Clyde Taylor. Gus says that in addition to the eye-opening internship, his favorite part of the summer was getting to know the city of Asunción and bonding with his fellow DukeEngage team members.

Loading...

Gus with fellow intern Emerly Arredondo (Duke '26), and Rosa Palau, Coordinadora del Museo de Justicia - Centro de Documentación y Archivo para la Defensa de los Derechos Humanos.

Loading...

Sebastian Borda (PPS ‘20)

U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC | Office of Governor Greg Abbott, Austin, TX

"In D.C. I worked as a Congressional intern for Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC), where I researched Hong Kong’s contentious extradition bill, the conflict in Syria, and U.S. trade in the Indo-Pacific. In Texas I worked in the governor's office, conducting a review of bills vetoed by the governor and a review of governor's homelessness efforts across the U.S."