Events

Sanford Alumni and Student Mixer,
March 18, 5:30 – 7:00 PM ET Fleishman Commons, Duke Sanford

Calling all Duke Sanford Alumni located in the Triangle - please join us for an alumni-student networking reception! We hope this will be a chance for you to see some old friends, as well as help students learn from alumni working in the policy space.

This event is co-hosted by Sanford Career Services and the Sanford Development and Alumni Relations office.

Click Here to Register and to Learn More 

Tackling Polarization Through Civil Discourse
April 3, 6:30 – 8:30 PM ET Debevoise & Plimpton, New York

The Duke Sanford Development and Alumni Relations team invites you to join us as we learn about the work of Duke’s Civil Discourse Project. Sanford Professor and Director of Polis: Center for Politics Abdullah Antepli will lead a discussion highlighting the future of the project and the unique opportunity it provides to Sanford and Duke.

Sanford’s Interim Dean Manoj Mohanan recently shared the following about the Civil Discourse Project: “We aim to create a much-needed space for well-informed conversations where we might differ in our political views but continue to work together towards a common objective of solving complex policy challenges.”

Please join us for an insightful evening as Professor Antepli shares ways we can engage in healthy exchanges across differences, why the work of civil discourse is vital for our future and highlights the role that Duke and its alumni can play in strengthening democracy and civil discourse. We look forward to sharing an evening of conversation with you—all Duke alumni, parents, and friends of Duke are invited to join the event!

Click Here to Register and to Learn More 

Duke Reunion 2025 

March 28-30, Duke Campus 

Sanford Serves for Duke Children’s will be one of the events featured during the weekend.  Guests are invited to join the Sanford Development and Alumni Relations team for dessert and networking as we support Duke Children’s – we will be creating patient name signs and socks. Sanford believes in planting seeds of change within our communities and looks forward to supporting Duke Children’s with you! 

Click Here to Register and To Learn More 

Duke 3rd Annual Book Drive and Pop-Up Sale, Benefiting Turning the Page 

Book Drive: April 5-26, Greater D.C. Region 

Pop-Up Sale: May 3, Rosslyn, VA 

During the month of April, join Sanford Serves to once again support Turning the Page, a local nonprofit 

co-founded by Sanford alumnus Jason King PPS'94, which serves to maximize parents' and caregivers' involvement in their children's learning. We will be supporting this philanthropy by collecting used books, CD's, DVD's and vinyl at drop-off points throughout the region. 

Registration and More Information to Be Released in the Coming Weeks.

DC Summer Social 

May 14, 5:30 – 7:30 PM, Duke in D.C. Rooftop

Registration and details to come.  
 

What Role Does Civil Discourse Play in Higher Education? 

May 21, 5:30 – 7:30 PM CT, Nashville, TN  

Registration and details to come 

Democracy and Civil Discourse: The Challenges and Opportunities Ahead

March 10, 6:00 – 8:00 PM PST

Atherton, CA 

Click Here to Register and To Learn More 

March 11, 5:30 – 7:30 PM MST 

Cherry Hills Village, CO 

Click Here to Register and To Learn More 

On march 10 in California and 11 in Colorado we invited alumni and friends to join us for an exploration of our democracy's challenges and opportunities with Sanford Professor Asher Hildebrand. After a distinguished career in government and politics, he now teaches and writes about the current state of American democracy. His popular “American Democracy at a Crossroads” seminar examines three defining challenges facing the country—polarization and partisanship, political inequality, and threats to voting and election integrity. 

We held an insightful evening as Professor Hildebrand evaluated our democracy in the wake of the 2024 election, reflected on what he has learned through his teaching and research, and highlighted the role that Duke and its alumni can play in strengthening democracy and civil discourse. 

Why Are Trauma-Informed Programs and Research Necessary for Our Tomorrow?

By becoming aware of societal traumas, we can learn to respond with action and create a world where trauma is replaced by resiliency and growth.  Duke Sanford held a fire-side chat featuring Amelia Thorn, the Assistant Director for Special Projects at the Bolch Judicial Institute at Duke Law and Katie Rosanbalm, Associate Research Professor with the Center of Child and Family Policy at Duke Sanford.  How can the justice system be more trauma-informed?  What is being done to create trauma-sensitive schools?   

We explored these questions and more as we learn how the intersection of justice and education plays a part in moving our communities forward and we can join the efforts being researched at Duke.

#SanfordServes Celebrating 25 Years of the Center for Child and Family Policy

In honor of Duke’s Centennial, Duke’s 100th class graduating in 2025, and the Sanford School’s namesake, Sanford Serves invited Duke alumni to come together around a public service mission as we celebrated the Center for Child and Family Policy (CCFP) 25th Anniversary!

We believe in planting seeds of change within our communities and with our alumni scattered around the world, and through this initiative, alumni can come together to fuel meaningful change and inspire civic engagement in our communities.

We shared a meal, and heard from the Director of CCFP, Professor Jennifer Lansford, while serving together as we wrapped at-home kits for The Diaper Bank of North Carolina. 

Click Here to See Event Photo Album

The 2024 Post-Election Panel: What Just Happened? 

Duke Sanford partnered with DukeDC Women’s Forum, The Chronicle, and Duke Politics and Policy Network to host a dynamic bipartisan panel discussion with political experts addressing the key factors defining this presidential election – including the outcome of key congressional and gubernatorial races impacting the national political landscape. 

Moderator: Judy Woodruff WC'68, Senior Correspondent for PBS NewsHour. Panelists: Nia‐Malika Henderson T'96, Senior Political Analyst for CNN; Jon Hilsenrath T'89, P'20, Founder of Serpa Pinto Advisory and former correspondent for The Wall Street Journal; and Paul Teller T'93, Executive Director of Advancing American Freedom.

A Duke Centennial Conversation on Civil Discourse and Democracy 
Oct 29, 6:30 – 9:00 PM BST, The British Museum, London 

On October 29 at the British Museum of London, hosted Duke Immerse, a semester-long program in which undergraduates enroll in a cluster of four courses designed by Duke faculty around a central theme. 

This semester, the Civil Discourse and Democracy program aims to provide an interdisciplinary experience for students seeking to deepen their understanding of how public debates shape – and are shaped by–policymakers, higher education, and the media. Alumni, parents, and friends of the Duke UK and Duke Europe communities are invited to meet the faculty - Sanford Faculty includes Professor Stephen Buckley and Professor Phil Napoli - and students for an evening of networking and engaging in this topic. 

Meet the dean

On October 1st we invited Duke Sanford Alumni to join us for an evening of networking as we introduced our DC Sanford alumni to Sanford’s Interim Dean Manoj Mohanan. Interim Dean Mohanan will shared an overview of Sanford’s priorities and how the school is moving public policy forward. 

Duke Forever Learning Lessons in Leadership 
September 27, 7:30 AM – 1:30 PM EST, Washington Duke Inn, Durham 

On September 27, Sanford Professor and polis Director, Abdullah Antepli took a dive deep into leadership development and expanding your network within the Duke alumni community. This program offered a unique opportunity to gain essential principles and insights for effective leadership and was specifically designed for experienced professionals.

Planting Seeds of Change - 100 hours of service for 100 years of duke
August 2024

One initiative we are working on is growing our #PlantingSeedsOfChange tagline from our Sanford Serves initiative. What seeds of change are you planting in your community? 

Join us for #PlantingSeedsOfChange and you will receive a free Duke Sanford flag. Do you want to share your seeds of change with your fellow Sanford alumni? We can help! Send us your information and we will send you a custom flag (stand not included). Send us back a photo of your flag in your garden/yard/potted plant/bulletin board, tell us a little about what you are doing this summer, and we will post the photos on our social media platforms.

What adventures are you embarking on this summer? What public policy topics excite you when you think of planning seeds of change in your community? We want to hear from you! 

Click Here to Join the Initiative and Learn More

Duke Alums Engage for Middle Tennessee Youth in Foster Care 

On May 19,Duke Nashville partnered with Sanford Serves to support young people in foster care by donating items such shampoo, toothbrushes, bottled water, notebooks, and blankets, for youth exiting foster care as well as children entering foster care.

Donations collected were given to Youth Villages of Middle Tennessee and distributed to young people around graduation time in June.

Duke Sanford Summer Social Featuring Special Sanford Campus Guests

On May 15, we invited Duke public policy alumni, students, and friends to join us for a summer gathering on the Duke in DC rooftop.

The event comprised DC-based alumni, recently graduated students just moving to DC, and students interning in DC for the summer. 

To view event photos click here. 

Who is Selling Your Personal Data? How Do Data Brokers and The California Delete Act Play a Role?

On May 6 the Sanford School took the lead in analyzing the data brokerage ecosystem and proposing policy solutions including those in the California Delete Act. Alumni and friends joined Professor David Hoffman for dinner as he discussed his Technology Policy Lab’s data brokerage research and the role that capital investment and innovation can play in reducing the risks to individuals and society. 

Duke Alums Engage: 2nd Annual Book Drive and Pop-Up Sale, Benefiting Turning the Page   

From April 1 to April 27 we held a pop-up book sale and drive for the Greater D.C. Region 

Sanford Serves co-sponsored the opportunity alongside DukeDC.

To showcase the outstanding public service contributions of Sanford alumnus Jason King, and in honor of Duke's Centennial, this project is also co-sponsored by Sanford Serves.

The Evolving Relationship Between the Press and the Public: A Conversation with Frank Bruni

On April 18th Duke Sanford Alumni and friends gathered for an informal discussion held by Sanford professor and New York Times columnist Frank Bruni, How has the relationship between the press and the public changed over the past 50 years? What has driven those changes, and what are the consequences of it? 

A conversation that delved into the state of journalism and political discourse as we approach the 2024 election.  

Caste: The Origins of our discontent - virtual book discussion

n March 6, Duke alumni joined us for a discussion centered around Isabel Wilkerson’s Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents book. Cassandra Boyd, Sanford’s Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, facilitated the discussion. Why did we select this book? Wilkerson was recently on campus giving a lecture and this was a way to bring a bit of campus to our alumni everywhere.

Sanford Alumni and Student Mixer

On Feb 27, Duke Alumni located in the Triangle who work in the government or non-profit-related sectors - Joined us for an alumni-student networking reception. This was a great opportunity to see old friends as well as help students learn from alumni working in the policy space. 

Click Here to View Event Photos

Inaugural Black Policy Conference hosted by the Committee for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and Policy in Living Color at Duke's Sanford School of Public Policy

Feb. 23 and 24 served as a momentous occasion and a unique opportunity for our alumni to connect with current students, faculty, and staff to reconnect, and actively engage in thought-provoking discussions surrounding domestic and international policy issues.

Specifically, alumni were invited to attend the Black Alumni Mixer at Proximity Brewing Company on Saturday, February 24.

Click Here to View Event Photos

Sanford ALumni in D.C. join us for Alumni Engagement 101 - Why? How?

Duke Sanford alumni came together to meet and mingle with other recent grads, along with Duke Public Policy alumni in D.C. who serve as regional leaders and engage as Duke volunteers. It was a great space to network amongst local alumni in the region and learn about exciting opportunities at Sanford.

This event was sponsored by the Sanford Development and Alumni Relations Team and was targeted at Duke public policy alumni (public policy undergrads and graduates from Sanford grad degree programs) who graduated in 2019 or later, and all alumni working in policy or policy-related roles.

A business breakfast with Ronnie Chatterji
At duke in D.C.

The Duke D.C. Professional Development Committee invited alumni and current parents to a conversation with Ronnie Chatterji, Fuqua and Sanford Professor of Business and Public Policy and former White House CHIPS coordinator for President Biden.

Discussions included issues at the intersection of academia, public policy, and business while investigating the most important forces shaping our economy and society.

The conversation was moderated by Todd Horst ‘91, P'23,

SANFORD ALUMNI IN Singapore joined Dean Judith Kelley in Singapore
for a conference

Sanford’s Dean Judith Kelley was in Singapore for a conference and connected with local alumni while she was there. The Duke Sanford family provides networking opportunities no matter where you are. 

Sanford ALumni in South America joined Professor Jay Pearson for lunch at La Dicha restuarant

Sanford Professor Jay Pearson will in South America to conduct some site visits to advance his research. He was gracious enough to let us know that he would be in Santiago for a few days in December and welcomed the opportunity to connect with alumni while he was there. Professor Pearson was joined by several alumni for a lovely lunch. 

Arts Policy and Leadership After 2020

On Nov. 17 Sanford School of Public Policy's Hart Leadership Program director, Professor Andrew Nurkin, held a discussion focused on leadership and the arts in a post-2020 world. Answering the questions, how does public policy shape our experience of the arts? What kind of leadership do the arts require now? How might the arts help us reimagine public life?

The Duke Sanford Development and Alumni Relations team, along with Dean Judith Kelley and the Duke South Florida Regional Group, held a mixer to focus on looking forward while exploring these topics. The event was a great networking opportunity for Duke alumni and friends in the area.

Click here to view the event photos.

The 2024 Election, One Year Out

As we approach the one-year countdown to the 2024 election, the campaign for the presidency is already in full swing—but many big questions remain unanswered. Are we headed inevitably toward a rematch between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump? What developments over the next year could determine the outcome of the presidential race and the contest for control of Congress? And what implications will 2024 have for the future of American democracy?

Duke’s Polis: Center for Politics and the Duke Triangle alumni chapter along with award-winning journalist John Harwood (’78) held an exclusive conversation about these questions and more, featuring two leading national political strategists: Sarah Longwell (President and CEO of Longwell Partners and Publisher of The Bulwark) and Michael Podhorzer (Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress and former political director of the AFL-CIO).

The special event was open to all members of the Duke community, Duke alumni, and the general public.  or further questions, please contact Meg Bittle at meg.bittle@duke.edu.

Relationships, Representation, and Recruitment - How To Be Our Authentic Selves

On Oct. 26, Professor Jay Pearson held a presentation to explore relationships and representation in our academic and professional lives. Inviting alumni and students to explore ways that people or organizations can create space for people to express their authentic selves.

The event was held in collaboration with Sanford’s Career Services Office, Sanford's DEI team, and Sanford’s Development & Alumni Relations Office. The event was open to all students and Sanford alumni but focused on those that hold underrepresented/historically marginalized identities, including Black, Indigenous, and students/alumni of color, first-generation students/alumni, LGBTQ+, neurodiverse students/alumni, students/alumni with a disability, students/alumni of varying gender identity and expression, and other populations.

How Does Dismantling Structural Racism Impact the US's National Identity?

Sanford Professor Jay Pearson led a discussion focused on how structural inequity, structural racism, and systemic racism lead to health inequities. The Sanford Development and Alumni Relations team, along with the Duke NY Regional Group was joined by Duke Alumni and friends of Duke for an engaging discussion, learning alongside each other, and networking session.

Click here to view the event gallery. 

Duke Forever Learning Institute: The Ethics of Helping

On Sep. 21, Abdullah Antepli - Associate Professor of the Practice, Sanford School of Public Policy, and Eric Mlyn - Lecturer and Distinguished Faculty Fellow posed the question, is there a “right” way to volunteer? Are good intentions more important than good outcomes? In the session, they weighed the complexities of ethics in volunteering and interrogated perceptions of what it means to be a good volunteer.

Click here to see past FLI sessions. 

Climate & Sustainability Reception on the Rooftop

On July 20, Duke Univeristy held it's Climate and Sustainabilty reception on the rooftop at Duke In D.C. Climate and sustainability professionals, Duke faculty, staff and alums in D.C. got together alongside former Stanback Dean of the Nicholas School of the Environment Toddi Steelman, the vice president and vice provost for climate and sustainability who is leading the Duke Climate Commitment, to discuss the climate issues facing our country and possible solutions. 

Duke Politics and Policy Network (DPPN) Summer Happy Hour

On July 20th The Duke Politics and Policy Network held a  Summer Happy Hour at the Dacha Beer Garden in Washington D.C. Duke alums of all ages who work in politics or policy came together for bipartisan conversation and fellowship, made up of Duke students, parents, and friends.