Volunteer

You are invited to support Sanford and our global alumni community in critical roles that will contribute to the growth, leadership and future of our program. Join us as a regional leader working with other alumni or assisting with a variety of student needs. Share your expertise as a career panelist, hire a student intern, host a regional event, serve as a fundraising ambassador, or share your story. Do not see a role for you below? Contact Maggie Stroud for other opportunities.

Regional

ALUMNI EVENT HOST

Are you interested in helping to host an alumni event in your region?  You will coordinate event logistics with the Associate Director of Alumni Engagement to bringing valuable networking and relevant content to alumni.  Potential events could include faculty on the road events, Welcome to the Sanford Alumni Network for recent graduates, Sanford Social, Networking & Business Breakfast, Game Watch, service projects, and more.

DUKE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION (DAA) SANFORD CHAPTER BOARD REPRESENTATIVE

This position is instrumental in serving as a voice for alumni of the school on the Duke Alumni Association chapter board. You will encourage the DAA Chapter board to pursue programming that engages a broad cross-section of the alumni populations, beyond the traditional undergraduate experience. You will serve as a voice and liaison of the Sanford School, gathering information of areas and programming of interest in the region and sharing that feedback with Sanford's Director of Alumni Engagement. You will receive information of upcoming Sanford programming, events and opportunities and share that information with the chapter board and Sanford alumni in the region. In addition to attending DAA chapter regional board meetings, you may also be asked to host (or identify an appropriate venue) a Sanford Alumni event in your area. For more information on DAA responsibilities, click here.

Student Engagement

Assist our Career Services Team

Sanford alumni work with Sanford Career Services in these ways:

• Hire a summer intern or recent graduate.
• Share policy-relevant job postings.
• Attend a recruiting event or career fair.
• Practice interviewing skills with students.
• Speak on career panels and in workshops with groups of students.
• Be a job market resource to staff.

For more information, contact our Director Dr. Nadia Chamberlin: nadia.chamberlin@duke.edu

Sanford Board Leadership Initiative

SBLI places Duke Masters of Public Policy students as non-voting members on local (triangle area) nonprofit leadership boards for one calendar year (Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill).  Sanford alumni who work for a local non-profit organization, or who serve on a local non-profit board may apply for their organization to participate in SBLI.

 Expectations of organizations:

• Integrate the student into the board as a non-voting member (not an intern or consultant)
• Provide students with an orientation to the board and any relevant documents (board handbook, annual report, etc.)
• Place a student on a year-long project where they can create a deliverable based upon their policy skillset
• Match students with a board mentor
• Commitment of working with the student for 10-12 hours a month during an entire program cycle (January-December)

For more information, please contact Mackenzie Phillips, Student Wellness & Engagement Coordinator

Sanford Master's Mentoring Program

Sanford MPP/MIDP graduates who might be interested in becoming mentors for current MPP/MIDP students as part of the 2023-2024 Sanford Master’s Mentoring Program. Alumni can apply to be a mentor at the start of the Fall 2023 semester. If you are interested in potentially becoming a mentor to one of our current Sanford master-level students, please take time to complete this 5-minute survey. You can find program participation information below.

Program participation: 

• Attend the program’s virtual orientation (October)
• Communicate with your mentee at least three times during the program cycle from October 2023 to April 2024. Meetings can take place in person or via phone/Zoom 
• Receive periodic communications from the Mentoring Leadership Team to check in, exchange resources, and share updates 

If you have any questions or comments, please contact us at sanford-mentoring@duke.edu.  

MPP ADMISSIONS

Engagement with MPP alumni makes a huge impression on prospective MPP applicants. The impact of speaking to alumni and learning about their professional and lived experiences allows prospective MPP students to better envision their time at Sanford and their own professional trajectory in public policy. Admissions is also grateful for alumni expertise in the form of referrals and application review.

Opportunities to volunteer your time with MPP Admissions:

• Refer prospective students/applicants to the MPP Admissions office.
• Speak directly with prospective students/applicants about your own experiences.
• Serve as a panelist or alumni ambassador at an MPP Admissions event.
• Join MPP Admissions as an alumni ambassador at a recruitment fair.
• Serve on the MPP Admissions application review committee.
• Serve as our point of contact for a site visit/recruitment event with your current employer, as a professional development opportunity for employees considering an MPP degree.

Please feel free to contact MPP Admissions directly for any inquiries.

MIDP Applications Reader

As an MIDP Applications reader, you will work closely with MIDP staff to review and provide feedback on MIDP applications. An interview is required before being selected to serve as a reader with the MIDP staff.  Please contact Dr. Danny Hamrick (danny.hamrick@duke.edu), MIDP Director of Admissions, to express interest.

MIDP Admissions Event Ambassador

As an MIDP Admissions Event Ambassador, you will represent the MIDP program during a recruitment event or college fair. In working with the MIDP staff liaison, you will be provided with content and information to share with prospective students. You will be responsible for answering prospective students’ questions and sharing your experience as a positive role model for the program and school.  Please contact Dr. Danny Hamrick (danny.hamrick@duke.edu), MIDP Director of Admissions, to express interest.

Duke reader project

This project offers alumni an opportunity to help and support current Duke students with their writing assignments in Public Policy courses. Alumni get the opportunity to work with one student and give authentic feedback on their class writing project as professionals with relevant experience. This feedback helps students learn to anticipate the needs and expectations of readers, and to revise their writing to make it more effective for the intended audience. For more information please visit the Duke Reader Project website. 

MPP Alumni Advisory Board Member

MPP Alumni Advisory Board is charged by the Dean of the Sanford School to provide ongoing feedback to the leadership of the school and its faculty. The committee offers input on Sanford’s curriculum, identifies areas missing from the curriculum that may better position students for success, discusses emerging challenges and opportunities, and provide recommendations for improvements. This important committee reports to the chair and Director of the MPP program in close consultation with the Associate Dean of Career Services.