Student Voices: Embrace the Pivot

By Sydney Benson-Polk T’28

The most impactful piece of career advice I have received is simple: do not be afraid of the pivot. Whether it means changing careers, pursuing a new opportunity, stepping outside of your comfort zone, or shifting your mindset, the ability to pivot is essential for growth. 

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When I began thinking seriously about my future career, the Sanford Pathways program challenged me to embrace that idea in a completely new way. Before the program’s immersive three-day program in Washington, D.C., I viewed careers in public policy as confined to distinct paths. You worked in politics, advocacy, or communications, but rarely across them. The Sanford Pathways program quickly challenged that assumption. From the moment we arrived in D.C., I was introduced to professionals whose work existed at the intersection of sectors rather than within just one, an idea that by the end of the program reshaped how I envisioned my own career.

One of our first speakers, Devi Thomas, global head of community development and engagement at Google, offered an early glimpse into this multidisciplinary approach. She spoke about Google’s work engaging with local communities, including initiatives in Charleston, South Carolina, where the company collaborated with local leaders to ensure development aligned with community needs. As someone from South Carolina, this immediately resonated with me. Although I had never considered a role in tech, I was struck by how corporate influence, public policy, and community advocacy could intersect to create tangible impact. That same day, conversations with Duke alumni working in health policy, human services, and the National Park Service reinforced the breadth of opportunities available across sectors and left me thinking critically about my own career path.

Our program had no shortage of inspiring experiences, but Friday brought moments that will stay with me for a long time. We started our day with a private viewing at the National Archives, and I felt a sense of deep understanding seeing our country’s founding documents up close – the very documents that enshrine the idea of America and its democracy. Later, at National Geographic Society’s headquarters, I was captivated by the scientific storytelling and photography from one of their science explorers, Esther Horvath. Her passion for documenting and shaping stories about the Arctic was palpable, and seeing the process behind the magazine pages made me realize how creativity and advocacy can work together to drive awareness and change. 

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Our program also gave me a firsthand look at work in the government. We visited the U.S. Department of State, where I took the opportunity to ask a panel of civil servants about pivotal moments in their careers. Hearing them reflect on the many ways they had navigated unexpected opportunities and shifted paths gave depth to the conversation and helped me reimagine how I might shape my own career. Our interaction reinforced that meaningful work often exists at the intersection of interests rather than confined to a single lane.

The realization of how my interests could intersect came most clearly at the United Nations Foundation when I met the organization’s chief communications officer. David Ohana and his colleague led a collaborative discussion in which they encouraged us to share our ideas on how social media and marketing could support public advocacy. We learned how their team worked with Beyoncé to create a special performance of “I Was Here” at the UN General Assembly in honor of World Humanitarian Day. I was deeply moved by the scale of impact that communication and advocacy could achieve. I was fully engaged in the conversation, asking questions, offering suggestions, and giving advice on their upcoming projects. Seeing campaigns that combined policy, communication, and engagement to create real economic and social impact worldwide was exhilarating. As someone who runs social media accounts, has taken Duke courses in Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and has always been drawn to advocacy, I felt a clarity I had not experienced before. In that moment, I realized I did not have to choose between my interests; I could pursue policy, advocacy, and media simultaneously. This was the pivot that reshaped my vision of a future career.

Originally from Greenville, South Carolina, Sydney Benson-Polk is a rising junior at Duke University pursuing a double-major in Political Science and Psychology and a certificate in Innovation & Entrepreneurship. Her academic and personal interests lie at the intersection of media, public policy, and public service, with a strong focus on how communication and storytelling shape civic engagement and social impact.

At Duke, she is a creator at the Innovation Co-Lab, a mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters, and a member of the Duke Black Pre-Law Society, Community Engagement BSA, Marsh Cognitive Psychology Lab, and Business Oriented Women. Through these experiences, she strives to build community, support others, and apply her skills toward impactful, service-driven work.