Summer Internships for Public Policy Students at Duke Sanford

For Master of Public Policy student Hanny Achmad MPP’27, a World Bank internship in Washington D.C., working on the globally influential Business Ready (B-READY) report has sharpened her analytical skills on international business topics, ranging from environmental permitting, to property registration, to understanding how different countries structure business frameworks. Hanny is observing firsthand how a country’s policy choices translate to real conditions for businesses.  

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Hanny has always wanted to work at an international organization with diverse coworkers and teams from around the world. This World Bank internship is confirming her life-long interest in international economic development. Learning more about how regulatory landscapes impact businesses operations dovetails perfectly with her MPP concentration in environment and energy policy. 

Hanny needed help weaving her experiences (including a Fulbright Scholarship) into a strong application for a prestigious World Bank summer internship. Luckily, she could lean on the Duke Sanford Career Services team. 

Prior to working on the B-READY project, Hanny had experience analyzing regulatory landscapes at J-PAL Southeast Asia. This role trained her to look at environmental policy broadly before focusing on specific details – a way of thinking that is prized at the World Bank. She also spent time with the Institutional Review Boards reviewing research protocols for human subjects research, interpreting and applying legal and procedural requirements, and making judgment calls on things that aren’t clear cut - all tasks like the work she does now. But how to tell the strongest story in her application?   

Hanny knew who to ask for help. Duke Sanford Career Services advisor Jon Colon played a vital role throughout Hanny’s application process. He assisted her with editing her resume and offered expert advice on how to frame her disparate experiences into a dynamic, cohesive cover letter. He also conducted mock interviews and gave helpful feedback. 

Hanny shared, “Having someone who understood both my background and what these institutions look for made a real difference.” 

Hanny’s advice to students seeking an internship is to start early. The application process for many internships is long, so she emphasizes that applying early and keeping track of your communication is important. She also advises students to be persistent. Rejections are a part of the process, she notes, but don’t be discouraged. Hanny encourages students to interact with Career Services to practice interviewing in a supportive environment where feedback builds skills and confidence.    

Looking back, Hanny sees her internship as proof that the pieces of a career don't have to arrive in a neat, predictable order. Rather, they just need to be connected in the telling. The landscape analysis from J-PAL, the judgment calls at the IRB, and the guidance from Career Services: none of it looked like "World Bank experience" on paper until she learned how to frame it. 

For students eyeing similar paths, her story is a reminder that the groundwork is often already there. What it takes is starting early, staying persistent, and having the right support to help connect the dots.