“My name is Kiko and I am a junior at Sanford majoring in public policy studies. My dream job is to be a staffer on the Hill. I know that in order to get a job as a staffer, I’m going to need relevant experience.

I’d love to connect with staffer alum and understand how they positioned themselves ahead of time. What internships should I focus on this year? Are there any key classes or extra curricular activities that would help?

Thank you for reading my question and helping me to be the best candidate for staffer jobs next year.”

“Hi, I’m Alon and I graduated from Sanford 4 years ago. After graduating, I took a job with a think tank, primarily focused on education policy. In that time, I realized that even though the compensation is great, I want to make a positive impact on the world.

I am therefore looking to transition into the public sector, hoping to improve international educational opportunities, particularly for the underprivileged. It would be helpful to connect with alumni who have made the corporate to public sector transition, even if it was outside of education. I would like to better understand positioning; mistakes to avoid; and how corporate / public sector cultures / environments differ.

Thanks you for your help and stay safe!”

“My name is Maya and I am a sophomore in the Sanford School of Public Policy from Lebanon. I am deeply passionate about economic development across the globe, but particularly for the country that I grew up in. I’ve really enjoyed my classes (especially Economics of the Public Sector), and want to understand how to apply these theories.

For those Sanford alumni who came to Duke and returned to make an impact, I’d love to connect and hear about your journey. How did you network when you were in the United States? Was being educated in the United States ever a drawback? What did you do outside of the classroom to prepare and differentiate yourself?

Thank you so much for taking the time to share your wisdom. I really appreciate it. Go Duke!”

“Hi, I’m Pete and I am a vice president at a global consulting firm, focusing on global trade. I graduated from Sanford 15 years ago, and I am looking to transition to the nonprofit sector, ideally a U.S.-based firm with operations in Africa.

I’m interested in connecting with Dukies who made a similar transition from corporate to nonprofit, particularly after having a successful career. One of the biggest challenges I am facing is finding out about opportunities that are a great fit.

Thank you and looking forward to connecting.”