Sanford School of Public Policy
Duke University
2009 Duke in Geneva Prograrm Blog
Join a group of our current participants as they document their lives as interns, tourists and students of Geneva. View Blog
Disclaimer: Opinions expressed by student bloggers are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Sanford School of Public Policy. The Sanford School is not responsible for the accuracy of information supplied by student bloggers and is not liable for errors or omissions, nor related losses, injuries or damages.
Praise from Program Participants
“Working at the World Health Organization gave me invaluable experience and the credibility I needed to pursue a career in health policy. The site visits gave us a great glimpse into renowned organizations from the inside and helped me establish a highly advantageous professional network. I will come away from Geneva having gotten to know such a diverse group of people, many of whom will continue to be part of my personal and professional life. I feel very lucky to have had this experience and for this reason alone would recommend the program!” Ilaria Regondi, 2008 participant
“The Geneva program gave me a thorough understanding about how international organizations work, specifically how they are involved in the policy-making process. My internship at International Risk Governance Council helped me to develop important skills, such as practical risk assessment methodology, that will be essential for my future career as an energy policy analyst.” Saori Tokuoka, 2008 participant
“For me, the Duke program offers three extraordinary opportunities. First, it mixes theoretical learning with practical experience. I was able to study the dilemmas and controversies facing humanitarian aid today both in the classroom and in practice through my internship at the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. The second opportunity the Duke program offers is the ability to dialogue openly with field experts. We were exposed to the highest level of experts in development - people who had led missions during the war in Iraq, had worked with rape victims after civil conflicts or had just returned from assessing the refugee situation in Lebanon. These experts shared their professional backgrounds with us, but - even more valuable - they shared their personal stories, too. We were encouraged to ask them anything - from how to get a job in their organization to how they managed a family with their work to whether or not they would have done things differently looking back on the choices they made. Finally, the third extraordinary opportunity was the chance to meet and really get to 
know other program participants. I found the discussions stimulated by the students themselves were equally as important as the classes, the internships and the exchange with experts. The discussions we had outside of the classroom were eye-opening, at times difficult, but always motivating. I built lasting friendships through the program. No other program manages to combine these three opportunities in the way that the Duke program does, and it was the perfect compliment to my graduate studies.” Tanya (Toni) De Mello, 2006 participant
“The Global Health Fellows track of the Program on Global Policy and Governance has been one of the best all-around experiences in which I've participated. Academically, it offers many opportunities to engage with thought leaders in the world and gain perspective on how policy is shaped. Our Global Governance course was taught by those on the frontlines of global health, and we had ample opportunities in a small group setting to engage them in debate and discourse. Our fellowship also exposed us to decision-making on an international scale; I got to see how decisions are made on the international level, how they translated to countries, and how various sectors of society, i.e. NGOs, IGOs, civil society, interacted with each other to effect change. Socially, the program is ideal for those who want to meet other young up-and-coming leaders from around the world. Geneva is an extraordinarily international environment, and the other interns and fellows who congregate at the dozens of international organizations offer a rich social environment. Many of the fellows still keep in touch, and I have no doubt that we will meet each other again at various points in our career. I would recommend this program very highly to any medical or public health students interested in international health policy.” Leana S. Wen, 2006 participant
“I associate the Geneva Program with a multidisciplinary approach and rich personalities. The Geneva Program gave me the opportunity to gain insight about global agencies targeted to promote development through trade. The perfect
design of the intensive courses enabled us within one week to tackle the
trade issue from different perspectives: ecology, human rights, high-tech, and
humanitarian. I was enriched not only by the workshop content, but also
by other program experiences and participants. I really enjoyed attending a simulation conference with a team of strong fellow future policymakers. I found Geneva Program to be a great way to enhance my graduate study and build a successful professional career in international development policy.” Sandugash Beisenbekova, 2006 participant
“As a medical student, it is rare to find a program that allows you to participate in health policy at a global level. The Global Health Fellows Program, one track in the Program on Global Policy and Governance, fills this gap and provides a unique experience that may be difficult to find otherwise. In addition to the internship, you can seek out opportunities to observe and participate in global policy meetings; for example, I was able to attend open sessions at the World Health Assembly, World Trade Organization, and World Intellectual Property Organization meetings. I also made some good connections and fantastic friends, both within the program and at local NGOs in the area. I highly recommend spending time in Geneva for those who are interested in global health policy. By seeing firsthand how institutions of global governance interact with each other, I have a better idea of how - and where - I see myself fitting in the field of global health in the future.” Tanyaporn Wansom, 2006 participant
“The Geneva Program is a great opportunity for aspiring policy practitioners to gain invaluable insight into the debates and methods of negotiation currently ongoing in all areas of global policy. More importantly, the program undoubtedly helped me build my rolodex, from fellow students to experienced policymakers. I imagine there are few graduate summer experiences that offer such breadth of learning and network building as Duke’s program. I found it a wonderful way to enhance my graduate study in pursuit of a successful professional career in international policy.” Christopher Martin, 2005 participant
“Geneva gave me the opportunity to learn about refugee policy from the world's top practitioners. The people who work at UNHCR headquarters are the leading experts in the field, with significant work experience in every corner of the world, from Mozambique to Afghanistan to Iraq to Indonesia. It was common to have coffee with the coordinator for the Afghanistan repatriation program or to pass the senior legal advisor for the Iraq operation in the hall. There's no better place to develop your knowledge refugee law and policy.” Matt Perault, 2005 participant 
“My Geneva experience was fantastic! Geneva is such an international place, filled with people from around the world. I had a chance to meet and interact with people that I never would have met elsewhere. My time in Geneva gave me a new perspective on global policymaking.” Erika Dempsey, 2004 participant
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