Sanford School of Public Policy
Duke University

Student Organizations

Duke MPP students have developed a variety of student-led organizations to give them opportunities to share specialized knowledge and talents with a like-minded community, to cultivate professional contacts, engage in community service activities and gain real-world policymaking experience.

Sanford Student Representative Council

The Sanford Student Representative Council is responsible for bringing any concerns, questions and recommendations regarding the MPP program (e.g., curriculum, faculty, facilities, etc.), to the administration. It facilitates student involvement in Sanford School planning, in partnership with the Director of Graduate Studies and MPP Director of Student Services.

2009-2010   Representatives: Mary Kingston, Anthony Oddo

Academic Committee

The Academic Committee serves as a forum for student concerns regarding topics such as: requirements for academic concentrations, course offerings and electives, core curriculum needs, Master’s Projects and faculty and student interaction and advising.

 2009-2010  Academic Committee Contacts: Justin Elswit, Megan Kauffman, Holly Presley, Sean Smith, Jared Woollacott

MPP Student Social Committee

The MPP Social Committee coordinates MPP social gatherings, such as a pizza party in September, a formal holiday party, international potluck dinners and a graduation party. The committee’s objective is to bring the MPP and MIDP students, faculty and staff together.

2009-2010  Social Committee Contact: Jessica Lotz, Kelsy Yamasaki

Living Policy Forum (LPF)

LPF’s goal is to create a forum for discussion and learning about development and delivery of innovative public policy. The group is particularly interested in policy initiatives that cross traditional sector boundaries between the nonprofit, business, community and public sectors. LPF also wants to facilitate opportunities to learn from practitioners about public policy delivery in our local community. LPF does all this by inviting speakers to the Sanford, making site visits to Durham organizations and by arranging roundtable discussions with policy faculty.

2009-2010 LPF Contact: Will Carroll, Sarah Cassanego, Jenny Carolina

Graduate Professional Student Council (GPSC)

The Graduate and Professional Student Council of Duke University (GPSC – pronounced “gypsy”) is the umbrella student government organization for Duke’s eight graduate and professional schools.

Black Graduate and Professional Student Association

The BGPSA’s three-fold mission is to enhance the Duke experience for its members through community service, social events and academically-based programming; to contribute to the community; and to assist in the development of minority leadership.

Sanford School Internship Fund Committee

The student-run Internship Fund at the Sanford School supports MPP students who take low-paying or unpaid summer internships. In addition to soliciting individual donations from the faculty and others connected to Sanford, first year MPPs engage in various fundraising efforts throughout the year. Fundraisers include the annual Silent Auction & Wine Tasting, concerts and merchandising.

Duke Microfinance Leadership Initiative (DMLI)

The Duke Microfinance Leadership Initiative (DMLI) is a collection of students, faculty and staff at Duke University building connections across campus and beyond to the fast-growing worlds of microfinance, social entrepreneurship, and sustainable enterprise. They are associated with the Sanford School of Public Policy, the Nicholas School of Environment, the Fuqua School of Business, the Duke Center for International Development, the Center for Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship, and a locally run non-profit called the Institute for Sustainable Development.

2009-2010   Microfinance Club Representative: Dan Kobayashi

Graduate and Professional Women's Network (GPWN)

The Graduate and Professional Women’s Network has been providing Duke’s graduate and professional women students with personal and professional networking opportunities since 1994. The group’s goals include fostering networking opportunities across departments and schools; sponsoring programs that will teach graduate and professional school women skills that will help them succeed in their careers; providing a forum for discussion of campus and community issues; and advocating on behalf of graduate and professional school students to the Duke administration.