Sanford Career Platform
Current MIDP Fellow? We use the Handshake app to manage appointments, list job and internship opportunities, and more. Current students should register for an account and check Handshake daily!
Professional Development
The MIDP program includes personalized career advising and professional development services for fellows. We know that you don’t just come to Duke for an education, but to advance your career in international development. So, we offer one-on-one counseling, small groups, and even courses aimed at supporting graduate students as they refine their professional skills.
Career Advising and Employment Assistance
MIDP fellows in the traditional two-year program are required to complete an internship or consultancy. Internships are recommended but not required for one-year degree MIDP fellows. Why? We believe that there is no substitute for practical, immersive experiences. These summer opportunities allow fellows to practice some of the skills they are learning in the classroom. Fellows who go through the process of applying and completing internships are better prepared for the job search after graduation. But, you’re not on your own: our experienced staff are familiar with U.S. and international organizations’ employment protocol and available resources, and have networks in the development field in a broad range of issue areas and organization types.
Skills-Based Workshop Series
Throughout the academic year, MIDP fellows are invited to attend workshops designed to teach practical skills. Themes include:
- Polishing your international development resume or CV
- Interviews: review of types of interviews, and video-recording of interviews by fellows
- Employment research and application tips and tricks, and networking tools like LinkedIn
- Leadership-building tools such as MBTI and StrengthsFinder
Meet Our Director of Global Careers
Dr. Marion Pratt served with the U.S. Peace Corps in Niger and worked for 17 years as the Social Science Advisor with the Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance at the US Agency for International Development (USAID) in Washington, DC. Following her career with USAID, she served as the Grants Resource Officer at Vanderbilt University, helping faculty and graduate students in the humanities and social sciences secure research grants and fellowships. She received her PhD in Sociocultural Anthropology from Binghamton University and her BA in Art History and Environmental Studies from Williams College. As the Director of Global Careers at the Sanford School of Public Policy, she works with both MIDP fellows and MPP students who are focused on careers in international development.
Alumni-in-Residence and Practitioner-in-Residence Series
Once each semester, the MIDP program invites an alumnus or alumna to participate in our Alumni-in-Residence Program. This program consists of a general “career talk” followed by a morning of one-on-one informational interviews. Once each semester, we also invite a development professional to participate in our Practitioner-in-Residence Program, which is similar to the Alumni-in-Residence Program in structure.
Professional Development Fund
Professional Development 2022-2023
The Career Services Office, in collaboration with the MPP and MIDP programs, seeks to provide engaging ways to address the diverse policy interests and career goals of Sanford master’s students, both in person and online. The Sanford Master’s Student Professional Development Fund is intended to financially support professional development activities of MPP and MIDP students.
General Information and Timeline
- The Sanford Master’s Student Professional Development Fund is intended for master’s students to undertake professional development activities. The fund is not intended to pay for ongoing living expenses or support leisure travel.
- The fund should not be considered part of a student’s financial planning for ongoing study. If a student knows they need continued financial assistance for their studies, they are encouraged to work with Sanford’s Director of Financial Aid and their master’s program administrators to discuss all options available to them.
- The maximum award amounts are as follows:
- $200 for activities that are virtual or in the Research Triangle area,
- $350 for activities in the state of North Carolina outside of the Research Triangle area, and
- $500 for anywhere outside of the state of North Carolina.
- Because funds are limited, students should consider providing in-kind contributions to their experience (e.g., by staying with a friend, volunteering at a conference for a reduced fee, or packing their own lunch/dinner).
- Once a completed application is received, it will be reviewed by Sanford’s Master’s Student Professional Development Funding Committee. Award decisions will be communicated to the student via their Duke email address within 10 (ten) business days. Disbursement of the award will be processed as an advance stipend as expeditiously as possible.
- Awards that are not tuition-related are non-compensatory and not typically treated as taxable income; however, if there is a tax implication for the student, it will be the student’s responsibility to pay any taxes related to the award.
- Funds are limited and will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. Students are encouraged to submit their requests as soon as they are aware of a professional development opportunity they plan to pursue.
Eligibility Criteria
- The student is currently enrolled as a master’s degree student at Sanford.
- The expenses are specifically for eligible professional development activities (listed below).
- The professional activity is carried out between November 23, 2022, and June 30, 2023.
- Funds are provided as an advance stipend and directly deposited to the student’s account (all students would have to be set up on Duke payroll).
- The fund cannot be used for internship or other degree study expenses; the student can pursue funding from other sources and/or the Career Services internship fund (for internships only) for these purposes.
- The student has exhausted other financial resources, such as family, sponsors, or scholarships.
- The student must fully respond to all questions in the application and submit supporting information.
- The student can apply only one time within an academic year. Any additional expenses will not be considered once an application is submitted and approved.
- A student who has not applied for nor received professional development funding previously while at Sanford will be given priority consideration.
Eligible Expenses
- Professional organizations:
- Individual membership for a policy-related organization (i.e., Society for International Development, not LinkedIn Premium)
- Conference-related expenses:
- Registration fees
- Travel (air, rail, bus, rental car)
- Lodging (hotel, Airbnb, Vrbo, or similar)
- Meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner; absolutely no alcohol)
- Continuing education:
- Certificate, certification, license
- Course (outside of Duke University)
- For on-site courses out of the Triangle area:
- Travel (air, rail, bus, rental car)
- Lodging (hotel, Airbnb, Vrbo, or similar)
- Meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner; absolutely no alcohol)
Ineligible Expenses
- Expenses associated with LinkedIn Premium account
- Expenses that occured prior to submitting the application
- Expenses that will occur after graduation
- Expenses related to PhD application and process
- Expenses related to Master’s Project
- Expenses related to Sanford/Duke student organization (speaker fee, etc.)
- Expenses related to informational interviews
- Expenses related to internship or job interviews
- Expenses related to internships
- Expenses related to publishing a paper
- Clothing
- Alcohol
Questions
Questions can be directed to the Sanford’s Master’s Student Professional Development Funding Committee by emailing the Assistant Dean of Career Services and Professional Development Dr. Nadia Chamberlin.
Application
Sanford Master’s Student Professional Development Fund application:
Meet and Greet Sessions
Throughout the year, a wide variety of impressive thought leaders come to Duke. We do our best to include time for MIDP fellows to “meet and greet,” and when possible, we help organize a special seminar or discussion as part of the speaker’s visit schedule. We have found that these opportunities often help fellows narrow down their interests in particular sectors and organizations because they get an insider’s view.
Internships
Our career services staff work with fellows to help them identify and apply for summer internships. In addition, fellows can apply for funding support.
MIDP Internship Fund: All fellows who are not fully sponsored and who participate in an unpaid internship as a requirement to complete their degree are eligible to apply for a summer stipend from the MIDP Internship Fund. An award is based upon many factors, including a fellow’s own resources, the sponsor’s contribution and whether or not the host organization is offering a financial or in-kind benefit.
Lethem Summer Internship Award: With a generous donation from Francis Lethem (MIDP ’95), former Director of DCID, the MIDP offers a small monetary award to a fellow who performs his or her summer internship with MIDP alumnus.
Sanford Alumni Network
Current MIDP fellows, Master of Public Policy (MPP) students, and alumni from both programs are excellent resources for internship and job ideas as well as for sharing best practices in your area of specialty. Sanford School of Public Policy alumni are fiercely loyal and are a great source of leads for the Sanford community. The MIDP staff and faculty can suggest which alumni might be most helpful. There are also active LinkedIn and Facebook groups for our alumni to meet each other directly.
Online Resources
Devex is a portal for information on international development that is specifically tailored to mid-career development professionals. We are pleased to offer fellows membership to Devex as a part of our program. Devex hosts a forum in Washington, D.C., that fellows may wish to attend.
Other Professional Development Resources
Duke Program on Global Policy and Governance in Geneva
In this program, MIDP fellows participate in a Geneva Policy Internship and an intensive one-week course focused on Global Health, Environment and Sustainable Development, Global Economic Governance and Development, or Humanitarian Assistance and Human Rights. Learn more.
