A capitalizing idea

If all goes to plan, Duke will open a permanent office in Washington, D.C. before the end of the month. We commend the University for undertaking this important expansion and committing to new programs in the nation’s capital, thus joining the ranks of other elite institutions, such as Cornell University, Harvard University and Stanford University, that are already established there.

The new space, part of the University’s Office of Public Affairs and Government Relations, is designed to facilitate stronger relationships with the federal government and act as a hub for members of the Duke community located in Washington, which has the third highest concentration of Duke alumni in the country.

Perhaps the most direct benefit to current undergraduates is the launch of the Duke in D.C. program, which officially begins Spring 2013. Hosted by the Sanford School of Public Policy, this new program will include classes on democracy, political media and an intensive internship experience. The University already runs a semester-long study-away program in Los Angeles focusing on television and film, another in New York focused on arts and media and a third in New York focused on the financial services industry. To that end, Duke in D.C. fills a conspicuous gap in study-away programs devoted to domestic policy and governance.

The establishment of this program encourages the integration of learning inside and outside the classroom. While the academic programs in New York and Los Angeles are already well established, Duke in D.C. promises to make a wide range of educational and pre-professional opportunities accessible for students, which is especially important considering the popularity of the economics, public policy and political science majors.

But the new office and academic program should be seen as sound first steps toward furthering Duke’s expansion in Washington—a move that makes a great deal of sense given the D.C.’s relative proximity to Durham. While some existing programs have exploited this proximity, a centralized office introduces a whole slew of new opportunities.

For example, student groups like the Alexander Hamilton Society, Duke College Republicans, Duke Democrats and Duke Partnership for Service may find ways to utilize the University’s new headquarters to create lasting relationships with alumni and other relevant contacts in the capital.

The federal relations office would also be an ideal platform to launch a career fair in Washington. Although there are a number of recruiting events held on campus each year, these are often targeted toward financial services, consulting and technology industries, with one Nonprofit and Government Career Fair held in October 2011. An event proffering government and policy jobs in Washington would, in ways similar to the study away program, increase the number and variety of opportunities available to students—giving them unparalleled access to nonprofits, law firms, political consulting firms, think-tanks and, of course, many federal agencies. Most of these organizations do not have the resources to send representatives to campus on a regular basis, so a dedicated career fair will be highly useful to policy-oriented seniors.

Duke has made important first steps to employ its geographic proximity in Washington and strong alumni network to its strategic advantage—both as an institution and for its students.