2023 Professional Master's Degree Summer Experience Report

2023 Professional Master’s Degree Summer Experience Report

Executive Summary

Professional master’s students seeking summer experiences in the summer of 2023 have

started to venture back out into a wider range of opportunities. Ninety-six percent (96%) of

Nicholas School professional master’s students, Master of Environmental Management (MEM)

and Master of Forestry (MF), known to be seeking opportunities reported securing a

meaningful summer experience. This report contains data on these experiences, broken down

by sector and program area.

Background, Audience, & Methods

Background: The Nicholas School professional master’s degree program highly recommends a

meaningful summer experience for current students. These experiences, historically called

internships, typically occur for 8-12 weeks in the summer between academic years when

returning to a full-time degree program the following fall semester. They could be full-time or

part-time in duration.

In 2023, summer student experiences also included project-based remote work, research

projects, fellowships related to academic coursework, and professional experiences that may

extend beyond the summer months. For these purposes, the broader term “summer

experience” is used in this report.

Audience: The Nicholas School Career and Professional Development Center (CPDC) surveyed

163 rising second- or third- year Master of Environmental Management (MEM), Master of

Environmental Management or Forestry/Master of Business Administration (MEM or MF/MBA),

Master of Environmental Management/Master of Engineering Management (MEM/E-MGT),

Master of Environmental Management/Master of Public Policy (MEM/MPP), Master of

Environmental Management/Juris Doctor (MEM/JD), Master of Environmental

Management/Master of City and Regional Planning (MEM/MCRP), and/or Master of Forestry

(MF) students. As the Duke Environmental Leadership Master of Environmental Management

(DEL-MEM) students are working environmental professionals, the majority generally do not

seek summer experiences, but those who respond to the survey are included.

Methods: CPDC created and distributed a survey that was sent to the identified audience of

163 students in June 2023 and received 131 survey responses (80% completion rate). Requests

for survey completion were followed by online research and email contacts requesting

confirmation of summer experience information. Augmented by this knowledge, CPDC

obtained information or responses from an additional 16 individuals, for a total of 147 students

(90% of the identified audience). Results Section 1 looks at trends for all survey respondents,

and Results Section 2 provides information by sector, concentration(s), and degree(s) from

students who elected to share information via the survey. Ten students were not included in

the analysis because they either reported not needing or seeking an experience, or information

on their experience could not be obtained by online research or email contact.

Results Section 1: General Trends

This section of the report analyzes the 147 out of 153 (96%) experiences students known to be

seeking experiences reported or were known to have in Summer 2023.

Figure 1: Distribution by Sector

Private sector hosts (Business/Industry = 27% and Consulting = 9%) and NGOs (39%) accounted

for 72% of 2023 summer experience hosts. Consulting firms stayed consistent to percentages

reported last year in 2022. The Stanback Fellowship Program (SFP) accounted for 67% of the

NGO summer experiences.

39%, 46

27%, 32

14%, 17

11%, 13

9%, 11

NGO Business/Industry Academic/Think Tank Government Consulting

Figure 1: 2023 Experiences by Sector (n = 119)

% (count)

Figure 2. Funding Sources

Duke University sources either partially or fully supported at least 37% of summer experiences.

For the third straight year, companies or programs providing funding for summer experiences

was a higher percentage of funding than Duke-related funds. Nevertheless, the value of this

support to individual students remains high.

In its 27

year, the Stanback Fellowship Program (SFP) provided partial funding for Duke

students matched with select non-profit hosts for ~11 weeks. The Stanback Fellowship Program

consistently accounts for 20-30% of summer experiences. Additional support was made

possible by awards from the Edna B. Sussman Foundation, the David R. Brower Fund, the

Whitney E. Chamberlain Fund, the Karen Kirchof Internship Fund, and the Kuzmier-Lee-Nikitine

(KLN) Fund. 2023 represents the last year the Edna B. Sussman Foundation funding will be

available to Nicholas School students as the program announced it is ending after 37 successful

years and over 1.1 million dollars in awards made to Duke students.

Figures 3 and 4. Physical Locations

Experiences ranged from policy or data analysis to business sustainability to field-based

experiences in a range of locations and for employers across the globe. United States locations

included California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland,

Massachusetts, North Carolina, Oregon, Texas, and Virginia. In 2023, 44% of survey question

respondents reported a remote or hybrid experience, a decrease from the 66% in Summer

2022. The work style color scheme indicates whether the student was in a state and conducted

in-person work (yellow), remote work from that state (blue), or a hybrid work arrangement

(green).

2, 2%

2,2%

8, 7%

10, 8%

15, 13%

32,27%

50,42%

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Unpaid or Volunteer

Other Duke Funding

EDF Climate Corps

Nicholas School

Undisclosed

Stanback Fellowship Program

Paid by the Organization/Company

Figure 2: 2023 Funding Sources

Figure 4 illustrates the eight students known to have in-person international experiences (red).

These include Chile, China (3), Gabon (3), and New Zealand.

Figure 3: Locations in the United States, 2023

Figure 4. International locations, 2023

Results Section 2: 2023 Experiences by Degree and Program Area

Primary Concentration*

Host Sector

Title

Business and Environment (BE)

Master of Business Administration (MBA)

McKinsey Consulting

Summer Associate

3R Sustainability Consulting

ESG Assessment Reviewer

Children's National Hos pital NGO (EDF Climate Corps)

Climate Corps Fellow

U.S. Green Building Council Center for Green Schools NGO (non-Stanback)

Healthy Schools Com m unication and Outreach Intern

Dogwood Alliance NGO (Stanback)

Climate Fellow

MBA

Crowley Maritim e Private

Offshore Wind Intern

MBA

Land of Sky Regional Council, Waste Reduction Partners / Uchiyama Manufacturing America

Private

Summer Associate

Matthews International Corporate Private

Sustainability Intern

MBA

Ulta Beauty Private (EDF Climate Corps)

Sustainability Strategy Fellow

Genesys Private (EDF Climate Corps)

Sustainability Intern

Coas tal Environm ental Management

(CEM)

NOAA's Southeast Regional Office Federal Government (US)

Protected Species Division - Marine Mammal Branch Intern

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Federal Government (US)

Junior Acoustician with the Northeast Fisheries Science Center's

Passive Acoustic Research Group

NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center Federal Government (US)

Marine Turtle Ecology and Assessment Sussman Fellow

Duke University Marine Lab (Silliman Lab) Hig her Education ( Duke)

Research Technician

Unique Places to Save (UP2S) NGO (non-Stanback)

Conservation Intern

Master of Forestry (MF)

The Nature Conservancy NGO (non-Stanback)

GIS Stewardship Intern

Park Institute of America / National Park Service NGO (non-Stanback)

Climate Ada ptation of His toric S tructures Intern

Conservation International Hawai' i NGO (non-Stanback)

Sustainable Seafood Intern

North Carolina Coastal Federation NGO (Stanback)

Coas tal Policy and R estoration Fellow

Duke Environmental Law and Policy Clinic NGO (Stanback)

Science and Policy Fellow

Three Rivers Land Trust NGO (Stanback)

Baseline Inventory Specialist

Ecotoxicology and Environmental Health

(EEH)

US Environmental Protection Agency Federal Government (US)

Pathways Intern/Student Trainee

Superfund Centre Hig her Education ( Duke)

Superfund Center Intern

Energy and Environment (EE)

ICF Consulting

Energy Analyst

Converge Strateg ies Consulting

Energy Resilience Fellow

MBA

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Federal Government (US)

Energy Industry Analyst Intern

Sanford School of Public Policy Hig her Education ( Duke)

Research Assistant

MBA

Summit County government, UT Local Government (EDF Climate Corps)

Climate Corps Fellow

Master of Public Policy (MPP)

NC Sustainable Energy Association NGO (Stanback)

Stanback Energy Data Fellow

MBA

SELC NGO (Stanback)

Energy Policy Intern

The Rachel Carson Council NGO (Stanback)

Stanback Renewable Energy Policy Fellow

Environmental Defense Fund NGO (Stanback)

Stanback Natural Infrastructure and climate intern

Marathon Capital LLC Private

Summer Analyst

Asplundh Tree Expert, LLC Private

EDF Climate Corps Fellow

MBA

8 Rivers Capital, LLC Private

Business Development Intern

Cerberus Capital Management Private

ESG Intern

CICC Private

ESG Intern

MBA

ARPA-E Private

Technology-to-Market Summer Scholar

NextEra Energy Resources Private

Market Analysis Intern

East Point Energy Private

Power Market Analyst Summer Associate

MBA

MetOx Technologies Private

Summer Strategy Associate

Knorr Bremse, New York Air Brake Private

Energy Intern

CICC Global Institute Private

Research Assistant

EEP, MPP

Starbucks Private

Clean Energy Fellow

Delorean Power Private

Energy Storage Development Intern

S&P Global Private (EDF Climate Corps)

Corporate Responsibility Intern

Environmental Economics and Policy (EEP)

Master of City and Regional Planning

(MCRP)

Arcadis Consulting

Resilience Intern

National Renewable Energy Laboratory Federal Government (US)

Distribution Utility Resilience Intern

EPA Federal Government (US)

Intern with Air Economics Group

Data-Driven EnviroLab, UNC-Chapel Hill Hig her Education ( non-Duke)

Research Assistant

Zealandia NGO (non-Stanback)

Visiting Researcher

Environmental Defense Fund NGO (non-Stanback)

2023 Climate Corps Fellow

Public Lands Policy G roup of Colorado State University NGO (non-Stanback)

Research Associate

MBA

National Parks Conservation Association NGO (non-Stanback)

Duke Biodiversity F ellow

Southern Environmental Law Center NGO (Stanback)

Southeast Regional Environmental Justice Statutory, Policy &

Regulatory Research Stanback Fellowship

Park Institute of America NGO (Stanback)

Stanback Conservation Research Fellow

Duke Environmental Law and Policy Clinic NGO (Stanback)

Science and Policy Fellow

Juris Doctorate (JD)

NRDC NGO (Stanback)

Stanback Clean Air Legal Fellow

Three Rivers Land Trust NGO (Stanback)

Habitat Management Intern

RMI NGO (Stanback)

India Program Intern

MCRP

Southern Environmental Law Center NGO (Stanback)

Southeast Regional Environmental Justice, Statutory Policy, and

Regulatory Research Fellowship

League of Conservation Voters NGO (Stanback)

Stanback Government Affairs Fellow

Apex Clean Energy Private

Government Affairs Summer Associate

MBA

Intl. Farming Private

Summer Investment Associate

Propeller Ventures Private

Summer Associate

CICC Private

ESG Investing Analyst

World Bank Group Quasi Government Org - International

Changing wealth of Nations

Ecosystem Science and Conservation (ESC)

MBA

NASA Federal Government (US)

DEVELOP Interns hip Program

US Department of Transportation Federal Government (US)

Environmental Protection Specialist

Gabon Parks Network Hig her Education ( Duke)

Pathogens to Pachyderms

Nicholas Institute Hig her Education ( Duke)

Research Intern

Duke University/ANPN/IRET Hig her Education ( Duke)

Bass Connections - Forest Innovations in Wildlife Technology

Pennsylvania S tate University Arboretum Hig her Education ( non-Duke)

Plant R ecords Intern

City of Da llas Local Government (EDF Climate Corps)

EDF Climate Corps Fellow

Tar River Land Conservancy NGO (non-Stanback)

Land Stewardship Intern

The Hive Fund for Climate & Gender Justice NGO (non-Stanback)

Communications Consultant

Conservation Trust for North Carolina NGO (Stanback)

Conservation and Com m unity Resilience GIS S tanback F ellow

MCRP

The Nature Conservancy NGO (Stanback)

Stanback Coastal Fellow

Apex Clean Energy Private

Technology GIS Summer Associate

MBA

Grove Climate Group Private

Summer Associate

Water Resources Management (WRM)

Master of Engineering Management

(MEgM)

Civil Consultants Consulting

Engineering Technician Intern

City of R aleigh Storm w ater Local Government

Water Quality Intern

NYC Dept. of Environmental Protection Local Government

Environmental Education Intern

Maryland-National Capitol Parks & Planning Commission

NGO (non-Stanback)

Natural Resources Intern II

NRDC NGO (Stanback)

Stanback Clean Water Policy Fellow

Environmental Working Group NGO (Stanback)

Investigations team intern

*dual degree or secondary concentration noted if applicable