diff --git a/backend/typescript/graphql/resolvers/dashboardResolvers.ts b/backend/typescript/graphql/resolvers/dashboardResolvers.ts
index 533c327..388a8db 100644
--- a/backend/typescript/graphql/resolvers/dashboardResolvers.ts
+++ b/backend/typescript/graphql/resolvers/dashboardResolvers.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import {
   ApplicationDTO,
   ApplicationDashboardInput,
   ApplicationDashboardRowDTO,
+  ApplicantRole
 } from "../../types";
 
 const dashboardService: IAppDashboardService = new AppDashboardService();
@@ -20,7 +21,7 @@ const dashboardResolvers = {
     },
     applicationsByRole: async (
       _parent: undefined,
-      { firstChoice }: { firstChoice: string },
+      { firstChoice }: { firstChoice: ApplicantRole },
     ): Promise<Array<ApplicationDTO>> => {
       const applications = await dashboardService.getApplicationsByRole(
         firstChoice,
@@ -29,7 +30,7 @@ const dashboardResolvers = {
     },
     applicationsBySecondChoiceRole: async (
       _parent: undefined,
-      { secondChoice }: { secondChoice: string },
+      { secondChoice }: { secondChoice: ApplicantRole },
     ): Promise<Array<ApplicationDTO>> => {
       const applications = await dashboardService.getApplicationsBySecondChoiceRole(
         secondChoice,
@@ -47,13 +48,13 @@ const dashboardResolvers = {
     },
     applicationTable: async (
       _parent: undefined,
-      { role }: { role: string },
+      { role }: { role: ApplicantRole },
     ): Promise<ApplicationDashboardRowDTO[]> => {
       return dashboardService.getApplicationDashboardTable(role);
     },
     secondChoiceRoleApplicationTable: async (
       _parent: undefined,
-      { role }: { role: string },
+      { role }: { role: ApplicantRole },
     ): Promise<ApplicationDashboardRowDTO[]> => {
       return dashboardService.getApplicationBySecondChoiceRoleDashboardTable(role);
     },
diff --git a/backend/typescript/models/application.model.ts b/backend/typescript/models/application.model.ts
index 6d2e446..0520530 100644
--- a/backend/typescript/models/application.model.ts
+++ b/backend/typescript/models/application.model.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 import { Column, DataType, HasMany, Model, Table } from "sequelize-typescript";
 import ApplicationDashboardTable from "./applicationDashboard.model";
 import { DataTypes, Sequelize } from "sequelize";
-import { statusType, secondChoiceStatusType } from "../types";
+import { statusType, secondChoiceStatusType, ApplicantRole } from "../types";
 
 
 @Table({ tableName: "applicantresponse" })
diff --git a/backend/typescript/services/implementations/appDashboardService.ts b/backend/typescript/services/implementations/appDashboardService.ts
index c37cf96..b0c5b29 100644
--- a/backend/typescript/services/implementations/appDashboardService.ts
+++ b/backend/typescript/services/implementations/appDashboardService.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import {
   ApplicationDTO,
   ApplicationDashboardRowDTO,
   UserDTO,
+  ApplicantRole
 } from "../../types";
 import { getErrorMessage } from "../../utilities/errorUtils";
 import logger from "../../utilities/logger";
@@ -54,7 +55,7 @@ class AppDashboardService implements IAppDashboardService {
     };
   }
 
-  async getApplicationsByRole(role: string): Promise<Array<ApplicationDTO>> {
+  async getApplicationsByRole(role: ApplicantRole): Promise<Array<ApplicationDTO>> {
     let applications: Array<Application> | null;
     let applicationsByRole: Array<Application> | null;
     let applicationsByRoleDTO: Array<ApplicationDTO> = [];
@@ -99,7 +100,7 @@ class AppDashboardService implements IAppDashboardService {
     return applicationsByRoleDTO;
   }
 
-  async getApplicationsBySecondChoiceRole(role: string): Promise<Array<ApplicationDTO>> {
+  async getApplicationsBySecondChoiceRole(role: ApplicantRole): Promise<Array<ApplicationDTO>> {
     let applications: Array<Application> | null;
     let applicationsBySecondChoiceRole: Array<Application> | null;
     let applicationsBySecondChoiceRoleDTO: Array<ApplicationDTO> = [];
@@ -180,7 +181,7 @@ class AppDashboardService implements IAppDashboardService {
   }
 
   async getApplicationDashboardTable(
-    role: string,
+    role: ApplicantRole,
   ): Promise<ApplicationDashboardRowDTO[]> {
     // get all the applications for the role
     const applications: Array<ApplicationDTO> = await this.getApplicationsByRole(
@@ -208,7 +209,7 @@ class AppDashboardService implements IAppDashboardService {
   }
 
   async getApplicationBySecondChoiceRoleDashboardTable(
-    role: string,
+    role: ApplicantRole,
   ): Promise<ApplicationDashboardRowDTO[]> {
     // get all the applications for the role
     const applications: Array<ApplicationDTO> = await this.getApplicationsBySecondChoiceRole(
diff --git a/backend/typescript/services/interfaces/appDashboardService.ts b/backend/typescript/services/interfaces/appDashboardService.ts
index 511d898..ec23c30 100644
--- a/backend/typescript/services/interfaces/appDashboardService.ts
+++ b/backend/typescript/services/interfaces/appDashboardService.ts
@@ -2,20 +2,21 @@ import {
   ApplicationDashboardDTO,
   ApplicationDTO,
   ApplicationDashboardRowDTO,
+  ApplicantRole
 } from "../../types";
 
 interface IAppDashboardService {
   getDashboardById(id: number): Promise<ApplicationDashboardDTO>;
-  getApplicationsByRole(role: string): Promise<ApplicationDTO[]>;
-  getApplicationsBySecondChoiceRole(role: string): Promise<ApplicationDTO[]>;
+  getApplicationsByRole(role: ApplicantRole): Promise<ApplicationDTO[]>;
+  getApplicationsBySecondChoiceRole(role: ApplicantRole): Promise<ApplicationDTO[]>;
   getDashboardsByApplicationId(
     applicationId: number,
   ): Promise<ApplicationDashboardDTO[]>;
   getApplicationDashboardTable(
-    role: string,
+    role: ApplicantRole,
   ): Promise<ApplicationDashboardRowDTO[]>;
   getApplicationBySecondChoiceRoleDashboardTable(
-    role: string,
+    role: ApplicantRole,
   ): Promise<ApplicationDashboardRowDTO[]>;
   mutateRating(
     id: number,
diff --git a/backend/typescript/types.ts b/backend/typescript/types.ts
index 6b2202f..e8edb3a 100644
--- a/backend/typescript/types.ts
+++ b/backend/typescript/types.ts
@@ -104,3 +104,25 @@ export type NodemailerConfig = {
 };
 
 export type SignUpMethod = "PASSWORD" | "GOOGLE";
+
+export enum ApplicantRole {
+  pres = "president", // community tab
+  int_dir = "internal director",
+  ext_dir = "external director",
+  vpe = "vp engineering", // eng tab
+  vpd = "vp design", // design tab
+  vpp = "vp product", // prod tab
+  vpt = "vp talent", // community tab
+  vp_ext = "vp external", // community tab
+  vp_int = "vp internal", // community tab
+  vp_comms = "vp communications", // community tab
+  vp_scoping = "vp scoping", // community tab
+  vp_finance = "vp finance & operations", // community tab
+  pm = "project manager", // prod tab
+  pl = "project lead", // eng tab
+  design_mentor = "design mentor", // design tab
+  graphic_design = "graphic designer", // design tab
+  product_design = "product designer", // design tab
+  uxr = "user researcher", // design tab
+  dev = "project developer", // eng tab
+}