14th annual Worldwide Ford School Spirit Day
Ford50: Commemorating an exceptional presidency
Date & time
Location
Each year, our Ford School community of alumni, students, faculty, staff, and friends gathers together in the name of President Ford on or near his birthday (July 14!) to socialize, network, and most importantly celebrate what binds us together - our collective Ford School experiences.
Wherever you are in the world on July 11, you are invited to join in the fun, share your #FordSpirit, and take part in the Ford50 festivities! Here are the ways you can participate:
- Attend an in-person gathering in Ann Arbor, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco, or Washington, DC. RSVP by July 10. (Details below.) Enjoy refreshments and snag some Ford50 swag too, including buttons for the Wear one, Share one button contest. Don’t see a gathering where you are located? Reach out to [email protected] to coordinate one in your city!
- Wear your best Ford School and/or maize and blue gear. Make sure to wear it at an in-person gathering!
- Mark the occasion by posting photos of your celebration on social media using #fordspirit and tagging @FordSchool.
This year’s celebration is especially meaningful as we commemorate the 50th anniversary of Gerald R. Ford being sworn in as the 38th president of the United States at a time of great division and turbulence.
President Ford's legacy is very much alive here at the Ford School of Public Policy, and we are proud to bear his name. The values that distinguished him remain so relevant to policy students: his lifelong commitment to principled public service, his integrity, and his ability to connect across differences to forge consensus.
In many ways, members of the Ford School community—our alumni, students, and friends—are carrying on President Ford’s living and lasting legacy through our dedication to the public good.
Shop the store! Get exclusive Ford School apparel in time for the reunion. Store closes and items ship on August 8th.
In person gatherings are a great way to catch up with your fellow Fordies over drinks and appetizers and snag some Ford School swag!
Register for a Spirit Day near you!
2024 Spirit Day locations:
Ann Arbor - Weill Hall, 735 S. State Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (Courtyard)
Time: 4-6 p.m. ET
Host: Caroline Andridge, BA '14, Naomi Goldberg, MPP '08 and Dora Koski, BA '23
Boston - M. J. O'Connors Park Plaza, 27 Columbus Ave., Boston, MA 02116
Time: 6:30-8:30 p.m. ET
Host: Alexis Farmer, BA '16
Chicago - PB&J, 205 N. Peoria Street, Chicago, IL 60607
Time: 5-7 p.m. CT
Host: Kevin Finnegan, MPP/MBA '21 and Julia Weigand, MPP '20
Detroit - Eastern Market Brewing Company, 2515 Riopelle, Detroit, MI 48207
Time: 5-7 p.m. ET
Hosts: Sam Geller, MPP '17 and Janani Ramachandran Yates, MPP '13
Los Angeles -The Q Playa Apartments Clubhouse, 5901 Center Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90045
Time: 6-9 p.m. PT
Host: Menna Demessie, PhD '10
New Orleans - NEW - The Prytania Bar, 3445 Prytania St., New Orleans, LA 70115
Time: 5-7 p.m. CT
Host: Jackson Voss, MPP/STPP '18
New York City - NEW - Blue Haven East, 493 3rd Avenue, New York, NY 10002
Time: 5:30 p.m. ET
Hosts: Alex Acho, BA '22, Michael Cahill, MPP/JD '99, and Brenda Duverce, MPP '16
Philadelphia - NEW - Cartesian Brewing, 1326 E. Passyunk Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19147
Time: 6 p.m. ET
Hosts: Eliza Erickson, MPP '10 and Kevin Sweitzer, BA '19
San Francisco - NEW - BareBottle at Salesforce Park : 425 Mission St., San Francisco, CA 94105
Time: 5 p.m. PT
Host: Sophia Kittler, MPP/MBA '14 and Sierra Stephens, BA '20
Washington, DC - Audi Field, 100 Potomac Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20024 (Heinken Rooftop)
Time: 5:30-8 p.m. ET
Hosts: Rohan Dharan, BA '13, Olga Ioffe Kasher, MPP/MA '99, Jason Levien, MPP/JD '97, Cortney Sanders, MPP '17, and David Tannenbaum, BA '15
