Education policy

State & Hill, fall 2022
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Celeste Watkins-Hayes
Celeste Watkins-Hayes

Greetings from Ann Arbor!

It’s been my great honor–and a lot of fun–to serve as interim dean of the Ford School, an outstanding community dedicated to the public good. This edition of State & Hill focuses on education policy—the research, people, and politics that shape student outcomes in the classroom and beyond.

Read more from Interim Dean Watkins-Hayes

Introduction

Education policy at the Ford School

Interdisciplinary, rigorous, and committed to real world impact and to mentoring: the Ford School has one of the strongest education policy programs in the country. How did we get there? S&H asked the scholar at the front of the class, economist Brian A. Jacob.
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Education Policy

Dot to dot

Education Policy Initiative's data clearinghouse connects researchers and policymakers
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Education Policy

COVID-19, schools, and childcare

Education researchers look for answers
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Education Policy

An economic eye on ed equity

Matsudaira (PhD '05) named U.S. DOE's first ever chief economist
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Futures for Frontliners
Education Policy

Data for good

Youth Policy Lab's data and policy fellow expands college opportunity in Michigan
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In addition

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The Ford School and the Fed

Connections at the center of monetary policy
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Ivacko on the state of our democracy

CLOSUP checks in with local government officials
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Meet Interim Dean Watkins-Hayes

Distinguished sociologist, award-winning author, proven leader
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Ford School in photos

Student internships around the world

Many internships returned to in-person or hybrid modalities this summer, taking Fordies back around the world to work with nonprofits and NGOs, governments and agencies, and consulting firms and businesses—applying the skills and knowledge they’ve learned here at the Ford School in real time.

Support student internships by making a gift to the Graduate Internship Fund or Undergraduate Internship and Travel Fund at fordschool.umich.edu/give.
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Diversity, equity, and inclusion highlights

The Ford School is hard at work on interim priorities as the university prepares for its next big strategic plan
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Photo of Michael Barr speaking to the classes of 2022 from a podium on stage at Elbel Field

New fellowship support in Michael Barr’s name

Recipients are provided two years of full tuition, a stipend, and health and dental care
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Representatives from the Sanford School of Public Policy, O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Ford School of Public Policy, and the Harris School of Public Policy present at the 6th annual Voinovich Public Innovation Challenge at the 2022 NASPAA conference.

National recognition for Niggemeier, summer leadership coaching

The coaching program won third prize in the Voinovich Public Innovation Challenge at NASPAA
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Headshots of Isabelle Schindler, Jenna Bednar, Jonathan Hanson, Tom Ivacko, Rusty Hills, and Abdul El-Sayed

Discourse

Fordies in the news: Midterm election edition
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Soundbites

Highlights from Policy Talks @ the Ford School
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Faculty Findings

Governing, the EITC, and the police footprint
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And more...

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The Last Word

The Last Word: Peter Vasher, director of career services

Q&A with the new director
This fall, after a national search, the Ford School selected Peter Vasher as the school’s director of career services. Vasher has been with the school since 2017 and served as associate director of graduate career services for three years. During that time he established deep connections with key professional policy networks and developed best-in-class programs to help students discover and navigate their career journey and enhance their professional skills. Vasher succeeds the estimable Jennifer Niggemeier, who has moved into the role of associate director for the Ford School’s Leadership Initiative.
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Dean: Celeste Watkins-Hayes; Associate Dean for Academic Affairs: Luke Shaefer; Associate Dean for Research and Policy Engagement: John Ciorciari; Director of Communications/Executive Editor: Laura K. Lee (MPP ’96); Art lead: Nicholas Pfost (MPP ’15); Editor and writer: Rebecca Cohen (MPP ’09); Contributors: Deborah Holdship, Thomas Ivacko (MPA ‘93), Shaun Manning, Daniel Rivkin, George Spencer, Miriam Wasserman; Class Notes Editor: Elisabeth Johnston; Photographers: Austin Thomason, Scott Soderberg, Daryl Marshke, Peter Smith, Travis Vernon Scott; Design: Savitski Design; Printer: University Lithoprinters, Inc.

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Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy
University of Michigan
735 S. State Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-3091

Top/cover photo

Aad Goudappel / The iSpot