To advance the public good

“The public good” is core to our school’s mission statement; it’s been core to who we are since our founding in 1914.

Public policy matters. And now, at a time of growing threats to our democratic institutions and growing fractures in our society, the Ford School leans into the legacy of our namesake president: integrity, service, and a commitment to working across differences to find solutions.

In a loud and polarized world, our educational mission is to prepare leaders and citizens in the mold of Gerald Ford, able to find common ground and help move our communities forward on the basis of our common concern. Our students learn to listen and lead across differences, to understand and engage with democratic institutions, and to protect and advance resilient democracies in the U.S. and around the world.

Our faculty advance the public good with data-driven, pragmatic policy research on issues that require multiple lenses and perspectives–such as combating misinformation, tackling climate change, educating the next generation, harnessing technology for good, and reversing racism and other structural inequalities that keep American democracy from fulfilling its tremendous promise.

We look to you ... 
to help us build a more just and peaceful world.