What if you could work with an executive coach to level up your leadership skills and boost your career readiness?
Effective leadership in public policy relies on strategic thinking and strong communication skills. Coaching helps you practice and reflect on behaviors that build your skills, enhance your effectiveness, and support your growth. Leadership coaching helps students gain insights and create impact - on campus and in their careers.
Topics you can explore with a coach might include:
How do others perceive me?
What can I do to encourage others to act?
How do I manage imposter syndrome?
What can I do to navigate challenges in my student org?
How can I bring my authentic self to my class or career?
Why am I having a gut reaction to something?
What shifts can I make to be more effective?
Learn more about leadership coaching
Summer Leadership Coaching
All Ford School master's students have the opportunity to work with a certified executive leadership coach—a growth activity that is typically reserved for senior leaders and executives. This program is free for our students, thanks to the generous support of donors who recognize its importance.
When: During your summer internship
How: Meet individually with your coach and in group settings. You’ll learn strategies to network, manage up and across, and maintain focus and resilience.
Why it works: You bring specific workplace observations, challenges, and aspirations to your coaching sessions. You gain real-time insights and apply learning on the job.
Summer 2026 Key Dates
Registration begins after Spring Break
Coach matches begin in April
Summer Leadership Coaching kicks off in May
Coaching concludes in August
Time Commitment
1.5 hour group Kick-Off
Four virtual 50-minute 1:1 coaching sessions
Participant Requirements
Must be an MPP completing their required summer internship
Deep interest in personal growth, commitment to curiosity and reflection
In-Class Coaching
Students taking PubPol 582 - Leading Organizations can opt into a one-hour debrief with a leadership coach to reflect on the leadership framework highlighted in the course.
Key Details
1 hour coaching session with one of our certified coaches
Available to any student enrolled in PubPol 582
Reflect on the results of your SDLS assessment and feedback you heard from others
Reicker Fellows
Students awarded a Reicker Fellowship are paired with a coach for their semester in Washington D.C. You may work with a coach with experience on the Hill, or one who has worked on policies that are of interest to you. Coaches will help you navigate this new experience to get the most out of your time.
Key Details:
Five, 1-hour coaching sessions with one of our certified coaches
Available during the time on fellowship in DC
You’ll connect with your coach in December and schedule appointments as your schedule allows
When: Residential MPAs are paired with a coach in their first month of classes and continue meeting regularly for the duration of the program.
How: Meet with your coach five times over the course of the program, focus on applying what you learn in class and how it will impact the next steps in your career.
Why it works: Coaching is shaped by both course content and a 360-degree assessment completed by professional colleagues and supervisors. Your professional experience allows you to engage more deeply with the data collected in assessments.
How: Online MPAs receive coaching within the context of Leading in Complex Policy Environments - a course focused on developing your leadership capacity.
When: Coaching starts at the beginning of your program so you can set intentions for the rest of your academic experience.
Why it works: In Leading in Complex Policy Environments, you will examine the skills and behaviors that make policymakers effective and you’ll take stock of where you have areas for growth. Coaching helps you set intentions and chart a course for your growth.
BA Students are eligible for coaching through M-Lead’s program for student org leaders and in the Ford School’s Intro to Leadership course.
Topics: Intro to Leadership
How: Students in the Intro to Leadership class participate in a 360-degree survey of their leadership skills and then debrief them with an executive leadership coach trained in the instrument.
When: One 50-minute session in the first half of the course to support your learning and reflection throughout the class.
Why it works: Learning a framework is great, but being able to chart your progress on that framework is even better. Reflect on the results of the survey with a trained coach to learn how others’ perceive your abilities and what behaviors you can practice to reach your goals.
M-Coaching
How: Student organization officers can be nominated to participate in M-Coaching by their club advisor or a member of the Leadership Initiative. If selected, students will meet with a leadership coach throughout a semester to consider and address real-time leadership difficulties, whether in the classroom, their clubs, or elsewhere.
When: Nominations for winter semester coaching are solicited in December, and in September for coaching in the fall semester.
Why it works: Student organizations are a laboratory for practicing leading others and organizations. Focusing on your leadership in this context can help you test out new behaviors and get advice from a coach.
MaryGrace Ortega (BA 25) talks about her experience in the M-Coaching program for undergraduate student org leaders. Hear how leadership coaching changed the way she thought about her leader identity and her work with club members. Ford School students who are interested in being nominated for M-Coaching should email [email protected].
Skills you'll develop:
Confidence: overcome imposter syndrome and show up as your best self
Insights: develop self awareness
Mindfulness: set intentions and reflect on your experiences
Empathy: understand how others may feel
Curiosity: develop a growth mindset and interest in uncovering new information
My meetings with my coach prompted me to reflect deeply on my values and how they align with my career aspirations. This newfound clarity has reaffirmed my commitment to pursuing a career path that prioritizes these values, ensuring that my work post-graduation remains in alignment with my core principles and convictions.”
From NOAA to non-profits, Deloitte to diplomacy, our coaches have worked in many of the fields of interest to you. A diverse bench of more than 20 coaches, certified by the International Coaching Federation, have been selected with your development in mind. Students are matched with a coach based on student preferences around identities, interests, geography, and/or coaching goals. They’ll help you approach challenges with a growth mindset, curiosity, and empathy, so that you gain insights, build confidence, and expand your impact.
"Leadership coaching unlocked the confidence that was already there. I have the skills and abilities, but my coach helped me be intentional with my time this summer to show off what I have to offer and be open to learning new things. 10/10!"
Addressing challenges with remote work
Anna Seifert (MPP/MBA '23)
"The coaches helped me better connect with coworkers and create work/life boundaries in a remote environment. One-on-ones gave me an opportunity to contextualize the work I was doing in terms of my long-term career path, my work style, and my passions and set goals for a fulfilling summer."
