Dear Alumni and Friends:
I am honored and delighted that the University of Michigan Regents have approved my reappointment for a second termas the Joan and Sanford Weill Dean of the Ford School.
With help and support from so many of you, the Ford School continues to earn its reputation as one of the nation’s top policy schools.
I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished and look forward to much more in the years to come. You’ll be hearing more soon about my vision and priorities for my second term—and about the many ways we’ll call on our alums and friends to be part of strengthening the quality of our educational programs, growing the expertise of our faculty, and engaging with real-world policy challenges.
Meanwhile, with classes back in full swing, Weill Hall is alive with activity, and the Ford School continues to make Ann Arbor a destination for distinguished policymakers. Later this month, we’ll host World Bank President Robert Zoellick and House Majority Leader Congressman Eric Cantor, each of whom will meet with our students and faculty and be part of a public forum. Both events will be live web-streamed, so I encourage you to tune in and to join the conversation on Twitter.
In this edition of ‘the Ford School feed’ you can find out how to give back to the school as amember of our Alumni Board, learn what Sheldon Danziger made of the latest national poverty statistics , watch video from our 2011 Rosenthal lecture by Sultan al Qassemi , and more.
I’d like to draw your attention to two items in particular. First, we’re very pleased to announce that the Alumni Board has selected Steve Tobocman (MPP/JD ’97) as the recipient of the 2011 Staebler Distinguished Service Award. Steve is an outstanding choice. His leadership within Detroit and Michigan has been demonstrated by outstanding professional achievements, a passionate commitment to engaging with public policy challenges, and a strong track record of community volunteerism.
And finally, the Ford School and the University of Michigan have just published an important monograph, “Charting the Future of International Service .” The monograph captures the entire rich conversation from last year’s national symposium—hosted here in Ann Arbor to mark the 50th anniversary of the Peace Corps’ founding.
In the monograph, many of the leading figures in today’s international service movement discuss the international service landscape of today, what we know and need to know about the impact of this service, the role universities play in these efforts, and new initiatives and policy proposals—like ServiceWorld—designed to take American participation in international volunteer service to the level of impact President Kennedy and his administration originally envisioned.
From right next door in Detroit to the farthest reaches of the globe, the Ford School community—students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends—is engaged and committed. Thank you for being a part of it.
Sincerely,
Susan M. Collins
Joan and Sanford Weill Dean of Public Policy