Spotlights, spring 2022 | Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy

Spotlights, spring 2022

May 31, 2022

Fordie festivities

A beloved tradition returned in December as Fordies gathered to celebrate the end of the fall semester at the school’s annual holiday party.

 


 

Photo of in-person watch party attendees in Annenberg Auditorium, watching a Policy Talks event with Senator Elizabeth Warren and Dean Michael Barr
Warren and Barr

Sen. Elizabeth Warren

U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) joined Crystal Olalde-Garcia (MPP ’22), Janani Gandhi (BA ’22), and Dean Michael Barr on February 11 for a virtual conversation on inequality. With campus requiring face coverings at the time of the event, over one hundred masked students gathered in Annenberg Auditorium for live introductions and a warm welcome to the senator.
 

 


 

Screen shot of a TV interview with Mel Levitsky
Levitsky

Making sense of the war in Ukraine

As the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues, state, national, and international media have turned to Ford School professors Melvyn Levitsky, Javed Ali, and John Ciorciari to help inform the public about motivations, security, geopolitics, and more.
 

 

 


 

Photo of two students presenting their Gramlich poster live on Instagram. Student on the left holding microphone, student on right holding phone.

Live from Weill Hall, it’s the Gramlich Showcase!

Back in person, the 15th annual Gramlich Showcase filled the Great Hall and 2nd floor mezzanine with policy wonks and policy work. Several also went live on the school’s official Instagram for a special set of Story posts giving prospective students another look at life as a Future Fordie. The stories are available on the @FordSchool Instagram highlight row.

 


 

Photo of Anne Applebaum and Michael Barr in conversation on stage before an audience of Policy Talks attendees
Applebaum and Barr

Democracy in crisis

We found no shortage of eager partners for an urgent event series on threats to American democracy. The Ford School joined Wallace House, the U-M Democracy & Debate initiative, the Gerald R. Ford Library and Museum, the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation, and Detroit Public Television to bring award-winning journalists Molly Ball, Barton Gellman, Sarah Kendzior, and Anne Applebaum to share their insights into the forces threatening and protecting American democratic structures and systems.

 


More in State & Hill

Below, find the full, formatted spring 2022 edition of State & HillClick here to return to the Spring 2022 S&H homepage.