14th annual Worldwide Ford School Spirit Day, in pictures | Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy

14th annual Worldwide Ford School Spirit Day, in pictures

July 22, 2024

Each year, our Ford School community of alumni, students, faculty, staff, and friends gather together in the name of President Ford on or near his birthday (July 14!). Approximately 200 Fordies celebrated in Ann Arbor, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Washington, DC to socialize, network, and most importantly celebrate what binds us together - our collective Ford School experiences. See below for a few highlights or view the photo album.

 

Ford School Dean Celeste Watkins-Hayes joined 20 alumni for a celebration in Detroit. 

Celeste Watkins-Hayes at Spirit Day in Detroit

 

New Towsley Policymaker in Residence Mayor Lori Lightfoot joined a fun crowd in Chicago.

Lori Lightfoot and alumni celebrating Spirit Day in Chicago

For a second year, alumni gathered at Audi Field.

Celebrating Spirit Day at Audi Field

In Ann Arbor, some 80 students, alumni, faculty, and staff played yard games and enjoyed Kona snow-cones at Weill Hall. 

Celebrating Spirit Day in Ann Arbor

Alumni celebrating abroad! 

Alumni celebrating Spirit Day across the world

Here's to President Ford as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of his swearing in as the 38th president of the United States.

A special thank you to all spirit day hosts!

Ann Arbor - Caroline Andridge, BA '14, Naomi Goldberg, MPP '08 and Dora Koski, BA '23

Boston -Alexis Farmer, BA '16

Chicago - Kevin Finnegan, MPP/MBA '21 and Julia Weigand, MPP '20

Detroit - Sam Geller, MPP '17 and Janani Ramachandran Yates, MPP '13

Los Angeles - Menna Demessie, PhD '10

New Orleans - Jackson Voss, MPP/STPP '18

New York City - Alex Acho, BA '22, Michael Cahill, MPP/JD '99, and Brenda Duverce, MPP '16

Philadelphia - Eliza Erickson, MPP '10 and Kevin Sweitzer, BA '19

San Francisco - Sophia Kittler, MPP/MBA '14 and Sierra Stephens, BA '20

Washington, DC - Rohan Dharan, BA '13, Olga Ioffe Kasher, MPP/MA '99, Jason Levien, MPP/JD '97, Cortney Sanders, MPP '17, and David Tannenbaum, BA '15