Dear Fordies, IPPSters, and friends,
Each fall, I am reminded of the extraordinary reach and relevance of our work together at the Ford School. As part of a great public university, we are at our best—our most impactful—when we connect our research and teaching to real needs in communities, both here in the U.S. and around the globe.
Throughout this academic year, State & Hill explores the policy-academic ecosystem—the dynamic environment where universities and public institutions collaborate to turn ideas into evidence-based action. As you read ahead, you'll find stories and updates that highlight valuable partnerships that inform better policy, solve problems, and serve the public good. In these pages, you will see not only the power of public policy scholarship but also how the work happening at the Ford School matters in people's lives.
I hope you find inspiration and encouragement in these stories and in the many ways, together, we carry this work forward.
Warmly,
Celeste Watkins-Hayes
Joan and Sanford Weill Dean of the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy
Jean E. Fairfax Collegiate Professor of Public Policy
University Diversity and Social Transformation Professor
Professor of Sociology
← Read all stories in the fall 2025 edition State & Hill
