Thirteen graduate and undergraduate students shared takeaways from their summer internships at the Ford School’s 8th Annual Policy Pitch Competition. In a TEDTalk style presentation, students gave three minute speeches highlighting their policy impact, lessons learned, and key deliverables from their internship experience. The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners—Gauthum Sharma (MPP ‘26), Beth Harsog (MPP ‘26), and Schila Labitsch (MPP ‘26), respectively—were selected by audience members.
“Being able to share accomplishments is such an important skill,” said Emma Frazier, assistant director of graduate career services. “The pitch competition is an opportunity for students to practice public speaking, but more importantly, it's about sharing their impact with others. I'm always inspired by their pitches.”
Gautham Sharma (MPP ‘26), who worked at the Movement Advancement Project, shared a newfound understanding about the politics of data collection and usage. At MAP, a think tank dedicated to advocacy for LGBTQ+ equality and opportunity, Sharma searched for use cases for sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) data on federal surveys after SOGI-related questions have been removed from over sixty federal surveys. The experience taught him how data collection shapes policy decisions and highlights the needs of marginalized communities—and how failure to collect that data erases the unique identities and experiences of those communities.
“Decisions about what to measure, who to count, and how to interpret results are inherently political,” Sharma said. “This internship wasn't just a project in creating a spreadsheet, but it was a turning point. It showed me that data can be a tool for visibility, [for] protection.”
Ford School senior Edra Timmerman (BA ‘26) presented on her internship experience at the Social Change Initiative in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Her work focused on violations to the 1998 Good Friday Peace Agreement between the Irish and British governments. In light of the UK’s ban on prosecutions related to murders in North Ireland during the period of sectarian violence called “the Troubles,” Timmerman explored options for international dispute settlements and ways to ensure lasting peace in the region.
“I learned that peace is not just a state…but a process that requires constant work,” she said. “Peace is fragile, and it takes international cooperation and international accountability to protect human rights all over the world.”
Participants’ summer experiences ranged across disciplines and continents, but in each pitch, students shared a common goal: to work for the public good. From evaluating the costs and benefits of AI usage in U.S. government settings to bringing vaccines to underserved communities in rural Indonesia, Ford School students applied their policy education to pressing issues around the world.
“The Policy Pitch Competition showed me that regardless of how little or large of an impact I make, my actions still have the power to affect others, for better or for worse,” Claudia Minetti (BA ’26) said. “Some of us work with city planners in urban development; others contributed to the study of invasive species on the east coast. Regardless, we all belong at the Ford School because we believe we can make a difference, no matter how big or small.”
The widely attended event, hosted by Ford School Career Services, offered opportunities for first-year undergraduate and graduate students to learn about potential internships and celebrate the achievements of their peers.
“I was so impressed by the thoughtfulness of the pitches this year,” said Frazier. “Everyone really thought about how best to structure their pitch to resonate with the audience and succinctly share key takeaways.”
View some of this year's Policy Pitch Competition pitches.
A full list of participants and their internships can be found below.
Beth Hartsog (MPP ‘26)- Trust for Social Achievement
Darshana Subramaniam (MPP ‘26)- CARE
Edra Timmerman (BA ‘26)- Social Change Initiative in Belfast, Northern Ireland
Ella Mainwaring Foster (MPP ‘26)- German Marshall Fund
Rebecca Coyne (MPP ‘26)- NOAA Center for AI
Gautham Sharma (MPP ‘26)- Movement Advancement Project (MAP)
Claudia Minetti (BA ‘26)- Institute for Social Research, Population Studies Center
Schila Labitsch (MPP ‘26)- German Marshall Fund
Jeffery Huang (MPP ‘26)- Healthy Schools Campaign
Delaney McDermott (MPP/MPH ‘27)- City of Detroit Dept. of Health, Behavioral Health Program
Abu Hasan Sajili (MPP/MA ‘26)- Center for Global Health Equity, TABRIE Project in Indonesia
Lauren Parker (MPP ‘26)- MDHHS, Michigan Family Planning Title X Program
Alina DeVoogd (MPP/MS ‘27)- Rhode Island Dept. of Environmental Management
