A longtime supporter of the Ford School has offered a 1:1 match through 2029. To learn more about how you can contribute to the GRF Fellowship, contact Kellen Epstein at [email protected].
A director of democratic institutions at the Roosevelt Institute. A consultant advancing data-driven support for children and families in Pennsylvania. An executive analyst conserving natural resources in King County, Washington.
What do these roles have in common? They are held by recipients of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Fellowship, the Ford School's most prestigious award for outstanding graduate students. Over two years, fellows receive full tuition, a generous stipend, internship funding, and professional development support to help them launch meaningful careers.
As the Fellowship celebrates its 10th anniversary, its nine recipients have built a legacy of leadership and service nationwide. Today, the Fellowship continues to nurture future policy leaders who exemplify academic excellence, bipartisan cooperation, and a deep commitment to public service.
"The fellowship was truly a gift that had a profound impact on me and my career," says Megan Nestor (MPP '19), a consultant for organizations that strengthen communities and support children and families. After a decade working with New York City nonprofits to combat systemic inequities for underrepresented students, Nestor came to the Ford School eager to learn. "I maxed out my course load and explored as much as I could academically," she says.
The fellowship enabled Nestor to pursue an unpaid internship with the Detroit mayor's office, where she worked on a feasibility study for universal pre-K.
"The skills I learned at the Ford School, I use every day," Nestor says. "My clients appreciate that I bring strong data analysis, writing, and community engagement skills."
Former GRF Fellow Elena Davert (MPP/MS ‘23) is an executive analyst in the Office of Performance, Strategy, and Budget for King County, Washington, where she leads the county-wide capital infrastructure budget process and supports the divisions for water and land resources, as well as wastewater treatment.
"In those two divisions, we're dealing with many important challenges that balance environmental health, human health, and affordability," she says. "How do you grapple with increasing costs while continuing to prioritize human health and the environment of Puget Sound? And how do you do that in an ever-changing regulatory environment? I've had to draw on policy and economic literacy and deploy soft skills to make sure I can build ongoing relationships with stakeholders to address these issues."
Davert started at the Ford School during the COVID-19 pandemic, after spending five years designing and implementing grant programs for the State of California that empowered vulnerable communities to set their own climate goals, promote engagement and workforce development, and prevent displacement.
Davert credits the Fellowship with inspiring her to expand her horizons, even during the pandemic.
"Attending an institution that brought together people from all over the world was also an important part of my professional and personal growth. The fellowship gave me the resources and the courage to relocate in the middle of the pandemic."
A longtime supporter of the Ford School has offered a 1:1 match through 2029. To learn more about how you can contribute to the GRF Fellowship, contact Kellen Epstein at [email protected].
