Hi! My name is Cara Clay, and I'm a second-year MPP student at the Ford School of Public Policy. I consider myself a life-long southerner. I was born in Houston, TX and later moved to Baton Rouge, LA; Mobile, AL; Fayetteville, GA; and Herndon,VA. I later earned a BA in Economics, BS in Geography, and a minor in French from the University of Alabama.
After college, I lived in Birmingham, AL, where I worked as an AmeriCorps VISTA for the Birmingham Land Bank Authority, where I largely worked in neighborhood revitalization and community development. Subsequently, I worked as a legal assistant in the Office of the City Attorney at the City of Birmingham, which gave me a better perspective of day-to-day operations in local government.
Before being admitted to the Ford School, I had never visited Michigan. However, once I visited Ann Arbor for Spring Preview, I knew that the Ford School was the right place for me. The staff and faculty were super welcoming, and I had really great interactions with people who would later become my fellow cohort members. I left Spring Preview knowing that I wanted to earn my MPP from the University of Michigan.
As a Fordie, I've had the opportunity to explore so many amazing opportunities both inside and outside the classroom. I currently serve in various roles including as a Ford School Graduate Admissions Assistant, Communications Director for the Michigan Journal of Public Affairs (MJPA), and DEI Chair of the Student Affairs Committee (SAC).
I've also had time to travel more. Through my free time and my Strategic Public Policy Consulting course, I've also been able to travel to Chicago—which is now one of my favorite cities. I also visited Toronto, where I participated in the 2025 Ford + Munk Conference.
This past summer, I returned to the South (Atlanta, GA) to intern for the Southern Poverty Law Center–Action Fund. With support from the Ford School's Career Services, I was able to secure this amazing internship. This internship introduced me to non-profit advocacy work and strengthened my interest in local and state policy in the Southeast.
Outside of U-M, I've grown to love Ann Arbor as a community. My favorite season here is fall (which is basically non-existent in the South). The air is perfectly crisp, the leaves are beautiful, and I love engaging in autumnal activities. Ann Arbor is so different from everywhere else I've lived, but it really has become a second home for me. I'm glad that I took the leap to come here.