The Ford School recognizes Zoe Vaughan (MPP '28) as the 2026 Gerald R. Ford Presidential Fellow. The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Fellowship is awarded to one of the most exceptional Ford School applicants each year, chosen for their commitment to bipartisan cooperation and civility, engagement in community service, and intention to pursue a career in the public sector. Fellows receive full tuition and a stipend to pursue unpaid professional experiences and leadership roles in student organizations.
Vaughan is interested in how governments can better bridge the gap between policy development and implementation. With five years of experience working with state governments at the intersection of workforce policy, data, and technology, Vaughan has seen how technology limitations, resource constraints, and operational realities can often lead to policies looking different in practice than their original intent. She has supported efforts to help states better leverage their administrative data to answer questions important to policy and service delivery and has facilitated national conversations on how to modernize workforce and labor market information.
Vaughan earned a BA in public policy and history from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. At the Ford School, she hopes to strengthen the analytical and technical skills needed to evaluate how policies perform in practice and identify opportunities for improvement. Ultimately, she wants to build a career helping state and local governments create stronger feedback loops between policy and implementation that foster more adaptable and effective public systems.
About the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Fellowship
When Gerald R. Ford returned to Grand Rapids, Michigan, from World War II service, he chose to run for public office. It wasn't because he sought the limelight, but because he believed strongly in a bold, constructive vision for a globally engaged post-war America—a vision diametrically opposed to that of his Congressional district's five-term incumbent. The voters agreed, and for the next six decades, Ford never looked back, and never stopped leading. In keeping with President Ford's legacy, the Ford School seeks to inspire the next century of citizens, public servants, and leaders. Fellows have gone on to build their own legacies, serving the interests of our state and nation by analyzing issues creatively and objectively, identifying actionable policy solutions, and building bipartisan consensus. Read more about the fellowship and past fellows here.