News | Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy

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U-M economist Dean Yang named founding president of new international development economics association

Jun 24, 2026

A new global association led by University of Michigan economist Dean Yang aims to strengthen the field of development economics.

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Ford School students turn policy training into practical support for Michigan communities

Jun 22, 2026

For local leaders, extra strategic capacity matters. Teams from the Ford School's Consulting Clinic students took different policy challenges facing Michigan communities.

Six people stand together in front of a Wayne County Economic Development Corporation sign during a visit with Ford School Consulting Clinic students.

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U-M continues to mark 250th anniversary of American democracy

Jun 16, 2026

As the nation prepares to celebrate the 250th anniversary of its founding, the University of Michigan is marking this historic milestone with a wide variety of events, activities and invitations to reflect.

university of michigan diag with the american flag waving in the center, students bustle around campus

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U-M Weiser Diplomacy Center, U.S.-Mexico Foundation, and the Mexico Program of the Inter-American Dialogue recommend integrated North American vision following trilateral policy forum

Jun 12, 2026

Amid evolving global political, economic, and security challenges, a new policy brief from the University of Michigan's Weiser Diplomacy Center and two prominent nongovernmental organizations based in Washington, D.C., calls on leaders in the United ...

Two people at an event holding gift bags and shaking hands

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Paula Lantz receives IAPHS J. Michael McGinnis Leadership Excellence Award

Jun 11, 2026

Epidemiologist and social demographer Paula Lantz has been named the recipient of the J. Michael McGinnis Leadership Excellence Award from the Interdisciplinary Association for Population Health Science.

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Church attendance is down, and war is up. Coincidence? —Rusty Hills

Jun 10, 2026

Rusty Hills contributes to the Detroit Free Press: As religious life recedes, loneliness, vice and political contempt are filling the void. Can faith offer a path back to mercy and community?

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Remembering longtime public servant and Ford School lecturer Joe Schwarz

Jun 8, 2026

The Ford School mourns the loss of former Congressman Joe Schwarz.

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Jasmine Simington wins 2026 Eckstein Prize for interdisciplinary research on heirs’ property and housing wealth

Jun 4, 2026

Jasmine Simington's paper, “Heirs’ Property, Housing Wealth, and the Spillover Effects of Marginalized Legal Classifications,” won the 2026 Eckstein Prize.

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Peterson and Pawar win 2026 Ali Family Memorial Writing Prize

Jun 4, 2026

Sarah Peterson (MPP/MBA ‘28) and Juhi Pawar (BA ‘26) have won the Ford School’s 2026 Ali Family Memorial Writing Prize for written work examining health-related policy concerns.

Two headshots side by side of smiling people.

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Face-to-face with virtual learners: How in-person experiences enhance online degree programs

Jun 1, 2026

The Ford School's Online MPA program is highlighted for its ability to create community.

A large group of people gathered together inside for a group photo

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Tool tracking school closures puts data in hands of affected communities, informs work to find solutions

May 27, 2026

Kohn Professor Christina Weiland talks about the WV school closure tracker to help policymakers, community members, and families make informed policy decisions.

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Why civil service reform fails—and what actually works

May 27, 2026

Martin Williams draws on over a decade of research across six African countries to explain why civil service reforms so often fall short, and what leaders should do instead—in VoxDev.

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Greetings from the Dean - The Briefing, May 2026

May 27, 2026

Earlier this month, we celebrated more than 170 Ford School graduates at Hill Auditorium, sending them into the world with our mission and our confidence. Commencement was joyful, proud, and honest about the work ahead. As I shared in my remarks, pub...

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Can protest art shape policy?

May 26, 2026

Devin Judge-Lord's winter course tasked students with examining the role of movement art in policy debates while addressing a central question: what constitutes a "successful" protest movement?

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Hausman, Michelmore, and Pilkauskas promoted to full professors

May 22, 2026

The Regents of the University of Michigan approved promotions for Catherine Hausman, Katherine Michelmore, and Natasha Pilkauskas—all to professor of public policy, with tenure.

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Nothaft commentary: Detroit’s high property taxes are driving a housing affordability crisis – how can city leaders bring down costs?

May 22, 2026

Amanda Nothaft, the director of data and analysis at Poverty Solutions, explains the extent of Detroit’s property tax burden and avenues for reform in an commentary in The Conversation.

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Don Moynihan wins prestigious George Fredrickson Award for Career Contributions

May 19, 2026

Dr. Donald Moynihan, the J. Ira and Nicki Harris Family Professor of Public Policy, has received the 2026 George Fredrickson Award for Career Contributions from the Public Management Research Association (PRMA) in recognition of his valuable contribu...

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Herd and Moynihan win 2026 Riccucci-O’Leary Award

May 19, 2026

Pam Herd and Donald Moynihan have been recognized with the 2026 Riccucci-O'Leary Award for the best article on diversity in public management, conferred by the Public Management Research Association (PRMA).

Headshots of Pamela Herd and Donald Moynihan

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Ambassador Camara addresses U-M's International Institute's International Studies graduates

May 18, 2026

Ambassador Camara's commencement address at the University of Michigan International Institute's International Studies graduation ceremony

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Ann Chih Lin comments on Trump's China visit

May 14, 2026

Ford School Professor Ann Chih Lin spoke with Spectrum News about the possible agenda items for President Trump and President Xi's meeting including the war in Iran, the economy, political prisoners in China, and Trump's defense of Taiwan.

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Ali discusses World Cup security concerns

May 13, 2026

Ford School Professor Javed Ali comments on the challenges facing law enforcement authorities in keeping the World Cup safe.

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Justin Wolfers launches Platypus Economics to bring economic thinking to everyday life

May 12, 2026

Justin Wolfers Q&A about the urgent need for economic literacy, the meaning behind his new platform, Platypus Economics, and how it aims to help people make sense of today's economy and political climate.

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U-M research spending drives $164 million economic impact across Michigan

May 11, 2026

University of Michigan federal grants supported more than 16,000 jobs and generated nearly $396 million last year in research-related spending nationwide.

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"Trump thought Iran would fold. That’s how Vietnam started." —Hills

May 8, 2026

Read the analysis: Ford School Lecturer Rusty Hills, former chair of the Michigan Republican Party, in the Detroit Free Press.

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Wolverines put policy to work

May 7, 2026

State & Hill spotlights student internships around the world.

Collage of students with photos out in their internships

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“Be courageous”: the Ford School celebrates the Classes of 2026

May 5, 2026

More than 170 graduates crossed the stage at Hill Auditorium on May 3, marking a milestone moment for the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy Classes of 2026.

four students celebrating in their graduation robes

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2026 Truman Scholar to expand debate, diverse voices in public policy

Apr 30, 2026

Ford School student Thea Zellmer has been selected as a 2026 Truman Scholar—one of 55 new recipients nationwide to win the award for graduate studies.

Thea Zellmer and students in a chat with Ford School professor Javed Ali and colleagues.

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Kleinman shares expertise and concerns regarding facial recognition in schools

Apr 29, 2026 Michigan Public

STPP Managing Director Molly Kleinman was recently interviewed on Michigan Radio regarding the use of facial recognition in schools to identify and verify visitors. Kleinman advised schools should instead focus on investing in larger-scale, social- a...

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Pam Herd addresses administrative burden in her Kohn professorship address

Apr 27, 2026

Administrative barriers are burdening the already disadvantaged Americans seeking life-saving benefits and aid, Ford School professor Pam Herd asserted in her Carol Kakalec Kohn Professor of Social Policy lecture.

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Youth Policy Lab welcomes Morehouse and Spelman students to 2026 ASPIRE summer program

Apr 27, 2026

Spelman students Toni Flemming, Joasia Jacobs, Olivia Liddie, and Morehouse students Donovan Correll, Chavous Langhorn, and Vincent Patterson will spend the summer advancing quantitative social science research skills, learning about careers that inv...

Donovan Correll, Toni Flemming, Joasia Jacobs, Chavous Langhorn, Olivia Liddie, Vincent Patterson