State & Hill | Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy
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State & Hill

Spotlights, spring 2026

May 7, 2026
Over spring break, annual policy study trips took undergrads to Brussels for the BA Global Engagement Seminar (above) and graduate students to Colombia for the International Policy in Practice seminar (below).
A group of undergraduate students holding a Ford School flag at the European Parliament
Alumni spotlight

Collaborative development across Asia

May 7, 2026
Overseeing a $45 billion portfolio, Morris works with governments across 25 nations on projects ranging from physical infrastructure to universal healthcare.
2 people in safety gear inspect a railway system in Vietnam
State & Hill

"This research is not partisan"

May 7, 2026
What’s the public school ROI? Should the state offer transitional kindergarten? Why do eligible college students leave financial aid on the table? The Education Policy Initiative's Michigan Education Data Center helps us understand what work–and why–...
Open book laying on table with doodles, sketches, and graphs above it
State & Hill

Shaefer’s new role in Detroit

May 7, 2026
In January, Luke Shaefer was appointed chief executive of Health, Human Services & Poverty Solutions for the City of Detroit. His data-driven vision targets systemic change.
Luke Shaefer standing at podium giving speech during a press conference
State & Hill

Samuel Bagenstos: Can scholarship shape democracy?

May 7, 2026
From arguing cases for the Justice Department to investigating why expanded social benefits were rolled back, Samuel Bagenstos explores the intersection of law, policy, and public service
Samuel Bagenstos at podium giving lecture
State & Hill

Letter from Dean Watkins-Hayes, spring 2026

May 7, 2026
This year, State & Hill has unfolded a bit differently—literally and figuratively! 
While our fall issue adopted a compact, fold-out design to highlight impact, 
our spring magazine returns to our full format, offering the space to dive deeper into t...
Woman smiling in white blazer with off-white background
Alumni spotlight

Pathways for student success

May 7, 2026
For nearly a decade, Rohan Dharan (BA '13) led initiatives to ensure all DC Public School students had access to advanced and enriched academics.
Man smiling in front of open door
Alumni spotlight

Families at the center of child welfare reform

May 7, 2026
During her early years in direct practice, Alexandra Citrin (MPP/MSW '12) had a striking realization: families routinely faced policy barriers that made it difficult for them to care for their own children. The systems designed to help families were ...
Three people smiling at a conference
State & Hill

Policy under autocracy

May 7, 2026
A refreshed Ford School course equips students with tools to 
analyze authoritarian practices and political structures worldwide
Professor Ann Lin teaching class standing in front of blackboard
State & Hill

Danziger's third act

May 7, 2026
After decades as a renowned poverty scholar at U-M and president of the Russell Sage Foundation, Sheldon Danziger, ​the Henry J. Meyer Distinguished University Professor Emeritus of Public Policy, began his ‘third act’ last fall, taking the helm as p...
Sheldon Danziger and colleagues at a conference posing for a photo
State & Hill

Faculty news, spring 2026

May 7, 2026
Ford School experts are publishing research, sharing their knowledge, and getting recognized.
A series of six headshots of people smiling
State & Hill

Last Word: Jeffrey Morenoff

May 7, 2026
This winter, 12 students stepped into paid consulting roles, working on three projects that support local governments in Michigan and beyond. Morenoff shares what the pilot initiative means for government partners and student professional development...
Man smiling standing in front of glass
State & Hill

STPP: STEM-ming the gap

May 7, 2026
The Science, Technology and Public Policy Programs' post-graduate fellowship connects technical experts with Michigan lawmakers to provide access to research and analysis for rapidly evolving topics such as AI regulation, biotech, and energy developm...
Michigan Capitol Building
State & Hill

25 years of CLOSUP

Apr 11, 2026
When the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission faced a tidal wave of public input—more than 30,000 comments—the Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (CLOSUP) and Ford School students stepped in. Their analysis helped the commiss...
25 Years of CLOSUP logo
State & Hill

How do you ensure every child gets a strong start?

Dec 8, 2025
For nearly two decades, Christina Weiland has partnered with education leaders nationwide to pinpoint how to strengthen early learning. She teamed up with Boston Public Schools to roll out and assess their universal pre-K program. With evidence-based...
Person at a podium giving an animated speech
State & Hill

Michigan redefines support for new families

Dec 8, 2025
Rx Kids, the nation’s first community-wide prenatal and infant cash program, has improved infant health, reduced evictions, and achieved a high return on investment. Now, with new state commitments, it will reach about one-third of all births statewi...
Five adults smiling, one holding a framed children's artwork.
State & Hill

Class notes, fall 2025

Dec 8, 2025
Catch up with Fordies and learn about recent accomplishments, moves, and babies!
Baby photos of Future Fordies Guiliana Michaela, Jack, and Amelia.
State & Hill

Building bridges across differences

Dec 8, 2025
Six student Bridge Builders began introducing constructive dialogue techniques to their peers, as part of the school’s Resilient Democracy Initiative.
Four people smiling and posing together inside a restaurant
State & Hill

Faculty news, fall 2025

Dec 8, 2025
Ford School experts are publishing research, sharing their knowledge, and getting recognized.
Headshots of Javed Ali, Bill Axinn, Samuel Bagenstos, Jenna Bednar, Elizabeth Gerber, Devin Judge-Lord, Alexander Ralph, Fabiana Silva, Alton Worthington, and Dean Yang.
State & Hill

Letter from Dean Watkins-Hayes

Dec 8, 2025
Each fall, I am reminded of the extraordinary reach and relevance of our work together at the Ford School. As part of a great public university, we are at our best—our most impactful—when we connect our research and teaching to real needs in communit...
Headshot of Celeste Watkins-Hayes
Alumni spotlight

Strange bedfellows for a cleaner NYC

May 9, 2025
When Emma Renzi Wise (BA ’19) got hooked on learning about environmental policy at the Ford School, she never imagined working for the New York City Department of Sanitation. But nearly six years after leaving Ann Arbor, Wise is the community coordin...
Collage of Emma Renzi Wise with an oyster shell, manhole cover, and recycling bin
State & Hill

Improving disability care through Medicaid reform

May 9, 2025
If you ask Vincent Pinti (MPP/JD '27) why he entered the dual degree master’s of public policy and law program at the University of Michigan, he’ll tell you that he didn’t have a choice.
Headshot of Pinti