current students

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

On April 15, 2026, the Ford School's Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (CLOSUP) celebrated a quarter century of impact. Approximately 75 current and former CLOSUP directors, staff, students, collaborators, and state legislators gathered in La...

Lauren Parker (MPP '26) discusses her experience helping develop the Public Policy Lab's workshop about human-centered design, which provided students, faculty, and staff an opportunity to learn about service design and how human-centered design proc...

Kelly Beharry (MPP ’26, MD ’27) reflects on her NYC roots and how her dual degree influences her approach to global health and immigrant rights.

Tansaorn (Wave) Junkrapor (MPP ‘26) shares how working for Thailand’s Department of Local Administration taught him that effective policy comes from listening to the people it impacts, and how he’s now focused on using data to make AI work for vulner...

This month, four Ford School student essays were recognized for outstanding, policy-focused analysis and personal reflection. They are the winners of a contest that invited students to explore central themes of Abundance, by Ezra Klein and Derek Thom...

Elisa Méndez Silva (MPP ‘27) shares how supporting World Bank operations in Honduras shaped her approach to policy, why she chose the Ford School, and how she hopes to strengthen public institutions through a career in international development.

Brody Stratz (BA ‘26) reflects on how growing up during COVID shaped his interest in public policy, what he’s learned at the Ford School, and the impact he hopes to make through economic policy.

Every October and March, the Ford School network comes to life with Alumni Office Hours Month, a program that pairs current students and alumni for one-on-one career conversations. It's simple in structure but powerful in impact, and this fall, it re...

More than 50 current Ford School students and recent graduates met with alumni through three different panel discussions spanning time zones and cultures for the Day of Global Careers, a virtual event celebrating the school’s global community.

By its very definition, democracy gives people a voice in the decisions that affect their communities, but the practice of incorporating citizen voices in government decisions can be complicated and challenging. Last semester, three students from the...

By Jack Eichner (BA '21) This week marks one year since the University of Michigan’s campus shut down. Questions swirled as students had to adjust to virtual learning while simultaneously adapting to new living situations in a rapidly evolving en...

Even the best policies still need to be communicated well in order to be effective. But what’s the best way to tell a story and make it part of the public conversation? Getting Stuff Done: Communications Skills Series is aimed at helping Ford School ...

At the beginning of the winter term and new year, Master of Public Policy candidates Shawn Danino and Matthew Hillard launched “The Michigan PolicyCast,” a radio show-style podcast on the driving political, policy, and media issues of the day. “M...