Molly Spencer is a writing instructor, the author of two poetry collections, If the House (U. of Wisc. Press) and Hinge (SIU Press), and many essays and book reviews. Prior to her writing career, she worked in public sector project management and legislative relations. She holds degrees in economics, public policy, and writing.
William G. Axinn is the interim director of the Ford School’s International Policy Center. He recently published “Early-life risk factors for depression among young adults in the United States general population: Attributable risks and gender...
Kamissa Camara chaired the Bipartisan Senior Study Group for the Sahel at the U.S. Institute of Peace. The study group’s comprehensive report critically assesses opportunities for peace, security, and economic development in the Sahel.Charlotte...
Philadelphia Poet Laureate and educator Airea D. Matthews (MPA ’07) returned to the Ford School this fall to discuss her memoir-in-verse with writing instructor Molly Spencer at an event hosted by the Center for Racial Justice. The following day,...
Airea D. Matthews (MPA ‘07) dreamt of being a writer since she was a child. As she got older, she struggled to identify a clear path that turned her dream into reality. “My working-class roots didn’t seem to make space for sustainable possibilities...
Ford School writing instructor Molly Spencer's poetry collection, Invitatory, was selected as a 2022 New Measure Poetry Prize Winner. It is Spencer's third collection, joining If the House (University of Wisconsin Press, 2019) and Hinge (SIU Press,...
Dominique Adams-Santos, Celeste Watkins-Hayes, and PhD candidate Kayonne Christy contributed a chapter, "Narratives in Context: Locating Racism and Sexism in Black Women's Health Experiences," to The Routledge Companion to...
Ford School writing instructor Molly Spencer’s poetry collection, Invitatory, was selected as a 2022 New Measure Poetry Prize Winner. It is Spencer ‘s third collection, joining If the House (University of Wisconsin Press, 2019) and Hinge (SIU Press,...
Jenna Bednar published “The Fractured Superpower: Federalism is Remaking U.S. Democracy and Foreign Policy,” in Foreign Affairs.
The Coalition for Networked Information, the Association of Research Libraries, and EDUCAUSE awarded Paul Courant the...
Weill Hall buzzed with excitement this week as the Ford School kicked off the 41st year of its Public Policy and International Affairs (PPIA) Junior Summer Institute – a program designed to build diversity in public service. Hailing from coast to...
The U-M Institute for Clinical & Health Research recognized John Ayanian with a 2020 Distinguished Clinical and Translational Research Mentor Award.
Joshua Basseches received a grant from the Climate Social Science Network to continue working on...
Javed Ali has appeared recently in outlets such as 60 Minutes, ABC News, CNN, the Wall Street Journal, Associated Press, NPR’s Morning Edition, and the Los Angeles Times. He’ll become an associate professor of practice at the Ford School this...
Molly Spencer was selected as a Summer Faculty Fellow by U-M’s Institute for the Humanities to study form in free verse poetry and will examine recent innovations in identity poetics in a time of racial justice advocacy, the poetics of trauma, and...
While COVID-19 has made traditional forms of sharing poetry more difficult, Molly Spencer comments that "one of the gifts of this time, if we have to be in a time where we can't gather...the internet...has connected poets who otherwise wouldn't be...
Javed Ali organized a panel for New America on domestic terrorism. His new podcast, The Burn Bag, produced with two Ford School alumni, A'ndre Gonawela (BA ‘19) and Ryan Rosenthal (BA ‘19), has featured U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan, General David...
By Molly Spencer, writing instructor at the Ford School
In the west, etched and bony light of moonset.
East, warm breath of sun
fleshing the sky. Nothing
will ever be as legible
as these hills, still
black with their faith...
The Ford School’s Writing Center lecturers and instructors help students with everything from memo writing to cover letters, but their talents don’t end there. They are also successful writers themselves. Recently David Morse, lecturer in expository...
Our top-notch associate leadership team remains in place, with Paula Lantz continuing on as associate dean for academic affairs, Elisabeth Gerber continuing as the school’s associate dean for research and policy engagement, and Ann Lin continuing to...
Join us for an unforgettable evening with four trailblazing women in the arts, each bringing their own unique vision on how art can heal our society—on a national, community, and personal level. Part performance, part interactive workshop, and part discussion, this dynamic event explores the themes of care, resilience, and self expression in times of challenge.
Join the Center for Racial Justice in welcoming Airea D. Matthews, acclaimed poet, educator, and Ford School alumna, to discuss her latest work Bread and Circus, a memoir-in-verse that combines poetry, prose, and imagery to explore the realities of economic necessity, marginal poverty, and commodification, through a personal lens.