With the end of the semester just a day away, it’s time to wrap up another year here at the Ford School. Of course, it goes without saying this year was different than most. Our incredible students, faculty, and staff demonstrated their resilience, creativity, and compassion throughout an academic year conducted in an almost entirely remote capacity.

With more and more people in Michigan and across the U.S. receiving vaccinations, we’re looking forward to next semester when we can once again be together in Weill Hall. 

Despite the many challenges this year posed for our school, city, state, and country, the Ford community remained steadfast in its commitment to the public good and public service. Our research centers continued to produce rigorous, in-depth analyses of our most pressing problems, our faculty continued their field-leading research on a wide array of policy topics, our staff maintained an exceptional level of service for current and prospective students, and Fordies themselves responded to every challenge with positivity and grit.

We’re exceptionally proud of everything Fordies have accomplished in the 2020-2021 academic year. We can’t wait to meet our new cohort in the Fall and welcome everybody back to campus after an exciting summer of policy internships. 

Finally, congratulations to the Ford School graduates of the Class of 2021. Your final year at Ford may have looked different than any of us had hoped, but you finished strong. We know you’ll put the skills and lessons you’ve learned to good use.

Thanks for following us here on “Inside the Ford School.” Stay safe and have a wonderful summer.

In addition to Ford’s premier BA, MPP, MPA, and PhD programs, our school is home to fifteen research centers doing critical work on pressing issues facing Michigan, the U.S., and the world. 

In today’s research center spotlight, we’re looking at the Education Policy Initiative (EPI). One of the distinguished faculty members leading EPI, Professor Sue Dynarski, recently teamed up with fellow researchers from Harvard and the University of Virginia to draw attention to the COVID-19 pandemic’s exacerbation of inequities in education. Low-income students’ access to technology and college application resources (counselors, teachers, etc.) have been disrupted, widening the gap in college attendance between low-income students and peers from higher-income households. 

In particular, Dynarski and her colleagues argue for federal intervention to provide the funding and resources needed for schools and students to emerge from the pandemic poised to rebound and thrive.

This is just an example of the incredible work being done at the Ford School. We’re so proud of the faculty and students working to devise innovative solutions to our biggest challenges.

For more on EPI’s research, initiatives, and events, check out the center’s website, and stay tuned for more research center highlights!

This Presidents Day, the Ford School is taking a moment to reflect on the life and legacy of our namesake, 38th U.S. President Gerald R. Ford. His story in many respects embodies the Ford School’s commitment to public service.

A lifelong Michigander from Grand Rapids, President Ford attended the University of Michigan and led the school’s football team to two undefeated seasons culminating in national titles.

After completing his degree at Michigan and receiving his juris doctor from Yale, Ford enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve in the wake of Pearl Harbor and served in the war’s Pacific Theater. Upon his return home, he married fellow Grand Rapids native Elizabeth “Betty” Bloomer, with whom he would raise four children.

In 1948, Ford was elected to represent West Michigan’s fifth congressional district in the United States House of Representatives, going on to hold the seat for twenty-five years. His tenure in Congress saw him serve on the Warren Commission in the wake of the Kennedy assassination and vote in favor of the Civil Rights and Voting Rights acts. His service culminated in an eight-year stint as House Minority Leader.

The resignation of Vice President Spiro Agnew elevated Ford to the nation’s second-highest office as the Watergate scandal was unfolding. Richard Nixon’s 1974 resignation installed Gerald Ford as the 38th president of the United States, becoming the first commander-in-chief from the State of Michigan. In his first speech to the nation, Ford affirmed his commitment to the values that had guided his life and career, saying “I have not sought this enormous responsibility, but I will not shirk it…It is only fitting then that I should pledge to them and to you that I will be the President of all the people.”

His time in the White House coming to a close in 1977, Gerald R. Ford’s career in public service and elected office was a recurring tale of patriotism, humility, and compassion. His legacy is demonstrative of the University of Michigan’s commitment to civic leadership and serves as a powerful example for policymakers who have followed him. His steady leadership during a period of tumult in America offers a guide for us as we weather the storms of today.

From all of us here at the Ford School, happy Presidents Day.

In this installment of our “Meet a Fordie” series, we have one of our MPA students, Jamie Lyons-Eddy, sharing their background and reasons for coming to Ford.

Where are you from?

I’ve lived in Michigan all my life. I was born in Flint, and lived a few places before settling in Troy, where my husband and I raised our kids. We’ve been here for over 23 years now.

What were you doing before you came to Ford?

I was a math teacher with an engineering background, but immediately before coming to the Ford School, I was the Director of Campaigns and Programs for Voters Not Politicians. I was one of the founding members of VNP, the nonpartisan grassroots group that brought thousands of people together across Michigan to put redistricting reform on the statewide ballot in 2018. After the ballot proposal won, VNP went straight to work to support and defend Michigan’s new independent redistricting process, and continues to bring Michigan voters together to fight for structural democracy reform.

Why did you choose Ford?

I was already working for good-government reforms in Michigan, but with my background in math and science, I wanted to build the skills and knowledge to develop policy, analyze complex data, and manage and lead more effectively. I was excited about the one-year MPA program which would allow me to study at the nationally recognized Ford School, which was close to home and wouldn’t require me to take too much time out of my career. Because of the pandemic, I ended up doing all my coursework online, so I could have studied anywhere! But I’m very glad I chose Ford. The faculty is stellar and as a side benefit, I’m learning a lot from my MPA and MPP colleagues.

What do you want to do with your Ford degree?

I’ve already had the privilege of working with thousands of motivated people to bring critical reforms to Michigan’s state government. But there’s much more work to do. At the local, state, and federal level, we must ensure that everyone has access to the ballot, that all votes count equally, and that our elected officials answer to the people. I look forward to getting back to the work of fixing what’s broken in government, and I’m certain that what I’ve learned at Ford will help me be more effective in helping to make positive change.

Be on the lookout for upcoming student spotlights in the weeks and months to come!

Yesterday, we witnessed the inauguration of the 46th president of the United States, President Joe Biden. We also watched as Vice President Kamala Harris, the first woman, first Black person, and first South Asian American to take on the role, was sworn into office. Today we invite you to join University of Michigan community members in upcoming conversations, which will provide post-inauguration reflection and thoughts on what is next for our nation.

 

The University of Michigan launched a Democracy & Debate Theme Semester in the summer of 2020. The semester afforded students, staff, and faculty many opportunities to explore the intricacies of democracy, at the local, state, and federal levels, during this recent election year. Join U-M for one of the final events of this theme semester, “Kamala Harris and the Reframing of the Vice Presidency: A Conversation on History, Identity, and Politics in Honor of the 2021 Inaguration.” Register to attend here.

 

For more information about the theme semester and other events, check here.

Join the Ford School of Public Policy and the University of Michigan today, Monday, January 18, as we celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 

The Ford School will host moderator Christina Olsen, director of the University of Michigan’s Museum of Art; Mitch Landrieu, former Mayor of New Orleans; Earl Lewis, founding director of University of Michigan’s Center for Social Solutions; and Kristin Hass, Associate Professor of American Culture for a discussion on Public monuments and our histories: Reframing the memories of our nation. Register here for a reminder, and stream the event at 1:00pm ET on January 18.

Earlier in the day, from 10:00-11:30am ET, members of the public will be able to join this year’s University of Michigan symposium, which features speakers Gloria House and Malik Yakini. For more information about the speakers, see their bios here.

We invite you to join us in continuing to honor Dr. King throughout the month of January, with a host of events across the University. The University’s Office of Academic Multicultural Initiatives also compiles a list of events that support the mission of the symposium and occur throughout the month of January. Many of these events are open to the public, and we encourage you to participate in as many as you’re interested in.

One event in particular that you may find of interest: U.S. race relations and foreign policy with speaker Ambassador (ret.) Susan D. Page. Register here to join the event at 4:00pm on January 27th.