Posted on in News

New Faculty Addition: Dr. Katherine Michelmore

The Ford School is recognized worldwide for its distinguished faculty. Ford students learn everyday from experienced policy professionals and academics with expertise in their fields. 

This past month, the Ford School’s ranks grew with the addition of Dr. Katherine Michelmore as an associate professor of public policy. The University of Michigan’s Board of Regents approved the hiring on March 25th. Dr. Michelmore’s appointment will begin on August 30th, 2021. This is a homecoming of sorts for Michelmore, as she previously served as a postdoctoral fellow here at the University of Michigan. 

Prior to coming to the Ford School, Dr. Michelmore served as an assistant professor of public administration and international affairs at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School. 

Michelmore’s research focuses on the social safety net, education policy, labor economics, and economic demography. In addition, she is recognized as an expert on the Earned Income Tax Credit’s efficacy and impact on children. Her appointment further bolsters Ford’s exceptional social policy faculty. 

We’re thrilled to have Dr. Michelmore join the Ford community this summer. For more information about her hiring and background, please visit our website. Stay tuned for future hiring announcements!

Posted on in News, Programs & Courses

Ford School again ranked #1 in Social Policy by U.S. News & World Report

It’s been a challenging year for universities across the country and world as we’ve grappled with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the uncertainty and obstacles the past year has presented, we’re pleased to report that the Ford School has once again topped U.S. News & World World Report’s rankings of social policy graduate programs. 

We’re incredibly proud of Ford’s status as one of America’s premier public policy schools and it’s an honor to once again receive a distinction we’ve held for nearly a decade.  

At the Ford School, we’re committing to training the next generation of diverse, innovative, and service-driven leaders in public policy. Our rigorous curriculum provides our students with the tools they need to address our most complex and daunting challenges. 

It’s been an amazing year at Ford. As we head into the final month of Winter Semester, we’re looking to close out strong. 

Stay tuned for more updates from “Inside the Ford School!”

Posted on in Miscellaneous, Student Life

Michigan Basketball 101

As March comes to a close, the NCAA Women’s and Men’s basketball tournaments are well underway. Our very own Michigan Wolverines have taken both competitions by storm. 

In the men’s tournament, Michigan entered as the #1 seed in the East region. The team went on to defeat Texas Southern in the opening round of 64 before sending the Louisiana State Tigers home in the round of 32. On March 27th, the Wolverines will face off against the Florida State Seminoles in the Sweet Sixteen. 

In the women’s tournament, the Wolverines came in as the #6 seed. They defeated Florida Gulf Coast University by 21 points in the first round before upsetting the #3 seed Tennessee Volunteers in the second round. Coming up, the women’s team will play the #2 seed Baylor Bears on March 27th. This marks the first time in program history that the women’s team has advanced to the Sweet Sixteen.

Now that we’ve covered March Madness, let’s go over some quick facts about UM’s basketball programs to help you navigate conversations about the Maize & Blue!

  • Michigan’s basketball teams, like the school’s other athletic programs, compete in the Big 10 Conference. This conference includes 14 teams (and two affiliates) from across the Midwest.
  • The Wolverines play their home games at the Crisler Center, a 12,707-capacity arena in Ann Arbor.
  • The men’s team is currently coached by former UM player Juwan Howard (of 1991 Fab Five fame), while Kim Barnes Arico is in her ninth season as head coach of the women’s squad. Coach Barnes Arico is the winningest coach in program history. 
  • The men’s team has historic rivalries with the Duke Blue Devils, the Michigan State Spartans, and the Ohio State Buckeyes. The women’s team has a storied rivalry with Michigan State. 
  • The Michigan men’s team has won the NCAA tournament once in program history (1989). The women’s team has not yet won a national title, but has appeared in nine NCAA tournaments. 

That’s all for this crash course on Michigan basketball! As we watch this season wrap up, we’re looking forward to being back in the Crisler Center to cheer on our teams in the future!

Posted on in Student Profiles

Meet a Fordie: Alex Baum (MPP ’22)

In this installment of “Meet a Fordie,” we’re spotlighting one of our 2022 cohort members: Alex Baum!

Where are you from? Ann Arbor, Michigan. I’m grateful for this chance to return to my hometown for the MPP program!

What were you doing before you came to Ford? I spent the past five years living in New York City, collaborating one-on-one with university professors to design online versions of their graduate courses. I had been steeped in the world of digital education long before the pandemic, so it’s been fascinating to experience it now as a student.

Why did you choose Ford? I knew that Ford provided the best of everything I was looking for: world-class training in policy analysis, a brilliant faculty and student body, and a welcoming community I’ve known and loved my entire life. Despite the pandemic, this first year at Ford has exceeded my high expectations! I’m beyond excited for our cohort to spend next year together in person.

What do you want to do with your Ford degree? I plan to continue reducing barriers to education for underserved communities. In the short term, I’d love to gain some public sector experience (hopefully at the Department of Education). In the long term I’d love to tackle these challenges while working at a foundation.

That’s all for this edition of “Meet a Fordie!” Stay tuned for more updates on life at the Ford School!

Posted on in Admissions & Financial Support

MPP & MPA admissions decision release

We have released decisions to students who submitted their completed application for the Master of Public Policy or the Master of Public Affairs program on January 15, 2021. We thank you all for considering the University of Michigan as your next home in your academic journey, and for sharing your stories and your commitment to public policy with us.

Please check your emails for your decisions, and carefully review the messages that you receive for further information about how to accept your offer and upcoming opportunities to connect.

Congratulations! We look forward to welcoming the class of 2021 home to the Ford School!

Posted on in News, Programs & Courses

New Faculty Addition: Morela Hernandez

The Ford School is home to distinguished faculty with years of experience in a wide variety of policy disciplines. This past month, the Ford faculty gained another member with Morela Hernandez’s appointment as a Professor of Public Policy being approved by the University of Michigan’s Board of Regents. 

Professor Hernandez, previously of the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business, brings her expertise in organizational psychology and behavioral science to Ann Arbor. At Ford, she’ll serve as faculty director of the Ford Leadership Initiative and will teach courses on the intersection of diversity and leadership. 

Hernandez will officially join the Ford School faculty on August 31st, 2021. We can’t wait for Ford students to learn from her this coming year. 

Learn more about Professor Hernandez’s career and background here.

Stay tuned for further hiring announcements and other updates on life at the Ford School!

Posted on in News, Programs & Courses

Ford School DEI Strategic Plan

As part of the University of Michigan’s commitment to making our campus a welcoming place for all, the Ford School launched our five-year strategic plan for diversity, equity, and inclusion in October 2016. 

The Ford DEI plan focuses on four central goals: 

  • Diversifying who we are
  • Diversifying what and how we teach  
  • Promoting an equitable and inclusive climate  
  • Diversifying our research and policy engagement

Since beginning this process, Ford has created a permanent DEI officer position on our senior leadership team. To ensure input from every part of the Ford community, our DEI coalition consists of faculty, staff, and students (both graduate and undergraduate). Student representatives serve one-year terms. The student perspective is invaluable to our efforts to make the Ford School as inclusive as possible. If you think you might be interested in serving in this capacity, be on the lookout for announcements regarding next year’s DEI coalition. 

To stay informed on the progress of the Ford DEI plan, be sure to check out our monthly updates. 

 

Posted on in Student Life, Student Profiles

Meet a Fordie: Priyanka Panjwani (MPP ’22)

 

It’s the start of a new month, which means it’s time for another installment of our “Meet a Fordie” series! This time around, we’re introducing Priyanka Panjwani, a first-year MPP student here at the Ford School.

Where are you from?

I grew up about 20 minutes outside of Chicago, in the Western suburbs. I’ve been in the Midwest my whole life: I attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison (Go Badgers!), and then lived on the North Side of Chicago for 2.5 years post-undergrad.

What were you doing before you came to Ford?

I was an Economics Research Analyst at Northwestern University, where I worked mostly in Stata and R conducting econometric analyses for professors at NU, working on literature reviews, and assisting with papers/presentations. I worked on a wide range of topics, from the economic history of immigration in the U.S., to the effects of marijuana legalization on recidivism rates. After developing my research skills, I was eager to apply them to policy areas I care about, which is why I pursued policy programs.

Why did you choose Ford?

I felt that Ford complemented my interests really well, being the top Social Policy program in the country. I am specifically interested in the social determinants of health, public assistance programs, and food policy. Professors such as Paula Lantz and Luke Schaefer are amazing resources to have in my area of interest. Additionally. I was impressed by the amount of research centers housed at Ford: Poverty Solutions, the Youth Policy Lab, the Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy. I’ve taken advantage of these opportunities, and last semester worked as an RA for YPL and CLOSUP. Finally, I am interested in applying data analytics to policy solutions, and Michigan offers a graduate certificate in data science, for which I have been taking Python courses in the School of Information.

What do you want to do with your Ford degree?

Right now I’m not completely sure which sector I want to work in after graduating. I hope to use the summer internship to explore the public sector, through state or local government. What I am certain about is that I want to apply data analytics to evaluate solutions to health disparities and promote health as a human right.

Stay tuned for more spotlights of our incredible students here at Ford! 

Posted on in Miscellaneous

Ford Research Center Spotlight: Education Policy Initiative

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!

Posted on in Miscellaneous, Student Life

Michigan Hockey 101

Athletics may look a bit different this year, as Yost Arena is noticeably empty of fans, but it’s always a good time to root for the Wolverines! Once things start to reopen, you’ll be eligible as Ford students to purchase tickets and attend home games. 

Some UMich Hockey basics:

  • The Wolverines play at Yost Arena in Ann Arbor, a venue with a capacity of 5,800. 
  • Since 2017, Mel Pearson has served as head coach, replacing longtime coach and former NHL player Red Berenson. 
  • Like other UM teams, the men’s hockey squad competes as part of the Big Ten athletic conference.
  • The University of Michigan boasts an elite hockey program with dozens of alumni going on to play in the NHL, including about twenty current players.
  • UM’s main rivals in hockey are the Michigan State Spartans, with whom we play an annual game at Detroit’s Little Caesars Arena, and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. 

It’s hockey season here in Ann Arbor, and our boys in Maize and Blue are off to a roaring start. Currently sitting at 12-8 on the season, the Wolverines have faced off with Big Ten rivals such as Notre Dame, Minnesota, Ohio State, and Michigan State. Most recently, the team split an away series with the Ohio State Buckeyes in Columbus, dropping the first game 3-2 while emerging victorious in the second with a score of 6-0. 

Life at the Ford School can be hectic with plenty of assignments, exams, readings, and classes. Because of the fast-paced environment we inhabit, it’s important to take some time to destress. Setting your book aside and watching a hockey game on the Big Ten Network may be just the respite you need. 

Be on the lookout for future posts about life at the Ford School!