News | Program in Practical Policy Engagement

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Engaged Learning Student Projects Catalog: Preparing Ford School students for leadership

Jun 29, 2023

During the Winter Term 2023, Ford School students were involved in projects with federal, state, county, city, and township governments, school districts, non-profit organizations, and commissions. They worked with the school’s numerous research...

Engaged Learning Student Projects Catalog: Preparing Ford School students for leadership

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Research centers give U-M students hands-on, practical policy experiences

Jan 27, 2023

With the guidance and support of the Ford School’s research centers, graduate and undergraduate students are creating a real-life impact in a range of areas by working with external partners. The Ford School is deeply integrated with a wide range of...

Research centers give U-M students hands-on, practical policy experiences

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Michigan maritime: Ports set to grow economy throughout the state

Dec 22, 2022

A new law that gives the state's 32 ports tools to expand and grow the maritime economy started out as a community project for a handful of University of Michigan students. U-M students first worked with the Port of Monroe in 2012 and over the next...

Michigan maritime: Ports set to grow economy throughout the state

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Unique integrated policy exercise to examine the State of the Union

Dec 14, 2022

How does a president decide what to put into the annual State of the Union (SOTU) address? Which priorities should be first? How partisan or bipartisan can it be? How many applause lines could they seek? And would they ever admit that the state of...

Unique integrated policy exercise to examine the State of the Union

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An assessment of Michigan's redistricting process

Dec 5, 2022

In the aftermath of the first election that used newly-drawn districts in Michigan, created by an independent citizen’s commission, the Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy and the Program in Practical Policy Engagement hosted a Policy Talk to...

An assessment of Michigan's redistricting process

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The impact of Michigan’s redistricting efforts on the 2022 midterms

Nov 23, 2022

The results of the 2022 elections in Michigan were marked by a narrow Democratic sweep of all the major statewide offices and both houses of the state legislature. The election is also notable for its use of new districts that were drawn for the...

The impact of Michigan’s redistricting efforts on the 2022 midterms

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Municipal governance, economic inclusion, and environmental action among the topics covered at Policy Pitch Competition

Sep 14, 2022

“Here's a truth that bears repeating, ‘Budgets are moral documents.'” So began the presentation of Alex Perez-Garcia (MPP, MBA ‘24) to the 5th annual Ford School Policy Pitch Competition, as she described her summer internship in the Office of...

Municipal governance, economic inclusion, and environmental action among the topics covered at Policy Pitch Competition

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Ford School Black History Month activities cover a wide spectrum of topics

Feb 2, 2022

The Ford School and its research centers will be hosting a variety of events during February, Black History Month, examining a range of topics concerning the struggles for racial equity. The Center for Racial Justice, Weiser Diplomacy Center and...

Ford School Black History Month activities cover a wide spectrum of topics

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P3E mentors play a crucial role in student consulting course

Dec 7, 2021

Expert mentors are a distinguishing aspect of Professor Elisabeth Gerber’s Strategic Public Policy Consulting course. The consulting course gives graduate students the opportunity to help clients such as the Government Accountability Office (GAO),...

P3E mentors play a crucial role in student consulting course

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Ford School research center websites get a fresh new look

Aug 27, 2021

Seven of the Ford School’s dynamic research centers have launched new websites. Building on the Ford School’s own modern web design and technical capabilities, the new websites convey the energy and innovation of each center. Participating research...

Ford School research center websites get a fresh new look

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Research meets journalism in new collaboration with Bridge Detroit

Jul 16, 2021

Kalena Thomhave (MPP ‘21) and Eli Gold (MPP/MS ‘21) spent much of last year working on research relevant to their academic interests—she on access to TANF cash benefits and he on utility affordability—as would be expected of any final-year MPP...

Research meets journalism in new collaboration with Bridge Detroit

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Learning and serving - P3E students report on research projects across Michigan

Jul 16, 2021

While still operating in a mostly-virtual, hybrid academic world, Ford School students were able to learn and serve during the Spring Term through the Program in Practical Policy Engagement (P3E) and its Practical Community Learning Projects (PCLP)....

Learning and serving - P3E students report on research projects across Michigan

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Ford School assists American Heart Association of Southeastern Michigan on ‘Tobacco in Schools’ policies

Jul 12, 2021

Two Ford School student fellows have been selected to work with the American Heart Association (AHA) of Metro Detroit to identify best practices for reducing tobacco usage among high school student populations. AHA, the world’s leading nonprofit...

Ford School assists American Heart Association of Southeastern Michigan on ‘Tobacco in Schools’ policies

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Ford School students lobby Michigan legislators on providing ID’s to returning citizens

Jun 3, 2021

When people are released from incarceration, referred to as ”returning citizens,” one of the barriers they often encounter is gaining access to a state-issued ID card, which then would make it easier for them to get jobs, state benefits, housing, or...

Ford School students lobby Michigan legislators on providing ID’s to returning citizens

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From Arctic research to promoting the Port of Monroe, P3E students get real-world policy experience

May 27, 2021

Ford School students again went beyond the classroom, even though just virtually, to engage with communities across Michigan and the U.S. The graduate and undergraduate students took part in eight projects around racial justice, economic...

From Arctic research to promoting the Port of Monroe, P3E students get real-world policy experience

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Addressing structural inequity during Black History Month at the Ford School

Mar 1, 2021

The Ford School marked Black History Month by lifting up Black voices with a series of discussions about identifying inequities in society and seeking policy solutions to address them. Research centers, student groups, faculty, staff, and alumni all...

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Students highlight their practical policy engagements

Dec 17, 2020

Ford School students engaged in real problem-solving in the fall 2020 semester, tackling some of the most important issues facing Michigan. The undergraduate and graduate students participated in research and analysis projects as a part of the...

Students highlight their practical policy engagements

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Third annual Ford School pitch competition focuses on financial inclusion and inequity during summer internships

Oct 27, 2020

Financial inclusion and inequity were focuses of the third annual pitch competition, at which 12 Ford School BA and Masters students presented about their summer internship experiences. Those experiences were online in 2020 because of the COVID-19...

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Ford School undergraduates partner with Detroit area community partners through Practical Community Learning Project Fellowships

Oct 1, 2020

This summer, the Practical Community Learning Project Fellowships provided opportunities for eight Ford School undergraduate students to partner with community partners in and around Detroit. The projects focused on such diverse and important issues...

Ford School undergraduates partner with Detroit area community partners through Practical Community Learning Project Fellowships

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Students support local organizations to improve equity

Aug 28, 2020

One element of the struggle for economic equity in Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color (BIPOC) communities is the intentional denial of support networks that provide funding, customers, connections or other resources for businesses and...

Students support local organizations to improve equity

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Crain’s covers student work on economic impact of inconsistent border protection policies

Dec 20, 2019

Crain’s Detroit Business recently published an article that highlights a report prepared by Ford School students. The students found that stringent policies and enforcement by the CBP office in Detroit-–compared with the office in Chicago, which...

Crain’s covers student work on economic impact of inconsistent border protection policies

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Lowering national debt is as easy as 1, 2, $4.95 billion!

Sep 24, 2019

The U.S. national debt has reached the highest levels in history outside of a war or recession. At current spending rates, the national debt will reach a record high by 2034. Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid make up half of the federal...

Lowering national debt is as easy as 1, 2, $4.95 billion!

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Ford School hosts Second Annual Policy Pitch Competition: Students returning from internships pitch their experiences, future goals

Sep 23, 2019

Last Tuesday, Ford School BA and Masters students participated in the second annual Policy Pitch Competition. The event, hosted by Graduate Career Services (GCS) & the Program in Practical Policy Engagement (P3E), gave presenters an opportunity to...

Ford School hosts Second Annual Policy Pitch Competition: Students returning from internships pitch their experiences, future goals

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Students get real-world learning through Strategic Consulting course

Aug 13, 2019

One of the cornerstone courses of the Ford School’s applied approach has a new name. Applied Policy Seminar will now be titled “Strategic Public Policy Consulting” (Strategic Consulting) to better exemplify the engaged learning students experience...

Students get real-world learning through Strategic Consulting course

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Liz Gerber recognized with Provost's Teaching Innovation Prize

Apr 26, 2019

The work of associate dean Liz Gerber is among five projects being honored with the 11th annual Provost’s Teaching Innovation Prize for innovative approaches to improving student learning. The winning projects were chosen from among 47 nominations...

Liz Gerber recognized with Provost's Teaching Innovation Prize

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Gerber recognized for her work with US Department of Justice’s ICITAP

Feb 27, 2019

Professor Elisabeth Gerber was recognized for her work with the U.S. Department of Justice’s International Criminal Investigative Technical Assistance Program (ICITAP). Greg Ducot, acting director of ICITAP, gave her this recognition in honor of her...

Gerber recognized for her work with US Department of Justice’s ICITAP

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Boots on the ground: Annual trip gives students perspective on policy work in DC

Feb 25, 2019

While Graduate Career Service’s yearly DC trip is only two days, its benefits reverberate to influence students’ career trajectory plans. On February 7 and 8, 35 Ford students took part in panels and information sessions around Washington, DC, on a...

Boots on the ground: Annual trip gives students perspective on policy work in DC

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Workshop series helps Ford students with communication skills

Feb 21, 2019

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...

Workshop series helps Ford students with communication skills

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Greetings from the Dean – Feed January 30, 2019

Jan 30, 2019

The fall semester in Ann Arbor was a blur of activity, and the winter semester has started with a flurry of activity (and weather)! As 2018 drew to a close, so, too, did the University of Michigan’s Victors for Michigan campaign. Thanks to the...

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Students Learn & Explore Careers in Detroit

Nov 16, 2018

MPP students got the opportunity to explore careers in Detroit over fall break through a trip sponsored by Graduate Career Services. On Tuesday, October 16, around 25 Ford School students gathered at the U-M Detroit Center, at the southwest corner...

Students Learn & Explore Careers in Detroit