Picture yourself: you are walking among a beautiful collection of distinguished brick buildings.  Snow covers the ground as you gaze upon the seemingly endless trees that dot the walkway.  You breathe a sigh of satisfaction and say to yourself “this is the perfect place to fight poverty.”

Welcome to the University of Michigan and the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy.  Located in Ann Arbor, MI (known affectionately as Tree Town, USA), U of M is one of the nation’s premiere public universities.  Many are familiar with the Michigan Wolverines football team, and their stadium, the “Big House,” that holds over 109,000 screaming fans.  However, one of the universities true gems is the Ford School.

Named in honor of former U.S. President Gerald Ford, a Michigan alumnus, the Ford School offers a B.A. in Public Policy for undergraduates in addition to a Master of Public Policy and Master of Public Administration for graduate students.  The school also has over 16 joint M.A. and PhD programs with other graduate programs in the university, including Economics, Political Science, and Sociology.

A stated strength of the Ford School is in combating poverty.  The National Poverty Center is housed in the Ford School and is funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  The National Poverty Center trains students in poverty research, publishes briefs and analyses to be used in government forums, and runs national seminars to discuss issues of poverty.

In addition to poverty research, the Ford School is devoted to global development.  Students pursuing an M.P.P. spend the summer between their first and second year pursuing an internship directly related to policy issues.  27% of students complete their internships abroad, while 30% work in Washington D.C. for an internationally related program.  Additionally, the School houses the International Policy Center, which promotes interdisciplinary research in various global issues.

If you are interested in honing your skills in fighting global poverty, the Ford School of Public Policy may be the place for you.

– Taylor Diamond

Sources: Ford School of Public Policy, National Poverty Center
Britannica