Where Networks Take Root: Korbel Students Explore Career Pathways in Washington, D.C.
At a moment when career trajectories in Washington, D.C. are shifting rapidly, students at the Josef Korbel School of Global and Public Affairs are demonstrating a renewed eagerness to understand and enter the nation’s government and policy hub. This fall, record-high interest in the school’s D.C. Career Connections trip brought 28 Korbel graduate students to the capital for four days of intensive career exploration....
Bridging the Gap at Korbel: Turning Passion for Global Affairs into a Career
Bridging the Gap (BTG) is a cornerstone of the Korbel School’s commitment to shaping impactful global leaders. Co-founded in 2005 by now Professor and Director of the Scrivner Institute Naazneen Barma, BTG was created to do exactly what its name promises: connect scholars and emerging practitioners to the policymaking world, ensuring their passion for international affairs can translate into careers with impact. ...
Theory In Practice: Korbel's First-Year Cohort Forecasting Simulation
This reflection was written by Madison Bryant (MA, Global Economic Affairs, 2026), a first-year Korbel graduate student partaking in a simulation for the class, "Great Issues in International Affairs."...
From First-Generation College Student to Regional Representative with Senator Bennet: Jacob Topping’s Public Service Journey
From the steel city of Pueblo, Colorado to the halls of government, recent Korbel alumnus Jacob Topping’s journey is a testament to what drive, purpose, and community roots can make possible. A proud first-generation college graduate, Jacob grew up with a strong belief that people from small towns deserve a voice in decisions that shape their future. After graduating with his Master of Public Policy (MPP) in 2024, Jacob has dedicated his career to elevating those voices. “I was born and raised in Pueblo,” he shared, “and I am now the Southeastern Regional Representative for Senator Michael Bennet.”...
Bridging Worlds: Keith Gehring Guides Student to Fulbright-Winning Project
With guidance from Korbel professor Keith Gehring, grad student Raluca Alexandrescu turned a bold idea into a Fulbright-winning project and a life-changing experience. When Raluca Alexandrescu first began her Fulbright application, she wasn’t sure she would qualify, let alone stand out in a field of top-tier candidates. A graduate student in information technology with a focus on AI strategy, she had a vision: to return to Romania, her home country, and study how small businesses in Bucharest could better adopt digital tools. But translating that vision into a competitive proposal would take more than hard work. It would take clarity and perseverance—and the right mentor....
Skateboard Diplomacy
Neftalie Williams is an alumnus of the USC Master of Public Diplomacy program, Assistant Professor of Sociology at San Diego State University, and U.S. Sports Envoy for Skateboarding...
Students build career-ready grant writing skills in Aid & Development Workshop series
Mastering technical and theoretical content is just the beginning for public policy students....
Diplomatic leaders engage U-M community at seventh ambassadors forum
The Ford School’s Weiser Diplomacy Center (WDC), in partnership with the Weiser Center for Europe and Eurasia (WCEE) and the American Academy of Diplomacy (AAD), recently hosted its seventh annual Ambassadors Forum. The three day event brought distinguished diplomats and policy experts to Ann Arbor for discussions on America’s role in NATO, the EU, and the future of diplomacy. U-M students, faculty, and Ann Arbor high schoolers had the opportunity to engage directly with seasoned ambassadors during a particularly dynamic period in global affairs. ...
Ambassador Camara delivers inaugural keynote lecture at Sciences Po Reims campus
Ambassador Kamissa Camara, professor of practice in international diplomacy at the Ford School, was recently invited to give the inaugural keynote lecture at the prestigious Sciences Po College in Reims, France. ...
Undergrads meet with global leaders in Brussels, find resolve amid global uncertainty
When 15 public policy undergraduates touched down in Brussels, Belgium in March, they knew they were visiting Europe’s capital at a pivotal moment....
All in the family: U-M expert reflects on 5 decades focused on Nepal, from youth to leading 30-year study
On the eve of returning to Nepal to mark the study's milestone anniversary and continue to expand its work, Axinn shares his insights on current unrest in the country, key takeaways from his work and where it's going from here....
Scott Atran on what sustains war: will to fight versus military might
Although wars are commonly thought to be sustained by military power, evidence shows that individuals’ willingness to fight can be so profound that they persist even against overwhelming odds. From World War II to the ongoing Gaza War, anthropologist Scott Atran’s recent article in the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences explores how deeply held moral convictions and group identities drive committed actors in seemingly intractable conflicts....