Summer & fall welcome & orientation activities

We’re looking forward to welcoming you to the Ford School.

Even before you arrive in Ann Arbor this fall, you will have an opportunity to meet and engage with peers, faculty, and staff, and begin the process of preparing for the academic year. We'll make more information, updates, and a detailed fall welcome schedule available to incoming students later this summer through Canvas, U-M's campus-wide learning management system.

Summer

Springboard: summer stats program

Offered Virtually: Monday - Friday, July 10 - July 28

The Ford School's virtual training program in basic quantitative reasoning is offered during the summer. Designed and taught by our faculty, the program will center policy analysis and help prepare incoming graduate students for the outstanding, rigorous analytic training they’ll receive at the University of Michigan.

Springboard is a great option for individuals who:

have limited or no experience in quantitative analysis courses or in a profession that requires quantitative analysis, AND
could benefit from receiving additional support with quantitative and statistical reasoning beyond the one-week math primer that students can access during the new student orientation in August.

Look for more information by email about eligibility and how best to determine whether Springboard is the right step for you.

Career interests and resume reviews

Career Services wants to get to know your individual intentions and career interests. In mid-summer, stay tuned for an opportunity to share your individual career/employer interests, have your resume reviewed, and gain access to and learn how to navigate the Ford School's internal career management system, FordCareers.

Leadership development

The Ford School's Leadership Initiative offers a variety of opportunities to practice and develop your leadership skills through courses, coaching, and other programs. In August, you'll get the chance to start your leadership journey by completing the CliftonStrengths assessment.

Pre-welcome week offerings

August 14-18, 2023

American government module

The American government module is a free non-credit course to acquaint incoming master's students—international students, and domestic ones in need of a refresher—with the U.S. political system. The module covers the basics of the American political system—Congress, the presidency, the judiciary, elections, lobbyists, interest groups, and the federal bureaucracy.

Math camp

Math camp is a free non-credit refresher course on Algebra skills and concepts you will see in quantitative classes, such as microeconomics, statistics, and calculus. Everyone is invited to attend, and we strongly encourage it for those who haven’t had much math or haven’t taken any math since high school.

Welcome week

August 21-25, 2023

Orientation programming

Over the course of a series of required and recommended gatherings, you'll new be introduced to some of the school's core values of academic integrity, diversity, mutual respect, and constructive engagement. In addition, there are policy writing and leadership seminars, a current student panel, an information fair, and a chance to give back to the Ann Arbor community through volunteer opportunities, if public health protocols allow.

Review sessions and waiver exams

We'll host a statistics review session and offer waiver exams for both Statistics and Microeconomics A. There is no penalty for taking a waiver exam and not passing.

International and first-gen welcome events

We'll invite all our international and first-generation students to welcome mixers.

Fall launch and all school assembly

In early September, Ford School leaders will host an all school assembly to bring the community together and discuss the coming academic year, introduce new faculty, and share updates on school and student priorities.