Inaugural Policy Pitch Competition Hones Public Communication Skills

By Terry Kosdrosky

Public Engagement & Impact

 

It’s one thing to work on policy research, collect data, write position papers, and assess programs. But it’s quite another thing to explain your position clearly and effectively to a group of people.

 

Helping graduate students enhance that critical skill was the idea behind the inaugural Policy Pitch Competition at the Ford School of Public Policy. Returning masters students had three minutes to summarize their summer policy internships and the impact they made and felt. A panel of judges evaluated the students and awarded prizes.

 

It was the first event hosted by the Program in Practical Policy Engagement (P3E), which advances public policy through engaged learning, policy research, and impact. The Ford School’s Graduate Career Services co-hosted the event.

 

“We think this an important skill to have — to very clearly and concisely explain the real-world policy experience they’ve had in a powerful way,” said Professor Elizabeth Gerber, director of P3E.

 

Ten students shared their experiences working on projects in varied locations, from the city of Detroit to Jakarta, Indonesia, to Sofia, Bulgaria. Judging their presentations were Naomi Goldberg of the Movement Advancement Project, Ralph Johnson of McKinsey & Co., Kallie Michels, U-M vice president for communications, and Kathy and Phil Power of the Power Foundation. The Power Foundation’s $1.5 million gift made P3E possible.

 

The judges awarded two first-place prizes to MPP student Megan Nestor and joint MBA/MPP student Emily Fletcher.

 

“An important part of policy is being able to sell your ideas to other people,” said Nestor, who interned in the Office of Development and Grants in the city of Detroit. “That’s what really drew me to this.”

 

Nestor recounted the moment the team presented their idea on expanding pre-K education to  Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, and he looked right at her and said, “What do you think we should do?”

 

“I was emboldened to say ‘I think we can do this. We should do this,’” she said.

 

Fletcher, who interned at Civic Consulting Group in Chicago working on a community health initiative, said the P3E event was good preparation for situations like that.

 

“You have to be comfortable and ready when your moment comes to talk to a policymaker or executive,” she said. “You have to be really prepared and confident.”