Michigan State University’s 2017 class of Michigan Political Leadership Program fellows are starting 10 months of learning that will introduce them to new communities, leading political personalities and the keys to governing through personal leadership.
MPLP’s latest class includes a library director from Roscommon, a Lansing area legislative aide, deputy county executive from Macomb County and a labor relations specialist from Saginaw. A deputy director of a congressional office and a program manager for a leadership academy from Kent County as well as a manager of a Community Partner Program for the Detroit Land Bank are also members of the class.
The bipartisan program trains public policy leaders to govern effectively. During their fellowship year and, even after their training, they are taken under the mentor wings of two co-directors, one a Republican and one a Democrat.
“This is another amazing group of people,” said MPLP co-director Anne Mervenne, a former executive in the administration of Gov. John Engler and CEO of Mervenne & Company governmental relations firm. “It’s going to be a great year.”
The inception of MPLP was inspired by the state’s 1992 vote to limit the terms in Michigan’s House of Representatives and Michigan’s Senate.
Since then, more than 600 individuals have claimed certificates that give them MPLP alumni status and nearly half are serving or have served in appointed or elected positions.
Eleven MPLP graduates now serve in the Michigan Legislature – seven in the state House and four in the state Senate.
“This demonstrates MPLP’s strength as a training ground for those who wish to serve,” said Matt Grossmann, political scientist and director of the Institute for Public Policy and Social Research where MPLP makes its academic home.
“We encourage people from every corner of the state to apply for MPLP,” said co-director Steve Tobocman, former state House Majority Floor Leader. “Each MPLP Class is made up of 24 competitively selected fellows – 12 women and 12 men; 12 of whom are Republicans and 12 who are Democrats.”
Support for MPLP comes from leaders, communities, corporations, nonprofit organizations and individuals. “Support comes in a variety of ways – from their donations, scholarship funds, memorial remembrances, partnerships, weekend sponsorships and MPLP’s annual dinner and breakfast,” Tobocman said.
MPLP’s annual dinner will take place March 2 at Livonia’s Laurel Manor. The annual breakfast will be held March 3 st the JW Marriott in Grand Rapids.
The events feature nationally known speakers Howard Dean, a former Vermont governor who campaigned for president and chaired the Democratic National Committee, and Ana Navarro, Republican strategist and political analyst for CNN and CNN en Español. She served on Florida Gov. Jeb Bush’s transition team and co-chaired U.S. Sen. John McCain’s Hispanic Advisory Council during his presidential campaign.
