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During the 2016 presidential election year, 24 Michigan Political Leadership Program Fellows toured Detroit by bus and on foot, played leader roles in a strategy simulation then filmed their own campaign commercials and watched them on the big screen.

Across the state, seven MPLP alumni won seats in the Michigan Legislature and scores of MPLP alums took their seats on township boards, school boards, as mayors of cities large and small and as chairs of tribal governments within the state.

“We are proud of each and every one of our MPLP Fellows and our MPLP graduates. Their successes are truly remarkable,” said political scientist Matt Grossmann, director of Michigan State University’s Institute for Public Policy and Social Research (IPPSR.)

MPLP makes its campus home at IPPSR within the MSU College of Social Science.

Applications opened this week for the MPLP Class of 2018. Competitively selected MPLP Fellows begin 10 months of weekend training in February 2018.

Applications are available online for Michigan’s only multi-partisan leadership program at https://ippsr.msu.edu/political-leadership/michigan-political-leadership-program-mplp/apply. Applications are due Friday, Sept. 8, 2017.

“We are seeking candidates from across the state, from Detroit to Grand Rapids to the Upper Peninsula, from communities of any size and diverse educational and professional backgrounds,” said MPLP Co-Director Anne Mervenne.

Mervenne is MPLP’s Republican co-director. She’s Chief Executive Officer at Mervenne & Company, a governmental relations consulting firm. She’s a former executive in the administration of Gov. John Engler and served on Gov. Rick Snyder’s transition team as vice-chair for talent.

Candidates Seeking Leadership Positions

Candidates with a sincere desire to pursue leadership positions, especially in elected or appointed office, are called to MPLP, said Steve Tobocman, MPLP’s Democratic co-director.

“We seek MPLP Fellows with a dedication to sound public policy, experience in local community activities and a willingness to learn and explore different points of view,” he said.

Tobocman’s managing partner of New Solutions Group LLC and is known as a national leader in immigrant economic development. He served three consecutive terms in the Michigan House where he was elected Majority Floor Leader.

MPLP applicants will be interviewed this October and November and MPLP Fellows selected in December.

The new class graduates at ceremonies during two annual MPLP fundraisers. The fundraising dinner and breakfast feature nationally known speakers at a dinner in suburban Detroit and breakfast in Grand Rapids.

Since its founding in 1992, MPLP has trained more than 600 men and women in personal leadership development, public policy analysis and process, effective governance, political campaign management and ethics.

For more information about MPLP and fellowship applications, please contact MPLP Administrator Linda Cleary, by phone at 517-353-0891 or via email at clearyl@msu.edu,