S5 Ep.9 - Tonya Schuitmaker, J.D. & Rudy Hobbs Co-Directors at the Michigan Political Leadership Program

Bridging Divides: The Michigan Political Leadership Program takes a bipartisan approach to public policy at Michigan State University

Since 1992, over 800 Michigan Political Leadership Program (MPLP) graduates have applied the skills and relationships they learned to work in their communities and serve in statewide offices. Tonya Schuitmaker and Rudy Hobbs are Co-Directors at the Michigan Political Leadership Program. They share with us how MPLP Fellows gain expertise to tackle public policy issues as candidates for office, as government officials or as citizen activists.

The MPLP at Michigan State University is a bi-partisan program that identifies individuals from across the state committed to community service and brings them together to engage in a leadership and public policy curriculum. The curriculum also incorporates practical politics, public policy analysis and process, personal leadership development and effective governance. Most notably, 17 MPLP graduates are now serving in the Michigan State Legislature.