Institute of Politics Announces Fall Fellows

Former U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings, former Haiti Prime Minister Michèle Pierre-Louis, and former Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer are among the six resident fellows who will be joining the Institute of Politics this fall, the IOP announced today.

The roster—which showcases a diverse set of backgrounds ranging from journalism to foreign politics—also includes Israel's former Minister of Interior Ophir Pines-Paz, Boston Globe reporter Susan Milligan, and former Miami, Florida chief of police John Timoney.

"Inspiring interactions with top public sector leaders is a key reason student engagement in the field continues to grow,” outgoing IOP Director Bill Purcell is quoted in the press release. "This Fellows class is an ideal group of leaders who can help turn interest in public service into a career and commitment to making a difference."

Purcell said that in recent years, students have expressed "strong interest" in opportunities abroad—making this particular group of IOP fall fellows "especially strong and timely."

Two career politicians and a political reporter will bring extensive international experience to the Fellows program. Pierre-Louis, who served as the Prime Minister of Haiti from 2008 to 2009, was the second female to hold the post in the country's history. Pines-Paz similarly brings international experience, armed with a résumé that includes positions as the Minister of the Interior and Minister of Science, Culture, and Sport in Israel.

Milligan, a national political reporter for The Globe, said she views the IOP fellowship as an opportunity to provide students a perspective different from that of a politician.

"I've reported overseas and have a real sense of how foreign countries operate,” Milligan said. "I’m so excited for this opportunity."

Archer, former president of the American Bar Association, will bring a more local perspective on politics, along with Timoney, a police officer with 40 years of experience. Timoney said he hopes to inform students about the political aspects of police work by describing the "nuances and angles where police can be very good or sometimes very bad."

Purcell said that Spellings, the former Secretary of Education, will not only bring "a life of public service" to Harvard, but her knowledge of education—"one of the most important and timely issues facing our nation."

—Staff writer Derrick Asiedu can be reached at dasiedu@fas.harvard.edu.