Ludwig Program in Public Sector Leadership Empowers Students to Serve Others

With a charge to equip the next generation of leaders with the skills they need to make a positive difference in the lives of others, Yale Law School announced the launch of the Carol and Gene Ludwig Program in Public Sector Leadership.

The Ludwig Program, part of The Tsai Leadership Program at Yale Law School, provides focused professional support to Yale Law students who are interested in nontraditional careers and leadership roles in the public sector in areas such as government, nonprofits, and other institutions focused on serving the public.

“Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of Carol and Gene Ludwig, our students will be immersed in programming that prepares them to be change agents, all the while focusing on the ethics of public service and the importance of helping those in greatest need,” said Heather K. Gerken, Dean and Sol & Lillian Goldman Professor of Law at Yale Law School. “The Ludwig Program in Public Sector Leadership will benefit generations of students and make a profound difference in the lives of others. The program fully embodies the spirit and commitments of Gene and Carol.”

“Our students will be immersed in programming that prepares them to be change agents, all the while focusing on the ethics of public service and the importance of helping those in greatest need.” 
—Dean Heather K. Gerken

The mission of the Ludwig Program is to ensure that students are capable of translating principle into practice; can display a firm grasp of the political, economic, civic, and operational dimensions of policy work; and are well equipped to engage in ethical reflection and decision making. The program is based on the notion that those who serve in the public sector should be flexible, big-picture thinkers who make empirically grounded decisions and are deeply committed to a vibrant democracy and the well-being of others.

The program is founded by Gene Ludwig ’73, former Comptroller of the Currency, founder and CEO of Promontory MortgagePath, Co-managing Partner of Canapi Ventures, and Chair of the Ludwig Institute for Shared Economic Prosperity, and Carol Ludwig, a neurologist and President of the Carol and Gene Ludwig Family Foundation.

“Serving our country and its people, particularly those in need, is one of the most rewarding and important professional experiences we can have, and we need to give our most talented young people a clear path to do so successfully and with compassion,” said Gene Ludwig, “This one-of-a-kind law school program is designed to give YLS graduates the specialized policy and technical skills to serve effectively in government or other venues where they can make a powerful, positive difference for their fellow citizens.”

“Now more than ever we need to prepare a new generation of students for careers in public service,” said Carol Ludwig. “There is no better institution to serve as a home for this center of learning. We are excited to see the difference these students will make for our country and our global community.”  

The Ludwig Program builds upon the Law School’s rich curricular offerings with events and programs focused on public sector work and leadership. A robust mentoring program, and opportunities to interact with the Law School’s network of alumni working in the public sector, will help guide students on their future paths. In addition, the program will include the Ludwig Citizenship and Equality Lecture Series, which brings speakers to campus to address the ethics of citizenship and the most pressing issues in public service.

The Ludwig Program is co-directed by Cristina Rodríguez ’00, Leighton Homer Surbeck Professor of Law, and Jacob Hacker, Stanley B. Resor Professor of Political Science at Yale University and Resident Faculty Fellow of the Institution for Social and Policy Studies at Yale.

“Students in the Ludwig Program in Public Sector Leadership will participate in programs, courses, and events that will foster the judgment, competencies, and skills conducive to meaningful public service careers,” said Rodríguez.

“Informed leadership in the public and nonprofit sectors is more vital than ever, and Ludwig Fellows will receive the support, training, mentoring, and social ties that make the difference — for them and for our nation,” added Hacker.

To learn more about the Carol and Gene Ludwig Program in Public Sector Leadership, visit law.yale.edu/ludwigprogram.