Welcome to the Fels Institute of Government

Few programs in government administration can match the long history and enduring contributions that Fels has brought to public affairs at the local, state, national, and increasingly, international levels of government. At the same time, government has never been in greater need of what Fels offers: a cultivation of strong and effective leadership skills and an educational approach that focuses on the know-how needed to get results.

Former Pennsylvania Governor George Leader, a Fels graduate celebrated on the cover of Time magazine when he won election in 1954 as one of the nation's most fascinating new leaders, has said that "whatever success I had in state government, I owe to Fels." This sentiment is shared by many Fels graduates, who leave the Institute equipped with a dual competency of practical management skills and a mastery of the political environment. Simply put, Fels graduates know how to get things done.

The University of Pennsylvania's founder, Benjamin Franklin, sought to create a distinctive institution that would "marry the theorretical and the practical." Fels does just that to meet the challenges of 21st century governance. I encourage you to explore our website and learn more about Fels and how we are delivering Leadership for Results.



Donald F. Kettl
Director
Robert A. Fox Leadership Professor

Click here to read Dr. Kettl's biography