Marshall Seminars

GMF's Marshall Seminars address leadership issues for which no consensus has emerged regarding solutions. They convene GMF’s high-powered network to explore strategies and best practices through a transatlantic lens and identify opportunities for transatlantic collaboration. Set in the cities that best showcase the dynamics of the issues being examined, the seminars provide an inspirational setting for creative thinking and mapping out transformative action. 

With generous support from the Kresge Foundation, the 2025 Marshall Seminar will take place on October 9-11 in Detroit, Michigan. This year's theme is Evolving an Enduring Transatlantic Partnership for the 21st Century.

Your registration fee will cover the hotel accommodations, meals, and receptions. Alumni will be responsible for booking their travel to the seminar. 

This seminar will bring together 100 alumni from across all fellowship programs for critical conversations, networking, interactive sessions, engagement with the Detroit community, and more. Register today!

Whether you work at the systems level or on the ground, your voice matters today. Join GMF Leadership Programs in advancing the dialogue on democracy, inclusivity, identity, and civic renewal. 

The Marshall Seminars bring together leaders from across GMF’s transatlantic network for in-depth dialogue, collaborative problem-solving, and fresh perspectives on global and local challenges.

Why Sponsor the Marshall Seminar?

• Align your brand with influential leaders in public policy and business.
• Engage with a network of midcareer professionals and civic innovators.
• Gain visibility and thought leadership opportunities through speaking roles and co-hosted sessions
• Gain thought leadership opportunities and participate in speaking roles.
• Access insights on AI governance, trade policy, and sustainability.

Sponsorship levels are available. For more details, view our one-pager or contact us at [email protected] to discuss a tailor-made partnership.

Discover Detroit

Detroit is home to a robust cohort of GMF program alumni who look forward to welcoming you to “Motor City”. Even a few free hours can connect you to a wide range of experiences, from Motown to Mustangs. Visit Detroit shares ideas for a quick visit to the city, which was named one of Travel + Leisure’s 50 best places to travel in 2025. 
 

Background

Detroit is situated on the banks of the Detroit River, on the ancestral and contemporary homeland of the Huron, Odawa, Potawatomi, and Iroquois peoples. A significant cultural center, Detroit is known for its contributions to music, art, architecture, and design. That’s on top of its historical industrial and automotive background, which earned it the name of “Motor City”. Detroit gave rise to the music genres of Motown and techno, and played an important role in the development of jazz, hip-hop, rock, and punk. Since the 2000s, conservation efforts have saved many of the city’s unique architectural monuments and historic places. Detroit is the only US city to be designated as a "City of Design" by UNESCO. “Cities of Design” are part of UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network and are recognized for their commitment to leveraging design as a driver for sustainable urban development and for fostering creativity and innovation. 

Marshall Seminars are immersive, two- to three-day gatherings that convene members of GMF’s transatlantic network to tackle leadership challenges for which there are no easy answers. These high-impact experiences bring together GMF alumni in dynamic cities that embody the issues under discussion—providing both the context and the inspiration for forward-thinking solutions.

Each seminar is designed to push boundaries: exploring emerging trends, sharing best practices, and uncovering new paths for transatlantic collaboration. Through honest dialogue and collective intelligence, participants gain tools to lead transformative change in their communities and sectors.

Marshall Seminars are open exclusively to alumni of GMF’s prestigious leadership programs, including:

• Marshall Memorial Fellowship

• Manfred Wörner Seminar

• Transatlantic Inclusion Leaders Network

• Policy Designers Network

• Leadership Lab

• Transatlantic Forum for Migration and Integration

• Asmus Policy Entrepreneurs Fellowship

• APSA Congressional Fellowship

• New Länder Fellowship

Whether you as an alum are shaping policy, leading civil society, driving innovation, or charting new ground in your field, the Marshall Seminars offer a rare space to reconnect, rethink, and reimagine transatlantic leadership.

Participation in each Marshall Seminar is limited to ensure meaningful exchange and collaboration. 

By joining the Alumni Leadership Council, you gain priority access to register for the Marshall Seminar. Regular registration for the Marshall Seminar will open on a first-come, first-serve basis on July 15.

The registration fee for the 2025 Marshall Seminar is $500 and covers your accommodation, a welcome reception, meals, and photography. Alumni are responsible for their travel arrangements to and from the seminar.