April 20, 2026 | By Nick Pfost
The University of Michigan has been named one of Forbes' 2026 "New Ivies"—20 colleges whose graduates are most highly rated by employers in the age of artificial intelligence. In its profile of U-M, Forbes singled out IGR's "Making the Most of Michigan" (ALA 171) course as an example of how the university's curriculum encourages students to make the most of all its programs have to offer.
The Forbes feature notes that employers are increasingly seeking graduates with "complex emotional intelligence, radical adaptability and visionary creativity." Peer-facilitated ALA 171 develops exactly those capacities. First-year students build communication skills, explore their social identities, and connect with campus resources for their personal and professional growth.
One big piece of the course: "We're trying to have students try to have conversations across differences with each other," explained IGR's Martha Kirpes earlier this year.
Read the full article, "The New Ivies," on Forbes.
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