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Duke Sanford School of Public Policy Professor Frederick “Fritz” Mayer has been named dean of Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver, effective July 1, 2019, university officials announced today.

“Fritz’s experience in public policy, his deep knowledge of globalization trends and his distinguished scholarship in these areas will be a significant force in increasing Korbel’s recognition among international studies programs,” DU Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Jeremy Haefner said in a news release.

At Sanford, Mayer directs POLIS: the Center for Political Leadership, Innovation and Service, the North Carolina Leadership Forum, and the Duke Policy Bridge. He also created, and has directed for 17 years, the school’s summer Program on Global Policy and Governance in Geneva, Switzerland.

In a note to the Sanford community, Sanford Dean Judith Kelley said there is little at Sanford that Mayer has not touched, and his leadership will be deeply missed.

“Over the last 30 years, Fritz has been one of the major contributors to the school’s undergraduate, graduate and PhD programs. Indeed, he has run all these programs at some point and was the creative force behind the start of our PhD program, which he also led for its first three years,” Kelley said. “More recently, Fritz has been the highly engaged leader of POLIS, which has become such a presence on campus, sponsoring numerous events, hosting the Democracy Lab, and leading the Duke Votes campaign.”

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Fritz Mayer

Since coming to Duke in 1998, Mayer has taught an estimated 4,000 students in 20 different courses. He earned his master’s in public policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and his PhD in public policy from Harvard.

Kelley said between now and the end of the academic year she will develop a leadership transition plan for POLIS and for the other roles Mayer has at Sanford.

Mayer and his wife, Mary Kay Delaney, a professor of education at Meredith College and noted educator in diversity and equity, will relocate to Denver next summer.