UVA Batten Alumni

Hayley Lawrence (BA ’16) is a self-described, indefatigable optimist. She thinks that – especially today – teachers, professors and leaders have a responsibility to advocate for seeing the good in the world, even when confronted with problems that seem intractable.

This year marks 100 years since Dr. Carter G. Woodson laid the foundation for what would become Black History Month, an annual nationwide celebration of those who helped shape America. Recognizing and honoring this history is essential to building a brighter future – a commitment UVA Batten students have embraced since the school's institution. Today, they remember the past and begin to write their own stories for the next century.

At Batten Hour, alumni Hannah Gavin (MPP ’20), Jacquelyn Katzen (MPP ’17), and Victoria Edwards (BA/MPP ’14) shared how strategic communication turns ideas into action, whether in advocacy, corporate messaging, or crisis response. Their insights highlighted that clear, purposeful storytelling is a key tool for influence and impact.

Colonel John J. Thomas (Col ’88, GSAS ’91), father of Batten alumnae Anna Thomas (MPP '25) returned to UVA to share lessons from his career in crisis communication, reminding students that every crisis is human before it is operational.

Arif (BA ’23) was selected as one of 45 nationwide recipients of the highly competitive Rangel Graduate Fellowship, which prepares young people for careers in the U.S. Foreign Service. As part of the program, she began her Master's in International Affairs program at the Columbia School of International and Public Affairs this fall.