Health professionals have spent years trying to pinpoint the sources of America’s rising obesity levels, but research by University of Virginia Professor Christopher Ruhm suggests it might be time to look beyond the usual suspects.

After meeting many of the Batten students, I realized that I wouldn’t just be learning from my professors, but my peers as well. The school has an inspiring student body who are passionate about making a difference in the world.

The University of Virginia Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy and NASPAA announced a five-year affiliation agreement to partner in the Student Simulation Competition. This collaboration will allow the Batten School and NASPAA to develop and operate a world-class quality competition.

Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) talks about the public policy changes ahead with Professor Gerry Warburg of the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy at the University of Virginia. Excerpted from full interview, filmed in 2014.

The University of Virginia’s Curry School of Education and the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy offers a dual MPP/Ph.D degree program that provides students with strong research skills and an applied policy focus. We sat down with two second year students currently enrolled in the program to learn more about their experiences.