Celebrating the UVA Batten Class of 2026
On Saturday, May 16, the University of Virginia Batten Class of 2026 processed down the Lawn with nearly 3,800 fellow Hoos, and later that day, attended Batten’s graduation ceremonies to receive their degrees in front of family and friends at the Paramount Theater in downtown Charlottesville.
Athena-Kate Canavos addressed her 117 classmates graduating with Bachelors of Arts (BA) in Public Policy and Leadership, reminding them to continue to be guided by the curiosity that led them to Batten in the first place.
“When we chose to study public policy over two years ago, it wasn’t because we loved writing memos or learning how tax policy works,” Canavos said. “It was because we had questions about the systems and institutions that govern us…Let curiosity drive you, and let the satisfaction of a solved problem lead you onward to new challenges. Ask questions, dig deep, look for places to implement change, and create solutions.”
Amongst the BA ’26 graduates was Rachel S. Mulvaney, the recipient of UVA’s Community Service Award, an honor recognizing a graduating student who has made a lasting impact on both the University and Charlottesville communities through service and civic engagement. Mulvaney distinguished herself as a compassionate advocate, thoughtful leader, and dedicated community organizer whose work has consistently centered the needs of others. She was recognized at the University’s Valedictory Exercises for combining creativity, advocacy, and public service in ways that have strengthened both student life and the broader Charlottesville community. Mulvaney served as co-Editor-in-Chief of VMag, UVA’s arts and literary magazine, where she helped expand opportunities for student expression and collaboration. At the same time, her leadership as Vice President of Friends of PHAR – a student organization supporting Charlottesville’s Public Housing Association of Residents – became a defining part of her impact on Grounds and beyond.
Another member of the Batten BA ’26 class, Lucas R. Fuller, was the recipient of the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award, an honor recognizing a graduating student whose character, heart, humility, and unselfish service embody the very best of the University community. A proud Charlottesville native, Fuller spent four years at UVA quietly and consistently making the people around him feel seen, valued, and at home. As a Posse Scholar and Trustee, a teaching assistant for two leadership and resilience courses, a co-captain of the Club Soccer team, a member of Hoos Connected, and an MLI Fellow, he wove himself into the fabric of student life not in pursuit of recognition, but out of genuine care for others. Peers describe him as a powerful connector, someone whose presence creates a unifying thread across organizations, classrooms, and leadership spaces and whose authenticity strengthens every community he enters.
The 2026 Master of Public Policy (MPP) class speaker, Sarah King, reflected on her cohort’s shared experiences forged in and out of the classroom over the last two years. She encouraged her 88 fellow MPP graduates to commit to remaining close to the work they care about, accountable to the communities they serve, and to continue crafting spaces where people do not just feel, but are seen, heard, and valued.
“Indeed, we may not be perfect leaders, but I believe that positioning ourselves closer to the issues challenges us to be more honest ones,” King said. “Because leadership is not about being the smartest, or loudest, or most memorable person in the room. It’s about asking better questions. About making space. About recognizing that sometimes the most important decision is not what you say, but who you invite to speak first.”
Dean Ian Solomon addressed both groups with a charge to employ the preparation they’ve garnered through Batten – analytical skills, policy knowledge, leadership experience, how to interpret data, understand institutions, navigate disagreement, and make decisions under uncertainty – and couple it with a dedication to practicing courage.
“I challenge you to consider what you will do when there is something that needs to be said, even when it would be easier to remain silent,” Solomon said. “What will you choose when doing the right thing means taking a risk?”
“We taught you frameworks, methods, analytical tools, and principles of leadership. What is much harder for any institution to teach is the daily decision you must make to act with conviction and integrity when it’s difficult…The world is not just waiting for more intelligent people. What it needs are people who can see clearly, remain human, and still choose to act.”
