15 Years of Frank Batten School of Leadership & Public Policy

The concept for a new public policy program at the University of Virginia is drafted.

Frank Batten Sr., Founder of Landmark, gives an endowment of $100 million to start the Batten School. It was the single largest gift in UVA’s history at the time.

• The first Batten student organization, the Virginia Policy Review, is officially launched as an initiative of the first graduating class.
• Varsity Hall is the 1st home to the Batten School

• Harry Harding becomes Batten’s first Dean.
• April 2009 – 5 students of the inaugural graduating class were offered the Presidential Management Fellows program (4 accepted a spot). This strong tradition of Batten representation continues to this day, with 10? Students recently selected for the program this year.
• May 2009 – The first graduating class of Accelerated MPP students at the Frank Batten School of Leadership & Public Policy receives diplomas. The class consisted of 25 students.
• August 2009 – The first ever Batten Builds event is held.
• 2009 – Batten graduate students form the Batten Council (later Batten Graduate Council) and is led by Ethan Carroll.

First full-time Batten professor is hired: Christine Mahoney. Previous faculty were all affiliated with the school.

• Garrett Hall completes its multi-million dollar renovation and the Batten School moves into its new home.
• Fall 2011 – The Batten School expanded its Master of Public Policy program to including two-year Postgraduate MPP students (students who already had their undergraduate degree and some work experience before joining the program). The Class of 2013 included 20 Postgraduate MPP students and 26 Accelerated MPP students.

Fall 2012 – The first BA class joins the Batten School.

• January 2013 – VPR hosts their first ever conference led by then EIC Addie Bryant
• 2013 – The Batten Undergraduate Council is formed and is led by Lauren Cricchi.

• 2014 – The first graduating class of Bachelor of Arts students receives diplomas. The class consisted of 42 graduates.
• 2014 – Allan Stam becomes the school’s second Dean.

2015 – The Black Student Leaders in Policy is established with the goal of establishing community for Black students in Batten and increasing representation within the Batten community.

Fall 2018 – The Batten School expands its academic offerings one final time to offer a two-year Minor in Public Policy and Leadership. One student completed the minor that spring, with 29 other students graduating the following spring.

September 2019 – Batten’s third dean, Ian H. Solomon, joined the Batten School.

2020 – PRIDE (Policy + Rights Drive Equity) is established as the latest student affinity group at UVA.

• May 2022 – Our largest graduating classes completed their studies. This year, we had 44 Minors, 87 BAs, 51 Postgraduate MPP students, and 44 Accelerated MPP students celebrate their accomplishments at Highland.
• August 2022 – The Batten network has its broadest reaches yet – 1468 alumni from our BA and MPP programs spread across the globe serving in roles across policy sectors and industries.