Racial Justice and Equity About Racial Justice and Equity We are in the midst of an important national reckoning on race and injustice in America. Whether this historic moment proves to be a turning point for our nation or merely another episode in the painful chronicles of violence and apology will depend on what we decide to do together and how hard we are willing to work. At the Batten School, we are committed to developing the kind of people and ideas that will solve humanity’s toughest challenges. We are called not just to observe, but to participate in the change we wish to see. In confronting issues of racial justice and equity, we have an opportunity to bring forward the very best thinking of our social psychology and leadership colleagues, our economists, our political scientists, our public administration and democracy scholars, and our policy and action practitioners. With the commitment of our faculty, and our students and alumni, we are eager to contribute meaningfully to this national dialogue, with courage, ambition, humility, and hope. Below is a collection of recent activities on this issue by the Batten community. These are neither the beginning nor the end of our efforts. Please continue to visit this page as new work is posted, but more importantly, please get involved. Join us in a spirit of common purpose to spur, enact, and sustain foundational change. Dean Ian H. Solomon Batten 15th Anniversary Showcase Series SEP 13, 2022 Batten Showcase 2022: What is Leadership? ft. Eileen Chou Leadership In this lecture, assistant professor of public policy at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy, Eileen Chou, shared what "leadership" is and how we can (or can not) measure it. Learn more SEP 19, 2022 Batten Showcase 2022: Family and Medical Leave Policies in the US: Where We Are and How We Got Here ft. Chris Ruhm Health Policy In this lecture, professor of public policy and economics at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy, Chris Ruhm, discusses family medical leave policy in the United States. Ruhm looks at where we are now, how we got here and how to move forward. Learn more Sep 21, 2022 Batten Showcase 2022: Innovations to Transform the Lives of Youth ft. Ben Castleman Education In this lecture, associate professor at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy, Ben Castleman, shares innovations that transform the lives of youth worldwide, and walks the class through the nuances and unidentified consequences of these innovations. Learn more View All News Oct 16, 2023 Living With a Public Service Mindset Rep. Abigail Spanberger (VA-7) spoke to 150 students and community members about holding a mindset of public service -- engaging with community and country -- no matter what career path one chooses. Learn more Oct 11, 2023 Values are Foundational to Effective Leadership From waging a war to writing a letter, or navigating any situation in between, leaders who stay true to their values and the nation’s values, and exhibit their integrity and humanity will be the ones who are successful, said Tom Monheim, Inspector General of the U.S. Intelligence Community. Learn more Mar 08, 2023 Profile in Public Service: Chloe Cohen (MPP ’20) builds career around housing and public policy Chloe Cohen (MPP '20) utilized her Batten experiences and research opportunities to launch her career as a a senior budget analyst on Washington, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser’s budget team, focusing on housing and economic development agencies. Learn more Dec 07, 2022 Profile in Public Service: A Passion for Education and Community Impact Drives Andrew Bishop (MPP ’20) Andrew Bishop (MPP '20) relies on lessons from his Batten education, including foundational knowledge in education policy, ability to analyze complex data sets and the leadership and presentation skills to explain complex solutions, in his role today in the Richmond school system. Learn more Nov 02, 2022 Profile in Public Service: James Cathro (MPP ’16) Brings Passion for Service to His Role at the Batten School James Cathro (MPP '16) is currently the director of finance and administration at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy, but as a graduate of the Batten School and currently a U.S. Naval Reserves Officer, he brings a heart of servant leadership to all he does. Learn more Oct 12, 2022 Profile in Public Service: Althea Pickering's Purpose ‘Came Together’ at Batten While at the Batten School, Althea Pickering (Col ’17, Batten ’18) discovered a way to bring her passions together in a field she feels strongly about. Today, she is a logistics officer for the United Nations World Food Programme in South Sudan. Learn more Sep 14, 2022 Profiles in Public Service: Asha Chadha Fine-Tuned Her Voice at Batten Asha Chadha (BA ’20) taught sixth grade math through Teach for America and recently entered law school seeking ways to do more to address the issues her students faced. Learn more Events Jan 30 A Conversation with Dean Ian H. Solomon and Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney JAN 30, 2020, 5:30 PM The Omni Richmond Hotel Please join the University of Virginia’s Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy for cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, and a conversation titled Leadership for Diverse Communities: A Vision for “One Richmond” with Levar Stoney, Mayor of the City of Richmond, and Ian H. Solomon, Dean of the Batten School. Learn more Sep 12 Future of Women in Leadership with Hollins University President Mary Dana Hinton SEPT 12, 2022 | 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM Garrett Hall Dean of the Batten School, Ian Solomon, will host a conversation with the President of Hollins University, Mary Dana Hinton. President Hinton and the Dean will discuss the past, present and future of women in leadership and higher education. Learn more Oct 08 Serving the Greater Good: Discussion with Dean Solomon October 8, 2022 | 10:00 AM Newcomb Hall Theater In celebration of the Frank Batten School's 15 year anniversary, Dean Solomon will be the guest on the Alumni Association's series, More Than the Score. Join us for a discussion on how the Batten community is serving the greater good and what the future of leadership and public policy education looks like. Learn more Nov 01 Midterm Elections, One Week Out NOV 1, 2022 | 6:00 PM - 7:15 PM Online What do the 2022 midterm elections look like one week out? Join Batten School professor Jennifer Lawless and other panelists to explore the polls, ads, issues, money, and controversies of this year’s contests Learn more Apr 15 Batten 15th Anniversary Community Celebration APRIL 15, 2023 | 6:00-9:00 PM Davenport Field at Disharoon Park Join the entire Batten community of current students, alumni, faculty, staff, and friends on April 15th at a UVA baseball game as we celebrate 15 incredible years of our school. Learn more View All
SEP 13, 2022 Batten Showcase 2022: What is Leadership? ft. Eileen Chou Leadership In this lecture, assistant professor of public policy at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy, Eileen Chou, shared what "leadership" is and how we can (or can not) measure it. Learn more
SEP 19, 2022 Batten Showcase 2022: Family and Medical Leave Policies in the US: Where We Are and How We Got Here ft. Chris Ruhm Health Policy In this lecture, professor of public policy and economics at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy, Chris Ruhm, discusses family medical leave policy in the United States. Ruhm looks at where we are now, how we got here and how to move forward. Learn more
Sep 21, 2022 Batten Showcase 2022: Innovations to Transform the Lives of Youth ft. Ben Castleman Education In this lecture, associate professor at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy, Ben Castleman, shares innovations that transform the lives of youth worldwide, and walks the class through the nuances and unidentified consequences of these innovations. Learn more
Oct 16, 2023 Living With a Public Service Mindset Rep. Abigail Spanberger (VA-7) spoke to 150 students and community members about holding a mindset of public service -- engaging with community and country -- no matter what career path one chooses. Learn more
Oct 11, 2023 Values are Foundational to Effective Leadership From waging a war to writing a letter, or navigating any situation in between, leaders who stay true to their values and the nation’s values, and exhibit their integrity and humanity will be the ones who are successful, said Tom Monheim, Inspector General of the U.S. Intelligence Community. Learn more
Mar 08, 2023 Profile in Public Service: Chloe Cohen (MPP ’20) builds career around housing and public policy Chloe Cohen (MPP '20) utilized her Batten experiences and research opportunities to launch her career as a a senior budget analyst on Washington, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser’s budget team, focusing on housing and economic development agencies. Learn more
Dec 07, 2022 Profile in Public Service: A Passion for Education and Community Impact Drives Andrew Bishop (MPP ’20) Andrew Bishop (MPP '20) relies on lessons from his Batten education, including foundational knowledge in education policy, ability to analyze complex data sets and the leadership and presentation skills to explain complex solutions, in his role today in the Richmond school system. Learn more
Nov 02, 2022 Profile in Public Service: James Cathro (MPP ’16) Brings Passion for Service to His Role at the Batten School James Cathro (MPP '16) is currently the director of finance and administration at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy, but as a graduate of the Batten School and currently a U.S. Naval Reserves Officer, he brings a heart of servant leadership to all he does. Learn more
Oct 12, 2022 Profile in Public Service: Althea Pickering's Purpose ‘Came Together’ at Batten While at the Batten School, Althea Pickering (Col ’17, Batten ’18) discovered a way to bring her passions together in a field she feels strongly about. Today, she is a logistics officer for the United Nations World Food Programme in South Sudan. Learn more
Sep 14, 2022 Profiles in Public Service: Asha Chadha Fine-Tuned Her Voice at Batten Asha Chadha (BA ’20) taught sixth grade math through Teach for America and recently entered law school seeking ways to do more to address the issues her students faced. Learn more
Jan 30 A Conversation with Dean Ian H. Solomon and Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney JAN 30, 2020, 5:30 PM The Omni Richmond Hotel Please join the University of Virginia’s Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy for cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, and a conversation titled Leadership for Diverse Communities: A Vision for “One Richmond” with Levar Stoney, Mayor of the City of Richmond, and Ian H. Solomon, Dean of the Batten School. Learn more
Sep 12 Future of Women in Leadership with Hollins University President Mary Dana Hinton SEPT 12, 2022 | 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM Garrett Hall Dean of the Batten School, Ian Solomon, will host a conversation with the President of Hollins University, Mary Dana Hinton. President Hinton and the Dean will discuss the past, present and future of women in leadership and higher education. Learn more
Oct 08 Serving the Greater Good: Discussion with Dean Solomon October 8, 2022 | 10:00 AM Newcomb Hall Theater In celebration of the Frank Batten School's 15 year anniversary, Dean Solomon will be the guest on the Alumni Association's series, More Than the Score. Join us for a discussion on how the Batten community is serving the greater good and what the future of leadership and public policy education looks like. Learn more
Nov 01 Midterm Elections, One Week Out NOV 1, 2022 | 6:00 PM - 7:15 PM Online What do the 2022 midterm elections look like one week out? Join Batten School professor Jennifer Lawless and other panelists to explore the polls, ads, issues, money, and controversies of this year’s contests Learn more
Apr 15 Batten 15th Anniversary Community Celebration APRIL 15, 2023 | 6:00-9:00 PM Davenport Field at Disharoon Park Join the entire Batten community of current students, alumni, faculty, staff, and friends on April 15th at a UVA baseball game as we celebrate 15 incredible years of our school. Learn more