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The University of Virginia’s Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy has introduced a new graduate degree, the Master of Science in Public Policy and Data which will train policy professionals to lead data analysis, not just consume it.

John Bennett (B.A. '14) helps hedge funds, law firms and software companies turn rapidly evolving artificial intelligence into useful tools. The job demands technical fluency but also draws on skills he began developing at the University of Virginia's Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy.

Eileen Chou began her tenure as interim dean of the University of Virginia’s Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy on Aug. 3, succeeding Ian Solomon. Chou reflects on what makes the Batten community so special, how her path into behavioral science has shaped her leadership approach and her vision for the school.

Eileen Chou, the incoming interim dean of the University of Virginia's Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy, announced her intention to appoint Jay Shimshack to succeed her in leading the school's academic affairs and Ben Castleman as faculty director of research and engagement, a new position created to support faculty in advancing their research and engagement portfolios.

UVA Batten MPP student Imane Akhanous and associate professor of public policy, Andy Pennock, were selected to serve on President Beardsley's new committee tasked with developing a long-term strategic plan for the University.

Ian Solomon, dean of the University of Virginia’s Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy, announced Tuesday that he will step down, effective Aug. 2.

On May 16, UVA Batten celebrated the graduation of 199 students who earned Bachelor of Arts or Master of Public Policy degrees in 2026.

The Pilot Award is named for The Virginian-Pilot, the newspaper Frank Batten, Sr. helmed in his early career.  The Batten Graduate Council annually invites students, faculty, and staff to nominate graduating Master of Public Policy students for one of five Pilot Awards. The awards recognize the recipients’ leadership, impact, and service within the greater university and policy communities. 

UVA Batten students on the Women's Ultimate Frisbee Team, Hydra, find commonality and balance amidst their academic pursuits and competing on this nationally ranked team.

Each year, the Batten Undergraduate Council (BUC) invites students, faculty, and staff to make nominations for its Legacy Awards, given in five categories to honor graduating Bachelor of Arts students who have demonstrated leadership at the Batten School. Each of these 2026 awardees reflect the virtues and experiences that distinguished Frank Batten, Sr. throughout his inspirational life.

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. is the 2026 recipient of the Thomas Jefferson Foundation Medal in Citizen Leadership, which is the highest external honor bestowed by the University and recognizes the achievements of luminaries who embrace endeavors in which Jefferson excelled and held in high regard.

On Friday, March 13, the Public Engagement in Governance Looking, Listening, and Learning Laboratory (PEGLLLLab) at the UVA Batten School hosted The Violence Intervention Forum at Charlottesville’s City Hall where a panel of community leaders examined the causes, impacts, and potential solutions for gun-related violence on March 13, 2026.