Hailing from Pipestem, West Virginia, Karly joined the Batten School in 2019 after completing her undergraduate degree in English Literature and Politics & Inequality from Wake Forest University. Following her time at Batten, she went on to pursue her PhD in Education and Inequality at The George Washington University. After graduating in 2024, she went on to pursue a postdoctoral research associate position at Michigan State University on a national study examining autistic college student success. In August, she will start her new role as an Assistant Professor of Higher Education at the University of Tennessee. Get to know more about Karly below!
Why did you choose Batten?
- I chose Batten because the MPP combined rigorous policy training with a serious leadership development component, not just traditional MPP coursework. I came in wanting to focus on disability in higher education through a policy lens, and Batten felt like the right fit. It offered a strong foundation in public policy while also giving me access to electives across other great programs at UVA, which let me build expertise in a more niche area.
How would you describe the Batten community?
- Batten offers a true cohort model that makes it easy to build meaningful relationships. The program really encourages bonding, and I formed friendships that have lasted well beyond graduation. I still stay in touch with multiple people from my cohort, and a couple have remained close friends. The faculty also play a big role in that community. Batten professors are genuinely invested in students, and I benefited a lot from the relationships and connections I built with them.
How were you able to explore your policy interests while at Batten?
- My coursework at Batten helped me think bigger about how to pursue my policy interests. In the niche “disability in higher education” field, it is easy for conversations to become siloed by specific diagnoses. That level of detail can be important for understanding individual experiences, but it can also make it harder to see patterns and policy levers that affect broader groups of students. Batten’s quantitative methods training helped me appreciate research designs that speak to larger populations and can inform system-level policy decisions.At the same time, Batten’s leadership development courses complemented that training by pushing me to think deeply about human behavior, relationships, and how change actually happens in organizations. In some ways, those courses felt like applied qualitative training, and they helped me grow into the qualitative-dominant researcher I am today.
What’s one way the MPP helped you grow personally or professionally?
- Batten supported me in exploring my policy interests through faculty mentorship and cross-Grounds coursework. Professor Pennock, in particular, invested in my development and my focus on disability in higher education, even though it was a niche area. He helped me identify relevant electives in UVA’s School of Education, challenged my thinking, and guided me toward opportunities that ultimately shaped my trajectory as a scholar in this field.
Similarly, how did Batten prepare you for your first role after graduating or your current role? What skills and experiences at Batten set you up for success?
- As a research-focused academic, it can be easy to produce a lot of work that stays within academic journals instead of reaching the people it is meant to serve. Batten’s emphasis on implementation pushed me to think beyond publication and toward impact. I left with the skills and mindset to translate research into accessible, action-oriented formats, including op-eds and interviews, and to communicate findings to audiences positioned to use them to make large scale changes. In my current role, I am constantly thinking about how to get evidence into the hands of decision-makers, and I largely trace that approach back to Batten.
What course or academic experience was a highlight of your time at Batten?
- During my second year at Batten, I had the opportunity to TA two courses in the leadership component of the MPP. Those experiences taught me a lot. TA’ing Leadership in the Public Arena, in particular, deepened my understanding of how people communicate, make meaning, and work together. I had the chance to help students develop and practice skills like active listening and navigating group dynamics, and at the same time, I learned alongside them how to become a better teacher. I still carry those lessons into the classrooms I teach and the workplace environments I navigate today, and I am deeply grateful for that experience.
Beyond academics, what are some other memories that stand out from your time at Batten?
- I started Batten in 2019, so the COVID-19 pandemic hit during my second semester. I have plenty of great memories from that first semester with my cohort, but what stands out most is the community we maintained once everything went virtual. I needed to stay in Charlottesville to be close to medical care, and I ended up with a small pod of Batten friends who stayed as well. We navigated the uncertainty together and found ways to make the most of that year, especially by exploring the natural beauty around Charlottesville. Outdoor hikes and visits to local vineyards became our Saturday tradition, and those memories are some of my favorites.I also met my husband, who was in graduate school at UVA at the time, right before the pandemic began. We returned to Charlottesville in 2023 to get married because it will always be such a special place for us.
What piece of advice would you give to a student considering Batten?
- Batten is the kind of place you choose because you genuinely want to learn, grow, and develop as a public policy leader, not just collect a credential. It will push you in ways you may not be used to, but it also surrounds you with people who make sure you have the support you need to meet the challenge. That combination of high expectations and strong community can help you grow in ways you did not realize you were capable of.
