Congratulations Batten 2023 Graduates! Graduation Awards Academic Honors Congratulations to the Batten undergraduates in the Class of 2023 who graduated with academic distinction: Highest Distinction Aayushma Bastola Hannah Brockhausen Anna Calhoun Justin Carminucci Avneet Chhabra Ryan Cieslukowski William Clawson Zoe Costello Ann Daniel Caitlyn Day Cole De Long James Flood Cole Ginghina Kailin Hamilton Molly Hayes Kayla Kim Halle Krantz Gerard Chris Kunze Tess Lenihan Jayna Mallon Caitlyn McDevitt Murray McGovern Fiona Moriarty Catherine Nash Natalie Nunez Austin Orfield Jackson Postal Ahana Rosha Isabelle Saillard Maria Schense Julia Schopper Alexandra Simons Lily Toruteva Alexandria Touron Graham Twente Claybrook Vaughan Madeleine Waller Tessa Wright Lilian Zabel High Distinction Lara Arif Noah Bateman Isabella Berg Denise Brookman-Amissah Amanda Chok Miles Crosby Haley Davie Gabrielle Davitch Emily Deignan Graham DiLorenzo Ethan Fingerhut Sasha Frederic Angela Grey-Theriot Eleanor Hallisey Elizabeth Hurt Kevin Kelley Elizabeth Kraisinger Parker Kreiser Olivia Nguyen-Dillon Elizabeth Rankin Arnaldo Sandoval-Guerrero Ava Viohl Kyndall Walker William Westerfield Jia Williams Priscilla Yoon Distinction William Denniston Alexandra Fuentes-Hernandez Robert Gerber Danyele Heier Charles Miles Lane Matthew McConnell Diana Moreno Jared Rayman Gabriel Sirak Emma StJohn Abigail Thomas Batten Undergraduate Legacy Awards In honor of our school’s late founder, Frank Batten, Sr., and in the spirit of his words and actions, the Batten Undergraduate Council annually invites students, faculty, and staff to nominate graduating BA students for one of five Legacy Awards. The awards—and their recipients—reflect the virtues and experiences that distinguished Mr. Batten throughout his inspirational life. Leader Among Leaders Award Ahana Rosha Integrity Award Avneet Chhabra Perseverance Award Danyele Heier Pioneer Award Rodney Christopher Rhodes, Jr. Virginian-Pilot Intellectual Curiosity Award Jimmy Flood Batten Graduate Pilot Awards Named for the newspaper run by our school’s late founder, Frank Batten, Sr., the Batten Graduate Council annually invites students, faculty, and staff to nominate graduating MPP students for one of five Pilot Awards. The awards recognize the recipients’ leadership, impact, and service within the greater university and policy communities. Policy Analysis Impact Award Irene Cox Inclusive Advocacy Impact Award Victoria Barahona Leadership Excellence Impact Award Katharine Shriver Outreach & Service Impact Award Owayne Owens Transformative Impact Award Connor Eads Z Society Edgar F. Shannon Award Named for the University of Virginia’s fourth president, each year at commencement the Z Society presents the Edgar F. Shannon Award to the “best student” in each school within the University. According to the Z Society, the definition of best student is intentionally left ambiguous, “because each of us pursues greatness in very different ways; however, the best student is an individual who has pursued academic greatness with fervent ardor and keen insight while never forgetting the importance of those priorities aside from school." Congratulations to this year’s graduate and undergraduate recipients: Irene Cox, MPP ’23 Ahana Rosha, BA ’23 View All