This October, the Batten Graduate Council (BGC) rallied Batten students around a shared cause: raising money for the Virginia Breast Cancer Foundation. Through a spirited pickleball tournament held on UVA’s Snyder Courts, the student-led organization brought together students from the Master of Public Policy classes of 2026 and 2027 and raised $500 for the Virginia Breast Cancer Foundation.
What began as a casual summer hobby turned into a meaningful service project. “A few of us had started playing pickleball together over the summer,” said Pacific Rwanika (MPP ’26), BGC’s Social Events Chair. “As October approached, I remembered it was Breast Cancer Awareness Month and thought, why not do something that brings people together and gives back to the community?”
Rwanika partnered with Samir Godambe (MPP ’26), BGC’s Community Engagement Chair, to turn that idea into action. The two considered a variety of partners and decided on the Virginia Breast Cancer Foundation because of its statewide reach. “We wanted to keep it local,” Godambe explained. “When we reached out, the Foundation’s Development Director, Shelley Callahan, was incredibly supportive. She even helped us set up a fundraising page.”
Participation was open to the Batten community, with pairs donating a fee to register for the tournament. Others in the community contributed through direct donations. Organic promotion efforts spanned inter-student communication channels and support from Batten’s Student Success staff. The result was a lively tournament, which included one solo player who single-handedly made it all the way to the finals.
Beyond the $500 raised, both organizers emphasized that the event was in service to both the cause and their own student community. “Batten is one of the few policy schools that integrates leadership into the curriculum,” Rwanika said. “If we’re at Batten to learn how to be change-makers, we don’t have to wait until we graduate to start. This was a small way to make a difference right now.”
Godambe echoed that sentiment. “This event was about connection,” he said. “Because Batten is a small program, we have the chance to really get to know one another. This was a way to build that bridge between cohorts, to show newer students that they can rely on us and talk to us.”
From the courts to the classroom, UVA Batten students continue to live out the school’s mission of cultivating servant leadership.
