Professor of Practice of Public Policy Gerald F. Warburg has received a prestigious 2024 All-University Teaching Award bestowed by the University of Virginia Provost to recognize the most dedicated, passionate, creative and equity-minded instructors on Grounds.
Warburg is one of just 13 UVA professors given the distinction this year. In rich testimonials for his nomination, colleagues and students alike praised his commitment to lifting up every student to achieve her or his best, and his abiding belief in the power of fostering dialogue around differing perspectives to solve even the most vexing policy issues nationally and globally.
“Professor Warburg is a gem of Batten,” wrote one student. “It is wonderful that we are able to have a class like this for students interested in going to work for Congress (or anywhere in DC, for that matter) in the future.”
“He goes above and beyond to help students both in and outside of the classroom, and even held office hours for me on a weekend when I was struggling and had some questions,” wrote another.
Batten Dean Ian Solomon, in his nomination letter, noted not only Warburg’s skilled and insightful pedagogy, but also his generosity of time and mentorship to students throughout their time at Batten.
“Gerry’s class is often what convinces students to commit to Batten over other majors at UVA. He works hard to create an inclusive, ambitious, and appealing learning environment for all his students,” Solomon wrote. “He is heavily involved in many of the school sponsored activities. Students value him because he treats them like colleagues and supports their post-UVA career goals.”
Warburg joined the faculty at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy in 2010 after a lengthy and impactful career serving the U.S. Congress. He was a legislative aide to Senator Alan Cranston and to Representative John Bingham, and over the years served in leadership roles on numerous foreign relations and national security committees dealing with nuclear nonproliferation and other issues.
At the Batten School, Warburg teaches courses on legislative strategy in the U.S. Congress, foreign policy and nonprofit advocacy strategies. He was the lead faculty member in the school’s first massive open online course “Public Policy Challenges of the 21st Century,” which drew more than 300,000 students on Coursera. He has published four books and several book chapters, helped lead efforts to diversify the faculty, taught more than 55 classes and mentored more than 70 graduate teaching assistants.
Above all, Warburg points to his time in the classroom as what he cherishes most. “I love teaching. I love the ‘ah-ha’ moment when a student uses sharpened skills to
present a new synthesis of public policy options,” he says.
“My goal as a teacher is student empowerment. I seek to strengthen the ability of all students to articulate and advance their own ideals.”
