Lessons in Leadership: A New Batten Course on Reagan

The University of Virginia Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy today announced a new graduate-level course that will be taught by American author and historian Craig Shirley in the fall. The course, titled “Lessons in Leadership: Reagan,” will be the first-ever Batten School course to examine the historical and political context of Ronald Reagan’s presidency and how it translates to today’s political landscape.

Shirley is a leading scholar on Reagan and has written four books on the 40th American president’s life, leadership, and legacy. Reagan’s former aide Aram Bakshian referred to Shirley as “the best source for understanding Ronald Reagan,” and Reagan speechwriter Clark Judge called Shirley “the most prolific and….most influential” of the Reagan biographers, comparing Shirley’s writing to the work of the Greek general Thucydides, who penned the history of the Peloponnesian War. “Reading Craig Shirley has become essential for any Ronald Reagan student,” said Judge.

“We will begin the course by identifying the numerous crises Reagan encountered and confronted during his presidency—from the firing of air traffic controllers to Soviet shoot-down of Flight 007 to Reagan’s meeting with Gorbachev in Reykjavik,” said Shirley.

Shirley will bring in guest speakers—mainly via video conference—who served in the Reagan administration and were at the center of the debates surrounding Reagan’s presidency. Some of the guests will include: Mari Will, a Reagan advisor who will talk to students about air traffic controller layoffs; Ken Adelman, a foreign policy official who will discuss the Reykjavik Summit, and Jon Meacham, a notable historian will give a thorough overview of Reagan’s presidency.

Shirley hopes that these first-hand accounts of how Reagan dealt with various crises will provide students with a different perspective of the 40th president—one that goes beyond the historical lens and instead examines Reagan’s character as a president and leader in contrast with today’s political leaders.

“His optimism was a defining feature of his governing philosophy and one that had a unifying quality,” said Shirley. “I hope students will gain a deeper understanding of why many historians regard Reagan as one of our four greatest presidents and how his leadership style played a pivotal role in his many achievements.” 

“Reagan’s ‘Tear down this Wall, Mr. Gorbachev’ statement at the Brandenburg Gate still echoes in our collective memory,” said Batten School Dean Allan Stam. “For me, and for many people who witnessed the end of the Cold War, this was a defining moment in our nation’s history and one created by a strong leader bolstered by the power of his convictions. Students of leadership and public policy can gain valuable insight from studying Reagan’s distinctive leadership style and I am confident that Craig Shirley will succeed in this new endeavor at the Batten School.”