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In a paper published in JAMA Health Forum, Professor of Public Policy and Economics Chris Ruhm finds that stringent COVID-19 restrictions saved lives during the pandemic based on a state-by-state analysis of health policies and COVID deaths.

"This was probably the most rewarding feeling I have ever experienced...Representing UVA made it all the more special, with the coaches taking a chance on me and then being able to live up to my ability," said Shane Cohen (MPP '25) whose love for running and for the University of Virginia, in particular Batten, is apparent through our recent Question and Answer session with him.

The Open Doors Program showcases UVA’s dedication to cross-school collaboration by supporting undergraduate students from Virginia State University and Norfolk State University in exploring graduate school and research opportunities. The program is supported by Batten, the School of Education and Human Development and the Carter G. Woodson Institute.

Each year, Batten’s Executive Committee selects the Batten Faculty Awards Winners in four areas of review -- research, teaching, service and engagement -- in recognition for the faculty members’ contributions throughout the previous year. We congratulate this year's winners: Ashley Jardina, Andy Pennock, Dan Player and Daphna Bassok.

Batten’s Applied Policy Project is the capstone project for our master's program, providing second-year graduate students with the opportunity to apply their leadership and policy analysis skills to real-world problems. This three-part series celebrates the Class of 2024 and highlights three main themes - education, the environment and global policy.

Attendees at the 6th Annual Conference on Effective Lawmaking, hosted by the Batten School, enjoyed a day of research discussions and an evening of networking and a talk by former Parliamentarian of the U.S. House of Representatives Thomas Wickham.

The Center for Effective Lawmaking has compiled a massive database to measure the effectiveness of nearly every state legislator in the U.S. Based on the center's trusted methodology developed a decade ago to rank the effectiveness of members of Congress, the project is the first to collect this kind of data at the state level in a comprehensive fashion.

The national State Politics and Policy Conference kicked off last night with a dinner in the newly opened Student Health and Wellness Building, featuring Sally Hudson as the keynote speaker. Hudson is a labor economist, politician and political reformer who teaches at the Batten School and served in the Virginia House of Delegates from 2020 to 2024. Outside the classroom, she consults with government agencies, NGOs and philanthropists to research and improve the delivery of public service.

The UVA Batten School is excited to co-host the national State Politics and Policy Conference this weekend, bringing together some 140 political science researchers from across the country to share their recent findings on a wide range of topics. Immediately following, Batten hosts the annual conference of the Center for Effective Lawmaking, a joint project with Vanderbilt University.

This was our largest graduating class yet, with 186 alumni heading out into the world with the determination, empathy, integrity and leadership skills to bridge divides and solve the most pressing policy challenges of our time. Meet a few of them here.

On this special episode of "Grounds to Listen," Mariko Silver, president and CEO of the Henry Luce Foundation, joins Dean Solomon for a wide-ranging conversation on leadership. The two discuss the importance of curiosity, the challenges of leading diverse groups of people, and the value of stepping out of your comfort zone.

After receiving their diplomas in Final Exercises on the Lawn on Saturday morning, nearly 200 Batten BA and MPP graduates gathered with their guests, and faculty and staff later in the day to celebrate. Keynote speaker Dr. Adriana Kugler, along with Ellie Stombres (BA ’24) and Collin Quigley (MPP ’24), delivered thoughtful remarks, at times somber and funny, about choosing a career in public service.