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In March 2024, Batten School Dean Ian Solomon and professors Kirsten Gelsdorf and Abigail Scholer joined dozens of scholars and others from around the world in Dharamsala, India, to meet with the Dalai Lama and explore ways to bring contemplative science and practice into teaching, research, policymaking and leadership in all sectors.

About 50 people from across the state and beyond and from all walks of life were invited by Batten professors Kyle Dobson and Brian Williams to a daylong workshop to share, listen and learn with each other as they envisioned the steps needed to enhance safety and health in troubled communities.

For Batten students, the summer internship between their first and second year of the Master of Public Policy program is an opportunity to apply their classroom learning to hands-on policy work. Will Holland (MPP '24) seized this opportunity by diving into the complex world of regulatory compliance.

Dr. Adriana D. Kugler, a member of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and previous U.S. Executive Director at the World Bank Group, will deliver the keynote address at the 2024 diploma ceremony speaker for the UVA Batten School.

Since its first cornerstone was laid in 1819, the Academical Village has been the literal and figurative heart of the University of Virginia. The buildings of the East and West Ranges are home to 52 of the University's most accomplished graduate students. This year, 12 of those students are Batten MPPs.

The lessons of history have been ever-present throughout Alex Bick's 20-year career in international affairs and national security, including roles at The Carter Center and in the Obama and Biden administrations. He joined the Batten faculty this semester as associate professor of practice in public policy.

Batten student leaders held our first Batten Student Leadership Conference March 22-23 in Garrett Hall. Themed “Bridging Divides: Leading in a Polarized World,” the conference was open to all UVA undergraduates and had the goal of providing a unique platform for students to network and develop leadership skills.

Danica Roem will be the first to admit she's not your typical elected official. As a Virginia delegate and now senator, she has a reputation as a hard worker and bipartisan colleague, but it’s her unusual path that she says has contributed to her success in office.

Valentina Mendoza Gonzalez, third-year Batten student, has been elected as Student Council president. Graduate Batten student Ian Novak will be the next Honor Committee vice chair for the graduate community.

In Episode 7 of "Grounds to Listen," Dean Solomon talks with Batten Professor Melissa Thomas-Hunt about the challenges of being an inclusive leader in today's world and the importance of candor.

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.

As we near the end of the semester, looking for exciting jobs and internships is top-of-mind for many students. Within the Batten student body, there is a diverse array of career interests and experiences, as many students have held internships relating to the dynamic world of public policy. I sat down with Baillie McNitt (4th year BA) to talk about her internship in the Bureau of African Affairs at the Department of State last summer.