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In a weekend filled with inspiration and networking, 12 students from the Batten School and the College embarked on a transformative journey to the 52nd Annual Legislative Conference hosted by the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation in Washington D.C.

Welcome to Grounds to Listen, our new podcast hosted by Batten School Dean Ian Solomon featuring insightful conversations with leaders and scholars delving into the art of leadership in an increasingly diverse and divided world. Our first guest is former Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore.

The co-directors of the Center for Effective Lawmaking -- Craig Volden of the Batten School and Tom Wiseman of Vanderbilt University -- held a briefing in DC recently with staff members of the congressional Problem Solvers Caucus to share their insights into what it takes to become an effective lawmaker.

Each fall, 21,000 UVA students return to Grounds, meaning longer lines at restaurants, more traffic, etc -- but it also means the return of an annual tradition in UVA's spirt of service. Batten professor of practice Gerard Robinson pens a lovely tribute in the Daily Progress to the students who volunteer with area nonprofits.

For Marina Peebles (MPP ‘24), the search for a policy-based internship led her all the way to the White House. We caught up with Marina to hear more about her experience working at the highest level of the U.S. government and how her time at Batten prepared her for success.

Xiao Wang (MPP '09) an assistant professor at the Law School and Batten School and an expert on the U.S. Constitution, spoke at this week's "Batten Hour" about the implications of citizen-driven initiatives in response to unpopular rulings by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Jim Gilmore was the featured speaker at Batten Hour on September 11, the 22nd anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on the U.S. when he was Virginia's governor, and reflected on America’s readiness for potential future attacks, the war in Ukraine and the ongoing threat of authoritarianism globally.

Thanks to a generous gift from University of Virginia alumni Richard and Donna Tadler, a cohort of Batten students are poised to make a big difference in the economic future of rural Southwest Virginia.

In a significant expansion in 2026, the Batten school will occupy more than 17,000 square feet of the new Karsh Institute for Democracy building with faculty offices, research centers and other operations, while retaining its home base at Garrett Hall on Central Grounds.

Batten welcomes five outstanding professors to join the school's faculty: Kyle Dobson, Gerald Higginbotham, Ashley Jardina, Gerard Robinson and Abigail Scholer.

Dean Solomon was in Tanzania recently to facilitate the kick-off panel of the African Human Capital Summit, which drew 1,000 people, including almost 100 African heads of state and ministers to delve into the issue of investing in youth education and other societal needs on the continent.

In an op-ed published in The Messenger, Craig Volden and Alan E. Wiseman of the Center for Effective Lawmaking write that without proper career training for congressional staffers, expertise gaps on Capitol Hill will continue to be problematic.