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Sarah Alexander (BA ’19) is the incoming president of the Batten Alumni Advisory Board (BAAB). A native of New Orleans, La., she grew up understanding how offshore energy development and coastal environmental restoration are intertwined, and has pursued that interest through her career in Congress and most recently with a D.C. public policy firm.

On this episode of "Grounds to Listen," Brendan Tuohey, co-founder and president of PeacePlayers, talks with UVA Batten dean Ian H. Solomon about how the organization is bringing people together across divides in the Middle East, South Africa, Northern Ireland, and the United States through sports.

Health policy expert Melanie Anne Egorin will join the faculty at the University of Virginia’s Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy this fall. Egorin comes to the school with more than 20 years of experience in federal service.

For the third year in a row, students enrolled in UVA Batten’s experiential course, Introduction to Management Consulting and Strategic Decision Making, have won top honors in the Bain & Company Women’s Case Competition at UVA. Participants from the course have also won, for the second year in a row, the 2025 Deloitte Undergraduate Case Competition.

UVA Batten associate professor of public policy Andrew Pennock has received the 2025 All-University Teaching Award from the University of Virginia. The annual awards honor UVA faculty members who demonstrate exceptional dedication, passion, creativity, and equity in their contributions to the University’s teaching mission.

Tim Phillips, founder and CEO of Beyond Conflict, joins UVA Batten dean Ian H. Solomon on this episode of "Grounds to Listen" to discuss his work reducing conflict and increasing tolerance around the world.

New online certificates being offered by UVA Batten this fall will empower working professionals to lead and shape public policy from anywhere.

The UVA Batten School community is deeply saddened by the passing of Congressman Gerry Connolly, a cherished friend and colleague of many faculty and staff, a mentor to innumerable students and alumni, and an inspiring example of public service leadership.

UVA Batten is proud to announce the graduation this year of 119 Bachelor of Arts students and 75 Master of Public Policy students. On Saturday, May 17, Batten dean Ian H. Solomon welcomed the graduates, their family members, and friends for ceremonies at the historic Paramount Theater in downtown Charlottesville. “I applaud you, class of 2025, as a force for good in the world," he told them.

Hewing to the Batten School’s tradition of service learning, more than 110 students volunteered earlier this month at a local nonprofit that serves people with autism. It was part of their class, “Lead from Anywhere: From the Classroom to the Community,” taught by professor Kirsten Gelsdorf. Said one of the students, “You really do feel like you’re making fundamental change on the ground.”

Two UVA Batten MPP students who are graduating this week had the opportunity to collaborate with alumnus Cameron Haddad (MPP '19) this semester on a project for the World Bank, providing them hands-on experience in policy work. As a student, Haddad worked on a World Bank project with professor Lucy Bassett, who connected the three in February.

More than 140 people attended the 2nd Annual Peacekeepers Awards Ceremony, hosted by UVA Batten's PEGLLLLab to celebrate the firefighters, police officers, violence interrupters, and other first responders who serve the Charlottesville and Albemarle County communities. This year, 37 students from area schools were also recognized with a Peacekeepers Award for their actions to help keep their schools safe.