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Today, the University of Virginia’s Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy announced the 2019-20 student recipients of the Bocock and Hitz Public Service Fellowship. Established in 2012 by a generous gift from Mary Buford and Fred Hitz, the Bocock and Hitz Public Service Fellowship Fund supports outstanding students in Batten’s Master of Public Policy (MPP) degree programs who are committed to effecting positive change through careers in public service.

The Batten School announced the appointment of Professor Jay Shimshack as associate dean for academic affairs. Shimshack succeeds Professor Craig Volden, who will conclude his distinguished four-year term as associate dean at the end of June and transition to the role of interim dean of the Batten School until Dean-elect Ian Solomon’s arrival on Sept. 1.

“I have always been interested in serving something greater than myself,” said Nate Jewell (BA’ 16).

UVA Today spoke with Batten professor Harry Harding on Friday to learn more about what is happening in Hong Kong and what it means for China and the U.S.

Batten student Hanna Davis (BA ’21) is taking the road to Morocco on a Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship.

University of Virginia President Jim Ryan has said one of his missions is that UVA “opens wide the door to opportunity for first-generation, low and middle-income students.” A group of students embraced that spirit even before Ryan joined the University last year and this past semester, opened their arms to local first-generation students with a day of programing tailor-made for them by current first-gen students at UVA.

During my first year at the University of Virginia, I knew that I wanted to apply to the Batten School. At the beginning of my second semester at UVA, I attended a Batten School information session. Shortly after, I called my Mom and said, “I have found the graduate school for me!”

Six University of Virginia students were selected for this year’s Governor’s Fellows program, the largest contingent from a single school in the state. Of those six, three are Batten students or recent graduates.

Last week, the Miller Center and UVA’s Democracy Initiative kicked off the Presidential Ideas Festival (PrezFest), a three-day festival examining the state of democracy through the lens of the presidency. As part of PrezFest, Batten professor David Leblang moderated a discussion examining the role of the president in relation to 21st century challenges of climate, migration, and national security. The panelists included Rosa Brooks, Georgetown professor of law; Deborah Lawrence, UVA professor of environmental sciences; and Todd Sechser, Batten professor of politics and public policy and UVA professor of politics.

More UVA graduates than ever received degrees over the weekend, and they’re not alone. New research from Batten alum Kyaw Khine at UVA’s Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service shows that advanced degrees in the U.S. are on the rise.

2019 Batten graduates received year-end recognition with an impressive range of accolades honoring academic achievement and attributes including intellectual curiosity, athletic success, character, service, kindness, and leadership.

For Kyle Gardiner (MPP ' 16), the Batten alumni network cannot be underestimated. Gardiner, who will welcome 2019 Batten graduates into the alumni community at this year's graduation ceremony at James Monroe’s Highland, credits much of his personal and professional success to his Batten network—a network that is still relatively young by university standards.