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This week, the Batten School hosted two events as part of UVA’s Community MLK Celebration series to commemorate the life and legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Andy Pennock is not your typical breed of professor. The father of four young boys (two sets of fraternal twin boys, aged three and five), teaches five courses per year and yet somehow finds the time and energy to publish a leading textbook on writing for public policy and an op-ed on education policy.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – On Thursday, Jan. 24, the Batten School and UVA’s Center for Politics brought together a diverse group of political figures for the 20th annual American Democracy Conference as part of the ongoing National Symposium Series on Democracy.

When it comes to public policy, Batten student Jack DiMatteo (MPP ’19) is drawn to health care, which he views is an area of policy that one can impact directly. It’s this passion (and also optimism) that led him to apply for, and receive, the prestigious David A. Winston Health Policy Fellowship, a 12-month postgraduate program in Washington, DC.

On February 23, the third annual NASPPA-Batten Student Simulation Competition will take place, bringing together a record 585 graduate students from around the globe to tackle policy issues associated with forced migration through computer-based simulated gameplay.

For Batten student Brian Zuluaga, community is everything. But if you can’t find it—then you must build it. And that’s exactly what Zuluaga, a Batten third-year who hails from outside of Philadelphia, is doing with Batten Latinx Network (BLN).

Before winter break commenced, students, professors, and staff from the Batten School and University gathered with members of the United Nations in Minor Hall to study the art of storytelling—or at least one aspect of it.

Professor Sebastian Tello-Trillo didn’t always want to be an economist. But, he did always want to find a way to address social problems.

The Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy is proud to announce ten new admissions partnerships that will incentivize rising policy leaders from a range of backgrounds and sectors to apply to Batten’s Master of Public Policy (MPP) program. These include prestigious think tanks, foundations, and universities—all dedicated to providing individuals with education and training in areas that the Batten community values.

Every year, Batten’s National Security Policy Center (NSPC) provides MPP students with a unique opportunity to shake hands with national security and defense officials. This year, NSPC director Philip Potter took students to visit the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) and the National Security Council (NSC) in Washington D.C.

Policy is everywhere. Lead from anywhere. When I first read this slogan, I didn’t think much of it. Catchy, sure, but what does that even mean? At the time, I was a third-year at UVA, and I had yet to walk through the doors of Garrett Hall and meet some of the most inspiring and ambitious people that I know to this day. I applied to Batten for two reasons: One, I was passionate about social causes. Policy seemed like a practical way to make an impact. Two, if I’m being completely honest, I had no idea what I wanted to do after UVA and an extra year seemed like a good way to buy some time.

The Batten School announced the selection of eight Batten students as finalists in the highly competitive Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) program. The PMF program, administered by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, is the federal government’s most prestigious fellowship for graduate students entering the federal workforce.