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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.

In the midst of finals frenzy, Batten students are coming together to make the holidays a little merrier for others in Charlottesville and across the country. Last Friday, Dec. 7, the Batten Undergraduate Council (BUC) hosted a holiday party at the Charlottesville Boys and Girls Club at Buford Middle School.

The Batten School is embracing this holiday season by recognizing individuals, organizations, and projects that are making a positive impact in the world. Check out Hava’s Indiegogo Campaign. The first-of-its-kind air-filtering scarf will be available in Spring 2019.

Batten School Dean Allan Stam reflects on leadership lessons from George H.W. Bush.

During a luncheon in the Great Hall of Garrett Hall on Friday, Dec. 7, students enrolled in Professors Paul Martin and Sarah McLean’s “NGOs in the Policy Arena” course awarded $80,000 in grants to six local organizations fighting food insecurity.

On Wednesday, Dec. 5, Denver Riggleman, the Representative-elect for Virginia’s 5th Congressional District, visited the Batten School. Sitting in on Batten professor Gerry Warburg’s “Congress 101: Advanced Legislative Strategy” class, Riggleman’s visit gave second-year MPP students who have studied the history of Congress a rare opportunity to interact with their subject matter—in person and up close rather than just reading about it in the news.

On Saturday, Dec. 1, the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy hosted the first Central Virginia Learning Exchange (CVLE) summit to improve communications, enhance understanding, and encourage a better working relationship between the Charlottesville community and the police.

University of Virginia founder Thomas Jefferson said, “Educate and inform the whole mass of the people. They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty.” An apt statement and one that resonates strongly with Batten student Thomith Chin (MPP ’20) and his nonprofit organization, International Youth for a Better World (IYFABW).