Tadler Fellowship

Across Virginia, the nation and the world, we face unprecedented economic and environmental challenges. While government and nonprofit interventions are critical in improving economic equity, advancing racial justice and responding to climate pressures, the scope and scale of the challenges call for dramatically increasing private capital to support collaborative and creative solutions that address the magnitude of the problems.

Since 2019, thanks to a generous gift by Richard and Donna Tadler, the UVA Batten School has dramatically increased the number of UVA students interested in and learning about the economic conditions, challenges and opportunities in Appalachia and rural America. Over 130 students have benefited from fellowships to travel to the region, learn remotely during COVID, and intern with impact investors working to get capital to the social entrepreneurs pushing forward new industries, creating new career pathways, and building an alternative to poverty and addiction. Students have reported that these experiences have deeply affected them – inspiring them to learn more, get engaged, and, in some cases, even changing their life course. The Tadler program is led by Christine Mahoney, professor of public policy and politics and chief innovation officer at the Batten School.

In 2023, Batten launched a new extension of the program to introduce Master of Public Policy students to the challenges facing Appalachia, and enlist their support, research and hard work to serve Appalachian Communities. Read on to learn about the three different Fellowships funded by the Tadler Family:

The prestigious Tadler Graduate Fellowship in Impact Investing is a year-long fellowship covering much or all of the cost for second-year MPPstudents working in partnership with Appalachian economic development partners. Fellows are paired with Appalachian economic development agencies, foundations, community development financial institutions, lending intermediaries and blended finance funds for a remote, 8-hours/week internship.

Throughout the year students are mentored and managed toward milestones while conducting rigorous comparative analysis on the most effective policies and programs in the issue areas identified by clients. Past students have served the Town of Wise, Virginia, the Town of St. Paul, Virginia; the town of Dante, Virginia, the town of Pennington Gap, Dickenson County, Invest Appalachia, DELTA Lab and Coalfield Strategies; and Invest SWVA.

This is a competitive process; applications for first-year MPP students open in January for the following academic year. The call for applications will come from Batten’s Admissions office.

Meet the 2024-25 cohort of Tadler Fellows

The Tadler Impact Investing in Action fellowship offers $3,000 of funding to defray the costs of the J-term traveling class entitled “Impact Investing in Action: Appalachia.” The fellowship covers all tuition, travel and lodging costs for in-state students and most of the costs for out-of-state students. This is a transformational learning opportunity traveling through and learning from local Appalachian community leaders in Appalachian Virginia, West Virginia, Appalachian Kentucky and Appalachian Tennessee. The course teaches students about the technical challenges and rich opportunities associated with innovative impact investment into rural growth. Students engage on the ground with local communities and experienced impact investors and entrepreneurs to learn about the unique challenges that Appalachian communities face and how to bring economic, social, and environmental benefits to the region.

This is a competitive process for current UVA undergraduates, of any major. Applications open in mid-Fall semester directly preceding the J-term class and will be announced through email, fliers and on this website. Students awarded a fellowship will be enrolled in the J-term class and the tuition will be directly covered for in-state students, and most, but not all, of the tuition and course costs for out-of-state students.

Apply for the 2024 J-term fellowship here.

This fellowship is designed to support an annual summer cohort of students placed in Appalachian and rural Impact Investing and Entrepreneurial Ecosystem support organizations. The goal is to create incredible learning and networking opportunities for students interested in rural economic development, innovative finance, and impact investing but also to provide tangible value to the social enterprises and economic development organizations working on thin margins and at times with limited staff.

This is a competitive application process. For more information and to apply for the Summer Tadler Fellowship, contact Sarah Hanks, Batten’s director of career services. (shanks [at] virginia.edu)