Following two years of discussions and the launch of the Batten Honors
College, I am pleased to announce that Virginia Wesleyan University has
signed an affiliation agreement with the University of Virginia’s Frank
Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. This exciting new
partnership facilitates enrollment of graduating Batten Honors College
students in the Master of Public Policy (MPP) program at the
Charlottesville-based institution.
The Frank Batten School of
Leadership and Public Policy (Batten School) will reserve space in the
MPP program each year for at least one Batten Honors College graduate
who meets admission requirements. Provided they remain in good academic
standing, selected students will receive an annual fellowship of at
least $7,500 for Virginia residents and at least $12,500 for
non-Virginia residents in each of the MPP program's two years. The
Batten School will also offer opportunities for students to earn
additional assistantships, fellowships, or other awards in the second
year.
Pioneering a new model of leadership and policy education,
the Batten School provides a powerful interdisciplinary learning
environment to foster the next generation of policy leaders and
analysts. Batten MPP students train to execute tangible solutions to
real-world problems through rigorous cost benefit analysis, innovation
and teamwork. Graduates join a network of change agents committed to
working collaboratively and successfully to tackle the most complex
issues of our time.
The Batten School’s educational philosophy
aligns seamlessly with our own Batten Honors College mission. Through
vigorous exploration of diverse disciplines, from the natural sciences
and mathematics to humanities and social sciences, the Batten Honors
College aims to educate and graduate lifelong learners and impactful
leaders who will take action to shape the future and improve our world.
We are thrilled that our students will have the opportunity to build
upon their Batten Honors College education through graduate studies at
the distinguished Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy.
This
distinctive partnership is a powerful illustration of the importance
and influence of philanthropy. These programs are made possible through
the generosity of Virginia Wesleyan Trustee Emerita Jane P. Batten and
her late husband, Frank Batten, Sr. The Batten family has played a major
role in enriching the cultural and educational landscape not only of
Virginia Wesleyan and UVA, but of the Commonwealth of Virginia. We are
fortunate to benefit in many ways from the Battens’ passion for the
education of tomorrow’s leaders.
Special thanks to all who made
this agreement a reality, and especially to Dr. Allan Stam, Dean of the
Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy, for his support and
shared vision for this valuable partnership.
