Old Dominion University Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy

Old Dominion University Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy
Name	Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy
Established	2012
Type	Public
Parent	Old Dominion University
City	Norfolk
State	Virginia
Country	United States
Dean	Peter Lurie

Old Dominion University Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy is a public professional school focused on leadership, public policy analysis, and civic engagement located in Norfolk, Virginia. The school offers graduate and undergraduate programs designed to prepare students for careers in public service, nonprofit management, and policy research. It emphasizes experiential learning, cross-sector collaboration, and applied scholarship linked to regional, national, and international issues.

History

The school's founding in 2012 followed philanthropic support linked to philanthropist Frank Batten and institutional reorganization at Old Dominion University, aligning with trends seen at institutions such as Harvard Kennedy School, Princeton School of Public and International Affairs, Syracuse Maxwell School, Georgetown McCourt School of Public Policy, and University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy. Early milestones included accreditation processes involving agencies similar to the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation and partnerships modeled on collaborations between Brookings Institution, RAND Corporation, American Enterprise Institute, Urban Institute, and Pew Charitable Trusts. The school's establishment paralleled regional developments in Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Portsmouth (Virginia), Chesapeake (Virginia), and connections to military and maritime communities like Naval Station Norfolk and Hampton Roads. Leadership transitions mirrored movements of deans from programs at University of Virginia, George Mason University, Virginia Commonwealth University, Old Dominion University colleges, and national leaders in public policy education.

Academic Programs

The curriculum includes professional degrees comparable to programs at Columbia School of International and Public Affairs, Yale Jackson Institute, Stanford Graduate School of Business (for leadership modules), and multidisciplinary offerings similar to Duke Sanford School of Public Policy. Degree pathways include a Master of Public Administration akin to offerings at Syracuse Maxwell School, a Master of Public Policy reflecting analytic emphases at Carnegie Mellon Heinz College, and undergraduate minors modeled after initiatives at UVA Batten School-style programs. Course topics reference case studies involving entities such as Federal Emergency Management Agency, United States Department of Defense, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Environmental Protection Agency, and international frameworks like United Nations and European Union. Professional certificates draw on practices from Project Management Institute, American Society for Public Administration, and International City/County Management Association.

Research and Centers

Research centers at the school pursue applied projects similar to those at Wilson Center, Kissinger Center, Johns Hopkins SAIS, and Hopkins Bloomberg School centers. Focus areas include coastal resilience with comparative work involving NOAA, United States Geological Survey, Army Corps of Engineers, and case comparisons to Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Sandy responses; maritime economics linking to Port of Virginia, Panama Canal, International Maritime Organization, and World Trade Organization studies; and veterans' policy interfacing with Department of Veterans Affairs, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Tricare, and Wounded Warrior Project-related research. Other centers engage with urban governance featuring collaborations reminiscent of Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, Urban Institute, National League of Cities, and Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program. Comparative policy work cites methodologies used by European Commission, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, World Bank, and International Monetary Fund analysts.

Faculty and Administration

Faculty include scholars and practitioners with backgrounds from institutions such as Harvard University, Yale University, Princeton University, Stanford University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Columbia University, University of Michigan, University of California, Berkeley, and London School of Economics. Administrative leadership engages with regional stakeholders like City of Norfolk, Commonwealth of Virginia, Hampton Roads Planning District Commission, and federal agencies including Department of Homeland Security and Department of Transportation. Visiting fellows and lecturers have affiliations with Brookings Institution, RAND Corporation, American Enterprise Institute, Aspen Institute, Council on Foreign Relations, and international universities such as National University of Singapore and University of Oxford.

Student Life and Organizations

Student organizations mirror civic and professional groups such as chapters of Pi Alpha Alpha, student government associations linked to Old Dominion University Student Government Association, and policy clubs modeled on Rotary International youth programs and AmeriCorps alumni networks. Extracurricular offerings include internships with Norfolk Southern Railway, placements at Sentara Healthcare, fellowships connected to Congressional Research Service, and service projects coordinated with United Way, Habitat for Humanity, Feeding America, and regional nonprofits. Student-run journals and conferences attract presenters from NATO, United Nations Development Programme, U.S. Naval Institute, Chamber of Commerce of the United States, and think tanks like Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Community Engagement and Partnerships

The school maintains partnerships with municipal governments such as Norfolk City Council, regional authorities like Hampton Roads Transit, and port operators including Virginia Port Authority. Collaborative projects have involved emergency planning with FEMA Region III, climate adaptation work in concert with Virginia Institute of Marine Science, and workforce development initiatives tied to Virginia Employment Commission and Chesapeake Bay Foundation. International collaborations reflect ties to institutions like European Union Commission services, United Nations Development Programme, and project exchanges with universities including University of Maryland, Old Dominion University research units, and regional school systems such as Norfolk Public Schools.

Category:Old Dominion University Category:Public policy schools