Tadler Fellowship
Since 2019, thanks to a generous gift by Richard and Donna Tadler, the 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.
In 2023, the Batten School launched a new extension of the program to introduce graduate 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:
Tadler Summer Internships Fellowship
The Tadler 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 real tangible value to the social enterprises and economic development organizations working on thin margins and at times with limited staff.
This is a competitive Fellowship for UVA undergrads and MPP students. For more information and to apply for the Summer Tadler Fellowship, please contact Assistant Director of Career Services & Alumni Engagement, Dana Laurens (ddg2f@virginia.edu).
The Tadler Graduate Fellowship in Impact Investing in Appalachia
The prestigious Tadler Graduate Fellowship in Impact Investing is a year-long fellowship covering up-to a full-ride for Batten School Master of Public Policy students in their second year working in partnership with Appalachian economic development partners. For their year-long internships, Fellows are paired with Appalachian economic development agencies, foundations, CDFIs, lending intermediaries and blended finance funds to do a weekly 8-hour remote 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 for second year Batten MPP students, applications for first year MPP students open in January following the Academic Year of the award. The call for applications will come from the Assistant Dean’s office.
Undergraduate January-Term Tadler Impact Investing in Action Fellowship
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 batch enrolled in the J-term class and the tuition will be directly covered for in-state students.