Students are encouraged to join a number of organizations. Both the Undergraduate and Graduate programs have a Council of student leaders, elected to run community outreach, events, professional development activities, and head external, internal, and social committees. Batten Builds is a group that brings students, faculty, and staff together to support nonprofits in the Charlottesville and Albemarle County area. Previous nonprofits the group has helped include Habitat for Humanity, the Ronald McDonald House, Albemarle Housing Improvement Program, Senior Center, Inc., and others. Batten Speaks! is a public speaking club with monthly meetings that cover networking, public speaking, and presentational skills. The Batten Umbrella Mentorship Program (BUMP) offers membership for any MPP student the semester of their admission to the school. These students receive mentorship from upperclassmen and an introduction to life at Batten. The group hosts Round-Table Discussions monthly, as well as dinners, Jeopardy!-like competitions, field days, etc. Highly involved members can also become eligible for research assistant or internship positions. Formative Change Group (FCG) Consulting is a pro-bono consulting group that lends the services of its members to non-profits in the area. It was launched in 2012 as a part of the Clinton Global Initiative commitment. The students apply their policy analysis skills to their clients' real world problems and provide the necessary knowledge and support to the organizations so they can carry out their core mission. Foreign Policy Club introduces students to issues of foreign and domestic policy with discussion meetings, guest speakers, and speaker debates. The Women in Policy Club provides a forum for members to unpack news coverage of women through a policy lens, using their background and training in the area.