Finding the Good: Hayley Lawrence on Optimism, Vulnerability, and Public Service

Hayley Lawrence (BA ’16) is a self-described, indefatigable optimist. She thinks that – especially today – teachers, professors and leaders have a responsibility to advocate for seeing the good in the world, even when confronted with problems that seem intractable. 

“Working with students shows you that year after year, young, bright-eyed people think not only that they can make the world a better place,” Lawrence said, “but also that it’s a place worth saving. There is no better cure for ennui or negativity than watching your students fight for a brighter future.”  

She currently serves as the Executive Director of the Center for Firearms Law and a Lecturer at Duke Law, where she puts this belief into practice. 

Lawrence’s world view was profoundly shaped by UVA Batten Associate Professor of Public Policy Paul Martin’s teachings that “realism and optimism are not mutually exclusive.” This philosophy also shapes the way she teaches her own students now. 

“I chose to study public policy because I wanted to learn to think analytically and to solve problems,” Lawrence said. “Batten’s close-knit community offered such a wonderful, mutually supportive environment in which to learn and grow. The professors were invested in our development in a way that set the program apart.” 

Those professors helped Lawrence develop skills for communicating effectively with peers and superiors, how to share messages in a way that resonates, and how to listen and make people feel heard. 

“Listening helps develop and reinforce empathy, which is necessary for all leaders to connect with and properly represent the interests of their constituents or communities,” Lawrence added. 

Aside from gaining leadership and policy knowledge at Batten, Lawrence also learned a valuable life lesson while enduring mental health struggles during the latter years of her undergraduate career: don’t be afraid to ask for help. 

“At the time, I thought asking for help meant that I was incapable of keeping up, that I didn’t deserve to be there, or that I had failed,” said Lawrence. “It was Jill Rockwell and Hannah Rose Hintz who helped me see that asking for help and displaying vulnerability would in fact make me a better, stronger, more empathic person.” 

Today, Lawrence readily imparts this advice to her students and friends, thereby helping to buoy the next generation of leaders poised to positively impact our world.