Final Exercises 2025

[“My All” by Lone Waves]

Like a vision you made it
And brought me back to life
Yeah, I was illuminated
Just like a spark in the night

I wanna give it, oh
I wanna give it my all
Oh my
I wanna give it, oh
I wanna give it my all

Like we’re out in the open
And we got nothing to hide
Yeah, you and me in the moment
We got no need to rush it
We got nothing but time

You’re making me, making me feel
Like a kid again, yeah
You’re making me, making me feel
Like I’m innocent
Yeah

All that I can do is say, ‘Oh’
Oh my
I wanna give it, oh
I wanna give it my all
Oh my
I wanna give it, oh
I wanna give it my all

Oh my
Oh my, I wanna give it my all
Oh my

All I want tonight
To give you my
All I want tonight
I wanna give you my all
Oh my
I wanna give it. oh
I wanna give it my all
Oh my
I wanna give it, oh
I wanna give it my all

[2025 Valedictory Address Presented by Jason W. George, Actor and Alumnus]

When I was asked to be the keynote speaker for this year’s Valediction ceremony, I was deeply moved, incredibly honored, and eventually…slightly confused. I couldn’t remember the exact difference between the valediction ceremony and final exercises. At many universities they’re the same thing. I had no recollection a bifurcated experience. I just have a vague memory of “GRADUATION WEEKEND”. So, I jumped on the Googles and discovered that the valediction ceremony – – this one – – is meant to be a more intimate ceremony. It’s put on by the graduating class, not the university, and it is an opportunity for the class to celebrate their achievements and give thanks to the university. In other words, this is the cool one. The one that is student lead.

And thinking about that, I became even more honored. Quick explanation for the family and friends who aren’t as acutely aware of the nuances of The University. Thomas Jefferson, and all the educators that have followed him understood that the greatest way to learn, is to DO. So as much as as practical, the university lets students take control. Whatever service, sport, club, or activity you believe needs to exist on grounds it’s up to you to create it…if some other student hadn’t already created it decades or even centuries ago. Our championship Lacrosse team was started by students.

The best way to learn is to DO. Just one of many life lessons I learned or had reaffirmed here at the university. And then I realized I might be onto something. Maybe I had stumbled into a little bit of a theme – – see when you give speeches like this they expect you to actually have something worth saying. My wife will tell you I rarely say anything worth hearing. But I figured I needed to up my game for today and give you something inspirational or aspirational or at least informative and entertaining. I needed a theme.

As I sat there, having a Google-triggered, trip down educational memory lane…I started remembering how many clear and cogent life lessons I had that centered the University of Virginia. It kind of reminded me of this insanely popular self-help book by Robert Fulghum that came out right before I came to college. You all won’t know it but your parents might. It was a collection of simple yet profound life lessons called “All I Really Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten.”

Well, President Ryan, faculty, parents, esteemed guests, and Graduates of the university of Virginia Class of 2025…. I submit to you now that…All I Really Needed to Know….I Learned at UVA.

I was introduced to two of the most important things in my life here at UVA. I was introduced to the craft of Acting, which became my profession. And I was introduced to Vandana Khanna, who became my wife. I had my first play in Culbreth Theater. And I had my first kiss… You get the idea.

I will try--and fail--to be concise as I unpack this for you, but, essentially, there are a handful of concepts and quotes that I learned—or gained greater clarity about— while at UVA that have continually played a major role in my life. And make no mistake. I have had to RE-learn many of these lessons many times and I am still working on LIVING some of them. But they have been great guides in my life, and I have faith that you will do better with them than I did.

They’re in no particular order, but we just hit a great one “the best way to learn is to do“ or, as the great philosopher, Morpheus, said to Neo “there’s a difference between knowing the path and walking the path”

But sometimes you don’t even KNOW the path, you’re just walking in a general direction.

That was me, senior year of high school. When someone asked me, “where are you applying to college,” I was like “yeah…I gotta get on that.” And the stellar reputation of the University of Virginia seemed like the best bet…

When I arrived first year to move into my new home in Lefevre, I had never been to the university of Virginia before. Maybe I’d seen the rotunda on the cover of the brochure

Suffice it to say, I had absolutely NO EXPECTATIONS. And, as it turns out, that was a great way to begin.

Here at UVA, I learned a great life lesson about how to properly manage expectations: Have expectations about what you will do, not how you will feel about it or how you will benefit from it.

I learned that, while it is great to set goals, it’s problematic to have expectations about what life would be like when you achieve those goals. A goal should be a simple statement of an achievable result that is within your control. Verbs and Nouns. Expectations become problematic when you get into adjectives, focusing on the things that are out of your control. How I expect it will feel or what benefits I hope to accrue when I achieve the goals.

I want to drop 10 pounds—goal…so I will be happier and people will find me sexier. Expectation. I want to graduate in four years…and when I do I will instantly feel like an adult , find a job, and my parents will be proud of me. I want to become an actor on a primetime TV show….so that I will be rich and famous, everybody will want to be my friend, and life will be easy.

Yeah. The first time I acted professionally on a primetime TV show… it was horrible. I was making less money than at my previous job on a daytime soap opera. The schedule was constantly changing to accommodate one of our lead’s addiction issues, and I, a classically trained theater actor, was so bored by the work that I started moonlighting, doing a revival of a play by our own Pulitzer Prize winning, former US Poet Laureate, Rita Dove. It was extremely fulfilling but paid very little and because Rita was my wife’s first mentor as a professional poet, it was the first time she ever said to me, “you better be good”.

I had achieved my goal… But it did not match my expectations at all.

And on that relationship between Goals and expectations…

Another Quick Life Lesson: “Goals are great. Growth is essential.”

Even when goals aren’t met, there’s still growth. Failure only occurs when there’s no growth, when you didn’t try. And by definition, if a living thing is not growing… it’s dying. Even when you’ve physically stopped growing, it’s mental or spiritual growth that keeps you feeling young and staves off death.

Focusing on Growth as much as Goals is perhaps the best way to manage expectations.

One last thing about expectations: My good friend Troy Stanfield— actually Troy’s son. Isaiah is graduating today, where are you at Isaiah? – – Just wanted to embarrass you a bit. That’s what Dad’s and their friends do.

Anyway, Troy was a Commerce school student, and my Co-chair of residence staff, in charge of all the new dorms. I had all the old dorms…the best dorms. Troy taught me a fundamental rule of management: You should have expectation meetings with the people you work with. Be very clear and upfront about what is expected of your staff, your peers, and even your supervisors. Clarity about how and when you like communication. Clarity about goals and boundaries.

But life at UVA also taught me that we should have the same expectation meetings with our friends. Literally ask, “what kind of friends are we?” Party friends? Confidantes?

Are you my Ride AND Die friend? A Friend who will back my play 100%, no matter how idiotic is, riding shotgun with me as we pull a Thelma and Louise, driving off a cliff?

Or are you my Ride OR Die friend? A Friend who will always remind me that there IS a choice between the two, help me make better choices, help me be my best self.

Yes, UVA taught me to clearly manage expectations for myself, my friends, and the people I work with. But even if I had the highest expectations coming to UVA, they would’ve been surpassed within that first week.

My first week here was LEGEND. Virginia football beat Clemson for the first time in 29 years, ending what had become known simply as “the streak”. And every wahoo that ever wahooed lost their damn mind. We rushed the field and tore down our own goal posts. Beer flowed like a river from Rugby Road. Even alumni were streaking the lawn.

But not me. Not yet. I didn’t streak the lawn until a couple years later when most of the theater department streaked the lawn with dozens of clowns that had come from around the world for a university event. If you thought the time you streaked the lawn was memorable, try doing it with a bunch of clowns, speaking in foreign languages or with some mimes who wouldn’t speak at all, and, remember… nobody’s wearing anything but white pancake make up and fake red noses.

The week we beat Clemson and the week the clowns were in town are two Perfect examples of another life lesson I learned here at UVA.

This lesson is best encapsulated by a quote from Mr. Jefferson‘s fellow founding father, Benjamin Franklin. Ben said, “Moderation in all things….Including moderation.” Write that one down. It’s been a touchstone in my life. I do that one pretty good.

“Moderation in all things… Including moderation”

Be balanced most of the time but also know when to tread very lightly or when to go Hard. Balanced is when you know you can swing by the party but still make class the next day. Nice. Going hard is skipping class because you needed to recover. Not great. A perhaps more worthwhile version is skipping class to share a rare experience with a dear friend…or a future wife. Or the completely opposite direction would be going to extra discussion sections of a class then sequestering yourself in the stacks library so you can ace that exam or finish that paper.

Moderation in all things, including moderation means knowing how to be responsibly irresponsible. And I have every faith that you’ve all mastered the social version of that....but, unless this student body has demurred and become less outspoken, I’m also confident that some of you have dabbled in the CIVIC version of being responsibly irresponsible. Knowing most of the time you should be a responsible, moderate citizen, following the rules. But also knowing that there are times when it is your civic responsibility to break the rules. To Get into what the legendary Congressman John Lewis called Good Trouble.

But remember, I said responsible. You don’t harm anyone, don’t destroy property, and, most important, you take full responsibility for your actions and accept the consequences. Mr. Jefferson and the founding fathers were more than prepared to accept the consequences of their fight for freedom. They pretty much expected to die. But then better, more effective nonviolent methods of protest were introduced. But Gandhi still had to accept that his hunger strike would damage his body and Marting Luther King Jr willingy did his time in jail. Done properly, advocacy and protest can become lasting legacies of service to your fellow citizens.

The concept of service brings me to our next life lesson and one of my all-time favorite quotes. This one comes from Joaquin Miller and it was taught to me by some dear friends here at the university: “All you can hold in your cold dead hand is what you have given away.”

Powerful in its simplicity, this quote improves on other colloquialisms like “you can’t take it with you“ by not just reminding us that money is meant to be spent…but reminding us what to spend money ON. Spending money to acquire things may feel good, but giving to others in need always feels better and a life of service is what creates legacy.

And it comes back to you tenfold in different ways. Sometimes it’s a public recognition like a room on the lawn. Shout out to the Lawnies.

And sometimes your service brings compensation. Where my RA’s at!?! I wanted to serve the university community and I needed to pay for college. So I became a resident assistant. As a result, I never left first year housing and worked my way up to CoChair of Residence Staff working closely with two of my favorite mentors, Deans Angela Davis (not that one) and Pat Lampkin, who went on to become a Vice President of the university. I can’t tell you how much I learned from those ladies. Mentors are half the point of college.

I may have become an RA for financial assistance, but I quickly realized I got far more from it. Helping Shepherd others through the beginning of their university journey, helping them transition into adulthood, was one of the most profound experiences of my life.

And by the way, Lawnies. Your view of the Lawn may have been incredible but my co-chair suite had a private bathroom, separate living room, and a kitchen. But, hey, it’s not a competition!

If Citizen Kane taught us anything, it’s that No one on their deathbed talks about how much money they made. You talk about the friends you made and the people you loved. You talk about the experiences you had. And after you’ve past, the people you helped will talk about You. Service to others is one of the best habits you could develop here at Virginia—a wonderful addiction that I hope you carry forward through the rest of your life. It will give you the highest of highs with no negative side effects.

Now we’ve come to what is perhaps my North Star of UVA Life lessons. It’s a quote attributed to John A Shedd but taught to me by a group of very special wahoos. Now this life lesson has two footnotes I will explain later but the quote itself is beautiful: A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.

Virginia has been your home for the last four years or so. You feel safe here. But the university hasn’t been preparing you to be SAFE. You didn’t invest years of energy and money, blood, sweat, and tears to be safe. Risk is a part of life. And risk tolerance is a skill we UVA alums typically have in spades. Some of you may even be like me and started taking risks before graduation.

See when I came to the university, I planned on attending Law school. My mentor was Justice Leroy Hassell, the youngest, and only the second lBack Supreme Court justice of Virginia. The plan was for me to get good grades, get a recommendation from him, go to UVA Law, and then I would come clerk for him and be a made-man in the state of Virginia.

But then I took an acting class. And then I did a play. And soon my passion for acting superseded my desire to be my generation’s Thurgood Marshall. Sometimes the best risk to take is to try something completely different than what you planned to do. Be around People who are not like you.

One of my other mentors growing up was a Captain in the Navy, who was famously, gruff and curmudgeonly. But I never saw Capt. Labyak smile more than when that calculus-tutoring engineer, took up painting and started hanging out with the artsy crowd at the beach.

Yeah, Acting was not on my bingo card back then. And even after I fell in love with acting, I wasn’t sure I could do it for a living.Acting is a hard business to get started in. Instability is a constant and Talent guarantees you nothing. Luck plays a role in the career of every actor you can name or even recognize.

So when I made the decision to get a Master of Fine Arts in Acting instead of a Law degree, I literally had to look myself in the mirror daily to remind myself, “A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.” So I set sail for graduate school in Philadelphia with plans to go to New York and Broadway after that. But a crazy gust of wind in the form of a talent competition held by legendary producer, Aaron Spelling, blew me onto a beach in Los Angeles. Literally. I played a lifeguard on the show I booked from the contest. Man plans. God laughs.

Some of you are planning to leave here to make massive, sweeping changes all over the world. Some of you are planning to leave here to make a focused, deep impact in a specific part of the world. Some of you are planning to leave here to make changes in yourself.

And some of you aren’t planning to leave here at all, choosing instead to further your education and deepen your skill set in graduate school.

Whatever you do, I want you to approach it with the energy befitting a Virginia alum. GO HARD at it! Unless and until it requires a delicate touch – – moderation in all things, right?

But know that this is likely NOT the last time you find your metaphorical ship docked in a harbor for safety. Careers switch, positions become unfulfilling, folks go back to school, families derail the best laid plans, and, yes, people get fired from jobs.

But, assuming you survive whatever craziness awaits—and you will— you’d do well to remember the first footnote I discovered to the quote about ships safely in harbor.

And that bonus nautical themed lesson, my friends, is this: “Life is course correction”

I’m not much of a sailor but anyone who grew up near the ocean can tell you that you can’t just set your course, fix the wheel, and then daydream.

Reaching your destination, reaching your goal, requires navigational focus, determination, and constant adjustments to maintain course as the world throws elements at you. Winds blowing you off course. Waves battering you around. And you’re never going to get through life without some thunderstorms. And sometimes, either because you’ve been knocked way off course or you lost the Northstar that guides you, you might find yourself adrift, lost, or closer to a different destination altogether. Remember, Columbus was looking for India.

But life is course correction.

Three years and an award nomination into that first show, I felt I had learned what I could from it and decided to set sail again, to look for new work and new challenges. It was Pilot Season, when networks cast the shows that are competing for a spot on air. I was testing— the final audition— for two different shows. One of them was produced by Aaron Spelling, my boss from my job at the time, and, as a result, it was very intimate with just the director, the writer, and me. They only had me audition the one time and I didn’t see anybody else waiting to audition before or after me. The job was mine to lose. With the other show, it was my third or fourth audition and the previous audition had about 6 actors competing and about 20 executives watching. This latest audition only had me and one other actor but still over 30 executives in attendance. This project was a hot property with an in-demand writer and the role was to play an emotionally complex version of Lenny Kravitz. The role for the other show was to play the Black best friend, where my primary job was to ask the lead about his lovelife and other exploits.

When I finished that show’s audition, I felt reasonably good about it, but was still surprised when I didn’t even make it home before I got the call that I booked the job.

But… I was more excited about the other job. It provided a greater challenge and, in success, had a much better chance of advancing my career. Did I mention it was to play a surprisingly sensitive rockstar? So, I’m on the phone, job offer in hand, but with the Rock God audition the very next day. I knew I wouldn’t have an answer about the rock audition for a week or so. But after the audition the next day I would at least have a feeling of whether or not I gave a good performance.

So I asked the show with the offer if they could give me 24 hours. And they said no. “NO!?!”

Here’s a few things you need to know about the word NO. You’re going to hear it a lot in the course of your life..

• “No” Is the default answer to almost any question. Even if basic logic says the answer should be yes because...
• “No” means I don’t have to learn a new way of doing things, even if that new way is better.
• “No” means I’m not giving up negotiating leverage, even if it really cost me nothing.
• “No” is almost always a less risky proposition than “yes”

And this is where the second footnote to our nautical Safety quote comes into play. For reasons that will become obvious in a moment, my wife rolls her eyes and shakes her head whenever I say the words: “It is better to ask forgiveness, than permission”

If no one is going to be directly harmed, if you can handle getting way out over your skis, sometimes it is best to ignore the NO. So I sat there in my driveway, looked myself in the rearview mirror. And muttered “A ship in harbor….”

Then I politely declined the offer to do my first primetime TV show. I went inside, had dinner, got some sleep, and gave a great audition the next day. I didn’t get the job. Yeah, They went with the other guy. I immediately called the other show and said, “Hey! Turns out I’m kind of available.” A month later when I walked into the table read and met the other cast members, the president of the production company walked right up to me and said, “Dude, you gave us a heart attack!” And he gave me a hug.

Sometimes “NO’s” aren’t “NO’s”, as much as they are a test, even unintentionally. See, I was emotionally involved, had nothing to lose, and armed with my quote. That’s why I stood firm. For him, it was all just business and establishing dominance. But, in the end, he respected me more. He knew I determined my course. I was Captain of my own ship.

This next life lesson I want to talk about is the only one that came in the form of a contract. Does everybody here remember signing the Honor pledge?

Parents and friends, you may have heard about the legendary Honor Code here at the University of Virginia. Every student signs a pledge, declaring that they will not—say it with me now— lie, cheat, or steal. Students are bound by the Honor Code in Charlottesville, Albemarle County, the University’s regional centers, and anywhere else that they represent themselves as a University of Virginia student.

If a student is caught lying, cheating, or stealing, they will be expelled from the university—at least that was the case back when I was a student here. We had the “single sanction” rule. And that was no joke, man! There are stories of people who had graduated and been working for years when it was discovered they broke the honor code. And the university revoked their degrees! Oh yeah. Had us shook!

But this generation of Uva students—you all—voted to change the single sanction for the Honor system that has been in place for 180 years. To change it so that expulsion wasn’t the only consequence. Almost a quarter of students voted and something like 80% voted to make the change.

You voted

The question for each of you individually is, did you vote for the change to make the Honor system less about punishment and more about rehabilitation? Or did you vote to change the Honor system so you could get away with stuff without suffering the academic equivalent of the death penalty?

Oh, I know y’all had some knocked down, drag out debates. For those that don’t know, Wahoos are legendary for debating issues, especially over a beer. But it’s debate with a purpose. Debating to solve a problem. Not debating to tear someone else down ore score a win for ego’s sake. So I know these debates were amazing. But however you feel about the change to the Honor system, you have to appreciate the thinking behind it. At its best, it’s a move towards rehabilitation, it reinforces the idea that dishonor need not be a permanent state. You can regain your honor.

Ideas can be Perfect. People are always flawed. Ideally, this new Honor system acknowledges the fact that people make mistakes and it sets a path for them to atone for those mistakes. People DO make mistakes and, by extension, so do groups of people like institutions--even entire societies make mistakes and dishonor themselves. We have to create a system by which they can atone for their mistakes and regain their honor.

The obvious and simple first step? Admit what you did. Own it.

Where my Law students at? Future lawyers? In the legal system, we call this allocution, right? Where someone publicly admits to what they did and expresses a desire to work towards some kind of restitution. And once again, UVA gives us a shining example of this. In fact, it happened right about the time you arrived here: The University opened the Memorial to Enslaved Laborers who built and worked at the University. When I first saw it, I wasn’t ready for how emotional it would make me.

But I don’t think I can underscore enough how much it means for a person of color to have in institution they love and want to fully admire take ownership of the mistakes of the past. I don’t think I’ve ever been more proud to be a UVA alum.

The analogy would be having a parent that you love, but with whom you have a strained and turbulent relationship, finally come to you and say, “I’m sorry.” THAT is a truly Honorable thing. That is how you begin to atone.

And, yes, parents, I am kinda looking at you right now. Maybe use this weekend as the opportunity to say the things that feel too awkward to say otherwise. You too graduates. I’m sure you’ve all had debates that got out of hand. Come to think of it, some of you are second and third generation Wahoos. You may have been debating the changes to the Honor System! And about that… I gotta tell you… I don’t really have a dog in that fight. I’m not terribly interested in the debate about what the punishments of the Honor system should be. I AM interested in understanding what Honor IS.

And therein lies the Life lesson that, because of those debates, your generation of Wahoos may understand better than any other: “To understand Honor is to understand yourself.”

Pro tip: it’s about so much more than lying, cheating or stealing. The Honor system is, in fact, a great way to ensure that people don’t lie, cheat or steal. But I’m not so sure it’s the best way to get people to understand what capital H, “Honor” truly is.

The problem with teaching people to understand Honor by focusing on lying, cheating, and stealing is that almost by definition it only becomes relevant if someone catches you. It makes us focus on the external. It becomes about how other people will perceive you. How other people will lose trust and faith in you if they catch you, lying, cheating, or stealing. But when we focus inward, on the internal ramifications, things become much more clear.

Here’s your litmus test: Are you the kind of person who would cheat at Solitaire??

It sounds silly. But these people do exist. Nobody’s checking to see how you did at solitaire. Nobody ever earned major street cred by developing the perfect system to cheat at Solitaire. You’re literally only cheating yourself. It’s called “Solitaire”.

Litmus test number two: If you could, would you want the weights in your gym to be intentionally mislabeled. All the 10 pound weights are actually 5 pounds, the 20 pound weights are actually 10, and so on. Trust me, I know guys in Hollywood who are padding their bench press numbers – – probably the same guys who are padding some other things.— but at least they’re padding the bench press numbers that they tell to other people.

It’s bad enough when you lie to other people, but NEVER lie to yourself! That’s where dishonor truly begins. I get it. We live in a world of shortcuts today. Social media Influencers passing as experts. Likes and follows, passing as expertise. Artificial Intelligence doing the heavy lifting, writing, and thinking….if we had ChatGPT back in the day I know a couple guys who would’ve had 6.0 GPA’s. People want the money and the fame and the higher education degrees without all the pesky work and struggle that usually comes with it.

So here’s another life lesson for you: College degrees are EVIDENCE of intelligence and skill, YOU have to be the proof.

Side note: Today is pretty much the last day that anybody is going to care what your GPA is. Sorry. Your parents were probably afraid to tell you because they’re so proud. But the actual number of your GPA? Magna cum laude? Summa cum laude? Nobody out there is gonna care. OK, maybe for your first job. But that’s pretty much it. After that, only the Valedictorian will be able to whip out their GPA-based title but not their GPA.

But bragging about GPA’s isn’t the point. YOU know the work you put in. You know the knowledge you’ve gained and how much you’ve grown. You know the excellent work ethic you’ve developed. Out on the street, nobody can see if you’re a black belt martial artist or a yellow belt. But you better believe that the black belt walks differently. Believe that the confidence that comes from genuinely putting in the work gives you a different kind of swagger. And you don’t care what the world knows or doesn’t know about how proficient you are. Mess around and find out. (PG version your parents are here). So, yes, generally speaking, the world only cares that you achieved the goal of earning a higher degree

But the more rigorous the college is known to be, the better your degree represents you.

And when you graduate from the university of Virginia. When you have lived by the Honor code. People trust that your degrees, expertise, and skills are real and quantifiable. They believe this NOT because of your GPA. Not because you signed a pledge on a piece of paper. Not simply because nobody caught you cheating. No, they believe this because a UVA graduate— especially one of the class of 2025 —has put in the work to understand what Honor truly is. And they would never cheat themselves of the opportunity to grow, they would never lie to themselves about what they’ve accomplished.

Look, I’m a navy brat who grew up in the shadow of the largest naval base in the world. It felt like everybody I knew was in or connected to the Navy. My three best friends went to the Naval Academy, Virginia Military Institute, and the Marines. I grew up with military people who talked about Honor like it was a real thing that you could touch. As real as the seat you’re sitting on. And then I came to a university that made me sign a pledge, declaring that I would conduct myself with Honor. So, believe me when I tell you that I have put a lot of thought into what Honor is. Now I’m not even going to pretend like I have all the answers, but I have some thoughts: Honor is a pseudonym for goodness, trustworthiness. You had Honor before you ever came to UVA and, graduates, I pray you will have it after you leave here. Honor is placed within you by your creator. Nobody can take your honor, but you can give it away. People may disrespect you, but only you can dishonor yourself. You can do it in big ways – – lying, cheating, or stealing. Or you can do it in little ways – – Not speaking up when you see somebody else lying, cheating, or stealing. Seeing a person in need and doing nothing to help. Losing empathy. Being mean and punching down.

Honor often suffers and dies from a thousand tiny cuts.

I submit to you that many of today’s societal ills stem from the fact that too many people either A) think Honor is a silly, antiquated concept or B) they believe dishonor only comes if and when you get caught.

My genuine prayer is that, as members of the UVA Class of 2025, the class that wrestled with the concept of Honor to change the system, I pray you go out into society and prove them wrong. Honor lives inside each and every one of us. Honor is real and perhaps needed today more than ever before.

I see the Honor in each of you. And I look forward to seeing what wonderful things you do when your ship sets sail.

Bon Voyage.

James Edwards: After graduation, I’m headed to Delaware to be a pediatric trauma nurse.

Maya Johnson: I’ll be attending Vanderbilt University, pursuing a master’s in higher education administration.

Nicholas Lacy: I’ll be going to Pittsburgh to work as a gold bar recruiter for the Space Force.

Nakayla Figgins: After graduation, I’ll be moving to D.C. to work as a PICU nurse at Children’s National.

Chris Johnson: I’ll commission as an ensign in the Navy and head up to D.C. to start my career as a cyber warfare engineer.

Alex Schaefer: I plan to pursue a Ph.D. in electrical and systems engineering at the University of Pennsylvania.

Laura-Louise Rice: I’ll be moving to South Carolina to work on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

GK Do: I’m going to be a Double Hoo and get my master’s in business analytics at the McIntire School of Commerce.

Nick Chu: After graduation, I’ll be in D.C. while I apply to medical schools.

Precious Ezealigo: After graduation, I’m moving to Arlington, Virginia, to join Amazon as a finance manager.

Rebecca Fitch: I’ll be going to William & Mary to get a master’s in counseling with a concentration in military and veterans. And I’ll also be commissioning into the Army Reserves.

Ben Foote: I’ll be staying in Charlottesville to run my sports nutrition startup with my wife and co-founder, Paige.

Jack Siegel: I’m going to Richmond to be a Virginia Management Fellow, where I’ll do policy work for three different state agencies over two years. I really hope to continue my opera career as well.

[♪ Jack Siegel singing ♪]

Katie Rogers: I will be going to New York, and I’ll be working for Mars Wrigley doing corporate finance.

Jade Preston: After graduation, I’ll be moving to Northern Virginia to continue my Air Force career as an operations research analyst.

Kaylee Chan: I’m going to be a fifth-grade math-science teacher at Walker Upper Elementary School right here in Charlottesville.

Marie-Clare Matricardi: I’m moving to D.C. to work for the Republican Attorneys General Association.

BreAnn Dishman: After graduation, I’m going to be staying right here in Charlottesville to work at UVA in the pediatric intensive care unit.

Malia Takei: I’m moving to Chicago to be a finance attorney with Mayer Brown.

Sasha Ivanov: I will be pursuing a chemistry Ph.D. at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Josh Novick: I’ll be moving to New York City as a private credit analyst for Blackstone.

Izzy Spanswick: After graduation, I’ll be joining the Peace Corps and going to Vietnam to teach English.

Charlotte Devine: I’ll be heading to Denver to work as a senior designer at the landscape architecture firm MVVA.

Jacob Hobbs: I’ll be in Washington, D.C., working as an associate software engineer at CoStar Group. Eventually, I’ll be pursuing a Ph.D. in ethical AI.

Michael Gonçalves: After graduation, I’m going to Duke University, while I’ll be completing my residency training in psychiatry.

Serena Kopf: I’m going to be a Double Hoo and pursue my master’s in counselor education here at UVA.

[The Year in Review 2024-2025]

Alinor Smith: This past year at UVA has been such a great year. It’s been a whirlwind.

Second-year student: The last year has been really busy.

Alisha Whirley: I mean, I’m a first-year, so it’s definitely a lot of adjusting, learning the ropes.

[We Moved In]

[♪ Music Playing ♪]

[We Discovered]

Trent Weiss: If you can push these systems to their absolute limit and they still function, you can be pretty sure they’re going to work on the highway.

[UVA Today: Robot Car Wins Test of Speed, Safety]

Jeffrey Saucerman: We’ve identified a number of drugs that have been already approved. We’re finding new uses for them in heart disease.

[UVA Today: Artificial Intelligence to Accelerate New Heart Treatments]

[♪ Music Playing ♪]

[UVA Today: Anne Verbiscer to Join Asteroid Mission]

[UVA Today: Danielle Citron Tops Legal Scholars List]

[UVA Today: Catherine Bradshaw Named Fellow for Education Research]

[UVA Today: UVA Engineers Solve Hypersonic Flight Problem]

[We Built]

[New Fairfax Campus]

[Biotech Accelerator]

[Shumway Hall]

[Hardie Football Operations Center]

[Number 1 Hospital in Virginia, Newsweek]

[Number 1 Public Business School in the World, Financial Times]

[Number 1 Public Law School, U.S. News & World Report]

[Number 1 Public School 4-Year Graduation Rate, U.S. News & World Report]

[Number 1 Public School for Financial Aid, Princeton Review]

[Number 1 College in Virginia, Forbes]

[We Played]

[Reactions to UVA’s Social Post on Trick or Treating on the Lawn]

[Love this. That’s my brother as Beetle Juice.]

[The crayon pack forever.]

[My little chicken!]

[Whooshing]

[♪ Music Playing ♪]

Cedric Rucker: I’m learning how to be.

Matt Vogel: Oh, but isn’t that true of all of us, Peter Peter?

[Laughter]

[We Served]

[♪ Upbeat Music ♪]

[UVA Today: UVA Supports Neighbors With ‘Give Where You Live’ Campaign]

Jim Ryan: On your mark, get set, go.

[♪ Music Playing ♪]

[We Honored]

Patti Fralix: We had to be rebels. We had to be gritty.

[Reactions to UVA’s Social Post on the Class of 1974 Celebrations]

[Here’s to the trailblazing women from UVA’s Class of 1974!]

[Proud of being the first class of undergraduate women at UVA in 1970, graduating in 1974!]

Betty Shotton: It was the most wonderful experience of my whole life.

[All these women are my heroes. Thanks for blazing a trail for us to follow in!]

[♪ Music Playing ♪]

[Presidential Portrait Series: Ken Elzinga]

[Presidential Portrait Series: Katie Couric]

[Presidential Portrait Series: Ralph Sampson]

[UVA Today: UVA Celebrates 200 Years of Classes]

[UVA Today: UVA Student is Latest Rhodes Scholar]

[UVA Today: Research Earns Students Goldwater Scholarships]

[UVA Today Faculty Spotlight: For Martin Wu, Microbiology is All Around]

[UVA Today Faculty Spotlight: Evangelia Gazaki Makes Math Fun]

[UVA Today Faculty Spotlight: William Brady Trains the Next Generation of Doctors]

[UVA Today: President Emeritus John T. Casteen III, 1943-2025]

Jim Ryan: John made UVA a place of large ambitions. He did nothing shy of helping to build the financial, physical and intellectual foundation on which the present version of UVA rests.

[UVA Today: Mike Hollins Receives Inspiration Award From NCAA]

Mike Hollins: It’s not a Mike Hollins award. The inspiration goes to the players, my brothers, that I lost. I wake up every day and just want to keep that flame going.

Tony Bennett: It was the time of a lifetime, to get to coach all these guys. I think we touched greatness.

[♪ Music Playing ♪]

[UVA Today: Women’s Swimming Wins Fifth Straight NCAA Title]

[UVA Today: Men’s Golf Wins First ACC Title]

[UVA Today: Women’s Tennis Doubles Are NCAA Champs]

[UVA Today: Men’s Distance Medley Relay Breaks NCAA Record]

[UVA Today: Shane Cohen Wins 800-Meter NCAA Title]

[UVA Today: UVA Sets School Medal Record in Paris Olympics]

[UVA Today: Jade Hylton Breaks UVA’s Home Run Record]

[UVA Today: Alexis Ohanian Makes Gift to Women’s Basketball]

Alexis Ohanian: UVA women’s basketball has such an amazing legacy. I felt this door opening for the women’s program here.

[♪ Music Playing ♪]

[We Welcomed]

Student 1: It’s there.

Mother of Student 1: Are you sure?

Student 1: View update. Wait, wait, wait, no.

Student 2: My heart is pounding out of my chest so.

[Student 1 Laughs]

Mother of Student 1: I need my glasses

[High school students cheering when they learned they were admitted to UVA.]

[UVA Today: Ryan Odom Is New Men’s Basketball Coach]

Ryan Odom: This is the place that I fell in love with basketball. This is the place I was shaped in so many ways.

[♪ Music Playing ♪]

[UVA Alumni and Howler Brothers Co-Founders Drop Exclusive Collection]

[lululemon Meets UVA]

[We Celebrated]

Alinor Smith: As a fourth-year getting ready to walk the Lawn, the University does feel different. I can’t believe that I’m not going to be here. I’m so glad that I got to experience all of the traditions, and I just love all of it. And I’m so sad to leave it.

[♪ Music Playing ♪]

We are starting our first year at the University of Virginia. Yeah! Coming up from Georgia yeah.

Just getting moved in, first day on campus or Grounds. Long 15 hour drive to get here. Yes, for sure but happy that we’re kind of getting settled. You know, today is a really exciting day it’s a whole new journey now. Yes, this is our last one. We live in a tent just to pay for all this tuition.

I’m a little nervous of course it’s a whole new environment for me but it’s great I love UVA so I’m excited to move in and get my things ready. Yeah I’m kind of nervous because I kind of had to quarantine for like two years of high school, so I haven’t really done in person in a while.

I’m looking forward to meeting new people. Getting to take classes I care about, that’ll be good. Having my independence and like make me figure out like more who I want to be and like what I want to do. Excited for football games I’m just excited for class overall. Explore all of Charlottesville just ride around on my bike honestly that’s what I’m looking forward to the most.

It’s obviously exciting to have like a sense of freedom but obviously I’m going to miss everyone so much. She wants me to call her every day, every day, I’m fine with that. Once a week you know like maybe you set a time to check in.

But it should be more often than the times that you need to ask for money. Right! That’s right! We haven’t set up rules but I have some in my head so twice a day at least. Maybe like the first couple days then I feel like I’m going to get distracted.

Like this is such an exciting time you’re going to make so many great friends, I already love your roommate, just enjoy yourself. Be kind to yourself. It’s easy to get caught up in expectations and what you’re supposed to do and how you’re supposed to do it.

Study hard but have a lot of fun. Sounds good. It’s all gonna be overwhelming the first two weeks but after that you know things will be starting to feel like home.

My wife and I, Kimberly Grantham, we are alum and we’re just really proud to have him join the ranks of the Wahoos and man it’s just a great moment you know.

This will be the first time in 29 years that we won’t have any of our children in the house with us anymore. That’s crazy. Yeah. It’s outrageous. He was always at home when I got home and he’s always there to hang out and now he’s not, now he’s in Charlottesville, Virginia.

That’s outrageous, man. I’m officially an empty nester after today so it’s going to be an adjustment. I really don’t want to talk too much about it because I’ll probably start crying. Like you said, it hasn’t sunk in yet so we’re just waiting for the storm to pass over.

We’re saving the crying for the car drive home we’ll have a good solid eight hours of crying ahead of us so, we’ll be okay. It’s hard it’s just hard to see her go. Love you. It’s gonna be weird to have four people at the table having dinner instead of five. She is clearly my very good friend so I will miss her advice, oh now you’re making me teary. I think just know that what you may feel like you’re losing, the University is gaining plus some.

Try to keep being me as best I can, meet new people, spread my impact, fulfill the legacy that you left coming here and that mom left and that I’m gonna continue to be a role model for my two younger siblings, Copeland and Jovi, that may be coming through here in a few years.

[♪ Music Playing ♪]