The fellowships will allow students to pursue their studies across a range of fields, including the arts and sciences, engineering, and business.

Forty will receive the Jefferson Scholarship and 12 will receive the newly established Walentas Scholarship for exceptional first-generation college students.

The gift will be matched by UVA’s Bicentennial Professors Fund, for a total investment of $20 million in the two inaugural University Professorships.

The foundation supports world-class graduate students through two fellowship programs.

The latest class of entering Jefferson Scholars will take their place in a long line of student leaders at UVA.

Peers selected four UVA faculty members from three schools for their exceptional teaching.

The fellowships provide full support to attend UVA for the fellowship period as well as living and research stipends; National Fellowships provide support for one year of dissertation research and writing.

Also in the roundup: A law student is elected vice chair of the National Black Law Students Association, and the superintendent of Louisa County schools names a nursing student as one of the school system’s MVPs.

The merit-based fellowships enhance UVA’s intellectual life by bringing some of the nation’s top graduate students to Grounds.

The entering Jefferson Scholars were selected from nearly 2,000 outstanding students nominated across the country.