Photos: Students Begin Their UVA Experience With a Warm ‘Wahoo Welcome’

August 22, 2021 • By Molly Minturn, mwm7b@virginia.edu Molly Minturn, mwm7b@virginia.edu

August 22, 2021
Students holding a UVA Class of 2025 tshirts

Students show off new “Class of 2025” T-shirts at a neighborhood party on Saturday evening, one of many “Wahoo Welcome” events. (Photo by Graham Barbour)

Once the members of the University of Virginia’s Class of 2025 settled into their new dorm rooms Wednesday and Thursday, they had an array of activities to choose from to help them meet their new classmates and get acclimated to life on Grounds.

“Wahoo Welcome,” a weeks-long orientation program organized by the University and the student-run University Programs Council, kicked off with an address by UVA President Jim Ryan to new students and their families on Wednesday in Old Cabell Hall.

“As president of UVA, when I see your children, our students, I can’t help but see my own kids,” Ryan said. “And I want nothing less for them than I want for my own children.” [Read Ryan’s entire speech here.]

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President Jim Ryan standing at a podium giving a speech to the class of 2025
UVA President Jim Ryan spoke to members of the Class of 2025 and their families on Wednesday and Thursday afternoons. (Photo by Kristen Finn)

The orientation program also offered first-year students a chance to meet new dormmates at neighborhood parties held Saturday afternoon at Observatory Hill Field, McCormick Quad and Gooch-Dillard dorms; to dance to rapper Jack Harlow, who performed at McIntire Amphitheater Saturday night; and to run with Ryan on Sunday morning.

Take a look at some of the festivities for the Class of 2025 below.

First year students standing at a table talking to other students
Three students sitting next to each other smiling
Student standing at a table of free UVA swag being handed blue and orange beads
Two students sitting in bright green chairs petting a black and white speckled dog
Student standing at tent getting a tshirt from a Volunteer
Three students standing next to each other holding icecream
First year students play a frisbee game together on the Lawn
Two students wrapping their arms around each other for a picture
First-year students playing various games in a green space
Group of students playing Spike ball outside in the grass together
Student handing out ice cream to another student
Students standing together for a picture
Four students holding each others shoulders for a picture wearing matching shirts that read: UVA Summer Orientation
4 students stand together for a picture
Students sitting together in the grass outside of a dorm building on Grounds
students standing next to each other for a picture
3 students pose together while they hold their icecream
Group of First year students standing together in a line with arms on each others shoulders
Jack Harlow singing in the midst of fans holding phones and pointing
Rapper Jack Harlow performed in McIntire Amphitheater Saturday night.
Graham barbour singing on stage

Media Contact

Molly Minturn

Content Specialist University of Virginia Library

Article Information

May 21, 2025

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