Photos: A Look Around Grounds During the Final Weeks of the Spring Semester

May 12, 2020 • By Sanjay Suchak, sanjay@virginia.edu Sanjay Suchak, sanjay@virginia.edu

May 12, 2020
the Side of the Rotunda from the distance with trees blocking some of the view

The Rotunda, with the Blue Ridge Mountains beyond, can be seen from the new wing of the UVA Hospital. (Photos by Sanjay Suchak, University Communications)

Papers are turned in, exams are through and students are moving out – this time in small, socially distant groups with assigned time slots.

University of Virginia faculty and staff members are preparing to host a virtual celebration and degree conferral on Saturday at 1 p.m., honoring the Class of 2020 in the only way possible right now.

The University is also making plans for an in-person Final Exercises ceremony at a later date, which could help restore some sense of closure to a very abnormal year.

In the meantime, University photographer Sanjay Suchak uses his camera to bring you back to Grounds, sharing some of his favorite images from the past few weeks.

Take a look.

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People reclined on medical tables giving blood

The American Red Cross held a blood drive at John Paul Jones Arena in late April in an effort to replenish blood supplies that have dwindled since the pandemic’s onset.

Healthcare professional taking a person temperature with a mouth thermometer

Dr. Chris Ghaemmaghami, a professor of emergency and internal medicine and a senior adviser to UVA’s executive vice president for health affairs, has his temperature taken by Red Cross employee Terry Atwater before he is allowed to donate blood.

Laptop sitting on a wired picnic table with a screen of zoom attendees

Graduates of the School of Nursing held a virtual award ceremony via Zoom, one of many virtual celebrations honoring this year’s graduates. The nursing graduates heard from Dean Pam Cipriano as well as several faculty members.

On Saturday at 1 p.m., the entire University community can join a virtual celebration and degree conferral honoring the Class of 2020.

UVA dining packing meals in brown bags

Employees at the Observatory Hill Dining Facility prepare food to be picked up by their furloughed colleagues. Aramark employees there have been working to serve the remaining students on Grounds, but they’ve also been preparing meals for their colleagues furloughed by the contractor.

Aramark staff standing at a table waving at people

The University has established an Emergency Assistance Fund intended to help furloughed contract workers and UVA employees facing unexpected costs as a result of the pandemic.

Stack of uncollected Newspapers on a sidewalk next to a brick wall

Newspapers pile up to at the entrance to the Claude Moore Health Sciences Library, now closed to students.

Cav Man fist bumping the glass with a fan on the other side

CavMan made a few socially distant Mother’s Day visits to several UVA alumni, as well as residents of the Commonwealth Senior Living community in Charlottesville.

Cav Man holds a sign that says Happy Mothers Day, from CAV Man as two women read it

His visits boosted the morale of many mothers who could not be with their families this Mother’s Day.

View of the Lawn from the Rotunda with people sitting on the lawn

Warm weather brought several people out to the Lawn, with reminders about social distancing in place.

Looking through a house window to see a Person working on a laptop sitting at a table

School of Continuing and Professional Studies professor Charlotte Matthews participates in a Zoom read-through in preparation for a virtual reading from her home office in Crozet. Matthews, herself a successful memoir author, teaches memoir writing and invited students to share their work virtually.

Staff member placing orange baracades in front of the Rotunda steps

Director for Rotunda Operations and Events Adam Stubits moves a barricade to close off the steps to the Rotunda in preparation for filming part of the virtual celebration and degree conferral, which will be held Saturday.

Squirrel Sitting on a trashcan holding a piece of paper from the trashcan

The local squirrels would like to thank Bodo’s Bagels for continuing with to-go orders during the pandemic.

President Jim Ryan standing at a podium during final exercises giving a speech while being recorded by a video crew

President Jim Ryan records an address for the virtual celebration, dressed in full academic regalia and standing on the portico of the Rotunda. 

Media Contact

Sanjay Suchak

Photographer Office of University Communications

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November 21, 2024

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