Capturing the past 365 days at the University of Virginia is no easy task for just one person,
so we decided to ask for some help from those who lived it.
After all, it takes a lot of people to make a year as unforgettable as this.
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We started the year off welcoming UVA’s ninth president, Jim Ryan,
and, from the moment he arrived, he hit the ground running.
Literally.
From his weekly runs with students, to listening events at UVA, in the Commonwealth
and throughout the nation, President Ryan inspired us to be both
great and good in all that we do.
We built wheelchair ramps into the Lawn, making this iconic space
more accessible than ever before.
We celebrated our annual Fall traditions by flipping pancakes for Parkinson’s, doling
out candy to hundreds of trick-or-treaters, and pulling our community together
for Lighting of the Lawn.
And speaking of the fall…
We spent many cool, fall days cheering for the Hoos right here in Scott Stadium as well
as ending a successful season by taking home the W at the Belk Bowl, making it our first
bowl game win since 2005.
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Football wasn’t the only team that celebrated victory.
Jordan Scott won the NCAA championship in the triple jump.
Anna Redding took the stage at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur Championship.
And wrestler Jack Mueller was an NCAA finalist.
As for men’s basketball…
The NCAA tournament this year was tough on our nerves.
But it gave us some incredible shared moments: Kihei and Mamadi connecting on a buzzer-beater
for the ages, Kyle Guy hitting the biggest free throws in the history of basketball,
and De’Andre Hunter leading a last-minute comeback in the championship game.
To put it simply…
We won!
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We strengthened our ties with Charlottesville, enacting a new living wage of for UVA employees,
brought thousands together for events like the Community Bridges 5K, and took a fresh
look at our influence on the city with a new University-community working group.
Construction on the Memorial to Enslaved Laborers at the University is underway, and
we’re having difficult – but important – conversations about UVA’s history, including
the contributions made by enslaved individuals and the University’s role during segregation.
A picture says a thousand words, and we said a lot this year.
Photographers around Grounds captured countless moments now woven into our shared history
forever.
We had hundreds of scholars this year, including three Schwarzman Scholars and one Marshall Scholar,
ensuring that we continue to excel in our academics wherever they may lead us.
We brought Broadway to Grounds, with Hamilton star, Leslie Odom Jr., gracing the stage at
JPJ to talk to President Ryan about his successes, his failures, and his love for theater,
reminding all of us why we should always celebrate the arts.
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UVA announced its newest school, the School of Data Science.
Funded by the largest gift in our history.
The Dave Mathews Band returned to their hometown of Charlottesville to put on an incredible
show and also donated five-million dollars to support public housing in our community.
We even found ourselves in space when a UVA student designed satellite, called CubeSat,
was launched by NASA.
And finally, to the class of 2019: best of luck as you begin new adventures beyond Grounds
and thank you for your help in making this year as unforgettable as it was.
As for those of us who will be returning to Grounds in the fall, well, we’re just excited
to see what’s in store for us next year.
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Not bad.