Meet Betsy, a Media Studies student from New Jersey!

 

Hi Everyone! My name is Betsy Macdonnell (she/her) and I’m a fourth year at UVA majoring in Media Studies from Glen Ridge, NJ. For my last semester I am interning with the Office of Undergraduate Admission on their Communications team. I love getting to connect with prospective students, and I look forward to telling you all a bit about myself, and hopefully getting to know some of you as well!

I mentioned above that I am from New Jersey, however, a fun fact about me is that I went to boarding school in Canada for all 4 years of high school. So coming into UVA, I really didn’t know anyone, and because of that, I was really nervous about starting at UVA. However, one thing that I remember was super helpful with my transition was Summer Orientation. During Summer Orientation, all incoming students come to UVA for two days over the summer. During the day, you are in a group with other students and you go to various different informational sessions to get acclimated, and also spend time doing activities with your orientation group. In the evening, there are a bunch of activities such as yoga in the Aquatic and Fitness Center, or an outdoor walk. This is another way to get to meet new people and explore grounds. Students then stay in a dorm overnight, which is a nice way to get a sense of what your dorm life could be like in the fall. I also think that staying in a dorm is a great way to get a sense of what to add to your packing list. The next day, your orientation leaders help you register for your first handful of classes before you head home. As an out of state student, coming for orientation helped me to feel a lot more comfortable at UVA, and eased my nerves about the upcoming transition to college. Similarly, I made some really awesome friends in my orientation group, which allowed me to have a few familiar faces around grounds in the fall.

During my time at UVA, I have been able to explore my passions and interests in a way that has opened me up to so many different opportunities. Coming into college, I had my heart set on journalism as my future career. For this reason, I was really interested in the Media Studies major. However, at UVA, you don’t declare your major until halfway through your second year. So although I took Intro to Media Studies my very first semester at UVA, I was also encouraged to take classes in a variety of disciplines. So during my first two years at UVA, I took so many interesting classes such as Sociology of the Family, Spiritual but not Religious and Abnormal Psychology. While I ultimately decided to major in Media Studies, by exploring my options I realized that my passion wasn’t journalism, but rather storytelling more broadly.

Throughout my time at UVA, I have been able to explore this passion for storytelling through a variety of different clubs and organizations. My two main involvements on grounds are the University Guide Service and IfYou’reReadingThis.org. Through the University Guide Service, I am able to give admissions tours to prospective students, as well as historical tours of grounds to any tourists who come to UVA. Through the University Guide Service, I’ve been able to engage with UVA’s rich and complex history, while also finding a community of other like minded individuals. IfYou’reReadingThis.org is a mental health organization that was started at UVA in the fall of 2016 to reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness. Through this organization, we collect and post weekly letters from UVA students, faculty and alumni about their own experiences with their mental health. These letters serve as a reminder that you are never alone in your struggles. I found IfYou’reReadingThis.org during my first year when I was struggling with my mental health, and these letters gave me comfort in knowing that it was okay if I didn’t feel 100% all the time. If you’re reading this, know that there is a place for you at UVA, even if you struggle with your mental health.

To end my blog post, I want to write a little about why I chose to come to UVA. I applied to UVA on a whim, never having visited, simply because a family friend told me she went here and thought I would like it. I didn’t know a lot about colleges in the U.S. since both my parents are from Canada and I was attending high school in Canada as well. So when this family friend suggested I apply to UVA, I figured I might as well. Flash forward to spring of my senior year, I was accepted to UVA Regular Decision after being deferred during Early Action. I had still never visited UVA, but it was on my short list of schools, so my Dad and I came down for Days on the Lawn. I remember instantly being blown away by how beautiful grounds was. I could picture myself sitting out on the Lawn and reading a book during a warm day. I could see myself taking classes in the beautiful red brick buildings. Beyond that, I remember feeling that UVA was a place where students really cared about the things that they were doing. Every student I talked to was so passionate about their organizations and their classes, and I realized that this was a place where I could be passionate and excited and a little bit nerdy. I realized it was a place where I could explore my passions, and I would find people who would want to support me as I did that. Overall, I just remember having this really strong gut feeling that UVA was where I should be.

Looking back on these past four years, it hasn’t been perfect by any means. Like any college experience, there have been high highs and low lows and a bunch of moments all in between. However, I can say with the strongest conviction that 18 year old me was right. This has been a place where I have been able to explore my interests and grow into myself. At UVA I have made friends who feel like family, and have ultimately become a better version of myself. UVA is just where I was supposed to be.

 

 

Meet Kelley, a Spanish and Anthropology Double Major from Virginia!

If you're a Virginia student, this blog post might be of interest! Even though Kelley didn't travel too far to go to college, she's made a new home at UVA.

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Hi guys! My name is Kelley and I’m from Fredericksburg, Virginia. I’m a second year studying Spanish and Anthropology with a concentration in culture and communication. I’m planning to graduate a year early to pursue an accelerated Master’s in Anthropology here at UVA! Outside of the classroom, I’m really involved in research, the University Guide Service, and Madison House (which is our volunteer center here on Grounds). I love UVA and am so excited to share a little of the place I call home with you all.

UVA is a big school, but it starts to feel much smaller once you arrive. I quickly met friends on my hall and in my dorm, and began to join clubs and other activities that gave me my own community within the larger UVA bubble. One of these communities has been the University Guide Service, which I joined second semester of my first year, and which gave me some of the best mentors and friends I could have ever asked for. The other organization that I joined was the Latinx and Migrant Aid (LAMA) program through Madison House. We travel to different places around the Charlottesville community and work with Spanish speakers and students to help with English language practice and other tutoring. LAMA is one of my favorite things to do at UVA because it has allowed me to grow a community and build relationships with people in the Charlottesville area, not just inside the UVA bubble.

I have loved my experience at UVA so much, but what’s crazy is that when I was a senior in high school, I really didn’t think I wanted to come here at all. As an in-state student, I knew a lot of people who came here every year and I wanted to be the one who did something different. I toured a bunch of different schools, waiting to have that “a-ha” moment that everyone talked about, the moment when I was supposed to magically know that a school was for me. But it never really came, and I think that for a lot of people, it never really does.

It wasn’t until I began to attend events for admitted students, watch silly Instagram takeovers, and talk to current students that I began to really see myself at UVA. I began to realize that what I was looking for in a school was not that “a-ha” moment standing on some campus, but people who made me excited to get up and learn something every day. These are the people that I’ve found here in Charlottesville: people who are passionate about the things they study and the place they get to call home. I have met people who 3D print toys for fun, who organize climate strikes, and who take on passion projects to keep making this University a better place. Whether I’m watching my best friend nerd out over Russian history or listening to my roommate tell me about his 20 mile run, it is thanks to them that I get that “a-ha” feeling every day.

Meete Alexi, a #UVA Student from Chicago who is Active in the Arts!

Alexi is a member of one of the premier dance orgnaizations at UVA, so it's fitting that she is providing an introduction to getting involved in the arts at UVA. If you're interested in studying or being involved in the arts here, don't miss the UVA Arts website!

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My name is Alexi Comella and I am a third-year student from outside Chicago studying history and public policy. I have been a dancer my entire life, and when I started school at UVA, I knew that I wanted to continue dancing in college as well. Lucky for me, UVA has great opportunities to get involved in the arts, particularly within student organizations or CIOs. CIOs, or contracted independent organizations, are our 800+ student groups that are independent from the university. Each group’s leaders are responsible for membership, appealing to Student Council for funds, and pursuing their mission. I think this is a great opportunity for us Wahoos to take charge of the groups we’re passionate about.

Student organizations are a great opportunity for making friends and finding your place at UVA! Not only are these student groups a place to come together with people who share your same passion, but they are social organizations as well. You can find my dance friends and I outside the studio hiking humpback rock early in the morning, studying in the library together late at night, or laughing over burgers on any given Saturday. As an out of state student, I found my home and my place at UVA through my dance group and through these amazing friends I was able to make my first year in college. 

The dance organization I am a part of, the University Dance Club, is just one of over a hundred visual and performing arts groups on grounds. There are dance groups ranging from those that practice and perform any and all styles of dance to those that specialize in salsa dancing, aerial dancing, ballet and more. UVA boasts a unique array of a cappella groups, from one that was featured in Pitch Perfect (shoutout Hullabahoos) to a group that is specifically for people who can’t sing at all (shoutout No Tones)! There are arts organizations like comedy groups, choirs, a symphony orchestra, a fashion organization, photography club, and so! much! more! I love UVA for a lot of reasons, but I am so happy I go to a school that has a diverse arts community within an amazing array of student organizations.

Meet Christy, a #UVA Anthropology Student from Virginia on the Pre-Med Track!

Christy joins us today to share some insight into student-faculty interaction and advising. She's also part of a new minor, volunteers as an EMT in Charlottesville, and has a job at Monticello! 

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Hi, everyone!

My name is Christy. I’m from a tiny, tiny town sort of near Virginia Beach. I’m a second year student studying anthropology, but concentrating in medical anthropology, ethics, and care (this concentration is brand new as of last semester!!). I’m also a pre-med student, so I’m going to be diving into that experience a little bit in this post. Outside of academics, I am a member of the University Guide Service, am a Resident Advisor (Dillard residents, I miss you), give tours at Monticello, and recently got certified to be an EMT. Let’s get to it. When it came to making a decision about where to go to college, I was, quite frankly, all over the place. For the longest time, I thought I wanted to go to a small school in a huge city. I ultimately decided on UVA (which is neither a small school nor located in a huge city) based on the few interactions I had with professors and students when I first visited, and now I really can’t imagine myself anywhere else.

The positive interactions that I had when I visited UVA in high school have continued each semester I’ve been a student here. I remember my very first class of first year was medical anthropology with Professor China Scherz, and I was so excited to be taking this class that I decided to go to her office hours that same day. I knew nothing about anthropology, but I went into her office and introduced myself. I told her about some of the books that I read in high school that I thought might be related to the course, and that I was looking forward to the rest of the semester. We ended up having a conversation about the research she’s conducting, what I’m interested in doing as a career, and more generally about other classes and organizations that she thought I might find interesting. Fast forward a year later, Professor Scherz is now my academic advisor and has been such an incredible and caring mentor. She’s directed me to an awesome research opportunity with a physician and professor at UVA Medical School, and is the reason why I’m seriously considering doing a Master’s in anthropology before heading to medical school myself. If you come to UVA, I cannot express how highly I recommend her course.

But, to dive a bit deeper into advising at UVA: as a first year, you’ll be randomly assigned an advisor until you declare a major. UVA does, however, offer these really cool classes called COLAs, which are graded, one credit classes specifically created with first year students in mind. COLAs are advertised as being 80% course content and 20% advising, and the professor of the course will become your academic advisor (this way, you’re essentially able to choose who you want your advisor to be). Enrollment is capped off at 18 students per class, so you’ll really be able to get to know your fellow classmates and professor. I took one called How to Music, which was taught by an anthropology professor, so I had plenty of guidance when it came to picking classes for the second semester of my first year.

I know I’ve been talking a lot about anthropology, but I am still a pre-med student, so I wanted to touch on that a bit for anybody who thinks they’ll be following that track as well. First and foremost, pre-med is not a designated major--it’s more so a list of classes you should take and activities you should do in order to be prepared for medical school. Although my anthropology professors might not be very helpful in telling me which sciences classes to take, the pre-health advisors here definitely are! UVA offers drop-in advising in one of the larger libraries on Grounds almost everyday, and you can also make appointments if you’d like to spend more time with an expert. I also found this website really helpful when I was making my pre-med class checklist.

I will say that, if absolutely all else fails, your peers will be some of the best sources of information. I’ve been able to volunteer at a rescue squad in Charlottesville because a friend told me about an EMT certification class that they were offering. I got a job at Monticello--doing something that I absolutely love to do--because a friend told me they were hiring. Your peers will also be some of the best sources for support. I’ve met some of the most intelligent, passionate, and incredible people here at UVA--many of whom I consider my best friends. It’s because of them that I truly cannot imagine myself anywhere else. Even when we’re away from Charlottesville during this crazy time, we’ve managed to keep in touch by having pancake dinners over Facetime, playing card games over Zoom (truly a feat), and watching Netflix together using a neat little chat extension. It was the people that initially drew me to UVA, and it is the very same people that have made UVA a home.

If you managed to read through all of that, you’re amazing. I’d be happy to answer any questions that you have about literally anything--anthropology, pre-med stuff, advising, dorms, clubs...you name it. I’ll be sure to keep an eye on the comment section, but also feel free to email me at cma5ab@virginia.edu.

Best of luck with your college search. I know it can be stressful, but I promise that you’ll end up where you’re meant to be :)

Good Times, Go Hoos,
Christy A.

Meet Matt O, a #UVA Graduate in Economics from Virginia

Today's guest blogger is Matt O, who graduated from UVA last year. Matt was part of the Days on the Lawn team for years while he was a student and I'm so happy he's still willing to provide advice to our incoming students.

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Matt O. '19

Vienna, VA

Economics major; Statistics minor

Darden School of Business Future Year Scholar

Job after graduation: Rotational Business Analyst at Northrop Grumman

Interests: Weather, business/economics, Days on the Lawn, Arizona/Utah hikes

Academics

From the minute you step into Professor Ken Elzinga’s “Principles of Microeconomics” course, you know you’re in for an interesting time. I’m not sure if it was the 80s-style projector he used, his personal invitation to out-of-state and international students to join him for Thanksgiving dinner at his house in Charlottesville, his Hyundai Genesis parked outside Monroe Hall with the license plate “NT-Trust,” or the fact that he’s been teaching at UVA since 1967, but something about him seemed legit.

Overall, it’s hard to describe the UVA academic experience in ways other than intense and challenging, yet passionate and rewarding. At UVA, virtually all lectures are taught by full-fledged professors who are often at the top of their respective fields. As an economics major in the College of Arts & Sciences, I had the opportunity to take courses with esteemed professors in a multitude of other areas as well, including religious studies, history, public health, environmental science, and more. What you’ll find at UVA, regardless of discipline, is an unwavering dedication to teaching and learning. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a professor not willing to meet with students outside of class via office hours or appointment, either to reinforce material or just to chat about life. 

In recent years there has been a big push for interdisciplinary courses meant to tie together two or more generally separated subjects in a meaningful, real-world way. One such example is “AI and the Future of Work” taught by Professor Anton Korinek. The course explores the economic and social implications of a future driven by artificial intelligence. You’ll find both economics and computer science majors in the case-based course to provide their own unique perspectives, which put the course among the best I had taken in my time as an undergraduate.

It’s sometimes difficult to not feel like a number at a large state university, but my experience at UVA was much more personal. Put forth the effort and the professors will help you strive to a product and experience you had never thought possible before. As Gene Wilder sung in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, at UVA “you’ll be in a world of pure imagination... anything you want to do, do it.” And, speaking of Charlottesville, “if you want to view paradise, simply look around and view it....”

Planning for Life at UVA

While there’s a lot to look forward to in the college experience, there’s just as much to look forward to once you graduate. The general goal of students (who don’t have plans for graduate school) is to be gainfully employed, after all. The various career centers at UVA are your go-to resource to secure a fantastic job.

Essentially, here’s how the system is structured. The “UVA Career Center” is a centralized career services office located in Bryant Hall within Scott Stadium, where our football team plays (pretty cool). The UVA Career Center is split into multiple communities, including business & technology, education, creative arts & media, science & sustainability, and public service & government. Each community features knowledgeable career counselors that will help you find your passions and set you up for success based on your goals. Events are hosted almost nightly during peak recruiting season to get you in front of employers and learn about their firms or organizations. Case competitions are often held to give students the visibility and experience required to get in the door with some of the top firms in their respective industries. You’d be hard pressed to find an opportunity on which the career center won’t have insight.

Arguably one of the greatest benefits of the UVA Career Center is the On-Grounds Interviewing (OGI) system. For most of the academic year, tons of top-tier companies including Bain & Company, Microsoft, IBM, Anheuser-Busch, (my very own) Northrop Grumman, and so many more flock to Charlottesville to interview UVA students on-Grounds. There is no greater comfort than being able to walk over to Scott Stadium and interview in one of the stylish football suites. No long distance traveling for just one interview. I remember doing 6 interviews in the span of a few days, all under OGI, without missing a single class or activity. OGI also offers students protection from “exploding offers” and unreasonably quick turnarounds. Now that’s hard to beat!

But wait, there’s more! Some academic departments have their own career services. The Center for Engineering Career Development, Commerce Career Services (CCS), and Economics Career Office (ECO) are all examples. For students who fall under the respective disciplines, the specialized career services centers provide additional subject-specific advice and access to alumni from those majors. 

Last year, I was fortunate enough to help organize the Economics Undergraduate Career Forum with Jen Jones, director of the ECO. We brought in incredibly accomplished and fantastically humble economics alumni from Tesla, Uber, Electronic Arts, Boston Consulting Group, and Goldman Sachs, among others. Our alums love to share their insights with and contribute to the success of other fellow Hoos. I haven’t yet found an exception to that rule.

There’s a lot to look forward to when you become a Hoo, and career services will be by your side while you’re a student and beyond.

Student Life

When people think of the stereotypical “college town,” they might think of Tuscaloosa, Ann Arbor, State College, or College Station. All great places. But, as you may expect, I’m here to make the case for Charlottesville. A medium-sized city of about 40,000, Charlottesville is home to a tremendous history and culture. Around every corner there seems to be a reference to a famous battle, gathering place, historical building, etc. The citizens of Charlottesville bleed orange and blue and are incredibly supportive of the university as are students of the city. Many popular student excursions like vineyards, Monticello, and Humpback Rock are all just a short drive away. 

For all that Charlottesville adds to the student experience at UVA, many students choose to give back to the community in a show of support, honor, and gratitude. Madison House, the largest organization of student volunteers at the University, coordinates a number of programs that fit all volunteering interests. One such program, CASH (Creating Assets, Savings, and Hope), is dedicated to providing tax services free of charge to Charlottesville community members. In addition, Madison House holds the “BIG Event” once every year, coordinating hundreds of student volunteers to complete a multitude of community projects all on one Saturday.

I personally had the opportunity to work with the UVA Women’s Center as a Big Brother in the Men’s Leadership Project (MLP), a year-long program with a mission to foster leadership and development in at-risk middle school boys in Charlottesville. In terms of learning experiences, MLP taught me just as much or more than my most fulfilling courses. 

Such opportunities are available for every student at the University. If you have the drive, you can get involved. As much as Charlottesville is our beloved college town, it’s also our community and every Wahoo’s second home, student and alum, regardless of where they live. Giving back is paramount to the experience and you will become a better person from it. I truly believe the UVA community, which includes all of Charlottesville, is second to none. When you enroll here, you join a family of many hundreds of thousands and growing, always at your side. 

As University founder and third president Thomas Jefferson exclaimed, “Do you want to know who you are? Don’t ask. Act! Action will delineate and define you.” His spirit lives on.