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UVA TOP RESEARCH HONOR GOES TO CHEMISTRY PROFESSOR
A SYRIAN REFUGEE’S IMPROBABLE JOURNEY TO GRADUATING FROM UVA A&S
‘TOP CHEF’ A&S ALUMNA BRINGS CULINARY HISTORY BACK TO GROUNDS
ARTS & SCIENCES RECOGNIZES 19 RETIRING FACULTY
UVA STUDENTS JOIN BROADWAY TALENT FOR NEWSIES
The 19 honored professors whose careers span decades of teaching, research, and service have shaped generations of students and advanced scholarship across disciplines. Their collective impact on UVA highlights the lasting value of hiring top faculty who educate, mentor, and drive discovery for years to come.
Tanya Holland '87 returned to Grounds bringing Virginia’s culinary history to life for students in her Summer Sessions class. Her journey back to the classroom after achieving a nationally recognized culinary career reflects the lasting impact of a UVA education and showcases how alumni engagement can enrich student learning. Sustained support for A&S fuels innovative teaching programs like Tanya’s and helps connect former and current Hoos in meaningful ways.
For Dareen Aloudeh ‘26, the path to a UVA degree began nearly 15 years ago in war-torn Syria. She resettled in Virginia, learned a new language, and returned to school as an adult. This spring, she graduated from A&S with a double major in Biology and Middle Eastern Language & Literature and earned the University’s Cultural Fluency Award.
Chemistry professor Jill Venton has received the University’s highest honor for her groundbreaking discoveries in brain chemistry, furthering new understanding of neurological disorders. Sustained investment in research and education reflects critical support that enables faculty to advance discovery, train students, and extend UVA’s impact far beyond Grounds.
Priyanka Shetty, MFA ’19, reflects on how her broadly based foundational training in the Drama MFA program helped launch both an acclaimed acting career and award-winning original theatrical works. Philanthropic support for the Masters in Fine Arts graduate program enables UVA to attract some of the most talented students and prepare them for success in the disciplines they love.
Thanks to the generosity of donors, A&S was able to deepen its investment in students’ futures through a new initiative to expand experiential learning and career exploration. Learn more from Julia Lapan, the College’s inaugural executive director.
Curated by UVA anthropology students, this showcase of contemporary artwork from Papua New Guinea reflects Arts & Sciences’ commitment to hands‑on learning and global understanding.
Through philanthropic support that has more than doubled the Graduate School’s endowment in just two years, Arts & Sciences has once again increased living stipends for PhD students, further strengthening UVA’s position among elite public universities.
Nyamekye Wilson ‘18 credits UVA with fundamentally transforming her life—providing a foundation that empowered her to launch a global nonprofit, Black Sisters in STEM, now empowering more than 27,000 women across 33 countries to thrive in tech careers.
A faculty and undergraduate trio from UVA Environmental Sciences co‑authored a new study revealing the sources of pollution in Lake Anna. Donor support enables experiential learning and prepares undergraduates in Arts & Sciences for careers beyond college.
Frank Hamlin '90, a former GameStop executive, used his unexpected front row seat to write Skinny Dipping at Low Tide, a satirical, semi‑autobiographical novel inspired by the real‑world GameStop short squeeze. All proceeds from the book will benefit the Causeways Program at UVA.
Astronomers—led by A&S third‑year PhD student Raphael Baer‑Way unlocked an unprecedented, time‑machine‑like view of a dying star’s final decade. Support for Arts & Sciences strengthens graduate research and helps attract outstanding scholars who drive discovery.