Class of 2013
Anonymous Jefferson Scholar
Dallas, Texas
“I always thought I’d go to the University of Texas. Close to home, great balance of work and play, and my whole family went there. My senior year I reveled in the full experience of high school in Texas: spent tons of time with my family, ate tons of Mexican food and Bluebell icecream, enjoyed 8,000 people at my high school football games, and of course, several visits to Austin. I was accepted into Plan II at Texas in December, and Business Honors in February. Everything was going according to plan. I added Princeton to the list, seeing it as the only school that could possibly sway me away from Texas.
“Then, I was interviewed for the Jefferson Scholarship…My curiosity and competitive nature drew me towards the program, so even though Texas still seemed inevitable, I gave the interviews my best shot. Then, I got the Dallas region nomination and prepared to go to Charlottesville in March.
“The Jefferson Finalist weekend convinced me to go to U.Va. in two days. Before I even knew if I had received a scholarship I called my parents to say I was going to U.Va. The caliber of students in the program, the amazing avenues opened at U.Va. and the opportunities presented by a Jefferson Scholarship blew me away. It had every intellectual aspect I loved about Princeton, and every community aspect I loved about Texas.
“As a Jefferson Scholar, I receive resources and opportunities that no one else gets. Professors are incredibly accessible, the possibilities with classes and majors are endless and my classmates are brilliant. My peers are competitive, fun, exiting, curious and diverse. I am close friends with students from six countries and a dozen states. My worldview is constantly challenged but never threatened— curiosity is encouraged but not forced upon me. I’ve never been around a cooler group of people in my life.
“I can honestly say that the Jefferson Scholarship has been the most incredible experience of my life. I am so glad that I was able to open myself to the possibility of U.Va. because I am so thrilled to be here and wouldn’t trade it to go anywhere else.”
In her second year, Virginia is contemplating majors in History and East Asian Studies. She volunteers her time outside of the classroom for Pancakes for Parkinson’s, a student-run non-profit. She is also an ESL tutor and a member of the Monroe Society
