Class of 2013
Virginia R. and William H. White III Jefferson Scholar
Harrisonburg, Virginia
“I initially dismissed U.Va. as an option due to my geographic proximity to the school in hopes of attending a university in the Northeast, or at the very least, out-of-state where I would not be surrounded by high school classmates. I had a change of heart during the Jefferson Scholars Finalist Weekend when… I was absolutely blown away by the caliber of the campus (“Grounds!”). I remember visiting an Ivy League school shortly after leaving Finalist Weekend and thinking how much happier and friendlier people seemed at U.Va. The students and professors are generally very good-natured and simply enjoy being here, which I appreciated as a prospective student…
“Over one year removed from that scene, never once have I questioned or regretted my decision to come to U.Va. The people here are exceptional in their motivation and their involvement in the University community. The Jefferson Scholars Foundation bends over backwards on a regular basis to make sure all the Jefferson Scholars are happy and taken care of, and [the Foundation] is a remarkable and invaluable resource for networking, internships, and various career opportunities, as the community of Jefferson Scholars extends far beyond those who are attending U.Va. at the moment.
“At its most basic level, U.Va. is a large state school, but I frequently feel as though I am attending a small liberal arts college due to how invested the professors are in the students and the general familiarity of the UVA community. I have never had a class taught solely by a teacher’s assistant or graduate student, and regardless of the size of the class, a 15-person seminar or a 300-person lecture, I have yet to find a professor who did not welcome and encourage his or her students to get to know him or her. Jefferson Scholar or not, U.Va. is an incredible institution, one that I am incredibly proud and thankful to call my home.”
As a second year, Weston is contemplating majoring in Political & Social Thought and/or Environmental Thought & Practice. He spends his extracurricular time on stage as a member of First Year Players, on the open water with the Sailing Club, and raising money for schools in Tanzania with S4Si, a student-run non-profit. In his first year he traveled to Puerto Rico on an Alternative Winter Break service trip.
