2023 Selection Results

Jefferson Scholars Foundation

The Jefferson Scholars Foundation is delighted to share the results of its 2023 selection efforts. Ninety-eight exceptional leaders, scholars, and citizens will join the Foundation community next year as the newest cohort of Scholars, Fellows, Professors, and Faculty Fellows.

UNDERGRADUATE SELECTION RESULTS

In 2022-23, the Foundation attracted 56 outstanding undergraduate students to the University of Virginia through two scholarship programs–the Jefferson Scholars Program and the newly established Walentas Scholars Program.

Jefferson Scholarship Recipients

The Jefferson Scholarship supports exceptional individuals who demonstrate excellence in the areas of leadership, scholarship, and citizenship.

Ishita Bakshi, Douglas S. Freeman High School (Glen Allen, Virginia)
Henry Hathaway Bearden, The Steward School (Richmond, Virginia)
Roudabeh Shaadaan Burn, Mercer Island High School (Mercer Island, Washington)
Alex Chen, Marquette High School (Chesterfield, Missouri)
Nicholas Jeremiah Cormas, Norwin High School (North Huntingdon, Pennsylvania)
Sophia Llanos Crowder, Kenston Forest School (South Hill, Virginia)
Arnav Dharmagadda, Russell High School (Russell, Kentucky)
Maya Juliana Dias, Union County Academy for Information Technology (Westfield, New Jersey)
Philip Joseph Duffy, Radnor High School (Saint Davids, Pennsylvania)
Ella Ryan Duus, New Century Technology High School (Huntsville, Alabama)
Kelechi Blossom Ezenwa, Buffalo Academy of the Sacred Heart (Clarence Center, New York)
Ashley Ann Ferguson, Orchard Park High School (Orchard Park, New York)
Henrietta Kathryn Fernandez, The Godolphin and Latymer School (London, United Kingdom)
Max Henry Fleisher, Energy Institute High School (Houston, Texas)
Payton Neeley Gergen, The Bear Creek School (Redmond, Washington)
Samantha Glover, Davidson Academy of Nevada (Reno, Nevada)
Divya Sophie Gordon, The Walker School (Marietta, Georgia)
Dalton Patrick Haydel, Jesuit High School (Metairie, Louisiana)
Dhiraj Kanneganti, duPont Manual Magnet High School (Louisville, Kentucky)
Sneha Lakamsani, Hamilton High School (Chandler, Arizona)
Sofia Milena Lombard, Clarkstown High School North (New City, New York)
Isabel Kent McDaniel, Maclay School (Tallahassee, Florida)
Conwell Bogen Morris, Woodberry Forest School (San Diego, California)
Sayuri Nagai, Notre Dame Academy (Los Angeles, California)
Clare O’Dwyer, Archmere Academy (Montchanin, Delaware)
Calvin Sean Pan, The Loomis Chaffee School (McLean, Virginia)
Mariam Tariq Parray, Pulaski Academy (Little Rock, Arkansas)
Arya Rajesh, White Station High School (Cordova, Tennessee)
Santiago Schmitt, Latymer Upper School (London, United Kingdom)
Aliana Grace Schwartz, Westchester Country Day School (High Point, North Carolina)
Jaden Richard Shawyer, Granby High School (Norfolk, Virginia)
Micah Shelton, Auburn High School (Riner, Virginia)
Jackson Barnes Sleadd, Francis Parker School of Louisville (Louisville, Kentucky)
Caroline Emma Smith, Collegiate School (Richmond, Virginia)
Noah David Stengel-Eskin, Beacon School (New York, New York)
Ava Marie Tribolet, The Hockaday School (Dallas, Texas)
Salonee Verma, Stone Bridge High School (Ashburn, Virginia)
Gracie Mae Williams, Union Academy Charter School (Wingate, North Carolina)
Alexandra Kennedy Worms, Canyon Crest Academy (Solana Beach, California)

Walentas Scholarship Recipients

The Walentas Scholarship supports outstanding leaders, citizens, and scholars who are also pioneers in the first generation of their families to earn a bachelor’s degree.

Micah Grace Andrews, Altavista High School (Lynch Station, Virginia)
Jennifer Elena Argueta, William Monroe High School (Barboursville, Virginia)
Zahra Arshadi, Randolph-Macon Academy (Front Royal, Virginia)
Kasey Wyatt Chadwick, Blue Ridge School (Charlottesville, Virginia)
Anisha Jarang, Clayton High School (St. Louis, Missouri)
Samia Madiha Khan, The Calhoun School (Bronx, New York)
Curtis A. Lawson Jr., Gilman School (Baltimore, Maryland)
Aliyah Annmarie Oakley, Granby High School (Norfolk, Virginia)
Savannah Rae Overby, Halifax County High School (South Boston, Virginia)
Frederic Ramirez-Melenciano, Phoebus High School (Hampton, Virginia)
Blanly Teresa Rodriguez, Monacan High School (North Chesterfield, Virginia)
Zilan Dear Saadi, Battlefield High School (Gainesville, Virginia)
Giovanni Santana, School Without Walls (Rochester, New York)
Mercy Sisco Soly, Loudoun Valley High School (Middleburg, Virginia)
Mekelet Worku Suraphel, Hylton High School (Woodbridge, Virginia)
Chance Arion Woodson, Buckingham County High School (New Canton, Virginia)
Ziyi Zhang, Oakton High School (Fairfax, Virginia)

GRADUATE SELECTION RESULTS

In 2022-23, the Foundation selected 35 world-class graduate students to receive one of two fellowships–the Jefferson Fellowship and the National Fellowship.

Jefferson Fellowship Recipients

The Jefferson Fellowship is the premier graduate fellowship offered at the Darden School of Business, the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, and the Graduate School of Engineering and Applied Science.

Kathryn Babineau, Graduate School of Arts & Sciences (Sociology)
Diego Briones, Graduate School of Arts & Sciences (Economics)
Frederik Brondsted, Graduate School of Arts & Sciences (Chemistry)
Wesley Brown, Darden School of Business
Johanna Chajes, Graduate School of Arts & Sciences (Psychology)
Veronica Collins, Darden School of Business
Emma Cook, Graduate School of Arts & Sciences (Chemistry)
Cam Copeland, Darden School of Business
Jason Evans, Graduate School of Arts & Sciences (Religious Studies)
Kayleigh Granville, Graduate School of Arts & Sciences (Environmental Sciences)
Elizabeth Harper, Graduate School of Arts & Sciences (French)
Alice King, Graduate School of Arts & Sciences (History)
Ekim Koca, School of Engineering and Applied Science (Systems and Information Engineering)
Cherrie Kwok, Graduate School of Arts & Sciences (English)
Lauren Mandaville, Darden School of Business
Ellie Marsh, Darden School of Business
Matthew Martello, Graduate School of Arts & Sciences (English)
Keegan McBride, Darden School of Business (Darden)
Lauren Mehfoud, Graduate School of Arts & Sciences (Spanish, Italian and Portuguese)
Jirayu Mongkolkiattichai, Graduate School of Arts & Sciences (Physics)
Meghan O’Donoghue, Graduate School of Arts & Sciences (French)
Hannah Richstein, Graduate School of Arts & Sciences (Astronomy)
Chris Robinson, Graduate School of Arts & Sciences (Biology)
Sean Sawaya, School of Engineering and Applied Science (Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering)
Yaolong Shen, Graduate School of Arts & Sciences (Mathematics)
Marina Stam, Darden School of Business
Justin Stec, Graduate School of Arts & Sciences (English)
Drew Thede, School of Engineering and Applied Science (Biomedical Engineering)
Tracey Wang, Graduate School of Arts & Sciences (English)
Kate Hughes Watkins, Darden School of Business
Lingyu Yang, Graduate School of Arts & Sciences (Physics)
Eben Yonnetti, Graduate School of Arts & Sciences (Religious Studies)

National Fellowship Recipients

The National Fellowship supports outstanding scholars at leading institutions of higher education, including UVA, who are completing dissertations in U.S. politics.

William Robert Billups, Emory University (History)
Syrus Solo Jin, University of Chicago (History)
Sam Schirvar, University of Pennsylvania (History and Sociology of Science)

DISTINGUISHED PROFESSORSHIP PROGRAM

With nearly $170 million in endowed funds supporting its Distinguished Professorship Program, the Foundation funded six UVA professors this year.

Distinguished Professors

In January 2023, Dorothy Leidner joined UVA’s McIntire School of Commerce as the Leslie H. Goldberg Jefferson Scholars Foundation Distinguished Professor in Business Ethics. Leidner, an internationally renowned, award-winning information systems expert, brings to UVA more than 30 years of experience teaching and conducting leading-edge research. Her work focuses on the multifaceted impact of information systems and technologies on individuals, organizations, and society.

Meet the professors

FACULTY AWARDS PROGRAM

In 2022-23, the Foundation administered three faculty award programs–the Foundation Faculty Prize, the Award for Excellence in Teaching, and the Hartfield Excellence in Teaching Award. Six UVA faculty members were recognized for their exceptional teaching, receiving a total of $35,000 in stipends.

Foundation Faculty Prize

The Foundation Faculty Prize recognizes one faculty member’s commitment to leadership, scholarship, and citizenship.

Sarah Turner, University Professor of economics, education, and public policy

Award for Excellence in Teaching Recipients

The Award for Excellence in Teaching honors those teachers in the UVA community who have gone the extra mile in fulfilling their vocation without regard for their own advancement.

Megan Bray, School of Medicine (Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology)
Karen James, College of Arts & Sciences (Department of French)
Lauren Simkins, College of Arts & Sciences (Department of Environmental Sciences)

Hartfield Excellence in Teaching Award Recipients

The Hartfield Excellence in Teaching Award honors faculty in the School of Engineering and Applied Science who exemplify the highest standards and practices of teaching.

David Green, School of Engineering and Applied Science (Department of Materials Science and Engineering)
Rachel Letteri, School of Engineering and Applied Science (Department of Chemical Engineering)