Goals and Initiatives

Our goals have one simple focus: the UVA student experience. If you are interested in results-oriented philanthropy, a gift to Student Affairs is an investment in students—future leaders of society. We create and nurture opportunities for students to be hands-on leaders through our unique system of student self-governance. The generosity of private support to the Division of Student Affairs will allow us to sustain and advance the unparalleled student experience at the University. Your gift will assist in program creation for both targeted student communities and in addressing contemporary social issues. These resources will also provide flexible funding to engage student leaders in a host of timely learning opportunities throughout the course of an academic year. The aim of these efforts is to preserve the foundational underpinnings—honor and self-governance—of the UVA experience while charting new ground in preparing our students to become tomorrow's leaders.

 

students at Rotunda

Cavalier Fund

Generous alumni, parents, and friends can help open the doors to all that UVA has to offer for every student. The Cavalier Fund is a new endowment dedicated to ensuring that all students can have a full and fulfilling undergraduate experience, regardless of their means. Students can apply for Cavalier Fund grants of up to $500 per academic year that can be used for items such as travel to a lecture, expenses related to Madison House service opportunities, or membership in registered student organizations. To support the Cavalier Fund’s growth, the University will match any endowed gift commitment of $100,000 or more, paid within five years, with $.50 on the $1 until the $10 million gift-matching funding is depleted. We hope to grow the Cavalier Fund to at least $30 million, providing a permanent, endowed source of funding for grants.

Support the Cavalier Fund

Student at career counseling

Student Life and Leadership Fund

The Student Life and Leadership Fund has two key purposes. First, the Division of Student Affairs uses the fund to help students with unexpected expenses.  Your support will provide immediate assistance to help with travel expenses, meals, technology needed for online learning, and other necessities. 

The fund also provides support for units and offices within the division focused on the student experience such as Orientation and New Student Programs, Student Engagement, Student Safety and Support, Multicultural Student Services, and Fraternity and Sorority Life. Gifts of all sizes have an immediate impact on the life of a student, whether to address an immediate safety concern or emergency or to provide seed funding for a new student initiative.

Support the Student Life and Leadership Fund

MLI Students

Meriwether Lewis Institute for Citizen Leadership

The Meriwether Lewis Institute for Citizen Leadership at the University of Virginia is a multi-year fellowship that prepares students for a lifetime of leadership at the University and beyond. The Institute brings together a diverse group of UVA students from across the University for a 2-year immersive leadership experience. Each cohort of Lewis Fellows is comprised of 25 students selected in the fall of their second-year at the University. In their time as Lewis Fellows, students participate in a five-week summer leadership institute, enroll in two academic courses (in the Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy), and contribute to the University through student organizations and individual projects.

Support the Meriwether Lewis Institute