Imagine moving 3,000 miles away from home to a foreign country, with vast oceans separating you and your family. Imagine being stranded alone in Charlottesville while hordes of your fellow classmates flee Grounds. Now, imagine instead spending your first Thanksgiving inside Thomas Jefferson's architectural vision on the Lawn with your professor.
Two days from now, first-year College student Asim Gunduz from Cyprus, a small island country in the Mediterranean, will be giving thanks during his first American Thanksgiving as a guest of Professor and Mrs. Kenneth Elzinga at their home in Pavilion IV. Gunduz will share in the philanthropic tradition the Elzingas began 25 years ago -- even before living at the University -- of sharing their holiday and their home with Elzinga's ECON 201 students.
This gesture materialized when the Elzingas chose not to travel to celebrate Thanksgiving, and decided instead to create their own family tradition of staying in Charlottesville and spending the holiday with students.
Each year, Elzinga and his wife, Terry, an architect, welcome 10 to 25 of Elzinga's 1,000 Econ 201 students into their gorgeous and museum-like home for a day filled with food, laughter, introductions and enjoyment.
Mrs. Elzinga spends two entire days in the kitchen cooking up a delectable feast -- no thanks to her scholarly husband -- consisting of the traditional turkey, stuffing, potatoes, cranberry sauce and apple and pumpkin pies.
"Some students have never had turkey before because they are international students," Elzinga said. "In many cases, this is their first introduction to an American tradition and into an American home."
And what a home to be introduced to.
"Everyone seems to be on pretty good behavior, and there is a sense of awe to be in the presence of Thomas Jefferson's design," Elzinga added. "This place involves history."
One of last year's guests, third-year College student Prince Agarwal, decided to remain on Grounds and share Thanksgiving with the Elzingas despite coming from nearby Northern Virginia.
"I think it's a great opportunity to experience some professor -- student interaction, and I was able to meet all new people from all over the world," Agarwal said.
Aside from the meal, the Elzingas try to make the experience as socially enjoyable as possible, since most are perfect strangers to the Elzingas and to one another.
"Professor Elzinga gave us a grand tour of the Pavilion, which was so much larger than I imagined it would be," Agarwal said. "And the design is quite unusual. The kitchen is in the basement, so the food is prepared downstairs and then brought up."
Amid all this history and novelty, Elzinga admires his guests' bravery.
"People don't know each other, and it would be pretty intimidating for me to go to a stranger's home, especially on a holiday," he said.
However, the Elzingas' philanthropy and generosity does not go unnoticed to their guests and their fellow Hoos. On admissions tours given by the University Guide Service, several guides mention not only Elzinga's exemplary economics class but also his family's welcome attitude toward their neighbors. Likewise, their Thanksgiving guests whole-heartedly appreciate their holiday gift and hospitality.
"Professor Elzinga and his wife are wonderful people," Agarwal said. "It was an honor and privilege to be there as a guest. He tries to be very humble, in which he succeeds, and I felt very accepted."
Elzinga thinks the small number of students he has each year from one of the most popular University classes is "testimony to the hospitality of the University, that many students are invited to go elsewhere by their peers."
However, he and his wife think their offering affirms and prolongs the Jeffersonian vision of an academical village, where students and faculty live and learn together.
"As an architect and a University of Virginia grad, it's a special privilege to live on the Lawn," Mrs. Elzinga said. "Having students over for Thanksgiving dinner is a satisfying way to show my thankfulness for being here"
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