After quiet morning showers, the overcast sky turned clear blue around 9 a.m. Saturday. Simultaneously, the University’s 196th academic procession for the College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, the School of Education and Human Development and the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy began.
Graduates receiving doctoral, master’s and bachelor’s degrees made their way down to South Lawn from the steps of the Rotunda with bright, distinguishing balloons while supporters and loved ones eagerly occupied the Lawn. The procession — a part of a larger weekend of events known as “Finals Weekend” — marked the completion of these graduates’ respective degrees.
Saturday’s event featured the University’s Grand Marshal, University administrators, music from the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command Band from Fort Eustis, Va. and a Finals Address by Michael Suarez — director of the Rare Book School and University Professor. There were also greetings from the Alumni Association delivered by Chair Tatia Granger and a final iteration of “The Good Ol’ Song.”
In University President Jim Ryan’s welcome address, he acknowledged the support of family members and friends present in the audience and beyond that played supportive roles in these graduates’ lives.
“No one makes it to graduation on their own,” Ryan said.
According to Ryan, Saturday's procession included a graduate who has earned a Rhodes scholarship, another who began her degree in 1968 and returned later to complete it Saturday, several veterans, first-generation college students and many others who each have their own unique stories to tell about how they reached this milestone.
Speaking to this diverse array of graduates, Professor Suarez delivered the Final Exercises keynote address Saturday. Suarez emphasized the importance of a life dedicated to service as well as the role that American universities play in preserving democracy during this time, as they have historically functioned for decades.
“The American University is entrusted with the work that helps guide and guard the full exercise of democratic freedom,” Suarez said. “Make no mistake, the freedom of the American University is not to create or preserve an insular autonomy — the intellectual reach of the University exists to serve the whole of humanity, for the pursuit of truth is an essential good common to all … Our ability to pursue the truth and communicate it freely is a national asset.”
Eugenie Davis, fourth-year College graduate who received a Bachelor of Arts in both Economics and Political Philosophy, Policy and Law, said that she was accompanied Saturday by her parents and sister who each traveled by plane to attend Saturday’s ceremony. Davis reflected on her gratitude for her family’s presence and the support of her housemates and fellow graduating friends that made the ceremony special for her.
“Our entire house woke up and got ready together, then we all went to Crozet together, and it was mostly us reminiscing on our time and experience together for the last time,” Davis said. “It felt so surreal … It made me feel very grateful.”
One tradition of the University’s Final Exercises is that students bring colorful, distinctive balloons along with them as they walk down the Lawn. According to the University’s Office of Sustainability, the popular balloon tradition can pose environmental concerns. The Office notes that once released into the air, balloons often do not biodegrade and can be mistaken for food within wildlife habitats.
To combat these concerns, the Office supports a Balloon Brigade program that enlists volunteers to gather balloons from graduates after the Exercises to donate to the University's Children’s Hospital.
Second-year College student Teddy Price volunteered as a balloon gatherer for this year’s Final Exercises. Price said that the program accepts any and all volunteers, regardless of one’s affiliation with the Office of Sustainability.
“It’s a blast getting to see everyone walk down the aisles and it’s awesome seeing everyone’s happy faces,” Price said. “[It’s] great to be able to know that these [balloons] are going to a great place too.”
Festivities did not take place only on Saturday — finals Weekend began Friday with an array of events, including the Multicultural Recognition Ceremony, the Joint Commissioning Exercises for Army, Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force Candidates, the Valedictory Exercises, the School of Education and Human Development's Hooding Ceremony, the Donning of the Kente and the Fourth-Year Class Party. Saturday and Sunday followed with Final Exercises and school and departmental ceremonies for academic achievement and the conferring of academic degrees.
Friday, the Valedictory Exercises took place at 3 p.m. at John Paul Jones Arena. The Valedictory Exercises was entirely student-organized by the Class of 2025 Fourth-Year Trustees under the direction of Class President James Edwards and Vice President Liv Schortmann. The Trustees group is composed of upwards of 60 fourth-year students who work during their final year at the University to create memorable events for the class, select a Valedictorian speaker, organize a class giving campaign and orchestrate the Valedictory Exercises.
This year, the Valedictory Exercises featured a keynote address given by Jason George, Class of 1994 alumnus and actor. George is widely known for his appearances on popular television series “Grey’s Anatomy,” as well as other productions such as NBC’s “Sunset Beach,” UPN’s “Eve” and ABC’s “Off the Map.”
During his time at the University, George served as a Resident Advisor and was the co-chair of the resident staff as an upperclassman. In his address, George shared a compilation of life lessons that he learned from his experience at the University that remained with him throughout his professional life, including managing expectations, focusing on growth, wrestling with the meaning of Honor at the University and beyond and living a life of purpose, passion and service.
“Honor lives inside each and every one of us … Honor is real and perhaps needed more today than ever before,” George said. “I see the Honor in each and every one of you, and I look forward to seeing what wonderful things you do when your ship sets sail.”
The Valedictory Exercises also featured a presentation of awards — including the Louis A. Onesty Student-Athlete Award received by women’s swimming team captain Ella Bathurst and the James Earle Sergeant Award received by Cville Tulips, which provides English, health and arts education to Afghan and Syrian refugees in Charlottesville. There was also the presentation of a class gift.
This year’s class gift was a compilation of donations that resulted from the fourth-year giving campaign organized and administered by the Trustees. Instead of soliciting general donations for the University, the Trustees structured this year’s campaign around allowing fourth-year students to give back to any organization of their choosing that had a donation page on the campaign’s website.
According to the campaign’s website, fourth-years had the ability to donate to a variety of academic schools, Contracted Independent Organizations, secret societies, sports teams or scholarship platforms. If a student was unable to find their desired cause, a form could be completed to request an account for their organization. Across all fourth-year donors, their generosity amounted to the presentation of a pooled $52,465 check at the Valedictory Exercises made out to the chosen University organizations.
Shreya Malani, fourth-year Trustee and Engineering graduate, said that this ability to donate to a specific organization of a fourth-year’s choosing sparked greater interest and inspiration within the class to participate in the campaign.
“[The class gift] was one of the most amazing things that I did in fourth year,” Malani said. “When we [Trustees] come together, it really shows how diverse the school is and how many interesting things that we can contribute with our experiences that span so far and wide. … I've learned so much from these people.”
To wrap up Saturday’s ceremony, Tatia Granger, chair of the U.Va. Alumni Association Board of Managers acknowledged the University’s commitment to maintaining a tight-knit community of University scholars post-graduation. Granger invited the Class of 2025 to maintain their relationships, and to even spark new ones with fellow University graduates through the Association’s reunions, online networks, interest groups and events.
“The Alumni Association in both spirit and space is forever a home for every Hoo,” Granger said.
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