Hundreds of students joined former University President Jim Ryan Wednesday at the Rotunda to embark on a Run with Jim, from the Jefferson Statue in front of the Rotunda to Scott Stadium and back. The run was organized by the Fourth-Year Trustees — the Class of 2026 Council — and was the second Run with Jim since his resignation last June.
The Trustees said the event both celebrated the Class of 2026 and recognized Ryan, as he was recently announced as this year's keynote speaker for Valedictory Exercises. Beyond the Trustees who organized the run, the Honor Committee provided financial support for the event and Pancakes for Parkinson’s — a Contracted Independent Organization at the University that fundraises for the Michael J. Fox Foundation — provided staffing support.
Free t-shirts were distributed before the event which were printed with Run with Jim and “Class of 2026.” Students lined up for the t-shirts beginning at 6:30 a.m. — an hour before the event’s start time, according to Annie Zhao, Trustees vice president and fourth-year College student.
Following the run, Ryan and those in attendance socialized on the Lawn with Bodo's Bagels and many students also waited in line to take photos with Ryan.
Ryan served as University president from 2018 to last June, when he resigned under pressure from the Justice Department. Between April and June 2025, the Justice Department sent seven letters to the University questioning whether diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives had been dissolved in accordance with federal rulings, and some letters also asserted the University was not protecting students against antisemitism.
Ryan regularly held Run with Jim events for students and community members during his presidency, and each year, he held a run on the last day of classes for fourth-year students. Though Wednesday's run did not fall on the last day of classes for this semester, Ella Kreft, Trustees graduation chair and fourth-year College student, said it was still important to the Graduation Committee to give the Class of 2026 the opportunity to participate in the traditional run. The Graduation Committee serves within the Trustees and oversees the University's graduation ceremonies.
“We knew that we wanted to do this [Run with Jim], if not the last day of class … at some point,” Kreft said. “One of the concerns was [that] a lot of people were like, ‘I didn't ever get to do a Run with Jim,’ so this is kind of the final Run with Jim for our class.”
Kreft also said that the event embodied Ryan’s openness to connect with students and the powerful legacy he left on the community — she noted the lengthy photo line following the run as a depiction of the admiration students have for him.
“I think that [the event is] really meaningful … for us to have that time with him, too,” Kreft said. “He really takes his time to kind of connect with everybody one-on-one ... he truly cares about everybody in our class and all the classes.”
As part of the duties of the Trustees, the group must select the Valediction Speaker. Keoni Vega, Trustees president and fourth-year College student, said that the Trustees’ decision to pick Ryan as the Keynote Speaker for Valedictory Exercises seemed obvious after his resignation, and the choice was met with unanimity within the Trustees and an overwhelming amount of support from students.
Vega said that the University treated Ryan poorly during this past year, and that his acceptance to speak at this year’s Valedictory Exercises demonstrates his ability to show up for students.
”I think the fact that President Ryan is gracious enough to recognize how pivotal of a role he's been, specifically for our class, and is willing to continue to both champion students and champion student self-governance by accepting our invitation … shows a real, deep commitment to the institution and to students despite all the turmoil of the past year,” Vega said.
Vega also said that Wednesday’s Run with Jim event was held as both a way for fourth-year students to experience the run in their final year and build excitement for Ryan being chosen as the keynote speaker.
Fourth-year Engineering student Lizzy Kelly participated in the run with fourth-year College student Ella Barry. The two had originally met at a First-Year Run with Jim event — a traditional run which Ryan did with all new first-years each year — and Kelly said that completing Wednesday's run together was a full-circle moment. Kelly also said that the run was a great opportunity during their final time on Grounds, as it signified a staple event within the University community.
“He was such a visible part of our first three years at U.Va., he always had all these events [where] we could just go and interact with him, and he’d always stop to talk to us,” Kelly said.
Fourth-year College student Claire Seigler said that the event was a final chance to check off the bucket list item, despite Ryan no longer being University president.
“I had wanted to do Run with Jim’s throughout college, but I’m not a runner or a morning person, so I never made it,” Seigler said. “I was saving it for my fourth year, and then I didn’t get an opportunity, so I wanted to do it while I [could].”
Ryan will be delivering the commencement address May 15 at John Paul Jones Arena as part of the Valedictory Exercises ceremony.
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