Virginia State Garden Week, an initiative which began in 1929, opened up historic homes and gardens to visitors across the state. Among those opened were the University’s Pavilion gardens, the President’s House, as well as Monticello and Monroe’s Ash Lawn.
The Easters Weekend tradition originated in 1828 when UVA students started taking dancing lessons from professors on Grounds.
A faculty jazz quintet performed songs representing New Orleans’s influence on the jazz world and music at large. Bassist Pete Spaar, whose family hailed from New Orleans, urged students to remember the city and its people after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.
In 1957, third-year College student Dave Apple petitioned to put his name on the ballot for the College presidential election as an independent.
Renowned writer and poet Maya Angelou gave an address to a full crowd in Old Cabell Hall, in which she spoke on education, literature and her own life and writing.
A new trend noticed in 1954 was the shift from traditional Valentine’s day cards for serious romantics to more comical options to give out to your friends.
The University’s Students for Environmental Action hosted a conference called Energy Unplugged, where experts gathered to present on environmental issues such as energy efficiency and global warming.
Students who participated in a University-sponsored study abroad program in the Soviet Union over winter break recounted their experiences, which included visits to Moscow and Leningrad.
In 1977, Elizabeth Taylor captivated a packed Helms Theatre with insights on her career and personal life, including her favorite role in “Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” and candid opinions on Hollywood.
In interviews conducted outside of polling stations, multiple University students said they felt that this election was particularly significant for the future of the country.
