Tough Season, Tougher Guy

Ryan Zimmerman does the work it takes to keep playing

Fans don’t see the long hours of practice that go into being a Major League Baseball star, but attitude and discipline proved crucial for Zimmerman (Col ’06) in facing adversity with the Washington Nationals this season.

Elephant Speak

What the 2004 tsunami can tell us about animal communications

The Dec. 26, 2004, earthquake resulted in a human death toll of a quarter million people, but few animals perished. Drawing on his pioneering research about elephant behavior, Michael Garstang, an emeritus professor of environmental sciences at U.Va., is on the hunt to find out why.

The Power of Normal

U.Va. changing misperceptions, behavior with social norms campaign

All U.Va. students are heavy drinkers, right? Wrong. The National Social Norms Institute at U.Va. addresses common misperceptions.

Picture This

The Virginia Magazine Photo Contest

The contest sought photographs that captured the spirit of the University. Pictures from alumni, faculty and students rolled in, and the judges have picked the best of the bunch.

Deep Rooted

A look at the University’s shady side

What makes U.Va. such a special setting? The bricks and columns are nice, to be sure. But the trees around Grounds also deserve their due for the life, color and character they bring to the University.

South Lawn Takes Shape

South Lawn before and after

News Briefs

Just a few days before the start of the fall semester, Ruffin Hall, the new home of the McIntire Department of Art’s studio art program, opened its doors. The building…

Catching Up on Getting In

U.Va.’s first year without early admission

In the first admission cycle since the University eliminated its binding early-decision program, the staff of the Office of Admission received a pleasant surprise.

The Caretaker of No. 13

Student fulfills charge of Raven Society

In the 101 years since U.Va. President Edwin A. Alderman charged the Raven Society with the upkeep of the Edgar Allan Poe Room, a Raven Society member has swept its wooden floors and dusted its antique furniture.

Bookmarked: A Sampler of U.Va. Blogs

Green Thumbs Up

University making strides in sustainability

It’s not easy being green, but U.Va. is getting higher marks for its environmentally friendly programs.

A Bug Before a Bang

Glitch doesn't diminish proton collider's promise

Though the launch of the world’s most powerful particle accelerator was marked by a ding instead of a bang, the Large Hadron Collider still holds the promise of unlocking secrets about the essence of matter and insights into the Big Bang.

Q&A

Literary Tribute: Rita Dove

In September, the Library of Virginia honored Dove—whose distinctions range from receiving a Pulitzer Prize to being the former Poet Laureate of Virginia and the United States—with a lifetime achievement award.

Verbatim

“In my purse. I’ve only left home without it once or twice, and I felt completely naked.”

Holding Steady

Still ranked second

In the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings, the University of Virginia’s standing remains the same as last year’s: second among national public universities and 23rd among all American colleges and universities.

Troubling Signs

Protests lead to repeal of policy

A short-lived ban on signs at Scott Stadium this fall raised the hackles of fans—particularly among students—and drew darts from pundits across the nation.

Something for Everyone

Navigating the carnival-like atmosphere of the Student Activities Fair is an annual rite of passage for newly arrived first years.

Home Sweet Home

Kellogg House signals next wave of first-year residence halls

Residents call it "the O-Hilton." It’s still dormitory-style housing, but given its many amenities and commanding views of Grounds, the new $18.8 million Kellogg House feels more like a hotel, according to its denizens.

Fuel for Thought

Interdisciplinary teams investigate different types of alternative energy

In the world of alternative fuels, there may be nothing greener than pond scum.An interdisciplinary team of U.Va. researchers is…

R&D In Brief

Taste testIn a study published in the American Journal of Human Genetics, U.Va. Health System researchers reported that two interacting…

Setting the Biological Clock

Study shows eye cells help regulate our wake and sleep cycles

A switching mechanism in the eye plays a key role in regulating the sleep and wake cycles in mammals, U.Va.…

Breaking the Law and Battling Demons

U.Va. engineers aim to solve burning computer problem

“Laptops are very hot now, so hot that they are not ‘lap’ tops anymore,” says Avik Ghosh, a U.Va. assistant…

Sports Shorts

Olympic GoldRower Lindsay Shoop and soccer player Angela Hucles have something in common, in addition to being former student-athletes at…

Master of the Madhouse

Dan Bonner calls the action at college hoops’ premier event

Dan BonnerWinter is Dan Bonner’s busy season. As a color analyst for men’s college basketball, he will crisscross the country…

Short Game Gold

Birdwood facility a gem for golfers

Birdwood Photo by Jim DavesDrive for show, putt for dough.That sums up the importance of the short game for most…

Surprise of a Lifetime

Val Ackerman (Col ’81) honored for achievements in basketball

Val Ackerman Photo courtesy of the Basketball Hall of FameVal Ackerman’s trip to China for the 2008 Olympics will be…

From PKs to FGs

Soccer skills help Cavalier placekicker

Yannick Reyering (Col ’09) grew up in Germany kicking a round ball into a net. When he came to U.Va., he had the same focus—and he put the ball into the net 39 times in a three-year career that included multiple All-ACC honors.

Pitched Battle

Midfielder Tony Tchani traps the ball during the Cavaliers’ 1-0 victory over Clemson at Klöckner Stadium Oct. 10. A header…

Tall Order

Teams look to front court for balance, leadership

With Sean Singletary and Sharneé Zoll providing leadership and fireworks for U.Va.’s basketball teams, last season could easily have been characterized as the Year of the Guards. Both players have gone on to the ranks of professional basketball, so now the Cavaliers will look to the front court for more points and power this season.

Winning Palette

Student's eye for color earns prize

Alli McKee’s award-winning paintingA painting that began with bare tree limbs and winter weather evolved into a majestic mix of…

The Times, They Are A-Changin’

Flextime, telecommuting gain popularity

Businesses are examining innovative ways to increase production and satisfy employees.

Admission FAQs

Does my child need to be the president of the class, play three varsity sports, walk dogs at the SPCA and spend part of her summer at a leadership conference in Amsterdam to be competitive at U.VA.?

Welcome Wagon

UVaExpress provides bus rides, greetings for international students

The bus ride from Dulles to Charlottesville helps with that adjustment, giving students a chance to bond and ask questions. “One girl was very interested in seeing cows,” Kirtland says. “Another was surprised at the number of churches.”

New & Notable

Required Reading: Vanessa L. Ochs

Vanessa L. Ochs is a U.Va. associate professor of religious studies and author most recently of Sarah Laughed and Inventing Jewish Ritual, which won the 2007 National Jewish Book Award in the category of contemporary Jewish life and practice.

So Modern

Dance students take the stage

Aerial balletics were on display in one of the many arrestingly choreographed pieces in "Strands in Motion," a fall dance concert that showcased original work by both faculty and students.

Miniature Literature

The Small Library's big collection of little books

The Miniature Book Society defines a miniature book as any book less than three inches on each side. Historically, such tiny books served a purpose.

In Memoriam

Letters to the Editor

In the Fall 2008 “Retrospect,” you show a photograph that is identified as the interior of Jefferson’s Anatomical Theatre. I…

Student Life: Secret Society

Students share their innermost fears and desires

The project caught the attention of two students, Courtney Mallow (Col ’10) and James Burney (Col ’09), who are the co-directors of the Arts & Enrichment Committee, a part of the University Programs Council. After inviting Warren to visit the University, they solicited secrets from their fellow students and created an exhibit of the cards they’d collected to coincide with his appearance.

First Person: A Run to Remember

Beijing native bears Olympic torch in China

Thousands of my friends have asked me one question: How did I get that special honor as a torch bearer? That’s a long story to tell.

Short Course: Look, Listen and Speak Up

Keys to getting good health care

While health policy is a matter of national debate, making sure you get good health care sometimes requires little more than common sense—and speaking up.

Retrospect: 1983: The ’Hoo

A temporary ban on signs at athletic events (see related article) rankled many this past fall, but the unfortunate debut…