By Valentina Mendoza Gonzalez, [email protected] • October 1, 2026 

Whenever alumni return to Grounds, there is an immediate, almost physical flashback when walking past an old dorm. The mind drops back to the thrill of that first adventure, the moment they first stepped away from home and began figuring out who they were meant to be. Since our Academical Village is a UNESCO World Heritage site, the magic of nostalgia stays untouched. But there is more to this magic than storied buildings and the Blue Ridge Mountains. What turns a cluster of residence halls into our dear old UVA is a group of students and staff dedicated to helping students make this transition and call this place home.

A Career Built on Teamwork

Ron Thompson, Associate Vice President of HRL, understands the weight of this transition better than most. Growing up in a series of tiny farm towns across rural central Illinois where few attended college, Ron had his own failings in college before completing a tour in the Marine Corps. Still determined to earn his degree, Ron returned to school with a different mindset. When university administrators asked if he had any questions for his Resident Advisor, Gary, Ron admitted he had dozens. Looking back, Ron realizes Gary was standing "at the scene of his success," helping him decipher the complexities of college life. That mentorship sparked a passion for residential community, leading Ron to apply for an RA position. Though initially turned down, Ron pleaded his case, earned a spot, and spent the rest of his undergraduate years as an RA while majoring in African American Studies.

After earning a master's degree in counseling focused on student development, Ron built a 27-year career in higher education leadership, most recently as Director of Housing and Residence Life and Associate Dean of Students at Furman University. What drew him to UVA was a culture where student self-governance was already central to University life. Living on Grounds in an apartment tucked into one of the Lawn alleys, Ron focuses on listening, articulating the value of the residential experience, and serving as a bridge between partners across Grounds. 

When asked what keeps him coming back to this work, Ron points to his athletic background, having done everything from competitive powerlifting to coaching a women's rugby team. "What sport did I not play?" he jokes. "My time as an athlete taught me we don't lose or succeed alone." For Ron, being part of a team taught him to pay it forward, bringing students directly into decision-making so they can use what they learn for the betterment of the community. 

A Foundation Built on Trust

Because Housing and Residence Life rests on student self-governance, professional staff do not manage residence halls from behind closed doors; they build a supportive framework for student leaders to shape culture on Grounds. Stepping into that charge this year are Resident Staff Co-Chairs Leela Trujillo, a fourth-year double-major in German and Global Studies with minors in Astronomy and History, and Aali Siddiqui, a fourth-year studying Biomedical Engineering on a pre-med track while completing a 4+1 Master of Public Health.

Together, Leela and Aali represent roughly 300 Resident Staff members and 7,800 on-Grounds residents, running Senior Resident training, reviewing policy with University leadership, and sitting on accountability councils.

"The Co-Chair role is hard to describe because it is so complex," Leela explains. "We're essentially the student voice within housing."

Having been both an RA and a Senior Resident, Leela knows firsthand what her team carries and is quick to credit this year's Senior Residents, a group she calls exceptionally strong, with teaching her to approach conflict from different angles. For her, placing real authority in student hands is essential to the University's identity: "Student leadership is very important to the identity of UVA. It is what sets us apart from other universities. What really changes when students help make decisions is trust." 

Leading Together

The residential mission comes alive where staff mentorship meets student decision-making. Ron's team brings care, operational experience, and structural support. Student RAs bring that vision to life for their peers every day, from mediating roommate conflicts to covering on-call shifts. The partnership shows in the data: 97% of on-Grounds residents report being satisfied with their RA, 97% feel safe in their dorms, and 89% say living on Grounds contributes to their sense of identity as a UVA student. 

Carrying this level of responsibility cultivates profound agency in student leaders, helping them discover their own leadership instincts. Aali, who has taught swim lessons since age 15 to learners ranging from six months to 76 years old, credits his residential leadership with deepening his approach to human relationships: "Give people patience and yourself patience. Sometimes people will be upset or confused, and giving them the space to express their feelings is extremely important."

Looking ahead, Aali proudly carries that lesson: "Demonstrate patience, have curiosity, and ask the why behind everything, that is what this role taught me to do, and it is now ingrained in my soul." 

Ultimately, Housing and Residence Life thrives because staff and students co-create this community. Staff show up for every piece of the residential experience, and students carry that care into the halls and make them their own. Ron sees it in the excitement of every arriving class. For many students, UVA was the school they wanted most, and once they arrive, they want to be involved and give back. "This is where our students want to be," he says, "and that makes it HOME."