End-of-Semester Message

Dear Students:

It was wonderful to see so many of you over the past month at Lighting of the Lawn (approximately 13,000 of you attended), basketball games, holiday concerts and the many different end-of-the semester and holiday events at Newcomb Hall, Old Cabell Hall, 1515 and other locations across Grounds.  I’m sure it will be an exciting night for the hundreds of you who are heading to the Boar’s Head for the free Winter Wander event tonight and Wednesday night. If you are on Grounds on Sunday, December 18, please feel free to stop by the World Cup Final Viewing Party in the Newcomb South Meeting Room.

Over the past month, we have learned a lot about our community, ourselves—we are UVA Strong.  I cannot begin to imagine the grief of the students and families impacted over the past month and in the months ahead.  I hope that each of you will find some measure of rest and peace in the weeks after your exams and papers are behind you. 

As the semester comes to a close I’m writing to wish you well on those final exams and papers and to remind you about resources you can access over Winter Break

If you will be staying in Charlottesville for the break, or coming back early, please check out the Winter Break page for facility information and details about activities in the Charlottesville area. The University will be closed from Dec. 22 through Jan. 1, but as usual, our Student Affairs on-call team will be available 24/7 for critical needs.

Our Support for Students webpage is continually updated with resources you may find helpful. Whether you still have coursework to finish or you are all done for the semester, the basics are as important as ever: Stay hydrated, eat nourishing food, get adequate sleep, and get some fresh air and exercise.

If you could use mental health support, please remember: Wherever you might be in the world, you can call TimelyCare 24/7 to speak with a counseling professional by video or phone. It’s free, and several thousand UVA students are now using this service. Feedback has been positive about this resource.

In this time of gathering with friends and family, our hearts remain with the loved ones of Devin Chandler, Lavel Davis Jr., and D’Sean Perry. If you would like to send a note to their families, blank cards are available at the Rotunda information desk (just inside the entrance) or in the front office of O’Neil Hall. You may also wish to write Mike Hollins and Marlee Morgan, the students who were injured on Nov. 13. University staff will take care of mailing the cards – no postage needed. If you cannot drop them off in person, you may mail them to: Office of the EVP-COO, O’Neil Hall 130, 445 Rugby Rd., P.O. Box 400228, Charlottesville, VA 22904. (Please indicate the family or individual to whom the note should be directed.)

I wish you a peaceful, restful break with your loved ones. And I look forward to welcoming you back to this special community in a few weeks for the start of a new semester.

Warm regards,

Robyn S. Hadley
Vice President and Dean of Students
Chief Student Affairs Officer