At UVA, we have 650+ CIOs, 22 Special Status Organizations, and additional opportunities to get involved and find community.

Find a Student Organization

The best way to start exploring your options is to log in to our student engagement platform, Hoos Involved (Presence), which is our hub for student involvement. Log in as a student through Netbadge and go to the "Organizations" tab where you can sort the list of organizations by category to find ones that are interesting to you. 

Connect on Social Media

Connect with student orgs on social media! Are you active on Instagram, Facebook, and/or Twitter? Especially with all of us social distancing these days, social media has never been more important!

Be open to trying new things - you never know where you may find your niche at UVA! 

Getting Involved in Charlottesville

Plenty of students find their niche outside of student organizations at UVA. There are numerous volunteer opportunities, employment options, and community organizations to explore. Visit the Public Service website for some ideas or set up a time to come talk with us about other options.

Creating Your Own CIO

Don't see a CIO you are looking for? Have a unique idea for creating your own? Awesome! Here you can do that. The process to create a new (C.I.O.) is coordinated by Student Council and takes approximately 4 - 6 weeks from start to finish. Applications typically open for two weeks each semester. 

We recommend coming to talk to a Student Engagement staff member (email us at [email protected]) or a Student Council member ([email protected]) about your idea before submitting an application. We can talk you through the process and connect you to other organizations with similar interests/visions.

To learn more about how to create a new C.I.O., please visit this page on the Student Council website. 

Top Tips for Getting Involved

Here are some ways to get involved atUVA!

Connect with Someone New

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Connect with Someone New Join your class Facebook group to connect with other students and make a new friend before the school year starts! Start following UVA social media accounts and commenting, connecting, & asking questions.

Stay Tuned for Info on The Activities Fairs Across UVA

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Student Council hosts the Activities Fair on the Monday before classes. Check out their website (uvastudco.com) for more specific details! Stay tuned for info on other fairs like The Source, hosted by the Black Student Alliance and Arts Grounds Day, hosted by UVA Arts Council.

Run or Participate in The Fall Elections

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Self-nominations and voting begin in September! Be on the look out for more info at uvavote.com. It's also a great idea to get to know your first year or transfer representative once they are elected.

Check Out UPC's Program Lineup

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University Programs Council aka UPC is hosting tons of programs over the summer and into the Fall.

Explore UVA

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Explore Grounds by taking a virtual tour offered by University Guide Service aka UGuides! You can also virtually tour 1515, our programming space on the Corner, through UVA's channel on Youtube.

Talk to A Professor After Class

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Take the opportunity to introduce yourself in person or through email to your professors after class. Faculty, just like staff, are here to provide support and help you navigate your time here at UVA.

Discover What Self-Care Means to You

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Take a free fitness class online! Follow UVA Rec and other self-care accounts on Instagram. Learn about the Arts through the Arts Box Office. Take a break from studying to read, journal, take a walk, or reflect.

Connect to Charlottesville

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Seek opportunities to serve the community. Connect with Madison House and other service-oriented CIOS! Check out different faith and spiritual communities. Explore all the hiking trails and parks around Charlottesville.

Remember That This Is Not a Finite List!

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There are many other ways to get involved and find community. Be open to new things and have fun in the process. Discover what works best for you and remember that there are plenty of resources across UVAAccordion content 2.