Last Friday, UTS driver James White quietly retired after nearly 52 years of service to the University. While he did not wish to have a fuss made over him, James enjoyed sharing stories from more than five decades at UVA with a few colleagues on his last day of work. Always a favorite driver requested by many UVA departments, James was the go-to person to drive charters for special groups. His colleagues presented him with a framed photo of the 2019 men's basketball team's arrival at JPJ Arena after they won the NCAA Championship, where the charter bus driven by James was greeted by thousands of excited fans. Thank you for your tremendous service to the University, James! We wish you smooth roads with green lights ahead for your retirement. 

On Monday morning, I was honored to join members of the UVA Health team as they reflected on the ways the pandemic has affected our lives for the past two years. It was two years to the day since UVA Health admitted its first COVID-19 patient. Every day since then, dedicated healthcare workers have carried incredible burdens and saved countless lives. Their commitment is humbling, and I am grateful for everything they continue to do. 

In the category of “there’s always something interesting going on at UVA” – check out the new exhibit around Grounds featuring five novel biomaterial research projects developed with students. The projects have been installed by visiting scholars from across the country and will remain in place until April 30. This Exposition across Grounds was organized by two professors in the A-School, Kyle Schumann and Katie MacDonald, and funded by the Jefferson Trust, the Center for Global Inquiry and Innovation, and the School of Architecture. This particular piece is located across from the Drama Building on Culbreth Road, just around the corner from my office. For more information, see the Biomaterial Building Exposition site.

After a pause last year due to the pandemic, it was great to see so many staff members in person for the annual Staff Appreciation Breakfast at Newcomb Hall this week. The UVA HR team did a terrific job planning the event, and leaders from across Grounds were there to express appreciation for the incredible work of our staff. Reprepsentatives from the Staff Senate, the UVA FM Apprenticeship Program, and Hoos Well shared information about their programs. A hearty breakfast prepared by the UVA Dine team was a nice treat on a rainy morning!

UVA Dining prepared a special Mardi Gras-themed dinner at O-Hill this week, helping to fuel students for midterms and provide some extra fun.

Our student-athletes are impressive, excelling in competition and in the classroom. Last weekend, the women's swimming and diving team won its third consecutive ACC Championship and its 18th overall. They won 14 events, setting three American records in relays and four individual UVA and ACC records during the championship. Congratulations and go Hoos!

The "Love is Love" t-shirt campaign began at UVA in 2009 as a way to visibly support LGBTQ students on Valentine's Day. The campaign has expanded to explicitly support all kinds of love. Love makes the world go round. 

The inaugural Winter Wander at Boar's Head Resort was dreamed up by General Manager Russ Cronberg and was a huge success in its first year. From late November through the end of January, around 39,000 people enjoyed a magical light show along a trail that covered nearly half a mile around Heritage Lake behind the main hotel. Guests gathered around fire pits with warm drinks at the end of the trail. Sponsored by UVA Health, the first Winter Wander concluded with a fireworks display on January 30. It was a wonderful way to safely celebrate the holiday season with our community, and we can't wait to do it again next year!

On Friday, January 28th, Senior Vice President for Operations and State Government Relations Colette Sheehy and University Architect Alice Raucher were on "Real Talk" on the I Love CVille Network, discussing UVA's affordable housing initiative with hosts Keith Smith and Jerry Miller. Listen in to

UVA is filled with people doing interesting things, and newly-retired Landscape Architect Mary Hughes is one of them. After beginning her career teaching French and English, Mary turned a hobby into a new educational and career path in landscape architecture. Twenty-six years after she joined the Office of the University Architect, Mary is stepping away for another interesting chapter in her career. She and her husband will run Jump Mountain Vineyards in Rockbridge Baths, an enterprise they started in 2006. Sounds like a great place to take a spring field trip! Read more about Mary in UVA Today.