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press release Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony Friday Celebrates New Home and Graduate Center for Jefferson Scholars Foundation April 16, 2010
The ceremony marks the culmination of more than five years of planning and 18 months of construction on the state-of-the-art, 32,700 square foot "green" facility. Its completion represents a major milestone for the Jefferson Scholars Foundation, which for 30 years has attracted the best and brightest undergraduate and graduate students from across the world and supported their studies at the University of Virginia. "The facility gives the Foundation the opportunity to undertake programming initiatives could have only dreamed of before," said James Wright, President of the Jefferson Scholars Foundation. "The building, with its significant space, is a tremendous asset for the entire university." Designed by the award-winning Charlottesville-based architectural firm, VMDO, the Jefferson Scholars Foundation is compromised of four interconnected buildings surrounding a courtyard that is the focal point of the facility. In addition to serving as the new administrative center for the Foundation, the facility's Jefferson Fellows Center will be used foremost by Jefferson Fellows, considered among UVa's highest echelons of graduate, doctoral and post-doctoral students. Currently, there are 36 Jefferson Fellows and 132 Jefferson Scholars enrolled at UVa for the 2009-10 academic year.
"Our Jefferson Fellows will be able to teach their teacher assistant sections here, host guest lecturers from around the world and develop an interdisciplinary, intellectual community that Thomas Jefferson envisioned when he created the University," Wright said. Inside, there is also a reception hall for special events (Foundation Hall), a library reading room, conference and seminar rooms, offices for the Jefferson Fellows, administrative offices and other amenities. The new facility not only will be a physical space to encourage academic excellence and interdisciplinary conversation, but also will represent a major commitment by the Jefferson Scholars Foundation in its mission of contributing to the University and its faculty by attracting and supporting the very best scholars from around the world to Virginia. "We wanted to create a physical space for Jefferson Fellows that will attract and compel the highly-recruited students the University seeks- students who might otherwise choose Cambridge, Oxford, New Haven, New York or Palo Alto over Charlottesville to pursue their graduate education," said Richard C. Kellogg Jr., Jefferson Scholars Foundation board member. "Those unparalleled graduate students we seek as Jefferson Fellows will congregate, study, teach, research, converse and share ideas across the more than two dozen academic disciplines now participating in the Jefferson Fellowship," Kellogg said.
Bob Moje, President of VMDO Architects, said his firm will seek the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) "Gold" designation for New Construction for the Foundation facility's design and construction. The "Gold" standard is the second-most coveted LEED designation awarded by the USGBC. In Charlottesville, there are currently four LEED certified projects rated "Gold", two of which are considered new Construction, according to the USGBC. "The building is on the cutting-edge for environmentally-sustainable design because of its low energy usage, the building materials used and the overall impact impact of the building on the surrounding environment," Moje said. "The facility is also a very healthy environmental for occupants because of its clean air and because none of the materials used emit harmful toxins." The Jefferson Scholars Foundation's many environmentally-sustainable features include:
The economic windfall from the Foundation includes a projected $2.7 million annually through spending by visiting scholars and guests, in addition to tens of thousands of dollars in tax revenues for the City of Charlottesville. Students, UVa faculty and visiting professors, will be invited to hold lectures and presentations at the new Jefferson Scholars Foundation. The inaugural event was last month's Jefferson Scholars Selection Weekend, during which the Foundation hosted more than 100 high school seniors from around the world.
About Jefferson Scholars Foundation The fundamental mission of the Jefferson Scholars Foundation is to identify, attract, and nurture individuals of extraordinary intellectual range and depth who possess the highest qualities of leadership, scholarship, and citizenship. We seek those with great promise, and give them sufficient financial support so they are free to develop their talents and to use them for the good of the University community.
Jefferson Scholars Foundation History During the 1980-81 academic year, the Board of Managers of the University of Virginia Alumni Association began the process of selecting the first Jefferson Scholars. The Jefferson Scholarship competition grew out of the Board's desire to put in place a tangible program that would reflect the educational ideals of Thomas Jefferson. The first Jefferson Scholars- twelve in number- matriculated in the fall of 1981, and were graduated in 1985. In later years the Jefferson Scholars Foundation was formed as an adjunct to the Alumni Association. Development efforts intensified, with the goal of increasing the number and geographic reach of Jefferson Scholars. Over time, the regional competitions increased from a handful to the more than 50 currently in place. The number of nominees grew from a few dozen to over 1,000 annually, and volunteer committee participation grew to approximately 700 U. Va. alumni who take part annually in the nomination and selection process. A milestone was reached in 1991, when Brad Ronnell Braxton became the first Jefferson Scholar to earn the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship. Three additional Jefferson Scholars have since earned the Rhodes. 1992 marked the graduation of Jefferson Scholar number 100; with the growth of the program, the 400th Jefferson Scholar was graduated in 2005. Jefferson Scholar Glynn Key '86 was named to the University's Board of Visitors in 2004. For more information, click here.
VMDO Architects was founded in 1976 and is the youngest firm to receive the T. David Fitz-Gibbon Virginia Architecture Award, the most prestigious honor given by the Virginia Society of American Institute of Architects. For further information, interview, and photography opportunities in reference to this project and VMDO Architects, please contact William Bishop at 434.296.5684, email at bishop@vmdo.com. |
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA- The Jefferson Scholars Foundation is pleased to announce a special ribbon-cutting ceremony at 9:00AM on Friday, April 16th, 112 Clarke Court, for the new Jefferson Fellows Center, Foundation Hall, and Foundation administrative offices.
The Jefferson Fellows Center offers graduate fellows spaces to study, teach and conduct research and lectures. The central theme uniting the architectural design of the facility is the interaction and sharing of ideas among Jefferson Fellows who are drawn from a wide array of academic disciplines.
Built for future leaders, the Foundation is also on the forefront of "green" building standards.
Located near the University's South Lawn, Scott Stadium and Fontaine Research Park, the site can be conveniently accessed on foot, but has ample parking for students and staff. The facility is expected to act as a cornerstone in the neighborhood, attracting redevelopment to the area, such as dining, shopping, and other services.
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