In the heart of the University of Virginia’s Academical Village, a unique graduate student community thrives within historic confines. The Range, a series of storied rooms designed by Thomas Jefferson, is home to 52 graduate students, each bringing diverse backgrounds and interests to this UNESCO World Heritage site.
Leadership and Community Building
Benvin Lozada, a third-year resident and chair of the Range, balances his time between pursuing advanced studies in economics and law and leading the Range community. Having moved from the University of Utah, where he earned dual bachelor’s degrees in economics and mathematics in 2023, Lozada found the Range to be a melting pot of intellectual curiosity.
“Moving to the Range in my second year, I really got to experience that rich diversity of intellectual curiosity that makes UVA what it is,” Lozada remarked, highlighting the Range’s role in his academic journey.
Diverse Connections and Selection Process
Lozada’s experience underscores the Range’s emphasis on building connections across disciplines. “Some of my closest friends are engineers, master’s students in statistics or accountants at the McIntire (School of Commerce),” he shared.
Differing from the undergraduate Lawn community, the Range residents conduct their own selection process. “The biggest thing we look for is people who are excited to build community,” Lozada explained.
East vs. West: A Tale of Two Ranges
Each side of the Range has its own character. Niamh Clarke, a second-year English graduate student on the East Range, describes it as the more tranquil side. “The West is known to be the more social and active side, and the East Range is really chill,” she said. Nicknamed the “retirement community,” the East Range often houses final-year students.
Clarke, originally from Houston, appreciated the Range as a supportive environment during her first out-of-state academic experience. “It is really special to know that you’re a part of a long-lasting community,” she noted.
Initiatives like the Legacy Letters program connect current students with past Rangers, fostering a sense of continuity and welcome.
Living History and Urban Planning
Corbin Poyer, pursuing a master’s in environmental and urban planning, resides on the West Range near the historic Poe Room. Her location attracts numerous tourists, which she sees as an opportunity for public engagement. “I personally love these opportunities to interact with the public,” Poyer said.
Poyer’s path to UVA was shaped by her work in Fredericksburg’s building and planning department, driven by a desire to address urban issues like food insecurity through better planning. Her academic focus at the School of Architecture is on historic preservation.
Read More Here
Comments are closed.