The Jefferson Trust has awarded $752,075 to eight new projects and programs across the University of Virginia.
Enhancing student learning experiences and utilizing artificial intelligence were key grant themes this fall.
“In an era of change across Grounds, the University community has shown they will not be stagnant or wait for change to come to them. Through these grants, students, faculty, and staff are building the future, and the Jefferson Trust is honored to support their efforts,” says Brent Percival, Executive Director of the Jefferson Trust.
The 2025 Fall Major Cycle Grants:
UVA EMS Response Initiative: $254,000
This initiative aims to establish a student-run Basic Life Support (BLS) EMS agency at UVA, responding to 911 calls on Grounds, improving campus emergency response times, providing clinical experience for students, and supporting existing emergency services.
Personalized student support and stronger, AI-empowered, teaching assistants: $154,543
From the School of Data Science, this project aims to develop an AI-powered chatbot and teaching assistant support system for course content. The system will streamline routine work, allowing TAs to focus on student understanding, and includes a professional development component for TAs.
Languages across the Curriculum Pilot Program: $32,000
From the Institute of World Languages, the program aims to create 1-credit language standalone courses across disciplines, encouraging language skills in academic exploration.
Microplastics, nanoplastics, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in human valvular tissue: $81,532
A multidisciplinary team plans to assess levels of microplastics, nanoplastics, and PFAS (forever chemicals) in human valves of patients undergoing open-heart surgery, and their links to cardiovascular diseases, establishing UVA as a leader in this emerging research field.
Virginia Audio Collective Storytelling Hub: $120,000
WTJU and the Robertson Media Center will create the Virginia Audio Collective—a comprehensive podcasting platform to train students in podcast production, launch 25–30 new podcast series, and provide hands-on experience for students while integrating with academic departments.
DemCap Classroom: Democracy & Capitalism Resources for K-12 Education: $75,000
A free online platform offering videos, readings, lesson plans, and interactive data to provide K-12 educators with comprehensive resources about democracy and capitalism.
The Learning Hub 2.0: Expanding Access through AI-Guided Learning: $10,000
Using scalable AI avatars that simulate mentor experiences, funding helps to expand The Learning Hub, a cognitive science-based intervention that equips first-year students with effective study strategies through mentor-led sessions.
Agency that Looks Like: The Student Self-Governance (SSG) Project: $25,000
The Student Self-Governance (SSG) Project plans to document and showcase student self-governance through multimedia storytelling.