The Jefferson Trust Board of Trustees has awarded nearly $1.5 million to 17 new projects and programs across the University of Virginia.
Student experiences, enhancing student learning through internship and research opportunities, and community outreach were key grant themes this year.
“Only the Jefferson Trust and its Trustees can fund a concert series and a dark matter telescope in a single afternoon. Project diversity is a hallmark of this organization, and it is thrilling to see how each shapes the University and student experience over time” says Brent Percival, Executive Director of the Jefferson Trust.
The 2024-25 Grants:
Undergraduate Composers Concert & Performance Series: $33,415
Funding helps create a concert series featuring performances of original music by student composers.
Possibilities in Pulp: Reusing Paper Waste on Grounds: $15,000
This project aims to reduce paper waste at the School of Architecture by further developing and testing paper pulp manufacturing techniques, and piloting strategies for scaling this process for long-term use.
Virginia Student Film Festival: $30,000
A two-day student film festival will showcase undergraduate filmmakers across Virginia. Programming will include screenings, networking events, and panel discussions with industry professionals.
Dark Matter Radio Telescope at UVA’s Fan Mountain Observatory: $249,850
The Astronomy Department will purchase and install a fully steerable DSA-2000 radio telescope, increasing student training and research opportunities.
Simulated Lunar Surface Arena for Robotics Testing: $86,000
The Mechatronics and Robotics Society (MARS) is building a simulated lunar surface arena to test lunar robots and better compete in NASA’s Lunabotics competitions.
Office of the Architect for the University Student Internship Initiative: $70,000
This three-year pilot engages students in the University’s variety of design and planning projects and provides access to mentorship and internship opportunities.
VLPP Education Program: $70,000
In partnership with The Decarceration Clinic at UVA Law and Resilience Education, funding expands the Entrepreneurial Reentry Education Program model to include UVA’s first legal studies course, designed for incarcerated learners, and developed and taught by UVA law school students.
Criminal Justice Data Training Center: $78,594
Funding establishes a new Criminal Justice Data Training Center in the School of Data Science, which will train students in data analytics of the criminal justice system and support them as community partners.
Daniel S. Adler Student Award
Sound on Grounds: Student Podcast Production and Distribution Team: $83,500
This project aims to increase students’ knowledge of and access to podcasting resources at UVA and support their creative development.
Cyber Systems and Operations: $30,000
This speaker series brings industry experts to the classroom, exposing students to real-world insights and experiences, enhancing their critical thinking, and preparing them for careers in cybersecurity.
Equitable Healthcare Access: Evidence-based Concussion Management for UVA Students: $297,191
The Sports as a Laboratory Assessment Model (SLAM) will be implemented within Student Health & Wellness to improve outcomes through equitable access to clinical care for UVA students with a concussion.
Ashley Thompson Manning Health Innovation Award
Addressing the Mental Health Needs of Young Children in Virginia: $80,000
Funding helps to develop a flagship clinic to increase access to Parent-Child Interaction Therapy by training UVA psychologists, graduate students, and community therapists, reaching more parents and children in need in underserved areas.
John B. Syer Award
STREAM Ambassadors Expansion: $60,000
Funding expands the Science, Technology, Reading, Engineering, Art, and Math (STREAM) Ambassadors program at UVA Wise, involving students and local youth through new workshops, camps, and speaker series.
Increasing Local Non-Profit Community Impact with UVA Student Internship to Improve Data Collection: $76,350
An initiative of the UVA Statistics Department, this project supports student interns’ work in data collection, analysis, & interpretation strategies for local non-profits.
Wayne D. Cozart Global Award
Safeguarding Science: Developing Knowledge and Tools to Prevent Scientific Fraud: $86,987
A taxonomy of scientific fraud is being developed to identify types of wrongdoing, involved organizations and their motivations, then engineering tools and methods to address the problems.
The Fried Center for Advancement of Potential (FCAP) Intern Training Program at Student Health and Wellness: $104,162
This project provides internship opportunities and experiential learning for undergraduate students pursuing healthcare careers and affordable functional exercise intervention for students in need of care.
Jefferson Engineering Lectureship at UVA: $30,000
A lecture series will bring experts in the fields of data science, healthcare, and environmental sciences to UVA, exposing engineering students and faculty to pioneering research ideas and interdisciplinary innovation.
