OAAA main house
OAAA E-Weekly April 15, 2024
Mark Your Calender
Spring 2024 Academic Calendar
Tuesday, April 30
Courses end
Thursday, May 2 – Friday, May 10
Examinations (Go to Exam Schedule)
Sunday, May 5 & Wednesday, May 8
Reading Days (No Classes)
Friday, May 17 – Sunday, May 19
Finals Weekend (https://majorevents.virginia.edu/finals)
Student Spotlight: Brandon Brown
Brandon Brown is a graduating fourth-year Batten Student from Richmond, Virginia. He is majoring in Public Policy & Leadership with a minor in Spanish. Brandon is a student committed to service on and off grounds. He has served as a Bilingual History tutor, is currently an OAAA Peer Advisor, and has worked as a Student Audiovisual Assistant at Newcomb Hall for nearly two years. He also studied abroad during the 2023 Spring semester, in Buenos Aires, Argentina with his Social Movements and Human Rights course, researching social movements and human rights, before working at Verizon's Public Policy and Government Affairs office in Washington, D.C. Outside of school, he enjoys playing sports, listening to and making music, being in nature, cooking, and reading. This summer, he plans to serve as a Youth Conservation Corp Crew Leader through the Virginia Forestry Department before he embarks for La Rioja, Spain in September.
This week, join us from 1-3pm at the Amphitheater as BLACK Friday teams up with the Office of Admissions for Spring Fling. Come enjoy food, fellowship, and fun! It's set to be the best Black Friday this year, so make sure you don't miss out. See you there!
Quote of the Week
“Black Power simply means: Look at me, I’m here. I have dignity. I have pride. I have roots. I insist, I demand that I participate in those decisions that affect my life and the lives of my children. It means that I am somebody.” — Whitney M. Young Jr., executive director of the National Urban League, as cited in the PBS documentary “The Power Broker: Whitney Young’s Fight for Civil Rights”
OAAA Alumni Engagement: Aya Eltahir
Hometown: Alexandria, Virginia
Year of Graduation: 2019
Major: African and African American Studies/Master’s of Social Work from NYU Silver
Current Occupation: Outpatient and Group Therapist
Advice for current UVA Community: Be open to new experiences and different people, and you will definitely have lifelong friends with memories you'll be able to carry throughout your lives.
Favorite OAAA memory: Most of my favorite memories of the painfully white backsplash that is UVa has been at OAAA, particularly being a student worker and getting to bother Ms. Carter every day, as well as finding out I was her long-lost child (ask her to tell you how they stole her eggs and made me). But I also remember making meaningful relationships and being able to be connected to other Black peers day in and day out. OAAA was the safest place to be on grounds. So, what I will say to everyone is, find your people!
Year of Graduation: 2019
Major: African and African American Studies/Master’s of Social Work from NYU Silver
Current Occupation: Outpatient and Group Therapist
Advice for current UVA Community: Be open to new experiences and different people, and you will definitely have lifelong friends with memories you'll be able to carry throughout your lives.
Favorite OAAA memory: Most of my favorite memories of the painfully white backsplash that is UVa has been at OAAA, particularly being a student worker and getting to bother Ms. Carter every day, as well as finding out I was her long-lost child (ask her to tell you how they stole her eggs and made me). But I also remember making meaningful relationships and being able to be connected to other Black peers day in and day out. OAAA was the safest place to be on grounds. So, what I will say to everyone is, find your people!
2024 Spring exhibit “Virginia is for Artists”
2024 Spring exhibit “Virginia is for Artists” featuring the work of UVA graduate Uzo Njoku (Coll 2019). The exhibit is available for viewing in the Connaughton Gallery on the 3rd floor of Rouss Robertson Hall Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. until June 14, 2024.
Upcoming UVA Events, Learning & Services
Careers in Community Organizing for Social Justice
LIVE online info session – Tuesday, April 16 – 7:00 pm ET – RSVP at www.thedartcenter.org/info
DART will hold a Live discussion on careers in community organizing. All UVA students and alumni are welcome, particularly those graduating before May 2024. DART trains professional organizers and community organizations how to work for social, economic, and racial justice, including: holding police departments accountable, stopping gun violence, fighting for environmental justice, shutting down the school-to-prison pipeline, reining in predatory lenders, expanding access to healthcare, and fighting for immigrants' rights.
Deloitte Consulting LLP’s – UVA Black Alumni Weekend Events
Thursday, April 18 – Apply Here - Location will be provided in confirmation invites
Please join us for a list of exciting in-person events we plan to host where you can learn directly from UVA Black Alumni about their unique journeys from UVA to Deloitte, their Deloitte experience thus far, as well as best tips and practices to keep in mind for the recruiting process for both full-time and internship opportunities at Deloitte. Please reference the information below and fill out the interest survey NLT to express interest by Thursday, April 11, 2024. Please reach out for any questions in the meantime.
2024 Undergraduate Research Symposium
Thursday, April 18 – 9:00 am-5:00 pm – Newcomb Hall
(Deadline to sign up: March 12th) Undergraduate students from all disciplines at UVA are invited to present their research and creative inquiry at this annual event. https://undergraduateresearch.virginia.edu/undergraduate-research-symposium
Fellowships & Undergraduate Research Series
Every Monday at 4:00 pm – Rotunda Multipurpose Room
The full schedule is attached and also available here. Getting Started in Undergraduate Research sessions and Exploring Opportunities at UVA & Beyond workshops occur about once a month. Many sessions this spring are dedicated to those fellowships that have a deadline in the fall. It is important that students start considering those opportunities early so that they can take advantage of our spring and summer advising to be well prepared.
Black Graduate Students Support Group
Every Friday – 3:00 pm-4:30 pm – Student Health & Wellness
This is a weekly support space centered on the Black, African American, and African graduate and professional student experience. This support space provides a safe and affirming opportunity to make connections, give and receive support, and engage in open dialogue about lived experiences as a graduate or professional student at a PWI. To join email Group leader: Lavender Williams, LPC
Male Undergrads: Compensated Research Project
Were your elementary or middle school experiences dehumanizing, pleasant, supportive, dismissive, caring, humanizing, or degrading? Please consider joining a team of researchers who are centering how Black Male undergraduates describe their elementary and middle school student-teacher relationships to help train pre-service teachers. If you are selected to participate you will receive a $25 Target gift card for your time and completion of the interviews. For more information. Contact Name: Aaron Blatt
Nature Walk: Embodied Practice for Eco-Anxiety
Mindfulness facilitator Geoff Cox will lead a practice designed to navigate climate anxiety providing a rich, sensory, and contemplative experience that fosters connection with nature and self. This outdoor event is hosted by the Contemplative Sciences Center (CSC) and will take place at the Dell located across from Newcomb Hall. It is being held in connection with the "From Fear to Action: Thriving in a Changing Climate" talk by Britt Wray and a resources fair held on the same day and sponsored by CSC and the Environmental Institute. Feel free to participate in any of these events. For More Information. Contact Name: Mai Hukuoka
A Moment in Black History
Did you know? Linda Martell became the first commercially successful black female artist in the country music field and the first to play the Grand Ole Opry. As one of the first African-American country performers, Martell helped influence the careers of future Nashville artists of color. Martell was discovered singing country music on an air force base. This led to an introduction to producer Shelby Singleton, who signed her to his Nashville label in 1969. The same year, the label released her country cover of "Color Him Father". The song became a top 10 single on the Billboard charts and her debut album followed in 1970. retired from the country music industry in 1974.
Opportunities with Deadlines
SCHEV Student Advisory Committee Member Application 2024-2025
Application Deadline: Tuesday, April 30 – Apply Here
Join the SCHEV Student Advisory Committee and be the voice of Virginia's college students! This committee consists of two full-time students from all four-year public colleges and universities in Virginia, four students representing the Virginia Community College System, and two students from private institutions. As a committee member, you'll meet at least twice annually to advise the State Council of Higher Education on important issues affecting students statewide. Time Commitment: The committee meets at least twice a year, and members serve for one-year terms, with the possibility of reappointment for subsequent terms. Meetings typically last for a day or two, with additional time required for preparation and follow-up. This is a great opportunity to make a meaningful impact on higher education in Virginia while developing leadership skills and networking with fellow students and education leaders. Applications occur annually in April for the following academic year. Eligibility: Current Full-Time Undergraduate Student, Two-year term, Rising Third-Year, Transportation, and a valid driver’s license
UVA Education Abroad: UVA in Valencia – Fall 2024
Application Deadline: Wednesday, May 1
Apply to this cost-effective program and complete a year of intermediate Spanish in one semester take English-taught courses in Politics, History, Psychology, and Chemistry walk part of the Camino de Santiago celebrate a Thanksgiving dinner with new friends! Fulfill your World Language requirement as well as Historical Studies, Societies of the World, Social & Economic Systems, and Physical Universe or Living Systems requirements.
Various Locations
This website lists opportunities from the larger Co-op/Internship and Summer Research Opportunities in the Life Sciences website that meet any of the following criteria - 1. biomedical research, 2. located in a medical or clinical setting, 3. located in a medical school or health science center, 4. has "biomedical" as a descriptor, 5. may be of particular interest to pre-med students.
From Fear to Action: Thriving in a Changing Climate Resources Fair
Hosted by UVA’s Environmental Institute and Contemplative Sciences Center, Britt Wray, an expert on the psychological impacts of the climate crisis especially among young people, shares research and experiences from her journey from fear to hope and finally to action. Wray will offer ways to thrive, feel less alone and restore ourselves for the long haul. A student resources fair and nature walk will follow the talk. For More Information Contact Name: Mai Hukuoka
UVA School of Medicine club GAS (Guides to Application Success)
Our goal is to provide individualized medical school application mentorship between UVA SOM students and UVA undergraduates throughout the medical school application process. The mentoring relationship will likely focus on application preparation, including extracurriculars, the primary application, school lists, secondaries, letters of recommendation, CASPer/SJT, and interview preparation/mock interviews. In March, we will match each applicant with a mentor. The process of selection of undergraduates will likely be on a first-come first-served basis for those who are applying in the upcoming 2024-2025 cycle. Please share this interest form with interested and eligible undergraduates to fill out. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to [email protected]. We look forward to hearing from you!
Employment Opportunity
Associate Community Organizer
Positions begin May and August 2024 in:
Florida: St. Petersburg, Tallahassee, Tampa, West Palm Beach; Virginia: Richmond. Starting salary $49,000+ /year & benefits. To apply or learn more about DART, visit www.thedartcenter.org or find us on Instagram and Facebook @theDARTcenter. Still have questions? Contact [email protected] or 720-668-4567.
Leadership Positions
Positions begin Spring 2024 in: Florida: Pensacola, Lakeland. Starting salary $63,000-$70,000/year DOE + benefits. DART organizations are diverse coalitions that include communities of color, low-to-moderate-income communities, and immigrant communities. We strongly encourage people from these backgrounds, as well as fluent speakers of Spanish and Haitian Creole, to apply. To apply or learn more about DART, visit www.thedartcenter.org or find us on Instagram and Facebook @theDARTcenter. Still have questions? Contact [email protected] or 720-668-4567.