The Peer Advisor Program In the Office of African American Affairs at the University of Virginia Under the Directorship of Associate Dean Sylvia V. Terry 1989-2009
Author: Sarah L. Williams Administrative Assistant in the Office of the Vice President and Chief Officer for Diversity and Equity.

Background on Sylvia V. Terry From the beginning, education was a pillar in Sylvia V. Terry’s life. She grew up in the small town of Courtland, VA where both of her parents were teachers, her father later going on to become the principal of Riverview High School and then a State Supervisor for Agriculture Education in the Commonwealth of Virginia where he supervised teachers on curriculum and best teaching practices. Her parents were very active in the community, inspiring their students and providing information on how and why to pursue a higher education. In a recent interview, Sylvia Terry commented on her parents’ dedication to their students, saying, “When I was a little girl, I remember sitting in the back of our car and my parents driving to the homes of some of their students to talk...about the value of college education.”  continue reading