STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
Through active participation in student organizations at the A-School and across Grounds, our students lead positive change toward creating more just, sustainable, and healthy futures.
Student organizations are a vital part of the School of Architecture community, and our student leaders help foster the school’s commitment to shared governance. The Council of Presidents, a group of student leaders, oversees these organizations and:
- Foster collaboration and communication among the student organizations within the School of Architecture (A-School).
- Facilitate a unified student voice on matters affecting the student body and the School of Architecture.
- Ensure the smooth operation and support of student organizations within the School of Architecture.
Contact Associate Dean of Student Affairs Cindy Kiefer with questions about A-School student organizations.
SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE STUDENT COUNCIL (A-SCHOOL STUDCO)
The School of Architecture Student Council's (A-School StudCo) goal is to be the bridge between students, staff, faculty, and administration, and they are committed to voicing the concerns and issues of students to create a better Architecture School for all.
Contact: aschoolstudco@gmail.com
The following Contracted Independent Organizations (CIOs)* are student organizations who are members of the School of Architecture’s Council of Presidents.
*Non-Affiliation Statement: Although these organizations have members who are UVA students and may have University employees associated or engaged in their activities and affairs, the organizations are not a part of or an agency of the University. They are separate and independent organizations that are responsible for and manage their own activities and affairs. The University does not direct, supervise, or control the organizations and is not responsible for the organizations’ contracts, acts, or omissions.
ALPHA RHO CHI (APX)
Alpha Rho Chi is a student-led organization that aims to create relationships among students of all years and disciplines, relating to the School of Architecture, through philanthropic, educational, and social events within the school and local community. Members are provided opportunities to further their leadership involvement, career development, and connections with other students through consistent programming that is centered around the three main pillars of philanthropy, professional development, and relationship-building.
Contact: kallikratesatuva@gmail.com
AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTURE STUDENTS - UVA CHAPTER (AIAS)
AIAS is a national student-run organization that diversifies architectural education. The UVA chapter provides professional, service, social, leadership, and travel opportunities. The group's mission is to provide a more sustainable, healthy, and equitable future through the empowerment of student voices, ideas, and actions.
Contact: uva@aias.org
CE+ (PHD STUDENT ORGANIZATION)
CE+ represents all students and candidates in the Doctoral Program in the Constructed Environment at the University of Virginia School of Architecture. The group's mission is to represent the program’s students and candidates, advocating for their well-being and needs and serving as the group’s official voice within the University. CE+ encourages civil dialogue and stimulates interdisciplinary research and collaboration across all cohorts.
Contact: uva.cephd@gmail.com
MANIFESTA: EQUITY IN THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT AT UVA SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE
manifestA is a collectively-led organization, facilitated by students, that aims to foster meaningful conversations and educational programming in order to strengthen the A-School community's ability to address issues of justice and equity in academic, professional, and community work.
Contact: manifestauva@gmail.com
NATIONAL ORGANIZATION OF MINORITY ARCHITECTURE STUDENTS - UVA CHAPTER (NOMAS)
NOMAS seeks to foster communication, cooperation, solidarity, and fellowship among minority students of architecture. Historically, "minority" status has included but has not been limited to persons of underrepresented racial or ethnic groups as well as women and LGBTQ+ students. Whereas the activities are geared towards these minority groups, NOMAS at UVA is non-discriminatory and openly welcomes and encourages students of any background to join.
Contact: nomas-uva@virginia.edu
SOCIETY OF ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIANS (UVASAH)
UVASAH, the oldest student-run chapter of the Society of Architectural Historians, connects students and faculty in UVA's Department of Architectural History through lectures, site visits, community engagement, and social events. The organization fosters leadership and dialogue around historic architecture, the built environment, and cultural landscapes.
Contact: UVASAH1826@gmail.com
STUDENT ASSOCIATION OF GRADUATE ARCHITECTS (SAGA)
The Student Association of Graduate Architects (SAGA) at the University of Virginia is dedicated to representing and supporting graduate architecture students within the School of Architecture. The group's mission is to foster a vibrant, inclusive community, empowering members through professional development, collaboration and advocacy, while promoting architectural excellence, social responsibility, and the exchange of critical information.
Contact: saga@virginia.edu
STUDENT ASSOCIATION OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN (SALAD)
The Student Association of Landscape Architects highlights roles that landscape architects have in stewarding and designing for ecological systems across multiple scales. SALAD seeks to strengthen connections between design disciplines and to our community at large. To achieve these aims, SALAD brings lecturers, organizes career and social events, and coordinates volunteer opportunities for Landscape Architecture students throughout the year. In addition to bringing outside resources into the school, SALAD sponsors open studios with local partners, internship and portfolio discussions, and other activities to promote interaction and learning.
To contact use SALAD's Hoos Involved Contact Form.
STUDENT PLANNERS ASSOCIATION (SPA)
The Student Planners Association (SPA) promotes the general understanding of urban planning practice at UVA and the School of Architecture and supports the professional and academic development of its members. SPA is a Planning Student Organization (PSO) as defined by the American Planning Association (APA).
Contact: spaleaders@virginia.edu
UVA HONOR COMMITTEE
The Committee is comprised of students from each school within the University and is responsible for conducting honor trials, investigations, and educational sessions. The School of Architecture Student Council selects two student representatives to serve.
School of Architecture Representative: Liz Handte, BUEP '26
School of Architecture Representative: Sajani Silla, BS Arch '27
UVA JUDICIARY COMMITTEE
The University Judiciary Committee is the student-run judiciary body of the University of Virginia and is authorized to investigate and adjudicate alleged violations of the University's Standards of Conduct. The School of Architecture Student Council selects two student representatives to serve.
School of Architecture Representative: Ambreen Gandhi, BS Arch ‘28
School of Architecture Representative: Rachel Borowsky, BS Arch ‘27
UVA STUDENT COUNCIL
The student governing body of the University of Virginia. Elections are run by the Student Council and occur at the beginning of November. The School of Architecture Student Council selects one student representative to serve.
School of Architecture Representative: Philippe Hempel, BS Arch ‘27
LUNCH
lunch is the design research journal of the UVA School of Architecture. Each issue is developed by an editorial team of A-School students.
Contact: info@lunch-journal.com
UVA SAWMILLING
UVA Sawmilling seeks to redirect the current material pathway for downed trees on University of Virginia Grounds. There are many beautiful and memorialized trees, as well as unique species, that come down every year and will live on if turned into lumber. Rather than dumping these logs at nearby log yards, leaving them for contract arborists to deal with, or chipping them, UVA Sawmilling proposes that potentially valuable logs be milled and made available to interested parties at the University.
Contact: uvasawmilling@gmail.com