The School of Architecture is a diverse, respectful, and open community. Our students, staff and faculty are excellent at what they do, and our diversity contributes to this excellence. As people who care deeply about the built environment, we recognize that diversity is an essential component of our efforts to understand culture, space, embodied experience, and human values. We see diversity in all its forms as a source of resilience, flexibility, and creativity, and are committed to actively learning from our differences. We come from many ethnic, religious and socio–economic backgrounds; we are heterosexual, gay and transgender; we include women and men of all ages and abilities.

We are proud of our history of finding strength and insight through our diversity, and actively seek new ways to bring diverse points of view and life experiences to our academic community. The School of Architecture embraces collaboration as a means to gain knowledge through the interaction of people from various backgrounds, cultures, disciplines, and belief systems. It is through these interactions that a common language is created, synergy is formed, and by which we see the efforts of individual research and thought within a larger context.

School of Architecture Student Societies

A+A Supply Shop

The student-run supply shop. 
2014-15 Manager: Marcus Brooks (mlb7ap@virginia.edu) 

American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS)

A national, student-run organization that diversifies architectural education. The UVA chapter provides professional, service, social, leadership, and travel opportunities.
2014–15 AIAS President: Margaret Nersten (mnm4ha@virginia.edu)

School of Architecture Student Council

The School of Architecture Student Council aims to provide an organization for the students of the School of Architecture, as an outlet for the advancement of learning and social activities to improve student life. Representatives from each year collaborate to host a range of events, including Blood Drives, Pumpkin Charrette, Beaux Arts Ball, Art Auction and Fourth Year Pinup.

2014-2015 Leaders:
Courtney Keehan, President (cjk7wv@virginia.edu)
Brett Rappaport, Treasurer (bhr6dz@virginia.edu)
Rachel Himes, Secretary (rnh3bc@virginia.edu)

EcoReps

2014-2015 Leaders:
Sangyoon Park, President (sp7cn@virginia.edu)
Anna Friedrich, Vice President (asf5yb@virginia.edu)
Artem Demchenko, Treasurer (ad7eb@virginia.edu)

Graduate Architecture and Landscape Architecture (GALA)

2014–2015 GALA President: Julia Kwolyk (jjk9bk@virginia.edu) 

lunch

lunch is a student-run publication of faculty, student, and alumni work at the University of Virginia School of Architecture.

[The term 'lunch' is an informal derivation of the word luncheon. The colloquialism of the term coupled with some 'talk of you and me' speaks to the core intention of this collection. lunch is inspired by chance; by chance discussions that grow from a meal in a shared setting and by chance discussions that alter or challenge views of the space and place we inhabit. lunch provides for the meeting of diverse voices in common place tended by a casual atmosphere. To lunch suggests an escape from the day's work; perhaps even a break. The works collected in previous editions of lunch mix a range of studies, conversations, drawings, statements, and stories that together aspire to reflect the student and educational experience at the University of Virginia School of Architecture.]

Sarah Brummett (seb7az@virginia.edu)
Margaret Nersten (mnm4ha@virginia.edu)
Amanda Coen (asc9wj@virginia.edu) 
Katie Gleysteen (kag7bf@virginia.edu)
Amanda Goodman (ang2by@virginia.edu)
Margaret Rew (mar5ca@virginia.edu)
Chad Miller (cmm4mw@virginia.edu)

National Organization of Minority Architecture Students (NOMAS)

The University of Virginia Chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architecture Students (NOMAS) is a student chapter of a professional society (NOMA– National Organization of Minority Architects) that was founded in 1971 when 12 African–American architects met at an AIA Convention in Detroit, Michigan. These architects recognized the need for an organization dedicated to “advancement of minority architects.” The purpose of NOMAS is to foster communication and fellowship among minority architecture students, to act as a clearinghouse for information on and for minority architecture students, to maintain liaisons with professionals and technicians whose work affects the physical environment, to act as a common public voice for all minority architecture students as they speak out on matters affecting their work, and the communities in which they do their work, and to promote the design and development of a living, working and recreational environment of the highest quality for all people. NOMAS is a forum for students to explore the relationship between heritage, race, religion, gender, and design. As a group NOMAS participates in community outreach, faculty and student recruitment, and sponsors lectures and design work which reflects the organization members’ goals as individuals and as a community. The University of Virginia Chapter of NOMAS grew out of BASA (Black Architects Student Association), and is inclusive organization. Membership in NOMAS is open to all qualified individuals regardless of race, creed, or nationality, and includes students representing all departments in the Architecture School, including designers, planners, landscape architects, and historians.

2014–15 NOMAS President: Jaline McPherson (jm4ee@virginia.edu) 

Society of Architectural Historians (SAH)

The Thomas Jefferson Chapter of the Society of Architectural Historians mission is to promote scholarship in architectural history and its related fields, as well as to support the activities of the Department of Architectural History here at the University of Virginia. To this end we sponsor lectures by distinguished scholars, organize events, workshops, career forums and tours for our members. The Thomas Jefferson Chapter aims to support dialogue between faculty, students, and the community of the University of Virginia. Our Chapter Board is comprised of undergraduates, graduate students and faculty from the Department of Architectural History. We encourage anyone with an interest in architectural history, historic preservation, urbanism, and issues of architecture and landscape design to participate in our activities.

2014-2015 Leaders:
Margaret Stella, President (ms3yg@virginia.edu) 
Leigh Hilton, Treasurer (lh3an@virginia.edu)

Student Association of Graduate Architects (SAGA)

The purpose of SAGA is to be twofold: (1) to represent the graduate students of the School of Architecture in relations with the faculty and administration of the school; and (2) to promote and encourage activities and the dissemination of information of academic or professional interest to the field of architecture. All graduate students registered for a Master of Architecture degree as offered by the School of Architecture at the University of Virginia shall be considered active, voting members of SAGA. 
2014–2015 SAGA Chair: Sarah Brummett (seb7az@virginia.edu)

Student Association of Landscape Architects (SALA)

The Student Association of Landscape Architects brings lecturers and organizes career and social events for Landscape Architecture students throughout the year. In addition to bringing outside resources into the school, SALA sponsors open studios, internship and portfolio discussions and other activities to promote interaction and learning between studios. Finally, SALA collaborates with other student organizations to identify overlapping interests and organize events to bring student groups together. 

2014-2015 Leaders
Alex Dimitri (acd3y@virginia.edu) 
Amanda Coen (asc9wj@virginia.edu) 
Amanda Goodman (ang2by@virginia.edu)
Scott Shinton (shs8ad@virginia.edu)
Matt Scarnaty (mjs5df@virginia.edu)

Student Planners’ Association (SPA)

Offering students an opportunity to interact and explore interests in Urban and Environmental Planning. 
2014–2015 SPA President: Mary Butcher (meb7z@virginia.edu)

U.Va. Organizations

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 Architecture School elects two student representatives to serve on this committee. 
2014–2105 Honor Representatives:
Tyler Pitt (tap2yb@virginia.edu)
Brett Rappaport (bhr6dz@virginia.edu) 

Student Council at the University of Virginia

The student governing body of the University of Virginia. Elections are run by the Student Council and occur in the beginning of November. The Architecture School has one student representative elected by all architecture students
2014-2015 Representative: Lydia Hatfield (lch5qb@virginia.edu)

Judiciary Committee

The Committee aims to educate and promote the Standards of Conduct put forth by the Board of Visitors. The Architecture School elects two student representatives to serve on this committee.
2014-15 Representative: Arden Nguyen (lkn7dw@virginia.edu)

Student Fundraising

All fundraising for A–School student organizations should be coordinated through the U.Va. School of Architecture Foundation. Staff will assist students with developing strategies for support and coordinating student efforts with those of the School.