University of Virginia

Overview

The University of Virginia, established in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson, the principal author of the Declaration of Independence, stands as a prestigious public institution. Jefferson, alongside former U.S. Presidents Madison and Monroe, served on its original board. Located in Charlottesville, Virginia, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the university enjoys a setting near the Blue Ridge Mountains, in a city recognized as the "happiest in America" by the U.S. National Bureau of Economic Research in 2014.

The university is notable for its student-run honour system, created in 1842 in response to a campus tragedy, which mandates that students must not lie, cheat, or steal, with violations leading to a student-run trial and potential expulsion. The university also has a rich tradition of secret societies, with organizations such as 'Seven', 'IMP', and 'Z', believed to be formed by some of the 20,000+ students.

The Jefferson Literary and Debating Society, established in 1825, is the oldest continuous debating society in the U.S., meeting weekly in Jefferson Hall. True to Jefferson's vision for the university, the library was placed at its core instead of a chapel, symbolizing a commitment to knowledge. The university’s library system remains central, housing over five million print volumes, 16 million manuscripts, and a vast digital archive that includes rare materials like the Jefferson Papers and Civil Rights Era videos.