Our Misson

To collect, contextualize, and disseminate stories from the University of Virginia community, showcasing diverse perspectives and amplifying previously unheard voices.

Our Vision

Reflections seeks to chronicle a more personal and inclusive history of the University of Virginia by collecting and sharing the stories of University students, staff, faculty, alumni, and Charlottesville community members who have contributed to its rich and complex institutional narrative. With the ongoing participation of members from across the University and Charlottesville communities, we hope to encourage intergenerational transfer of knowledge and a more comprehensive, diversified collection of stories that enrich and carry our University’s history forward.

Inspired by Monticello’s “Getting Word” oral history project and UVA President Teresa Sullivan’s remarks about an “intergenerational transfer” of knowledge at the National Symposium for Slavery, Public Memory and the Built Landscape, our project began in Fall 2017. Known as the Bicentennial Oral History Initiative, we initially collected stories from the Alumni Association and Darden reunions in 2018 and 2019, and received generous support from the UVA IDEA Fund, Bicentennial campaign, and Office of Student Affairs for those efforts. In Summer 2019, we rebranded to Reflections Oral Histories in order to better align ourselves with the goal to provide a platform for marginalized narratives.

Our Student team

ava macblane |
Co-Director

Ava is a third-year student in the College of Arts and Sciences majoring in Spanish and Creative Writing. She serves as Co-Director of Reflections: Oral Histories at UVA, a student-led initiative that aims to collect, contextualize, and house diverse stories within the UVA and Charlottesville community. With the Reflections team, she processes interviews and oral histories with alumni and members of the Charlottesville community, produces a podcast — which most recently highlighted Black student experiences at UVA — and collaborates with other students and partners interested in curating oral history projects of their own. Outside of her work with Reflections, Ava is a member of the University Guide Service and the Editor of The Cavalier Daily.

Keya pokhriyal |
co-director

Keya is a second-year in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Our advisors

jULIA rUPP |
Founding director

Julia (Political and Social Thought ‘20) joined the project in Spring 2018 when it was known as the ‘Bicentennial Oral History Project.’ She ushered in its next phase by rebranding to Reflections in 2019, expanding the student team and project scope. As Director, she also managed University partnerships and donor relations and strategy and operations. In her advisory role, she continues to provide design and communications support. Outside of this work, she is a Project Manager for Resilience Education at the Darden School of Business.

Kayla Dunn | former Research fellow and current manager of the Latinx Oral History Initiative

Kayla (Global Public Health ‘20) joined the team in the fall of 2019 as a pilot student research fellow. Her work focuses specifically on the history of Hispanic/Latinx students and faculty at UVA, and she still manages this initiative and serves as a liaison to other projects. Outside of advising Reflections, Kayla is pursuing a graduate nursing degree from Columbia University.