This year we celebrated our 25th anniversary, and it was another record-breaking year, thanks to your support. Highlights include:
- We supported nearly 150 students with over $250K awarded
- We engaged nearly 250 alumni and 100 students at in-person events
- UVA’s queer population continues to grow, with over 11% of undergrad, 11% of first year Darden, and 19% of first year Law School students openly identifying as LGBTQ+
Biology student: “QVA has truly changed my education! I can now study without worrying about finances and how many more hours I can get at work. Thank you SO much for everything you do for queer young adults at UVA.”
Architecture student: “Thank you for inviting student leaders like me to attend QVA’s Fall Weekend. Since coming to UVA, I’ve only met a handful of queer adults, and each time the experience is deeply impactful for me. Knowing that even after I leave Grounds there’s a community I can turn to for continued queer companionship makes life after graduation feel less daunting.”
Data Science student: “I received an invitation to a data science conference in Michigan. I was eager to attend, yet travel remained beyond my reach. Thanks to QVA, I was able to attend this conference. I immersed myself, met inspiring researchers, and explored my potential paths. One conference attendee introduced me to faculty members in who could guide my career. Additionally, engaging with UVA faculty on a deeper level was invaluable, and our discussions have continued beyond the conference. This experience profoundly shaped my professional journey. Thank you, QVA – this expanded my aspirations and connected me with mentors who genuinely want to see me succeed.”
2025 Plans
We will continue hosting events in cities across the country with all dates to be announced in early 2025:
- San Francisco happy hour in early April
- Los Angeles happy hour on Thursday, April 10
- Reunions 2025 Receptions in Charlottesville the weekend of May 30-June 1
- DC World Pride happy hour on Wednesday, June 4
- NYC event in the fall
- Fall Weekend in Charlottesville
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Donation Request
With all the progress we’ve made, we are struggling to meet growing demand and risk falling behind without your help. Please consider making a $100 contribution to the QVA Operating Endowment using the button above.
If you would like to discuss how a larger donation could support specific scholarships, please email me at lance@queervirginia.org. Starting at $50,000 (which can include multi-year gifts, bequests in wills, charitable remainder trusts, and more) we are able to set up a permanent named award which will help students forever into the future. We are actively fundraising in particular for:
- Scholarships for LGBTQ+ high schoolers accepted to UVA so they can afford to attend
- Helping balance gender inequality in scholarship awards
- Providing professional development opportunities to connect students with LGBTQ+ mentorship
Thank you for your support in building a better UVA community. Together we have achieved so much, and I am excited for us to continue building from here.
Sincerely yours,
Lance C. Guthrie
Board Chair