Our UVA Black alumni community is 17,000+ graduates with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and journeys. We are a vibrant community of Hoos dedicated to each other and to future generations of Black students. Today, we write to share information about a new alumni-led, Alumni Association-supported organization intended to support our ongoing connections with one another and our University.
Over the past year, a working group of Black alumni across generations engaged in dialogue with peers and members of the University community to envision new opportunities to collaboratively support engagement within the Black alumni community. We are thrilled to now launch Ubunye, a self-governed alumni group established to serve as a comprehensive resource to the UVA Black alumni community. The need for a central body to network and share information and best practices for academic and career success, while complementing the longstanding work of existing programs that serve the UVA Black community, cannot be overstated. Ubunye means “unity” in Zulu, and we hope it will build on the work so many of you have undertaken over the years to serve and unite us, on Grounds and beyond.
It is important to note that Ubunye will work only when we work! That is, we encourage Black alumni to get involved with Ubunye. We hope you will get involved with an Ubunye committee; share activities, happenings, and opportunities for engagement; provide feedback; or ask questions. Examples include the posting of an organization’s event(s), sharing of important information (e.g., the passing away of an alum or an announcement of books written, and articles published) and research on the history of Blacks at UVA. We want to ensure that Ubunye is the response for alumni who frustratingly state, “I didn’t know about it.” As one Ubunye leader happily declared, “Ubunye will serve to be our one-stop-shop for all things Black.”
We are excited about the formation and support of Ubunye. And we hope you are too! If you have any questions, contact us at ubunye@virginia.edu.
Gubha and Wahoowa!
-The Ubunye Executive Committee
- Dr. Joel Bruce ’87
- Marva Jo Camp, Esq. ’83
- Milla Ciprian ’22
- Rick Copeland ’82
- Tony Covington ’90
- Dr. Dawn Crim ’89
- Richelle Cross ’85
- Tasha Curry-Corcoran ’98
- Dr. Donna Hamilton ’86
- Dr. Paul Harris ’01
- Freda Hobbs ’94
- Toni Jackson, Esq. ’84
- Becca Jarrett ’22
- Ted Jeffries ’93
- Donna Johnson, Esq. ’84
- Charlene Miott-Jones ’84
- Dr. Jonathan Morgan ’91
- Rodney Rhodes ’23
- Dr. Robert Smith III ’83
- Dr. Deborah Stroman ’82
- Chéla Wallace ’06
- Quentin Washington ’04
- Barry Word ’86