UVa Class of 2011

The Class of 2011 Trustees proudly welcome Brady Lum, president and COO of Special Olympics International. Mr. Lum graduated, with honors, from U.Va. in 1989 with a bachelor’s degree in government and foreign affairs. He was a senior manager at The Coca-Cola Company for fifteen years before joining Special Olympics in 2008. In addition to his outstanding professional career, Mr. Lum has been significantly involved with a variety of community organizations. He served as Chairman of the Board of the national Hands on Network and chaired the Strategic Planning Committee of the combined Hands on Network and Points of Light Foundation. Mr. Lum continues to have strong ties to U.Va., as he serves on the Jefferson Scholars National Selection Committee and the Mead Endowment Advisory Board. 
 
In addition to the keynote address by Mr. Lum, the ceremony will include the presentation of class awards and the class gift. President Teresa A. Sullivan and her husband, Douglas Laycock, will host a reception at their home, Carr’s Hill, immediately following Valedictory Exercises for members of the Class of 2011 and their guests.
 
TICKETS:  All members of the Class of 2011 and their guests are invited to attend these two events. No tickets are required for the ceremony or the reception at Carr’s Hill. Please contact Claire Montaigne (graduation2011@virginia.edu) with questions.
Class of 2011 Awards
Each year the Class Trustees presents three awards at Valedictory Exercises during Graduation Weekend.  It is an opportunity to recognize classmates for the difference they have made during their time at U.Va. The awards this year are the Award for Community Service, the Award for Cultural Fluency, and the Award for Courage and Character. We hope you will consider taking the time to nominate your fellow classmates for these esteemed awards. Award descriptions and the online nomination form can be found HERE.
 
Class of 2011 Graduation Party
Saturday, May 21, 2011 – 9 p.m. to midnight, Alumni Hall (211 Emmet Street S.)

The Class of 2011 Graduation Party is a special celebration for the members of the graduating class and their guests. Inside the ballroom, there will be music and the class slideshow, as well as light snacks, soft drinks, and a cash bar. In addition to the activities in the ballroom, guests can take a break in the Virginia Room and outside on the patio, or see the gallery of photos from the past four years commemorating the Class of 2011’s time as students. Limited complimentary parking will be available at Alumni Hall. Complimentary parking is also available at the Emmet/Ivy parking garage. Two forms of identification will be required for the purchase of alcohol.
 
Tickets: Each member of the Class of 2011 will receive three tickets free of charge for this event. Class Party tickets will be distributed at the University Bookstore May 19-21 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tickets must be picked up in-person by the graduate with a valid photo ID. Please contact Claire Montaigne (graduation2011@virginia.edu) with questions.    
 
Final Exercises with keynote speaker Governor Robert F. McDonnell
Sunday, May 22, 2011 – 10 a.m., The Lawn

Governor Bob McDonnell, Virginia’s 71st governor, will give the commencement address.  He graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a degree in business and received degrees in public policy and law from Regent University.  Gov. McDonnell was a commonwealth attorney in Virginia Beach and was then elected as a delegate to the Virginia General Assembly in 1991.  He became Virginia’s attorney general in 2005, and was elected as governor in 2009.
 
DIPLOMA CEREMONIES vary by school and major. They will be held at individual locations after the Lawn ceremony; these locations and times are listed on the Diploma Ceremony Locations chart. The chart will also be in the Final Exercises program on May 22 and will be available at the information booths during Finals Weekend.
TICKETS:  Each graduating student will receive three guest-seating tickets for Final Exercises. These will be distributed at the University Bookstore May 19-21, from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and before the ceremony on May 22 from 7:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. Tickets must be picked up in-person by the graduate with a valid photo ID. Guests without tickets are welcome, but seating will not be provided. They may stand on the upper terrace- of the Lawn near the Rotunda.

 
Other Graduation-Related Information:
CLASS GIVING CAMPAIGN 2011 "Give your gift now, leave your legacy forever."The Class Giving Campaign encourages every fourth year student to give back to the areas of the University that have meant the most to them in their time here. Students can give back to their school, academic department, Student Affairs, a CIO, AccessUVA, Athletics, or virtually anywhere else. The average gift size is $20.11, with a gift of $120 elevating a student to the "benefactor" level.  We encourage all students to consider the legacy they will leave at the University after their four years here.  We can only hope that part of this legacy will include a gift to U.Va.--the first of many to follow as they begin a personal tradition of giving back to a place that has given them so much in return.  More information about class giving is available on the Campaign web site: www.uva2011.com/giving
 
 
Graduation Merchandise – available at the University Bookstore
The University Bookstore, with which the fourth-year class has partnered, sells diploma frames that conform to U.Va.’s diplomas, as well as class rings, Jefferson cups, and U.Va captain's chairs. These items can be ordered through the Bookstore using its toll-free number, 1-800-759-HOOS (4667), or online via their Web site: www.uvabookstores.com.
 
MINIATURE DIPLOMAS – available by special order
Reproductions of graduates’ U.Va. diplomas, measuring approximately 8 inches tall by 6 inches wide and encased in Lucite, are available through the Office of the University Registrar. The miniature diplomas are specially priced for a limited time at $120. For more information, call 434-924-4122 or see http://www.virginia.edu/registrar/diploma.html.

Additional information about Finals Weekend can be found on these online resources;