Bicentennial Video Celebrates College's Historic Roots, Future Ambitions

The University of Virginia’s first students arrived on Grounds in 1825, fulfilling Thomas Jefferson’s plans to create a public university establishing the highest standards for higher education. Two hundred years later, the College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences remains the historical and academic heart of the University, serving as the embodiment of Jefferson’s vision for a wide-ranging curriculum rooted in the liberal arts and sciences and a commitment to educating the world’s future citizens and leaders. 

The College is celebrating the Bicentennial anniversary of UVA's first day of classes with this new short film, highlighting Arts & Sciences’ 200-year journey and offering a glimpse of the possibilities ahead. 

The celebration of the bicentennial anniversary of the first classes taught at UVA, on March 7, 1825, is reflected in the College's Bicentennial theme: “Reflect. Discover. Lead.”   

More than 60 percent of all UVA undergraduate students earn their degrees from the College. While honoring its rich history as the intellectual core of UVA’s academic mission, the College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences is using the opportunity of this Bicentennial anniversary to reflect not only on two centuries of academic excellence but also on the ongoing efforts to continue driving the innovations and opportunities highlighting the importance of a liberal arts and sciences education.  

The College’s rich history as a global leader in public education fuels its inspiring future, a future dedicated to expanding access, elevating excellence and ensuring that every student experiences the full power of a UVA liberal arts education. 

Visit the College’s Bicentennial page to learn more.