Looking for a "Welcome Wednesday" email?

Email Archive

Below are archived communications that have been distributed to UVA Engineering new graduate students regarding the upcoming fall semester.

Welcome to UVA!

We are excited that you have chosen to join us pursuing answers to critical global challenges. Welcome to our community of scholars! You will quickly discover the joys of living in the Charlottesville area. We have a vibrant and dynamic community with many opportunities for engagement. For useful information about living in the Charlottesville area, feel free to explore the UVA Graduate Guide.

To help you navigate your start at UVA, we will send weekly ‘Welcome Wednesdays!’ emails over the summer with information pertaining to life at UVA, the School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS), and beyond. This will include information about the logistics of studying at the university, coursework, health and wellness resources, etc.

All further communication, including the weekly emails, will be sent to your UVA email address, so please make sure you follow the instructions provided below to set up your email.

 Instructions for Obtaining your Password, Identity Verification, Email Account, and Wireless
The University of Virginia’s Information Technology Services (ITS) Department has a website with extensive information and instructions to obtain your account information. You received an email after you accepted your admission offer, which contained your UVA computing ID and instructions to set up your email account from StudentSystem@virginia.edu with the subject line "UVA Student Information System (SIS) Access." Please follow all the steps to receive complete information about your upcoming attendance.

If you need additional assistance, call Information Technology Services (ITS) at 434-924‑3731.  We rely on E‑MAIL for all communication within the Engineering School so be sure to complete this process early. You do not need to be in Charlottesville to activate your email account.  Information concerning your University computing ID can be found online, or you can call the ITS Help Desk at 434-924-4357. NetBadge questions can be emailed to consult@virginia.edu.

A few reminders (More information on these items will be sent in subsequent emails):

New Graduate Student Course enrollment begins Tuesday, July 1st, but you should consult departmental handbooks for course requirements before enrolling.

The UVA Engineering new graduate student orientation will be held on August 21, 2025 for PhD and MS students and on September 5, 2025 for ME students. Please save the date as it will be an opportunity to learn more about SEAS and how to get started for success in your graduate program. Please look for additional communication from your department for department specific onboarding and orientation. We look forward to having you at UVA in the Fall!

We want to welcome you to UVA Engineering, which provides every student with vibrant and diverse opportunities. Our mission is to make the world a better place by creating and disseminating knowledge and preparing engineering leaders to solve global challenges. You can find more information about our mission and vision while abiding by our core values, at UVA Engineering.

We hope you enjoy the very special welcome message from Matt Panzer, Associate Dean for Graduate Education and Post-Doctoral Affairs and Professor in Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering. As he mentions in the video, there are many people and resources at UVA Engineering to help you meet your goal of earning a graduate degree. 

CONTACTS

Office of Graduate Programs
The Office of Graduate Programs leads and provides direction for all aspects of UVA Engineering's graduate education program, and includes School-wide contacts such as the Associate Dean for Graduate Education, Graduate Registrars, and more.

Program Contacts
It is important to become familiar with your program’s Graduate Coordinator(s)  They will be your primary point of contact for form approvals, inquiries regarding enrollment and funding, and many of the common questions that graduate students have. In addition to your advisor, this will often be the first person you should go to with questions.

Each academic program has designated a faculty member as the Director of Graduate Programs (also referred to as the Director of Graduate Studies). This individual is the primary liaison between graduate students and the Department and School. You should contact your Director of Graduate Programs with questions or concerns that cannot be resolved by your advisor as they are the primary point of contact for students who may need to make special requests regarding academic requirements such as changing your program or degree.

VEO Contacts
Students in the Virginia Engineering Online (VEO) program have a designated Graduate Online Programs Administrator, and each program has a faculty member appointed as Academic Advisor. You can find these VEO contacts here.

INFORMATION AND POLICIES
All UVA Engineering graduate students should bookmark the Current Graduate Students webpage for important information about the different resources and services, academic forms, and degree requirements. In addition to this school-wide information, each graduate program has its own graduate student webpage with important information including the Graduate Student Handbook that outlines policies, curriculum, program, and degree requirements.


You should also familiarize yourself with University and School of Engineering policies and regulations in the Graduate Record.

Please note, an archive of all Welcome Wednesday communications sent to date can be accessed by clicking on the link here.

Next week we will send you information about living in Charlottesville. 

We are sure you are excited and looking forward to moving to Charlottesville. This week's email will mainly focus on housing and includes useful links of things to do in the city and around grounds (that's another way of saying campus at UVA)!

There are several on and off-ground options for housing. Please start the process of looking for accommodations as soon as you can. There are several factors to consider including safety, commute time, rent costs, etc. The Housing and Residence Life website provides several options for accommodations.

Graduate students, whether single, married, and/or with families, can choose housing options that provide the convenience of on-Grounds living in an active, safe, and friendly community. Graduate Housing includes one to three-bedroom apartments, both furnished and unfurnished.

On-grounds housing is very limited and can sometimes be hard to secure; therefore, students are encouraged to also explore off-Grounds housing options. To research off-Grounds options or search for potential roommates, check the Off-Grounds Property Listings. With your UVA email address, you can create an account, search listings, seek potential roommates, and post on the message boards. You can create a guest account to search listings without a university email address.

In addition to these options, students may connect with current students, friends, or lab-mates to help find safe and affordable housing. In preparation for your move to Charlottesville, our Graduate Engineering Student Council (GESC) members have compiled a document that includes resources for different housing options.


The Office of Graduate & Postdoctoral Affairs has created a UVA and Charlottesville Guide to help you navigate Charlottesville and your first days at UVA. This includes information about daily living needs like grocery stores, parks, recreation, events in town, shopping, childcare, and schools, etc.

Please note, an archive of all Welcome Wednesday communications sent to date can be accessed by clicking on the link here.

We look forward to seeing you on campus and around town soon.

This week we will review the resources that are available to all SEAS students. These resources help students with academic success, social and emotional wellness, and professional and career readiness. Attending workshops and events organized by these offices is also a good opportunity to make connections and build relationships with your peers.

1) Office of Community, Opportunity and Engagement (OCOE)

Led by UVA Engineering's Associate Dean for Community, Opportunity and Engagement, Meara Habashi, the OCOE works to promote the School of Engineering's mission of making the world a better place. Through a variety of initiatives, the office supports faculty, staff and student recruitment benefiting the School and University, seeks external support for research, education, and community partnerships, and operates the Center for Connection in Engineering (The Connect), a student support center. 

The Connect provides undergraduate and graduate students with the academic, financial, health, and community resources they need to thrive at UVA and in the world. It includes an open study area, event space, and dedicated staff members on site. More information about UVA Engineering's Center for Connection in Engineering can be found on our website or by emailing James Bland (jab8qd@virginia.edu) or Katie Giwa-Osagie (pgu2kx@virginia.edu). 

2) Center for Engineering Career Development (CECD)

UVA Engineering has a dedicated career services department: The Center for Engineering Career Development (CECD). Its mission is to help engineering students achieve their highest aspirations and become the next generation of global engineering leaders. The CECD works with engineering graduate students to provide professional and career advising and counseling, application material review and creation, interview preparation sessions, and hosts career fairs, to name a few. Please visit our website to explore our offerings, resources, and events.

Miss a message or want to go back without digging through your email? All of our Welcome Wednesday messages are archived on the UVA Engineering website! 

Next week we will discuss information about admission and enrollment. 

Global Greeters/CAELC/ISO Information

As a new student entering a new university, we know you may face the challenges of dealing with a new culture that is often significantly different from yours. As you get used to calling Charlottesville your home, we want to highlight some events that might aid you in getting acclimatized to the new environment hosted by the UVA International Studies Offices (ISO) and International Students and Scholars Program (ISSP). 

Global Greeters 2025

Through the Global Greeters program, UVA students work with the International Studies Office to assist and welcome incoming international undergraduate and graduate students during the week of orientation in August, and to a lesser degree, throughout their first semester here on Grounds. Global Greeters come together to welcome international students arriving to UVA via Student Council's AirBus Service. During the week before classes, a group of roughly 20 Global Greeters host ISO Open House, meetup dinners, a community BBQ, an Insider's Tour, and serve on informational panels. Global Greeters can be identified with their light blue Global Greeters t-shirt and name tags throughout the week. Many of the activities Global Greeters offer are organized by themselves and are meant to provide support and be a resource to new students. Global Greeters events are intended for incoming international students and exchange students, but all are welcome. 

The Global Greeters 2025 Schedule of Events will be available on their website soon! 

CAELC Resources

The Center for American English Language and Culture (CAELC) supports English language skills through assessment, courses, and programs. Read on for important information and resources. In addition to offering English language assessment and courses, CAELC provides many resources for students (and some are also open to family members who have joined you in Charlottesville:). The Volunteers with International Students, Staff and Scholars (VISAS) English Conversation Partners Program pairs international participants with a volunteer English language partner to meet each week. It is a great opportunity to practice English together, meet new people, build meaningful relationships, and learn about other cultures. There's also a weekly VISAS Café chat group with topics and activities provided to allow everyone the opportunity to get to know each other and talk about their own cultures. 

ISO/ISSP New Student Orientation

As you prepare to move to UVA and Charlottesville, please review the ISO arrival checklist to ensure a smooth transition from your home country to the United States. It includes tasks and resources from visas, orientation, housing, transportation, and other resources.

Please complete your immigration check-in with ISO upon your arrival in the United States. You will also find other useful information on their website about life as an international student.

ISO/ISSP's new international graduate student orientation will be held on Tuesday, August 19 at 10am(ET) in Newcomb Ballroom.

Please feel free to reach out to your graduate coordinators or the ISO staff if you have any questions about your arrival to UVA. We look forward to welcoming you soon.