The pillars are values unique to UVA Wise and serve to influence the work on the following pages. Brand pillars are generally not referenced outside the organization, but they may be used as a framework for message development and serve to influence all creative work.
BUILDERS FOR THE GREATER GOOD
Rooted in service and guided by a deep and lasting sense of place, the University of Virginia’s College at Wise was born out of a commitment to building community and perpetuating growth in Southwest Virginia. The College nurtures intellect through a welcoming, familial, and collegial atmosphere, helping individuals and entire communities identify new and existing opportunities, providing tools to capitalize on them, and ultimately realizing their full potential. Our students, faculty, staff, alumni and industry partners are active participants and change agents driven to build better lives and partnerships together. They are committed to achieving success and shaping healthy and productive communities in and around Appalachia, the nation, and the world.
SHARED TRAJECTORY
UVA Wise graduates are ready for what’s next. Carefully built over decades to serve evolving student and regional needs, an array of program offerings is designed to foster critical thinking above all else, as well as adaptability for whatever the future holds. The College is filled with passionate people who are a reflection of the institution and the region: self-reliant, inventive, and determined. Students are academically and socially driven, and hungry to make a change. With 30+ majors and minors, the Peake Honors Program, and a host of events, activities, travel abroad, and research opportunities, internships, and service programs, UVA Wise helps students build social and intellectual capital, and delivers outsized impact on both a personal and professional level.
EMPATHETIC AMBITION
The Appalachian temperament informs the UVA Wise identity and way of life. Traits like empathy, ambition and resilience are reflected in the College’s people, programs and pedagogy, which are consistently evolving to best serve the social and economic needs, desires and aspirations of the time. UVA Wise’s faculty find joy in nurturing effective leaders who pursue ideas and translate them into action. A challenging yet supportive environment with hands-on, applied learning experiences cultivates students who are creative, confident and critical thinkers and effective problem-solvers, ready to shape their world.
ELEVATING APPALACHIA AND BEYOND
UVA Wise is a beacon of hope and unity in the region. Built upon the Jeffersonian values it still holds strong today, the College has worked hard to educate leaders, advance knowledge and cultivate an informed citizenry. A nexus for the exchange of ideas and attitudes, UVA Wise serves as a great social and cultural convener, hosting more than 200 public events annually in an effort to promote awareness and understanding and develop a global mindset. Partnerships formed across campus and beyond serve as a symbiotic strength: UVA Wise is a major contributor to the local region, University of Virginia and the Commonwealth through its economic impact, education programs, research discoveries and public health efforts.