The Jefferson Book AwardThe Jefferson Book Award Program was established to recognize outstanding high school students during their junior year and to prompt these students' interest in applying to the University of Virginia. The award is presented by the Schools Committee representative to the junior whom the high school considers to best represent the Jeffersonian ideals of scholarship, leadership and citizenship. The well-rounded student, rather than the person with the highest GPA, should be chosen. To initiate a book award presentation, the Schools Committee representative should contact his or her assigned school counselor or principal and arrange for the school to select a student recipient. Ask if you may present the book award to the student during the school's annual awards ceremony. Many clubs purchase books for these awards. Alumni may either buy the books themselves to present to their assigned schools or order books through the University of Virginia Office of Engagement. The University keeps copies of an appropriate book in stock for this purpose.
Jefferson Book Award Script.This guideline may be used in presenting book awards: "The Jefferson Book Award, which I am presenting today, was established by the University of Virginia to recognize outstanding high school students during their junior year. The recipient is a junior who this school's faculty considers to be an exceptionally talented scholar, leader, and citizen. I would like to tell you very briefly about the University of Virginia. The University was founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson. Mr. Jefferson wished to establish a University with a truly national stature. In his own words, he hoped it would be a "temptation to the youth of other states to come and drink of the cup of knowledge and fraternize with us." Mr. Jefferson took such pride in the University that it was one of only three achievements he asked to be cited on his tomb (none of which was the fact that he had been President of the United States). Today, the University is not only national in stature, but also international. Thirteen thousand undergraduate students-from virtually all over the world-study liberal arts and such specialized areas as education, nursing, engineering, architecture, and business. U.Va.'s Lawn and Rotunda are the centerpieces, architecturally, of the University community, and were designed by Thomas Jefferson himself. His concept of the original University was to create what he called an "academical village": a group of buildings where students and faculty lived, dined, and studied together. As an alumnus/alumna of the University of Virginia, I am pleased today to be able to recognize a junior who has distinguished himself/herself through his/her accomplishments in (information on the student recipient). On behalf of the University of Virginia and the UVaClub of (city), I am pleased to present the Jefferson Book Award this year to (student). Congratulations."
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