{"id":311,"date":"2025-06-24T13:12:27","date_gmt":"2025-06-24T17:12:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aig.alumni.virginia.edu\/ubunye\/?p=311"},"modified":"2025-09-11T15:48:30","modified_gmt":"2025-09-11T19:48:30","slug":"the-history-of-uva-ubunye-building-unity-in-the-black-alumni-community","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aig.uvaalumni.org\/ubunye\/2025\/06\/the-history-of-uva-ubunye-building-unity-in-the-black-alumni-community\/","title":{"rendered":"The History of UVA Ubunye: Building Unity in the Black Alumni Community"},"content":{"rendered":"

The story of UVA Ubunye began in early 2023, when Debby Stroman (Educ<\/abbr> class of <\/span>\u201982)<\/strong> asked several Black alumni friends from across different generations to come together to make a dream a reality. With a shared vision, these alumni engaged in extensive dialogue with peers and members of the University community to envision new opportunities to collaboratively support engagement within the Black alumni community. Leaning on previous activities and leadership experiences with Black Alumni Weekend (BAW<\/abbr>), Divine Nine, and The Ridley Scholarship program, these alumni put in motion a valued entity that would be the \u201cumbrella connector for all things Black\u201d at the University. With the support of the administration, Ubunye was officially launched as an Alumni Interest Group (AIG) on November 8, 2023.<\/p>\n

Ubunye is a self-governed community of UVA alumni bound by a shared UVA affinity or identity, supported by the UVA Alumni Association. This structure places Ubunye alongside other important alumni groups including sports teams, Greek organizations, and various student organization alumni networks.<\/p>\n

The formation of Ubunye represents a grassroots effort led by alumni who recognized the need for a comprehensive resource specifically designed to serve and unite UVA’s Black alumni community. This desire for an official organization was not new as alumni since the 1970s have expressed the need to organize for the benefit of a very engaged alumni community. The UVA Black alumni community comprises over 17,000 graduates with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and journeys, representing a vibrant community of Hoos dedicated to each other and to future generations of Black students. Ubunye was designed to work in harmony with existing University programs and initiatives. The organization exists to expand engagement and support of UVA’s Black alumni community, complementing the longstanding work of existing programs that serve the UVA Black community such as the Office of African American Affairs (OAAA), Black Alumni Weekend, and The Ridley Scholarship Program. Ubunye serves as both a bridge between past and present and a foundation for supporting future generations of Black students at the University. As we continue to grow and evolve, Ubunye carries forward the legacy of unity and service that has long characterized our Black alumni experience at the University of Virginia.<\/p>\n

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Keeping Up with BSA \u2013 Summer Break!<\/h2>\n

The Black Student Alliance closed out the year strong and is enjoying a summer of internships, travel, and time away from Charlottesville. Here are some final updates along with our sincere gratitude to you all for your support during this school year and to Ubunye \u2013 for allowing us to contribute to the newsletters this year!<\/p>\n

Spring Semester Recap<\/h3>\n

Throughout this semester, our committees hosted a number of events for students and community members. February was filled with events in honor of Black History Month, hosting our annual Black Culture Week, which ended with our annual anticipated event Black Ball \u2013 hosted by our Special Events Committee. Our Political Action Committee partnered to host two Know Your Rights events, helping our community stay sharp, empowered, and ready to advocate for themselves. Our Professional Development Committee hosted \u201cMeet the Lawnies\u201d and celebrated UVA Dine employees with a day of appreciation with roses and notes. The full calendar of events from this past semester is below:<\/p>\n

General Body Meetings:<\/p>\n