Engaging Grounds

Engaging Grounds is a link between your first-year Engagements courses and college life beyond the classroom.

This part of the Engagements Program counts for 10% of your Engagements course grade each quarter.

At the back of your Commonplace Book, you’ll find a section that outlines the different activities you will do to complete the Engaging Grounds component for each of the four quarters. These activities include attending events from our Engagements calendar (below) and responding to reflection questions; you will also complete activities designed to help you consider your major and prepare for meetings with your academic advisor.

All of the information you need to complete “Engaging Grounds” is in your Commonplace Book.

We want you to take full advantage of all the cultural and intellectual experiences that a research university like UVa offers to its community. Each quarter, you will choose one event to attend from the calendar maintained by the Engagements program below. You could choose a concert, a play, a presentation of research, a debate, an event at UVa’s art museum – there are dozens of possibilities each quarter. Check out the calendar early in the quarter to find events that suit your schedule. If you wait until the last minute, options will be more limited.

When attending events across Grounds, make sure you take note of whether it is a "drop-in" event or one where you are required to stay for the entire event. If it is not a "drop-in" event, show up on time, register (if required), and do not leave early or otherwise disrupt the event. Leaving early or arriving late is not only rude, it is a violation of the honor code since this is a "for credit" assignment.

Engaging Grounds