Award submissions must by received by close of business on Friday, May 23.
The Jefferson Book Award was established to recognize outstanding high school juniors or students in the next-to-graduating class who embrace creativity and innovation and embody the spirit of discovery, much like the University’s founder, Thomas Jefferson. This student is a demonstrated citizen leader who works to improve their community locally or globally.
The Jefferson Book Award is presented to the recipient by a local UVA Club volunteer or the school’s staff, typically at the end of the academic year.
To sponsor a Jefferson Book Award, a UVA Club, interested group, school, or individual need only contribute $25 to help cover the cost of the book, shipping, and printing. Each UVA Club determines the number of awards it will sponsor and contacts local high school guidance counselors to introduce the program and coordinate presentations. It is at the discretion of the high school to determine the recipient of the Jefferson Book Award each year.
Award submissions must by received by close of business on Friday, May 23.
Clubs volunteer checklist:
- Please complete the following UVA Clubs volunteer survey by Friday, March 7 to let us know you plan to participate.
- UVA Club volunteers can start reaching out now to schools in their area to arrange involvement in the JBA program. Most clubs have a portfolio of schools that participate every year but feel free to add new schools if your budget allows.
- Encourage your schools to choose a junior or student in the next-to-last year of study to receive the award. Winners should be students who embrace creativity and innovation, embody the spirit of discovery, and are demonstrated citizen leaders who work to improve their communities locally or globally.
- Books will be shipped directly from UVA to the schools. Please coordinate the award's presentation by a UVA Club representative or school staff. Some club volunteers choose to attend the ceremony and present the award in person, but this isn’t required. A presentation script can be found on the website.
- Funds to cover the cost of the books, printing, and shipping will automatically be deducted from your club account, or a donation link can be provided. The cost to participate is $25 per school.
High Schools interested in participating:
- If you have not been contacted by a UVA Club volunteer in your area, or if you are participating independently, please reach out to the Jefferson Book Award coordinators at jeffersonbookaward@virginia.edu.
Presenting an award? Download the 2025 Jefferson Book Award Presentation Script
For those who have participated in the JBA program in the past, after assessing the current process and listening to feedback from the schools, we have made some exciting changes this year. We hope that these will make the process more efficient and easier to navigate which will, in turn, allow the program to continue to grow and flourish.
- We will once again be presenting recipients with the book, Mr. Jefferson’s Telescope: A History of the University of Virginia in 100 Objects. In an effort to reduce paper waste, we have retired the letter and certificate that used to accompany the book. Instead, we have designed a beautiful commemorative bookplate that will be professionally printed, customized with the recipient’s name and a congratulatory message, and adhered inside the book. We hope that this will give the book a more commemorative feel.
- All books will be shipped from UVA directly to the schools. We understand that some of you may have already purchased your books from a third-party vendor, as you have in the past. If this applies to you, please contact us at jeffersonbookaward@virginia.edu to arrange to arrange for a pre-paid shipping label so you can send the books to us to have the bookplate added.
- Going forward, all books must be provided by UVA, so please do not purchase additional books for future years.
Thomas Jefferson considered the University of Virginia to be among his finest achievements--a living monument to his artistic and intellectual ambitions. Now, on the occasion of the University's bicentennial, Brendan Wolfe has assembled one hundred objects that, brought together in one fascinating book, offer a new, sometimes surprising history of Jefferson’s favorite project.
Beautifully illustrated with over one hundred new and archival images, this book brings to life a remarkable array of significant objects while offering to the reader the best introduction available to the history of Jefferson’s great institution.
The Jefferson Book Award program is an excellent way to recognize students' academic and individual achievements while introducing them to UVA's extraordinary opportunities.
The book award is given to a junior or student in the next-to-last year of study selected by the school, who embodies Jefferson's commitment to innovation, creativity, and the spirit of discovery in both academics and their community.
- We will once again be presenting recipients with the book, Mr. Jefferson’s Telescope: A History of the University of Virginia in 100 Objects. In an effort to reduce paper waste, we have retired the letter and certificate that used to accompany the book. Instead, we have designed a beautiful commemorative bookplate that will be professionally printed, customized with the recipient’s name and a congratulatory message, and adhered inside the book. We hope that this will give the book a more commemorative feel.
- All books will be shipped from UVA directly to the schools. We understand that some of you may have already purchased your books from a third-party vendor, as you have in the past. If this applies to you, please contact us at jeffersonbookaward@virginia.edu to arrange for a pre-paid shipping label so you can send the books to us to have the bookplate added.
- Going forward, all books must be provided by UVA, so please do not purchase additional books for future years.
The Jefferson Book Award program is accepting award submissions now.
**We understand that some schools have ceremonies in the Fall. With an immediate request, please email the JBA administrators at jeffersonbookaward@virginia.edu.
There is no formal invitation needed to participate. All UVA Clubs and local high schools may participate freely by submitting a request for the Jefferson Book Award.
ALL requests will need to complete the Jefferson Book Award registration form:
UVA Club volunteers have a list of schools historically sponsored by a UVA club, donor, volunteer, or alumnus. Schools may reach out to self-sponsor a book award through the registration form.
Only one student should be selected for a book award per school.