I’ve known Rachel through the Society of Women Engineers at UVA for quite some time. She was the president this past year and I have such respect for how she handled everything with such ease. If you remember Apoorva, she was the president for the year before and I remember her telling me about how much of a time commitment and work it was to run the organization. SWE at UVA is the largest group for female engineers on Grounds. It focuses on three main goals: to provide academic & professional events for its members, to reach out to promote women in STEM fields at the elementary, middle and high school level as well as to encourage community within our engineering school by providing social activities for its members. This organization has been one of Rachel’s biggest commitments during her time at UVA while she was studying Chemical Engineering!

Naturally, we had to get some pictures near the Chemical Engineer sign on Engineers Way!

Red brick all around! We grabbed a few portraits around the side of the Chemical Engineering building as well as in front of Thornton Hall, the engineering school’s main building.

As we made our way to the Lawn the sky started to darken but we grabbed a bunch of quick portraits around Old Cabell, the Amphitheater breezeway, the Lawn chairs and more. By the end we were slipping out into the open for quick photos and then dashing back underneath the cover of West Range as it started to rain. But we got the grad cap toss and all!

Thanks Rachel for such a fun afternoon despite the rain and a special thank you for walking me back with your umbrella hahaha! I hope you know that you’ve been an amazing leader and really made an impact on UVA through your work for the Society of Women Engineers. I can’t wait to hear about your adventures in New York and I hope you come back to visit Hooville often!!