• Lisa Russ Spaar, poet and coordinator of the University's Creative Writing Program, is one of six women writers from around the country chosen to receive this year's Rona Jaffe Foundation Writers' Awards. The annual awards, established by author Rona Jaffe, are aimed at identifying and supporting "exceptional women writers in the early stages of their careers" and provide a grant of up to $8,500 to enable recipients to pursue writing goals.

• The Virginia Society of the American Institute of Architects has chosen Theo Van Groll, associate professor of architecture, to receive its Society Honors for his work as a furniture designer and craftsman and also as an educator. The award will be presented Nov. 3 at a ceremony hosted by the Virginia Foundation for Architecture.

• The University's Women's Center received a gift of $7,777.77 from the Seven Society in honor of its 10th anniversary. The gift was revealed Sept. 23 during U.Va.'s home football game with Clemson.