Digest -- U.Va. Top News Daily

Nursing School breaks ground for education building
A little bit of rain didn’t dampen any spirits during the School of Nursing’s groundbreaking for the $12 million, state-of-the-art Claude Moore Nursing Education Building on April 8.

“This is our mud and we are proud of it,” said Nursing Dean Jeanette Lancaster (at podium), who was among the first to dig in the loosened dirt. In January, the Claude Moore Charitable Foundation donated a $5 million challenge grant to the School of Nursing toward its new four-story, 32,000-square-foot building, which will be across 15th Street from the school’s current home in McLeod Hall. (April 12)

Gov. Kaine speaks to Sabato’s class about jobs, taxes and transportation
On April 5, Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine addressed Professor Larry Sabato’s “Intro to American Politics” class. Kaine spoke about his transportation plan, which calls for increasing some taxes to fund road, rail and transit improvements — a plan which has support in the Senate but has drawn fire in the House. During a Q&A session, the governor fielded questions from students about the Standards of Learning requirements, the upcoming referendum on gay marriage and the loss of jobs in Southwest Virginia. While this was Kaine’s first visit to the class as governor (Kaine stopped by last spring while campaigning for the seat), every Virginia governor since John Dalton in 1978 has guest-lectured in Sabato’s class. Former Gov. Mark Warner visited each year that he was in office. (April 6)

Student Edward Ross Baird wins a Truman
Edward Ross Baird, a third-year U.Va. student majoring in the political honors program, is a Jefferson Scholar, an Echols Scholar and a Robert K. Gooch Scholar. And now he’s one of 75 students named 2006 Truman Scholars. Sponsored by the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation, the award, worth up to $30,000, is presented to college juniors who exhibit exceptional leadership potential with career interests in government, public service and education. (March 29)