Name: Brian Poulson
Year: 3rd
Hometown: Chapel Hill, NC
Major: Urban and Environmental Planning

Did you visit UVA before deciding to attend?

Yes, three times.  The most memorable visit was when I participated in the Monroe Society Overnight Program. I highly recommend it to all prospective seniors.  I mean, you literally are a U.Va. student for a day--going to classes, hanging out with first years, and even living in the dorm rooms.  Not to mention, no offense, your parents aren’t there to interject their thoughts and opinions while you’re on the trip.  Sometimes it is good to make impressions of your own.   

Describe your favorite professor.

From the first 5 minutes before class begun, I knew my Anthropology course would be different from the rest.  While I initially thought it would be due to it’s distinction as my largest class (with 250 students), by the end of those 5 minutes I realized it would be Professor Richard Handler who would make it memorable.  Even with his small size and tendency to go on tangents, Professor Handler never cowered from spreading his message.  In the classroom, he challenged his students to look beyond social constructions and ended the semester with a riotous applause.  But most importantly, it was the one-on-one time that I spent in his office hours that empowered me to excel as a student not just in his classroom, but in all walks of academics and life. 

Why UVA?

I was ready for an adventure. I knew my 4 years at U.Va. would not only give me a marketable diploma, but also would allow me 4 years that would help change my life and change my outlook on society. The main reason I chose U.Va. is because I truly believe that you won’t be able to find a more dynamic student body anywhere else.  

Do you have a double major?

Currently I am a double major in Urban and Environmental Planning and Economics. But in all honesty, I’ve changed my major interests about 7 times since I started. 

How would you describe the students that attend UVA?

Empowered. Enlightened. Energetic.  Students who attend U.Va. tend to not only do well academically, but are also passionate about life outside of the classroom.  Whether it’s being active in student organizations and community service, or taking the opportunity to teach classes of their own, they have taken it upon themselves to give to the surrounding community.  It is such a vibrant community of students all following their dreams and passions.  Furthermore, Student Self-Governance at the University helps to foster this characteristic of our student body.

What makes UVA special for you?

This question has probably been my greatest lesson of the year.  What makes U.Va. an incredible University is the fact that it’s not this stereotyped university, but an image portrayed differently by each student. To me, what makes U.Va. special is the ability to pursue your passions—whether it’s music, dancing, or in my case, helping to rebuild the community. Through University sponsored programs and student-initiated organizations, it is possible for anyone to use academics to go after their passions. 

Has college been what you expected?

Honestly, you can’t really expect anything out of college. The only expectations you can have are those based on personal achievement goals. Otherwise, Forest Gump was right: “[College] is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get.”  The lessons I’ve learned both in and outside of the classroom could have never been expected. In fact, perhaps a willingness to expect the unexpected is the most accurate way for me to look at my expectations for college.