University students construct homes, build teamwork

Amid sauna-like heat, three dozen University of Virginia students spent Wednesday afternoon hanging Sheetrock, hammering nails and attaching vinyl siding.

The 37 students — divided into “Team Beta” and “Team Seal” in a nod to UVa’s long ago canine mascots — are all top elected leaders of UVa’s undergraduate student body. They were helping construct 10 Habitat for Humanity homes on Paton Street and Valley Road Extended to practice teamwork and get a taste of community service.

Included among the students’ ranks were the president of the Student Council, the operations manager of the Cavalier Daily, the head of the Sexual Assault Leadership Council and the president of the Black Student Alliance.

The students’ sweaty afternoon of construction was part of the university’s “Leadership 2008” training program, also known as L2K8.

The weeklong crash-course in leadership skills aims to foster alliances between the student leaders, faculty members and administrators.

“It gives them an opportunity to get to know each other so they can work together during the year on issues of common concern,” said Aaron Laushway, associate dean of students who organizes the program.

Bernice Ramirez, a rising fourth-year UVa student who will lead the Latino Peer Mentoring Program, said the leadership week exposed her to influential peers and key university officials.

“It’s a week of networking,” she said as she shoveled gravel at the Habitat site. “It’s filling in our gaps in knowledge of the university.”

As Ramirez spoke, Ken Jollofsky with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville, interrupted to distribute white hard hats.

“To make you all more comfortable, I’ve got some hats for you to wear,” he said. “They’re going to be working with wood above you. If some fell on your head, that would be bad.”

Ramirez strapped on the helmet and continued shoveling. The week, she said as she worked, also gave the student leaders a shot at raising their concerns with UVa administrative leaders. At a dinner Tuesday with UVa’s executive vice president and chief operating officer, Leonard W. Sandridge, she said, the students told him they want to see a living wage for UVa employees, more resources for minority groups and expanded recruiting of minority faculty members.

For Jason Puryear, a rising fourth-year student who will lead the Multicultural Greek Council, the L2K8 week gave him ideas about possible collaborations with other student leaders. For example, he said, he might work with Shaheen Ali, the leader of UVa’s Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Team, to break the misconception that fraternities and sororities are only interested in binge drinking.

“We’re forming relationships that we can use during the year,” he said as he passed a piece of white vinyl siding up to another student on a scaffold. “It’s let us have a personal connection with people.”