“I had a moment where I thought to myself ‘I’m going to UVA, but as a transfer student—do I really belong there?’ says recent Germanna graduate Riley Wallace. “But then I remember, I earned my place.”
Since his freshman year of high school, 18-year-old Riley Wallace knew he wanted to attend the University of Virginia. It was his dream school, so he pushed himself in every advanced class that his high school offered. But when it was time for him to submit his UVA application, he was not accepted.
“Realistically, I knew that I wasn’t getting into UVA on my first try,” says Riley. “So, I spoke with my career coach, and she introduced me to the idea of going to Germanna first.” And that’s what he did.
Riley started taking Germanna classes the Monday after he graduated from high school. He was pursuing an associate degree in general studies, typically a two-year program, but he decided that he wanted to finish his program in one year. He was determined to make it to UVA fast, so he doubled his credits each semester and dedicated all of his time to his studies.
“It was challenging trying to make all of my classes fit into my schedule since I wanted to get my associate degree in one year,” says Riley. But he made it work, and eventually got accustomed to the busy schedule. Once he felt like he had a handle on his coursework, he was ready to start involving himself in extracurricular activities at Germanna.
Riley landed the role as SGA Secretary during the 2022-2023 school year, where he wrote correspondence, took notes during monthly meetings, and assisted in all student events. His active role in student activities granted him the opportunity to become a work study with Student Activities Coordinator Kelly Saunders.
“My favorite part about Germanna was being the Student Activities work study. I enjoy getting my hands dirty and helping people. Working in Student Activities allowed me to do that.”
With his work study role and his position in SGA, Riley spent the majority of his time on campus. “It taught me what it was like to be an adult,” he says, as he remembers staying on campus most days from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Though he already had two main roles taking up his time, Riley jumped at the opportunity to add one more to his plate, as he landed an internship in Senator Tim Kaine’s Fredericksburg regional office in January 2023.
“In my internship, I take phone calls, write correspondence, and conduct research for the office. I’m there to learn, and I love it.”
Outside of his schoolwork, Riley spent nearly 40 hours a week fulfilling all of his duties. “Though my schedule was busy, it taught me how to have other responsibilities outside of schoolwork,” says Riley.
Riley wrapped up his busy year at Germanna on Thursday, May 11, when he crossed the stage at Germanna’s Spring commencement ceremony, receiving his associate degree in general studies. He was accepted to UVA where he will be transferring to study government and politics. He was also recently accepted into UVA’s study abroad program and will be studying in London for the fall 2023 semester.
Excited for the next step in his educational journey, Riley is grateful for his time at Germanna.
“I wish more students would not look at Germanna as a second-rate option because it’s not. Germanna has been an amazing steppingstone for me. It was an introduction to being a college student and an adult. I am incredibly grateful for my time at Germanna and will look back on it fondly. Though I’ll be a little fish in a big pond, I’m looking forward to attending UVA and being just as involved as I was here.”