Name: Syrell Grier
Year: Third Year
Major: Economics
Hometown: Woodbridge, Virginia
Involvements at UVA:
I would say my biggest involvement is being the founder and CEO of the Black Economic Empowerment Society (BEES), which I started back in January this year. I founded BEES because I saw a gap within the Black community at UVA - there are a lot of social, political, and culturally oriented organizations like the Black Student Alliance and the Ethiopian Eritrean Student Association - but no real focus on economic empowerment which is very important in a capitalist country. BEES is a community oriented organization and is all about grouping together to learn about financial literacy and entrepreneurship. It came about from years of studying Black liberation theory and understanding that economics is a huge part of the struggle for Black people. We had a really successful first semester, hosting a Networking 101 event and a Black student business expo, and have a bunch of events planned for the fall including a Budgeting and Investing 101 event and potentially a pop up shop for Black owned businesses around Grounds. I’m also a Student Ambassador at the Rotunda, a Resident Advisor, and served as an Orientation Leader last year. These involvements have helped me make some amazing connections with my first-year residents, some really influential people that visit the University, and other student leaders around Grounds.
What is something you wish you had known during the college application/decision process?
I think I wish I had known about all the opportunities that were out there. You know, there’s so much money out there and so many opportunities to win scholarships. UVA was really the best school I applied to, and I ended up getting a scholarship, but I wish I had been more cognizant of the opportunities out there and the resources to help with college applications. Along the same line I definitely closed myself off to the North - entirely because of the weather, so maybe I should’ve sought out more opportunities to the North because there are a bunch of great schools up there. Kind of just expanding my search and not limiting myself to one specific area.
How would you describe your experience at UVA?
My experience at UVA - it’s been a journey of transition, growth, learning, all that good stuff. The person I came into UVA as is totally different to who I am now. When I was a first-year I never would’ve imagined taking the risk of starting BEES. I was mainly focused on academics in my first year and took a bunch of hard classes like Microeconomics and a Statistics class and that was definitely a wake up call. Second semester first-year I dealt with some mental health struggles that stemmed from a financial loss due to a poor investment and the loss of my grandfather and didn’t feel like myself during that time. Second-year though became a period of change and experimentation for me. I started getting more involved in getting BEES started and received the Up and Coming Underclassman Award from the NAACP chapter here. It was still a challenging year academically, but so transformational in a good way. Each semester has been a different story, but in each semester I've grown and evolved, and I’m grateful for every moment.
What are your thoughts about diversity at UVA?
I think my experience has been influenced by the communities I find myself in at UVA. My least diverse experience at UVA has been in a class for my Econ major. In my 80-person Intermediate Microeconomics class I was the only Black student, that was really the first time I’ve been super cognizant of my race in the classroom. I do think UVA is a pretty diverse place - more diverse than I initially expected based on the raw numbers. I’ve been fortunate to be in circles that embrace and value diversity. These communities have opened doors for me in so many different ways, even in ways as simple as going to events put on by my friends’ organizations. A great thing about diversity at UVA is how easy it is to seek out the communities that you want to be in. We have resources like the Office of African-American Affairs, the Latinx Student Center, and other cultural student centers, which contribute to UVA has embraced diversity. These resources are vital to students because your perception of diversity at UVA (or anywhere) depends on the circles you run in. These resources and centers play a huge role in how the University fosters an inclusive environment and helps students find their own diverse communities and homes at UVA.
Advice for incoming students?
My advice to incoming students would be to take it slowly but also explore everything that UVA and Charlottesville have to offer. It’s important not to overwhelm yourself by getting involved in too much too quickly, but also get involved in the sense that you’re exploring the things and opportunities that interest you. For me, I didn’t go downtown at all until this last semester and now I do it all the time and love interacting with the Charlottesville community through BEES. Definitely don’t get caught up in taking a bunch of classes for your major from the jump too, as that’s why I struggled so much first-year. It’s no rush - you’ve got eight semesters here so you don’t need to speed through your major. It all comes down to exploring, like finding the classes you like, finding the people you like, and finding the community you like.
Favorite restaurant(s) in Charlottesville?
My favorite spot for a quick bite for lunch is definitely Take It Away. I get a Lentil Veggie sandwich on sourdough or onion rye with cheddar, arugula, sprouts, roasted tomatoes, pickles, house dressing, and house dressing and a bag of chips on the side too. They know my name at Take It Away - we love each other. Off-Grounds I really love Pearl Island, they’ve got amazing drinks there, and also Kanak Indian Kitchen because Indian cuisine is my favorite cuisine.
Joseph Ascoli
College of Arts and Sciences, Class of 2024
Media Studies major
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