In my Fall Engagement "Knowledge You Can Trust", we often discussed the necessity that the public is able to analyze, interpret, and form opinions about data for themselves. It is interesting, if a bit unfortunate, that this remains a heavily emphasized goal of education at UVa. The prevalence of misinformation and disinformation has caused what could be considered an epistemic crisis in which people argue about the validity of information rather than the best approach to the issue it describes. This environment is counterproductive because less time is spent discussing real issues. Though Jefferson's University is taking strides to counteract this trend, the same level of accountability is not present nationwide.

Since arriving at the University, I have found myself wondering what Jefferson would think of the University as it is today. We have preserved the original Academical Village along with other aspects of the University, and the New College Curriculum seems to be a re-kindling of his philosophies. The goal of the Engagements is to challenge us to think across subjects and globally. After such tremendous growth, how has the University's educational philosophy changed, and are the Engagements an attempt to return to Jefferson's original vision?