Third-year Education student Paige Deelsynder never applied to live on the Lawn, but that is one reason why she was selected to live in the Gus Blagden, or “good guy” room on the West Lawn next year.
“This room is reserved for a person who does not seek the prestige of the Lawn but earns it through the effects of their virtuous life on other people,” said third-year College student Kira Busch in her letter nominating Deelsnyder. “Paige does not strive to stand out from the rest of U.Va.; she strives to do her best to make the most of her student loans and her privileged experience as a part of the U.Va. community.”
Deelsnyder was selected from a pool of 55 third-year nominees.
The room’s current resident Chad O’Hara chaired the selection committee that read 150 letters of recommendation for the nominees during spring break, and expressed his enthusiasm for this year’s selection. Dean of Students Allen Groves, Housing Division Director John Evans, two representatives from residential housing, a member of the IMPS and fourth-year trustees and leaders of the Inter Fraternity, Inter Sorority, National Pan Hellenic and Multi Cultural Greek Councils also made up the selection board.
“One of the best parts of the whole process was that we got to learn about a lot of cool people at U.Va.,” O’Hara said. “So while it was tough decision to make, all of us were just blown away by Paige ... we were all very happy with the decision to give her the room.”
Groves agreed, adding that this year, “the bar has been set very high by picking Paige.”
Deelsnyder begins her days at 4:30, waking up in time for her job of opening the Aquatic Fitness Center. Twice a week she helps care for a child with autism, Noah, cope with his disability. Since she began working with him in August, he has seen his condition significantly improve.
“He’s calling me by name — I used to be ‘that one’,” she said.
One night every weekend she babysits him for his parents for free.
As Pledge Master of Alpha Phi Omega, the University’s only co-ed, Greek service organization, she helps new pledges organize community service projects every Saturday. Within APO, she serves on the Public Service Advisory Board, which educates faculty about service projects on Grounds.
In addition to her work in Charlottesville, Deelsnyder has volunteered abroad through four Alternative Spring and Winter Breaks in Cameroon, New Orleans, Peru and Trinidad.
And, as if her volunteer work was not enough, Deelsnyder is enrolled in 20 credits this semester as a College Sociology major and as an Elementary Education and Special Education double major within the Education School.
“You make time for things because everything makes you happy,” she said. “Why would I cut out any of it? Except waking up at 4:30, that’s kind of rough.”
Accomplishments aside, Deelsnyder hopes she can live up to the room’s standards and the man to which it was dedicated.
While he was not a star student nor a star athlete, Augustus “Gus” Blagden was a humble, selfless young man, Deelsnyder said.
He died at age 24 and his legacy lives on with a Lawn room that “continues to honor those people who others can count on.”
“This is the kind of person we should all be striving [to be] for everyone, but I hope I can be half of what Gus Blagden was,” Deelsnyder said.
O’Hara and Deelsnyder recently had lunch with Fred Scott, Scott Stadium’s namesake and Blagden’s roommate during his first year at the University.
“He spoke so highly of Gus,” she said. “By getting that room, it makes me feel that maybe I mean that much to people in my life. It’s a very humbling experience. It really has made the past three years so worthwhile.”
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