Third-year College student Gregory Perryman is the 44th student member of the University's Board of Visitors and will officially begin his one-year term June 1. In undertaking this position, he hopes to represent a broad range of student perspectives, manage the demands of the one-year role and strengthen student engagement with long-term University decision-making.
As the only student on the University’s governing board, Perryman will serve in an advisory capacity, attending meetings and providing input on major decisions affecting the University community, including those regarding tuition, capital projects, long-term planning and University policy.
Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Perryman is enrolled in the politics honors program in the College of Arts and Sciences and is a Jefferson and Echols scholar. As an out-of-state student, Perryman said he initially knew little about the University but was struck by the enthusiasm of those he spoke with before arriving on Grounds. Over time, he came to understand that this energy stemmed from the sense of connection shared across the University community.
“What makes the University so special is how connected our University community is and that can be students to one another, that could be students and alumni and that can be students and the Board,” Perryman said.
Perryman was selected for the role following his two-year term on the advisory committee to the University of Virginia Investment Management Company — the University’s investment team — where he served as a student representative. In that role, he was responsible for communicating a broad range of student perspectives on ethical investment issues and contributing to discussions around how the University’s endowment aligns with values such as sustainability and social responsibility.
Perryman enters his upcoming position during a period of increased public attention to Board decisions. Recent votes to increase tuition and restructure the Office for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Community Partnerships have drawn scrutiny from student and faculty groups.
While Perryman did not comment on specific decisions, he said his approach to controversy is grounded in relationship-building and shared values.
“I just love getting to know people and then building deeper relationships over time,” Perryman said. “A part of that is finding common ground, I really do believe that you can disagree on much and still find a way to find common ground and move forward.”
According to Perryman, he came to understand the significance of Board service and the value of incorporating student perspectives into decision-making over his past few years at the University. He said his initial motivation for applying to the Board was to help strengthen the connection between students and the University’s governance.
“I thought that I could accomplish that first objective of strengthening the connection by being in a place where you're working with many who are alumni, you're working with faculty, you're working with administration and [doing so] as a student representative,” Perryman said.
Perryman outlined four central goals for his time on the Board — strengthening student connection to the Board, supporting student self-governance, improving affordability to attend the University and engaging with what he called “emerging issues,” such as artificial intelligence, Name, Image and Likeness and biotechnology. Perryman said these priorities reflect what the Board will likely focus on in the year ahead, and he wants to ensure that student input remains part of those discussions from the outset.
To reach students across Grounds, Perryman plans to implement open office hours, engage directly with student organizations and distribute a regular newsletter. He said these efforts are designed to increase awareness of the Board’s work and make its decisions more accessible to those who may not typically follow the Board.
“To me it doesn't matter if you know everything about the Board of Visitors… or if you have no idea, my goal is to represent you and allow you to feel like your voice is heard,” Perryman said. “I would say one of the ways I intend to do that is by having robust student engagement.”
Perryman views the student member role as a means of elevating a wide range of student perspectives, rather than advocating for a single opinion or outcome. He said the position is not about sharing his own views or identifying a majority stance but about communicating the breadth of student experiences and concerns to University leadership.
“[The goal] is not to share my own opinions…” Perryman said. “It's to represent and share the broad spectrum of student opinions and the different perspectives that are out there.
Perryman acknowledged that the role presents both logistical and structural challenges. The one-year term limits continuity and long-term planning, and the demands of the position require balancing academic, personal and governance responsibilities. He also added that the one-year term means the job is always transitional — an aspect that can make long-term impact difficult. Perryman compared the role to a relay race.
“You’re kind of like a part of this really quick relay race where you're handing off the baton to the next person and that person to the next person,” he said. “The overall goal [is] representing the broad spectrum of student perspective and ensuring that students are heard in these spaces.”
More than any specific policy, Perryman said he wants to build trust between students and the Board. To meet that challenge, Perryman hopes to work alongside other student leaders across Grounds, both past and future, to carry that vision forward.
Perryman also highlighted Lisa Kopelnik, fourth-year College student and current student Board student representative, as someone who has actively supported his transition into the role.
Looking ahead to his term, Perryman said he hopes to earn and maintain students’ confidence and his ability to represent them.
“I feel very honored, because I feel as if there's a lot of trust that my fellow students place in me,” Perryman said. “I really would like students to know that I’m in their corner.”
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