Hereford History
With the goal to enrich the educational experience of students through faculty-student interactions beyond the classroom, offer intellectual and social programming, and promote a sense of community, 'New' College opened as UVA's second residential college in the fall of 1992. The University chose the architecture design firms of Todd Williams/Billie Tsien from New York and VMDO Architects of Charlottesville to design its new residential community at the western edge of the Grounds atop Observatory Hill. The design, intended to serve 500 first-year and upper class residents and three faculty fellows, sought a modern reinterpretation of Jefferson's Academical Village plan. Five residential halls, a dining hall, and a residence for the college Principal are arranged around a terraced central lawn featuring dramatic mountain views and complemented by richly planted gardens of flowering trees and shrubs for communal studying and gathering.
Within the first year, the university named the college in honor of Physics professor and former University President Frank L. Hereford (above: 1923-2006). The other named buildings of Hereford College recognize the following leaders of the past university community:
- Nathan E. Johnson Sr. (1909-1980) faculty Education
- Dumas Malone(1892-1984) faculty History
- Betty Norman Norris (1927-1984) faculty Nursing
- Benjamin Franklin Dewees Runk (1906-1994) faculty Biology and Dean of the University
- Joseph L. Vaughan (1905-1999) First Provost of the College 1956-60
- William Stone Weedon (1908-1984) faculty Mathematics and Philosophy
- Gordon T. Whyburn (1904-69) faculty Mathematics
Over the years, the following Principals have served to oversee the college:
- Melvin Cherno/ Physics (1992-96/ 2000)
- Daniel Bluestone/ Architecture (1996-1999)
- Louis Bloomfield/ Physics (2001-07)
- Nancy Takahashi/ Architecture (2007-present)