Dean of Students Cedric Rucker on Fostering Curiosity and Community

“Be an individual who shares and absorbs with others. To be a contributor to [the] community.”

Beneath the elaborate title of the Special Adviser to the Vice President and Chief Student Affairs Officer is a man who holds the deep commitment of helping students thrive. To the students who frequent Grounds, this familiar face has opened the doors to heartfelt conversations and laughter. For Dean Rucker, the greatest place of discovery comes from establishing relationships with students and his fellow education professionals. “I get to have fun every day,” claims Rucker.

Whether it be celebrating the achievement of Graduation Day or energizing students at their absolute worst, Dean Rucker never fails to recognize the continuous evolution of his peers. Rucker has been touched by watching the first-years as they transformed into fourth-years, performing at former students’ wedding ceremonies, and witnessing the children of former students enter into UVA. Every interaction energizes Rucker to provide happiness and fulfillment to each individual’s journey—and in the blink of an eye, these relationships have lasted over forty years. “They will always be associated with you and your identity and sense of who you are,” says Rucker. “UVA shapes you, people shape you.”

Dean Rucker and former UVA President Jim Ryan lead the graduating class as they walk the lawn during the 2025 Final Exercises.

Perhaps the secret to his lifelong relationships comes from the golden rule upheld by Rucker’s grandparents. “You want individuals to feel as though they have dignity, value, and are seen,” claims Rucker. “Respect what individuals bring to the table.” Rucker’s natural, positive outlook on life drives him to learn how to navigate others’ problems, partnering together with students to achieve the same goal. Rucker feels a personal responsibility to reflect what people have done for him, giving back through trying to speak to everyone on Grounds. “The only thing I can do is foster a community,” said Rucker.

“I am a product of my time, but you are also a product of your time, so what I can learn from you expands what I can bring to the table, so I don’t get stuck in time.”

Another life mantra for Rucker is the curiosity to learn. “We can always learn from others—everyone has something to contribute!” Rucker claims. From visiting Ethiopia to meeting fellow UVA students from the Ethiopian Transfer Student Association, Rucker realized there is an ability to learn from everyone—even kids. The honesty and playfulness of kids are admirable traits of a time of innocence, a different sort of intelligence that brightens every encounter.

Rucker still holds UVA’s core values of accountability and ethics to heart for developing a responsible leader. These values have outlined the many lives that have shaped UVA’s growth from when Rucker arrived in the ’80s to today. The starting point now comes from Days on the Lawn, a day full of opportunity to engage with peers. Now, as first-years wrap up their second semester and fourth-years prepare to graduate, Rucker encourages first-years to reflect upon their footprint within the community by questioning the future horizon. “How do you make sure [the] journey meets needs and gets you where you want to go?” Rucker exclaims. As for fourth-years, Rucker hopes no activity is left untried whilst reiterating the importance of relationships. “What are you going to do to make sure the relationships that you foster and cherish so much are going to continue after graduation?” Rucker prompts.

Before coming to UVA, Rucker helped found Women and Gender Studies at Mary Washington, exploring the perspectives of diverse individuals who make up a community—even if it’s just a lecture hall. Moreover, UVA’s international student body has opened avenues of cultural recognition. From his tastes in music to being exposed to a variety of cultural dishes, Rucker’s eagerness to experience the community surrounding him is his secret toward keeping him “alive and young in spirit.”

The door to learning has never closed for Rucker. He continues to parse through reconnecting relationships, embracing the diversity of intelligence, and trying new experiences—fostering a community of inspired UVA students.

“When our time comes, it’s not the possessions that we have, it’s the memories that we’ve accumulated as a consequence of these interactions and engagements that we will treasure [...] You will carry UVA with you forever.”