Grace Theriot 

Grace Theriot graduated from UVA in May 2026 with majors in Public Policy and Leadership and Jewish Studies, with a concentration in Holocaust Studies. She also minored in Global Studies in Education. At UVA, Grace loved being a Jewish Studies Undergraduate Fellow--hearing from so many different guest speakers and building great relationships with faculty and other fellows. She was also a student assistant for the UVA Jewish Studies Program, helping in the coordination and execution of Program events.

In her free time, Grace served as a Counselor with the University Judiciary Committee and as an intern with the Brody Jewish Center Hillel. In previous summers, she interned with the global non-profit organizations Ready To Lead Africa and TurnUp Activism, and completed coursework at University College, Oxford. Her academic excellence has been recognized through awards including the National P.E.O. STAR Scholarship and UVA’s Global Internship Scholarship.

In the summer of 2025, Grace spent two-months in residency at the University of Southern California's Dornsife Center for Advanced Genocide Research as the first ever UVA Undergraduate Research Fellow in Holocaust Studies. During this fellowship, Grace conducted research for a project exploring whether key elements of the “coming-of-age” experience – such as insecurity, physical development, and romantic feelings – persist in contexts of extreme violence and persecution such as the Holocaust. Exploring survivor testimonies, diaries, and other sources, she is examining how these themes emerge or are transformed under catastrophic circumstances. You can learn more about her research in this video.

After graduation, Grace will pursue a Master's in Public Policy (International and Global Affairs concentration) at the Harvard Kennedy School and a Master's in Theological Studies (Jewish Studies concentration) at Harvard Divinity School.