Since 2001, Gregory Fairchild has taught strategic management, entrepreneurship, and ethics in Darden's MBA and Executive Education programs. He has received several awards for teaching excellence at the Darden School and serves as the Dean and CEO of UVA Northern Virginia. He joins us today to talk about his leadership in expanding UVA's presence in Northern Virginia and to celebrate the grand opening of UVA Northern Virginia.

Amor Towles is a celebrated novelist, known for Rules of Civility, A Gentleman in Moscow, and The Lincoln Highway. His latest work, Table for Two, is a collection of short stories and a novella. Amor's journey from studying literature at Yale and Stanford to two decades in finance to becoming a best-selling author illustrates, among other things, the lifelong pursuit of learning and creativity that we celebrate here at UVA. He is also Inside UVA’s first guest from outside the university.

Will Shortz is the editor of the New York Times Crossword and NPR's Puzzle Master. He sold his first puzzle at the age of 14, earned a degree in Enigmatology, the study of puzzles, and later came to UVA to study law. Will Shortz has served as the editor of the New York Times crossword and NPR's Puzzle Master for over 30 years, and has become a prolific name in the world of puzzles.

Ben Allen is the executive director of the UVA Equity Center. A Charlottesville native, a quadruple Hoo, a former teacher and assistant principal, a former officer in the Army National Guard, and a current member of the Army Reserves, Ben's story is deeply connected to both the Charlottesville community and the university. In his role at the Equity Center, he's working to bridge the gap between UVA and the local community, ensuring that the university is not only a great place to learn but also a good neighbor.