We can’t help but join in when the University of Virginia brags about one of our own — Daphne Nwobike (C ’26).
Nwobike, a beloved Sewanee Purple staffer, is one of three students from across the U.S. being featured in an in-depth profile of outstanding first-year students entering UVA Law. As UVA’s online profile explains, Nwobike began her studies at UVA Law this week with a full-ride scholarship.
As winner of Sewanee’s Algernon Sydney Sullivan Medallion for the Class of 2026, Nwobike delivered the Senior Oration during Sewanee’s 2026 Convocation. Her speech didn’t just move classmates, faculty and families in All Saints Chapel and Sewanee’s Quad; it made headlines at UVA.
As Nwobike explained in her Sewanee graduation speech excerpted by UVA Law, even amid challenges, by resolving “to love the people around me. …I began to see service as one of the most effective and meaningful ways to remember our shared humanity. …Loving your neighbor is the most radical thing you can do in a world that has forgotten how.”
We think you’ll be moved by both UVA’s in-depth profile and Nwobike’s Senior Oration. You’ll also want to search the Purple’s online archives and read some of Nwobike’s many articles.
We think it could be an excellent way to start Sewanee’s Advent 2026 semester.