Wanda Birckhead Farrar began her Madison House experience in high school in the 1970s. She was hired by long-standing Madison House employee, Judy Gough, to do part-time work. Unlike most people who have been involved with Madison House, Wanda was never a student at UVA and never served as a Madison House volunteer. All the same, the House had a significant impact on her life and shaped her career path in a way similar to the students who have served through the House. “I learned public speaking, fundraising, grant writing, program development, and leadership,” says Wanda. “I was always supported as a person and was constantly pushed to new heights.”

Starting as a part-time worker, Wanda eventually worked her way to becoming the first female Executive Director of Madison House in 1981. She was also the House’s first Executive Director who had not graduated from UVA, and in this, and so many other ways, Wanda became a trailblazer for all those who followed.

During her time as Executive Director, Wanda was involved in one of the House’s greatest changes: the early transition from Madison Hall to Madison House. Having previously been ‘housed’ in Madison Hall, the sale of that property to the University provided the House with enough funds to build their current location on Rugby and establish an endowment that the organization has relied upon since.

In regards to what has changed since the 1970s and 1980s, Wanda has been pleased to see how Madison House has developed. “While Madison House has grown in numbers and expanded the amount of programs offered,” says Wanda, “the core sentiments are still the same: it is still student run, and it is still its own entity.”

Despite contributing so much to the House’s rich history, Wanda is always quick to deflect any praise by pointing out that “the students built Madison House.” 

“Madison House gives students the opportunity to make a real difference in the community,” says Wanda. “It is an experience that will stick with them for the rest of their lives, like it has for me”

Author: Brady Holbrook; bgh7wen@virginia.edu

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