In 1995, on the 100th anniversary of the Rotunda Fire, all known living residents of the Lawn were contacted and asked to contribute their recollections and memorabilia of their experiences at the University of Virginia. Housed in the university's Special Collections archives, close to 1500 surveys exist, largely of male students. From these surveys, an electronic exhibit has been created, 100 Years on the Lawn.

In 1998, a 7-page survey was sent to women who were students at The University of Virginia between 1920 and 1976. This survey represents an effort to recover the voices of women who were part of the Academical Village, but who often are not remembered. It serves as a companion study to the Lawn Survey and is modeled on it. (View a copy of the survey.)

The Board of Visitors opened its doors officially to graduate and professional women in 1920. After that date, women matriculated in such programs as Education, Law, Medicine, Commerce, Engineering, Architecture, Graduate Arts and Sciences, and Nursing. Over 15,000 women students were part of the university community prior to the 1970s. Yet, many mostly remember that women entered undergraduate Arts and Sciences programs only in 1970. The numbers were carefully restricted until 1972, explaining the end date of this survey.

The survey results have now been compiled into a searchable database, available to people interested in understanding women's experiences at U.Va.