UVA architecture students doodle on napkins for a cause

Got a napkin? You might just sketch the next big thing. At least that’s what some University of Virginia students did with their napkin sketching fundraiser. Move over, cocktail napkin business plans—it’s time for some architectural artistry for a good cause.

About the fundraiser

The UVA chapter of the American Institute of Architecture Students, in collaboration with Sketch@UVA, hosted a unique competition that married creativity with philanthropy. The theme? “This Must Be the Place,” inspired by the Talking Heads song (though organizer Anna Travasos admitted she hadn’t heard it).

Participants were encouraged to sketch their favorite places on napkins—whether it was a spot on campus, somewhere off-grounds, or anywhere that held special meaning. These miniature masterpieces were then put up for auction, with proceeds benefiting the Charlottesville-based Building Goodness Foundation.

The event kicked off with a sketching workshop in Campbell Hall’s Naug Lounge. Aspiring artists submitted their napkin sketches, with bidding programs scheduled for September 18 and 19.

For these architecture students, sketching was more than just a party trick — it was a vital tool in their creative process. As third-year student Carly Batson told UVA Today, “I like to do a lot of hand sketching. It’s not anything that’s pretty, but drawing out my ideas is a start and it’s how I get my ideas flowing.”

Cole Rozwadowski, another third-year student and founder of Sketch@UVA, saw sketching as both a practical tool and a passion (he also sells his sketches on Etsy). “Last semester I would be staring at a computer for six hours straight, and I’d say ‘OK, that’s enough.’ I’d set a timer for 30 minutes, go find something to draw and just tune out all the studio work, all the academic work,” Rozwadowski shared.

The event not only raised funds for a good cause, but also helped people overcome the idea that drawing and design are solely innate talents. They emphasized that sketching, like any skill, can be learned and improved with practice.

“It’s creating a community event and raising money for the Building Goodness Foundation, which is based in Charlottesville, but builds projects in El Salvador and other places,” Travasos said. “That’s a really cool aspect of it.”