1st Genbod Meeting
MIDDLE GROUNDS AT UVA
ABOUT MIDDLE GROUNDS
BRIDGING IDEOLOGICAL GAPS
Middle Grounds is a chapter of the national program Bridge USA. We are a club dedicated to fostering non-partisan political unity through open and respectful conversations. We provide a platform for students to engage in meaningful discussions about various political and social issues, aiming to promote understanding and empathy.
Our Executive Board
PRESIDENT
Jacob Rabin is a fourth-year at the University of Virginia, where he studies History and Foreign Affairs. He leads Middle Grounds, UVA’s BridgeUSA chapter, and contributes to the Virginia Political Review and the Virginia Journal of International Affairs. Outside of academics and politics, he’s a longtime hockey fan who rarely misses a Hurricanes game.
VICE PRESIDENT
Lily Bass is a third year double majoring in English and Political Philosophy, Policy, and Law. She is the Vice President of Middle Grounds and loves to keep people talking. Lily also volunteers at the CASPCA and loves spending her time with the animals and cleaning their cages. She also is the Co-Director for Coup De Pod at UVA, a political podcast that gives all sides a place on the stage. Lily is passionate about politics and having healthy and constructive conversations.
SECRETARY
Caroline or “CC”, as members know her as, is a third-year student at UVA double majoring in Economics and Media Studies. When she is not busy doing her meeting minutes CC enjoys attending local Charlottesville concerts on the downtown mall. She additionally serves as a writer for The Arts and Entertainment Desk of The Cavalier Daily where she writes music features and is the Vice President of Marketing for the One Love at UVA club here on grounds.
SOCIAL CHAIR
“Lily Brame is a second-year at UVA where she is majoring in Foreign Affairs. She is Middle Grounds’ Social Chair, as well as Vice President of NextGen at UVA, and an active member of Hoos Vote. Beyond politics, Lily enjoys art and music. Whether the topic is elections or singers, Lily is always down for some civil discourse.”
COMMUNICATIONS
CHAIR
Nick Felsman is a second-year student at UVA, majoring in politics. He is the Middle Grounds Communications Chair, connecting and informing students about the various Middle Grounds activities. While Nick is a part of creating productive conversations with Middle Grounds, he is also an active member of UVA’s Polymorphic Media Collective, which focuses on publicizing healthy discourse. Nick’s excited for the year to start and to see all the new faces at Middle Grounds.
OUTREACH CHAIR
Dimney Rideout is a fourth-year at UVA, majoring in Government on the American Politics track with minors in Psychology and Leadership in the McIntire School of Commerce. She is the Outreach Chair for Middle Grounds, actively working to ensure viewpoint diversity and connect with other CIOs on Grounds and organizations outside of UVA. Dimney also serves as Co-Chair of Pancakes for Parkinson’s at UVA, is an active member of Hoos Vote, and volunteers with the Walking Bus program through Madison House.