Living with lupus, leading with purpose

Student Experience

Living with lupus, leading with purpose

University of Virginia third-year student Torrae Bennett has built her UVA experience around serving others. Her passion for advocacy, public health and community-centered design grew out of her multicultural identity, a family background in construction and a lifetime of navigating a complex illness.

Diagnosed at age 3 with lupus – a chronic disease in which the immune system attacks healthy body tissues – and often traveling from Hopewell to Richmond for care, Bennett has come to see how closely public health is tied to housing and infrastructure. A cognitive science major minoring in civil engineering, she said those experiences shaped her desire to help communities gain access to better health care, transportation and housing.

“I love my city, but the hospital doesn’t have enough resources to take care of someone like me, and traveling to Richmond can sometimes take an hour,” she said. “At UVA, I’m learning how to understand and fix public housing and infrastructure issues, understanding how linked they are to public health.”

Torae Bennett as a child with her head in the mouth of a large animal statue

Becoming a Make-A-Wish recipient has driven Bennett to give back to her community and others. (Contributed photos)

The trip from Hopewell to Richmond became a regular necessity after Bennett became one of the youngest people in Virginia to be diagnosed with lupus. At age 7, she said she flatlined.

“After that, I became a Make-A-Wish recipient and, from then on, I just knew I wanted to be of service to people,” she said.

Despite chemotherapy, blood transfusions and frequent hospitalizations, Bennett worked closely with hospital tutors to stay on track academically. Her path came full circle this year when she accepted a role as a summer project engineer intern with DPR Construction, the company that built the hospital where she still receives care.

“My parents were told by doctors that I wouldn’t live past my teenage years,” she said. “So to have graduated high school and be close to graduating college now is proof that we can do anything in this world.”

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At UVA, Bennett channels her story into service. She is part of the Public Service Pathways Global Sustainability track, where she explores how the built environment aﬀects community well-being. She also serves as a resident advisor, supporting other students daily and building community.

Bennett found mentorship through the UVA Oﬃce of African-American Aﬀairs GradSTAR Scholars Program, which she says helped her stay grounded and confident in STEM. She credits her mentor, astronomy professor Shazrene Mohamed, for supporting her academic growth and her vision for serving others.

Her academic interest in construction emerged as she learned how policy, infrastructure and design directly shape public health. With the support of Diana Duran, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering, she navigated �鶹�ƽ�� civil engineering courses and discovered how construction could be used as a tool for community care.

Through a collaborative course last fall, Bennett became a fall associate at the Clark Construction Group, working alongside project engineers on the UVA Darden School of Business Student Housing Project.

UVA students in construction vests and helmets at a construction site

Students work as fall associates on the UVA Darden School of Business Student Housing Project. (Contributed photo)

She said she knew UVA was the place for her from the moment she began a tour of Grounds while in high school. “I just knew I could do great things here,” she said.

She continues to receive monthly treatments and emphasizes that lupus remains underresearched and currently has no cure. “Having lupus has taught me a lot about advocating for myself, navigating hard times and showing up on the most diﬃcult days,” she said.

For Bennett, construction is one piece of a larger mission: building communities that support the well-being of all people, especially those historically underserved. She sees her role as advocating for communities through design, public health and leadership.

“It feels like opportunities are endless here and the support system I’ve been able to gain just from help has been amazing,” she said.