It's hard to deny: UVA is a pretty awesome place. As one of the best schools in the country and an institution founded by none other than Thomas Jefferson, it shouldn't surprise anyone that UVA has a rich, often unknown history.

Inspired by one of my latest reads, "Rot, Riot, and Rebellion," here are some fun facts you may not have known about the wonderful place we call home. 

1. UVA was one of the first schools where professors actually lectured and held discussions with students, rather than the traditional approach of simply reading textbooks out loud. Jefferson insisted upon this, and it was an experimental educational practice that was quickly adopted by many other major universities. Similarly, UVA was the first school to administer written examinations, instead of spoken ones. 

2. UVA has never awarded an honorary degree. It is an official policy that degrees from the University may only be earned. 

3. Queen Elizabeth II visited UVA during America's bicentennial and ate lunch in the Dome Room of the Rotunda. Other notable visitors to the University include Franklin D. Roosevelt (to give the commencement address when his son graduated), Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu and former presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton. 

4. UVA almost shut down in its earliest years because the students would not stop rioting, drinking and, essentially, causing too much trouble. When VMI opened in 1839, there were discussions among the UVA Board to try to combine the two schools and take advantage of the more well-mannered reputation of VMI students.

5. UVA has the most Rhodes scholars of any public university, with 45 students awarded the honor. 

6. Jefferson didn't want there to be a president of UVA, partially because most university presidents were religious leaders. Instead, he set up a system where the faculty would rotate the responsibility, creating a more democratic system of administration. Years later, a president was installed when it became necessary due to the University's growing size. 

7. There was a highly contested rule at the school where students had to be awake before dawn. Students protested this rule frequently, and it was one of the biggest problems of student rebellion. 

8. Since U.S. News And World Report began ranking colleges over 20 years ago, UVA has never been below the top 25 of all American universities. Since U.S. News ranked public universities separately, UVA has always been ranked either number one or number two. 

9. On October 27, 1895, the Rotunda burned down. No one was killed and injuries were minor. The Rotunda was rebuilt in 1899, but with several changes to the design. Years later, the Rotunda was reconstructed to mimic Jefferson's original design. 

10. Woodrow Wilson was offered the position of the first president of UVA, but he turned it down. Edwin Anderson Alderman was then offered the position. 

11. The celebration of the University's centennial was delayed two years, and celebrated in1921, because of World War I. 

12. The Special Collections library holds the largest collection of William Faulkner materials in the world. He chose to donate most of his materials after his death to the University, after spending several years as a writer-in-residence at UVA.   

13. Notable alumni include: Woodrow Wilson, Edgar Allan Poe, Georgia O'Keefe, Tina Fey, Katie Couric, Robert F. Kennedy, Walter Reed (discovered the vaccine for yellow fever), Tiki and Ronde Barber (NFL players for the New York Giants and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, respectively), Rick Carlisle (the coach for the Dallas Mavericks), Ryan Zimmerman (third baseman for the Washington Nationals), Alexis Ohanian and Steve Huffman (cofounders of Reddit), Charles T. Pepper (the inspiration for the name Dr. Pepper), Heath Miller (tight end for the Pittsburgh Steelers), Melissa Stark (ESPN reporter), Dawn Staley (three-time Olympic gold medalist), Alben W. Barkley (vice president under Harry Truman), Benjamin McKenzie (actor known for "The O.C."), and Dylan Walsh (actor known for "Nip/Tuck").