Photo credit: Eugenia Uhl Photography
You might expect someone who has achieved all that Ava McGoey has to be chasing the next big title. But that’s never really been the second-year student’s game.
“I want to be known for how I make people feel,” she says. “Supportive, steady, and empathetic.”
That simple but intentional philosophy shapes how the Jefferson and Echols Scholar leads, learns, and shows up every day at McIntire.
At the core of Ava’s story is a people-first approach to leadership, one that started long before college. In high school, she launched an investing club at her all-girls school, teaching 20 classmates who had never been exposed to finance. What seemed straightforward at first quickly became a lesson in humility.
“Having knowledge yourself doesn’t mean you can impart that knowledge on others,” she explains.
She had to slow down, rethink the basics, and meet people where they were. The real win was not in portfolio performance. It was watching her peers gain confidence and develop a sense of ownership over something that once felt inaccessible.
That mindset mirrors the way Ava learned to approach golf, a sport that defined much of her childhood. Introduced to the game by her dad, she quickly found it became a constant. With early mornings, long practice sessions, and weekends spent traveling to tournaments across the country, she learned discipline from golf, but more importantly, it taught her patience and resilience.
After years of trying, she finally qualified for the Drive, Chip, & Putt Championship at Augusta, GA, in her final year of eligibility. Walking onto Augusta National, once a distant goal, was surreal. But the moment was particularly meaningful because she was able to share it with her family, especially her dad, who had been there for every step of the journey.
Not long after, injuries forced her to step away from competitive golf. Still, the game continues to shape how she sees the world. Through volunteer experiences connected to PGA tournaments, Ava has remained close to the sport, gaining a new perspective on what it means to compete at the highest level. Watching professionals manage pressure and stay mentally steady has reinforced lessons she now applies off the course: controlling what she can, staying present, and trusting her preparation.
Now halfway through her college career, Ava is just as intentional about how she spends her days.
“I have been thinking a lot about time as an asset,” she says. “It is finite, and it matters how you invest it.”
Whether she is co-chairing the Community Service Committee on Student Council, working with the Alternative Investment Fund student org, or stepping into a consulting project with the Virginia Consulting Group, she’s fully present. If she commits to something, she is all in.
That same intentionality defines how she thinks about success. Instead of chasing one achievement after another, Ava focuses on growth and self-examination.
“I do not live my life aiming for one big success, but for the little wins,” she says. “To me, success is being self-aware, well rounded, and constantly learning.”
Academically and professionally, she is drawn to the intersection of data and human behavior. From an early interest in markets to her experience at McIntire, Ava has learned that numbers alone do not tell the full story.
“We have to be aware of our blind spots,” she says. “What you see is not all there is.”
That belief fuels her curiosity about areas like art markets, where value is shaped not just by financial metrics, but by narrative, perception, and cultural meaning. For Ava, understanding any market means understanding the people behind it.
Thinking about her professional future, she’s leaning toward consulting, a path that fits her love of problem-solving. “I enjoy taking something messy and making it clearer over time,” she says.
While some may stay fixed on the final score, Ava is playing a different kind of game that’s rooted in empathy, intentionality, and growth.
Because in her view, the most meaningful wins are the ones that help others succeed.
