From President Ryan: A Letter of Thanks

In January, we announced exciting news: The “Honor the Future” capital campaign crossed the $5 billion threshold, 18 months ahead of schedule. That’s an important milestone that offers an opportunity to reflect and offer thanks, and this letter gives me an opportunity to do just that.

The $5 billion figure—a tremendous mark of the generosity of our community—represents an investment that will benefit generations of students, support the best and brightest faculty, spark discoveries, and support our aim to be the best public university in the country by 2030. 

There is another figure, though, that is just as important: 230,000. Roughly 230,000 alumni, parents, students, staff and friends have contributed to the Honor the Future campaign as of this writing. For context, we have about 265,000 living alumni. I am deeply grateful to each and every person who has chosen to give to this place. 

Thousands of people across the University have worked hard to get us to this point. Campaign Chair Peter Grant (Col ’78, Darden ’86), a proud Double ’Hoo, has brought energy and thoughtfulness to his volunteer role, traveling the world to connect with and inspire alumni and friends. He leads a 34-member Campaign Executive Committee, all volunteers who have given generously and lent invaluable advice. It’s been an honor and pleasure to work alongside them.

A huge thanks goes out to our talented and dedicated University Advancement team, led by Vice President for Advancement Mark Luellen. Mark and his team have set targets, stewarded gifts, and planned countless events, campaigns, reports and meetings. Their ambition and vision have been critical to our success.

I’d also like to thank the faculty and staff who have worked together to launch the Karsh Institute of Democracy, the Paul and Diane Manning Institute of Biotechnology and the School of Data Science. These ambitious projects were made possible by this campaign and the generosity and vision of their supporters, and it has been incredibly exciting to see them come to life. This past fall, the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia approved a new undergraduate major in data science, while in October the Karsh Institute welcomed thousands to its Democracy360 conference, with an outstanding, bipartisan lineup of speakers. In December, we broke ground on the Paul and Diane Manning Institute of Biotechnology, which will be a 350,000-square-foot, world-class research facility.

I’m also grateful to all who have supported the transformation of the Emmet-Ivy corridor, now graced by the new School of Data Science building, and home to the planned Tessa and Richard Ader Performing Arts Center and the Karsh Institute of Democracy. This area will become a thriving connection point between Central and North Grounds with classroom, research, and performance space alongside outdoor areas for all to enjoy.

Meanwhile, campaign contributions also supported the renovation of Alderman Library, which re-opened its doors in January. I’m grateful to everyone who supported the renovation, which gives today’s students the opportunity to experience a building that generations before them cherished, even through sleepless nights of studying. 

I am also grateful to those who gave to the new Contemplative Commons building, supported by the generosity and vision of Paul Jones (Col ’76) and Sonia Jones. Located adjacent to the Dell and home to the Contemplative Sciences Center, this multipurpose building will house an impressive range of academic programs, research efforts and art installations.  Its flexible spaces can adapt to a wide range of uses, from classroom or meeting areas to performance spaces or yoga studios.

We’ve seen so many other acts of extraordinary generosity, from scholarships created by first-generation students to help others who are the first in their families to go to college, to cancer research supported by donors whose loved ones have bravely faced that disease, or professorships created by those who fondly remember their own mentors. 

I could keep going, but this magazine only has so many pages. Suffice it to say that this campaign has shown, repeatedly and profoundly, the ties that bind us and make this UVA family special. 

However, even as we pause to offer thanks, we’re not slowing down. There is more to do as we work toward the goals outlined in our 2030 Plan: Strengthening our foundation; cultivating the most vibrant community in higher education; enabling discoveries that enrich and improve lives; and making UVA synonymous with service. We have made great strides toward those goals, and I have no doubt that the coming year will bring further proof of what we can accomplish when we come together, from those of us here in Charlottesville to our alumni worldwide. I’m grateful and excited for all that is to come.

James E. Ryan (Law ’92)
President of the University of Virginia