University of Virginia alumnus and Board of Visitors member John L. Nau III has given $20 million to the College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences to attract “exceptional” graduate students and to enhance their education and experiences once on Grounds.
The gift comes from Nau personally and also through the John L. Nau III Foundation. The University has matched $10 million of the gift, meaning the total impact to the College will be $30 million. The donation, earmarked for the College’s Campaign for Graduate Excellence, will fully endow 30 graduate students and pushes the campaign more than halfway to its goal of raising $150 million.
“I deeply respect John as a friend and as one of the University’s most generous supporters,” UVA President Jim Ryan said. “John’s remarkable commitment reflects his enduring belief in the transformative power of education and his many connections to the UVA community. I’m grateful for his support of graduate education, which is critical to the academic mission of the University.”
College Dean Christa Acampora says Nau’s gift “will boost UVA’s ability to recruit and retain the best graduate students.” (Contributed photo)
The College’s dean, Christa Acampora, launched the campaign in April 2023. The impact, she said, was almost immediate; graduate applications have increased 22% in a year, in part because of more competitive offers and graduate living support. In addition to pursuing their education, graduate students typically teach and mentor undergraduates, assist faculty and participate in research, making them a vital part of the University, Acampora said.
In early 2024, Acampora announced new investments of nearly $25 million over the next three years to enhance the College’s research capabilities. In December, the College announced a nearly 15% increase in living support for current and incoming graduate students, to $36,000 annually. The College said at the time that funding increases “will boost UVA’s ability to recruit and retain the best graduate students.”
“I am truly grateful to John Nau for his extraordinary gift, which will enable us to attract exceptional talent,” Acampora said. “At a time when other universities are experiencing a crisis in resources for graduate education, the College is achieving a position of strength, enabling us to foster a vibrant intellectual environment where students can thrive as scholars, mentors and collaborators.”
Nau, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps before enrolling in UVA and graduating in 1968 with a history degree, has a long and generous history of supporting his alma mater. He is a founder and past president of the College Foundation, a member of the Board of Visitors and the board’s current appointee to the College Foundation Board of Trustees.
“The College is the heart of UVA,” Nau said. “Helping to improve the academic product is an honor for me.”
