A Commitment to Excellence

In addition to the $284,126,161 campaign total, more than $45 million was raised by the Jefferson Scholars Foundation in collaboration with the College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, the Darden School, and the School of Engineering and Applied Science.

A defining moment of the campaign came in 2019 with a $100 million commitment from Jane and David Walentas. Their transformative investment included $50 million to launch a first-of-its-kind, merit-based scholarship for first-generation, college-bound students. What began as an effort to attract outstanding students from Virginia and New York has expanded into a national program. With additional support from UVA alumni, matched by the University’s Strategic Investment Fund, the Walentas Scholars Program now draws nominees from 19 regions, including Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Maryland, and St. Louis. Next year, for the first time, 60 Walentas Scholars across four cohorts will be on Grounds. The program’s inaugural class will graduate in 2026, leaving its mark on UVA through student leadership, academic achievement, and service to the broader community.

Equally transformative was the expansion of the foundation’s Distinguished Professorship Program. Through the extraordinary generosity of its benefactors, matched by UVA’s Bicentennial Professors Fund, the foundation secured approximately $144 million, increasing its total faculty endowment to $218 million. Among the new professorships created, eight carry the prestigious designation of University Professor—UVA’s highest faculty honor. These cross-disciplinary appointments, each endowed at the $10 million level, serve as vital instruments in attracting scholars of international distinction and influence.

The foundation’s flagship Jefferson Scholars Program continued to thrive during the campaign. More than 50 new scholarships were created, further strengthening a program that has invested over $163 million in direct support since its founding. Jefferson Scholars consistently lead the student body—in academics, service, and citizenship. Their impact is felt across Grounds and beyond.

The foundation’s recruiting influence extends well beyond the holders of its scholarships. Each year, hundreds of highly qualified Jefferson and Walentas Scholar nominees choose to enroll at UVA after participating in the selection process. In 2025-26, 468 nominees will join the Class of 2029—or 12 percent of the class. In response to the growing pipeline of top students, the foundation launched a loan replacement initiative to support finalists who were not selected for a full scholarship but were offered federal loans as part of their aid packages. This strategic investment not only eases the financial burden for these students but also positions UVA as a destination for students who are weighing offers from peer institutions. To date, the foundation has secured nearly $10 million in total funding for Loan Replacement Grants, which offers up to $28,000 over four years for out-of-state students and up to $18,000 over four years for in-state students.