LaCross Family Sparks Matching Gift for UVA Darden Faculty Building Renovation

Imagine a space at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business where faculty collaboration and innovation thrive. David (MBA ’78) and Kathleen LaCross have pledged $6.5 million toward the renovation of the Faculty Office Building, with Darden contributing an additional $1 million to create a $7.5 million matching gift. This challenge invites others to help raise $15 million for the project, enabling the renovation to move forward.

This renovation will create a space that supports Darden’s faculty and reflects the School’s dynamic community. The project has been a part of Darden’s master plan for years, approved by the UVA Board of Visitors, and included in its strategic needs assessment as a capital project.

A Challenge to Lead Darden’s Future

This challenge invites others to help shape Darden’s future. With the Powered by Purpose campaign ending 30 June 2025, securing this gift is crucial. Dean Scott Beardsley highlights the project’s importance: “The revamped building, featuring a transformational faculty hub, should be a nexus for innovation, collaboration and community — ensuring every corner reflects Darden’s commitment to faculty excellence.  Several iconic spaces are available for naming thanks to the LaCross match, and we hope to complete the fundraising process for the faculty building this academic year so that we can get construction underway in 2025.”

The Need for a Modern Faculty Office Building

The renovation is part of Faculty Forward, Milestone II of the Powered by Purpose campaign, addressing a significant need at Darden. The current Faculty Office Building was designed over 25 years ago, before the recent growth in faculty and degree programs.

Darden’s innovative educational approach emphasizes team teaching and an enterprise view of business. This requires flexible spaces that foster both collaboration and individual work. Since 2015, Darden has expanded its faculty from 70 to 99 members, all dedicated to breaking down academic silos and co-designing courses that integrate strategy, accounting, marketing and more. This unique pedagogy, recognized by The Princeton Review and The Economist as No. 1 from 2017 to 2024, demands environments that support dynamic interaction and the infusion of new ideas.

The renovated building will include collaborative hubs, faculty pavilions and innovation spaces designed to enhance team teaching and interdisciplinary projects. Quiet work areas will provide faculty with the necessary space to develop cutting-edge research and curriculum, while open meeting rooms will facilitate the seamless collaboration essential to Darden’s teaching model. By aligning the building’s design with the faculty’s educational philosophy, the renovation will ensure that Darden remains at the forefront of business education.

According to Beardsley, “This investment in Darden’s award-winning faculty is consistent with our strategy of excellence and will take another step toward a vibrant future.”

Robert A.M. Stern Architects has developed an exciting conceptual design to turn the building into a collaborative hub. The design includes faculty pavilions, meeting rooms and innovation spaces. Additionally, outdoor porches overlooking Flagler Court, currently underutilized, will be transformed into spaces for work and reflection — and much needed office space will be added.

David LaCross shares a deep connection to this project, saying, “This is about more than just a building. It’s about creating a space that reflects the incredible talent and dedication of Darden’s faculty and encouraging others to support this transformation.”

A Legacy of Giving

Kathleen and David LaCross

The LaCross family’s significant contributions to Darden go beyond this project. David and Kathleen LaCross are members of the Principal Donor Society at the Jefferson Level, the highest recognition level, honoring more than $25 million in lifetime giving. They have already made a lasting impact on Darden through projects like the LaCross Botanical Gardens, the recently launched LaCross Institute for Ethical AI in Business and their support for Darden’s student housing project.

Learn More and Naming Opportunities

The Darden School Foundation is working to raise the remaining match.  Learn more about the Faculty Office Building renovation project here. Naming opportunities will be added to this page as they are finalized.

Additionally, look out an in-depth story in the upcoming fall issue of Pillars, a biannual publication highlighting the impact of philanthropy on Darden.

To take advantage of the FOB matching gift opportunity or learn more about other naming opportunities, please contact Samantha Hartog, senior associate vice president of advancement, at +1-434-981-4025 or HartogS@darden.virginia.edu.