LaCross Professorships Usher in A New Era in AI Leadership at UVA Darden

Following the recent launch of the LaCross Institute for Ethical Artificial Intelligence in Business, the University of Virginia Darden School of Business has taken another major step in advancing AI research and teaching. At the UVA Board of Visitors meeting on 13 September, two new professorships, funded by David (MBA ’78) and Kathleen LaCross, were approved, further enabling Darden’s leadership in the AI space.

The LaCross Artificial Intelligence in Business University Professorship will enhance collaboration between Darden and UVA’s School of Data Science, focusing on the ethical and practical applications of AI in business. The $5 million gift from the LaCross family, matched by the Bicentennial Professorship Fund, creates a $10 million endowment for this prestigious position.  A search will be conducted soon.

“AI is a leadership opportunity, not just a technology challenge,” David LaCross said. “This professorship will ensure that Darden remains at the forefront of responsible AI integration in business.”

University Professorships are awarded by the president and provost to exceptionally distinguished professors whose interdisciplinary work has cross-Grounds relevance and is recognized nationally and internationally. The holder of the LaCross University Professorship will help Darden build on the momentum of the LaCross AI Institute, driving innovation and ethical leadership in this critical field.

“This gift from David and Kathy LaCross is an extraordinary act of foresight and commitment to the future of both Darden and the University of Virginia,” said UVA President Jim Ryan. “By supporting these new professorships, they are helping us lead in one of the most important fields of our time — ethical AI. I am deeply grateful for their generosity and vision, which will leave a lasting impact on UVA and beyond.”

In addition, one of the Frank M. Sands Sr. Professorships, established in 2020 to support emerging scholars, will be renamed the David and Kathleen LaCross Professorship. A portion of the LaCross family’s gift will be used to build on Frank Sands’ gift, furthering both alumni’s long-standing commitment to faculty excellence and shifting the focus of the professorship to AI.

David and Kathleen LaCross are members of the Principal Donor Society at the Jefferson Level, honoring more than $25 million in lifetime giving.

Dean Scott Beardsley emphasized the significance of these new professorships: “Building on the establishment of the LaCross AI Institute, these positions reflect Darden’s commitment to faculty excellence and leadership in AI business and ethics and innovation. We are incredibly grateful to David and Kathy for their visionary support.”

For more information about how you can support Faculty Forward, Milestone II of Darden’s Powered by Purpose campaign, contact Samantha Hartog, Senior Associate Vice President of Advancement, at +1-434-981-4025 or HartogS@darden.virginia.edu.