University Alumnus John L. Nau III and his wife, Bobbie Nau, said they will donate $8.5 million to the University's South Lawn project -- the largest contribution to date.
President John T. Casteen III, in conjunction with College Dean Edward L. Ayers, worked with Nau to make the gift possible, according to Joseph Grasso, associate dean of planning and operations for the College.
"The South Lawn project will greatly expand the amount of space available," Grasso said. The space "will be much better quality and much more functional."
Grasso said the project will add research space, area for graduate and undergraduate students, a café and other amenities.
Nau's donation will fund a new home for the history department.
"I was delighted to see this, and not really surprised," said Gary W. Gallagher, John L. Nau III Professorship of History of the American Civil War. "I'm delighted that [the donation] came to the history department."
The entire South Lawn project will provide new facilities adjacent to the Lawn for 11 of the 26 departments in the College.
The new buildings will house the foreign languages, sociology, classics, philosophy, religious studies, politics and history departments.
"This donation will provide common spaces where students and faculty have the possibility to interact at an intellectual and social level," Grasso said. "The unique part of the South Lawn is [that it] will build a sense of community and identity for the College of Arts and Sciences ... by bringing together 11 different departments."
Casteen officially announced Nau's donation at the Board of Visitors meeting Thursday, April 3.
Grasso, the chief project manager for the South Lawn renovations, assisted in the development and planning of the project.
"We have just concluded the programmatic stage of the design cycle, which details the number of classrooms and the number of departments," Grasso said. "We are moving along with the design efforts."
The project is estimated to cost $160 million. More than half the funding will come from private contributions, in addition to University and state funds.
"The significant part [of this donation] is the symbolic nature of the gift," Grasso said. Nau "has been a leader across Grounds on many initiatives."
Grasso also emphasized the importance of the donation in prompting others to make contributions.
"By making this very generous gift, Nau has demonstrated the leadership that is necessary to make it possible for other donors to give significant gifts," he said.
In addition to his recent donation, Nau has made other significant contributions to the University. A former history major with an interest in the Civil War, the Naus were the principal donors to the John L. Nau III Professorship in the History of the American Civil War, as well as the Jefferson Scholars Graduate Fellowship in Civil War Studies.
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