Dean, Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy

The University of Virginia is a public institution of higher learning guided by a founding vision of discovery, innovation, and development of the full potential of talented students from all walks of life. It serves the Commonwealth of Virginia, the nation, and the world by developing responsible citizen leaders and professionals; advancing, preserving, and disseminating knowledge; and providing world-class patient care.

Thomas Jefferson founded the University of Virginia in 1819 as a practical expression of the ideals he set forth in the U.S. Declaration of Independence. Jefferson’s revolutionary vision for higher education created, in his words, “something new under the sun,” designed to educate citizen leaders for a fledgling democracy. While the University’s history mirrors the growth of our nation—bold experiments that challenge us to realize the best version of ourselves and contribute to the progress of society—UVA’s story is its own, reflected in the innovative ways the University serves its communities, the Commonwealth of Virginia, the country, and the world.

The Princeton Review ranked UVA as the No. 1 public school for financial aid. UVA also secured the No. 2 spot as the best value public university and No. 4 for career placement. Recognized for providing exceptional financial aid, health services, and strong alumni networks, UVA continues to deliver outstanding value and support to students. UVA remains one of the only public universities to meet 100% of every undergraduate student’s financial need and offers admission to students with no consideration of a family’s income.

UVA brings together a diverse global community of approximately 26,000 students, hailing from virtually every state in the nation and more than 150 countries. UVA encompasses twelve schools in Charlottesville, as well as the College at Wise, a small, liberal-arts college in Southwest Virginia, and its newest campus in Northern Virginia. In Charlottesville, the University employs nearly 33,000 people, including nearly 21,000 faculty and staff in the Academic Division and approximately 12,000 UVA Health employees.

Scott Beardsley, former dean of UVA’s Darden School of Business, became the University of Virginia’s 10th president on January 1, 2026. The University is carrying out a search for its next Executive Vice President and Provost; the interim EVP and Provost since March 2025 is Brie Gertler. The President is advised by the academic deans and the cabinet. The cabinet includes the Executive Vice President and Provost; Jennifer “J.J.” Wagner Davis, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer; and Dr. Mitchell Rosner, the Chief Executive Officer for UVA Health and Executive Vice President for Health Affairs for UVA. This leadership team is dedicated to advancing the University’s academic mission, research enterprise, and strategic vision.

The University of Virginia’s Board of Visitors is the governing body responsible for overseeing the University’s strategic direction, policies, and overall management. The Board is composed of 17 voting members, 12 of whom must be Virginia residents and alumni. They are on a four-year term, appointed by the Governor of Virginia, and subject to confirmation by the General Assembly. The Board also includes two non-voting representatives, a full-time student and a faculty member, each serving one-year terms. Board of Visitors members bring expertise from various sectors and play a crucial role in shaping UVA’s academic priorities, financial health, and campus development. They work closely with University leadership to ensure that UVA maintains its commitment to excellence, supports initiatives that enhance the student experience, and upholds the University’s mission as a leading public institution. Through their guidance and stewardship, the Board of Visitors helps secure UVA’s continued growth and prominence both nationally and globally.

UVA has significantly completed its “Good and Great” strategy, which was launched in August 2019, and has recently begun a new strategic planning process for the next decade. UVA has strong momentum including the following selected examples: record number of student applications, highly ranked schools and faculty, transformational research centers including the Manning Institute of Biotechnology, the Emmet-Ivy Corridor expansion, a AAA credit rating, and a record-setting $6 billion capital campaign. Throughout the strategic planning activity, the University’s mission will remain central and a strong emphasis is placed on academic excellence, an outstanding student experience, discovery and innovation, world-class patient care, and service—positioning UVA not just as a leading global academic institution, but as a model for how public universities can serve both their students and society at large.

A Carnegie Research 1 university and member of the American Association of Universities, UVA has strong partnerships with leading federal and state agencies and some of the world’s largest companies across a wide range of industries. Sponsored research awards in 2024-2025 totaled $570 million (excluding any potential adjustments) from all sources, including federal and state agencies, industry, and private foundations, and have remained at this level in 2025-2026 in a challenging context. UVA has $829 million in R&D expenditures in the NSF Herd report, ranking UVA at No. 48 in the USA in the last cycle. UVA researchers have made hundreds of invention disclosures, and the National Academy of Inventors lists the University among its top-100 universities in the world for utility patents issued. UVA’s Licensing and Ventures Group helps bring innovative companies and products to the market, making Charlottesville one of the most vibrant venture capital markets in the country.

UVA has large research parks located near Grounds and near the Charlottesville airport. New institutes, including the Manning Institute of Biotechnology and the LaCross Institute for Ethical Artificial Intelligence in Business, supported with $100m+ gifts and located proximate to the nation’s capital and technology centers, position UVA well for the future.

The University of Virginia employs a dedicated and dynamic workforce of nearly 33,000 individuals across its academic division, UVA Health, and College at Wise, with 3,210 being salaried academic faculty. Faculty and staff are essential to the University’s continued excellence, and UVA is consistently recognized as one of the best places to work in higher education, earning national distinction in workplace satisfaction, leadership support, and work-life balance.

UVA faculty are recognized leaders in their fields, with many earning prestigious fellowships and awards, including Fulbright and Guggenheim fellowships, National Science Foundation CAREER awards, National Endowment for the Humanities grants, and election to esteemed societies such as the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the National Academies, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Their contributions span everything from biomedical breakthroughs and policy innovation to landmark legal scholarship and influential works in literature, art, and history.

UVA staff members are equally critical to the institution’s operations and success. From administrative professionals and information technology experts to facilities teams and health care providers, staff at UVA exemplify dedication and professionalism. The University offers comprehensive professional development programs, leadership training, and competitive benefits to support career growth and employee well-being.

The University’s commitment to excellence, equity, and opportunity extends across every role and division. As a result, UVA continues to attract faculty and staff who are not only leaders in their fields, but also passionate educators, collaborators, and community members.

Shared governance at UVA is critically important, and inclusive of the Board of Visitors, the President and other leaders, deans, and organizations of faculty, students, and staff. The following bodies are examples.

• • Faculty Senate: A representative body composed of approximately 82 elected faculty members from all schools of the University. It guides academic policy and advises the president and the rector and Board of Visitors concerning educational and related matters affecting the welfare of the University.
  • General Faculty Council: Consists of about 22 elected members and represents non-tenure-track faculty. Close to 50% of the UVA faculty are not on the tenure track. Senior professional research staff are also represented on the General Faculty Council, an additional 400+ employees.
  • UVA Student Council: A representative body for the student community. Student self-governance at UVA is deeply rooted in tradition. Students have historically held significant roles in University life and decision-making, including bodies like the Honor Committee and University Judiciary Committee.
  • UVA Staff Senate: Serves all academic division staff to represent staff interests to university leadership and ensure staff are an integral part of key decision-making. The Staff Senate is made up of 60+ senators who represent all staff working within 24 departments and schools within the academic division.

The UVA student experience is unique. That experience is punctuated by many distinct aspects of University life: the Honor System and the resulting community of trust; the Lawn and its residential community for faculty and students; the primacy of student self-governance; the diversity of the student body; the emphasis on service; the elegance of the architecture and the beauty and history of the surrounding area.

Founded on long-held values of academic excellence, this experience is also marked by retention (98% for first years) and on-time graduation (92%) rates, which are among the highest in the country. It is a warm, welcoming community, with generous and kind community members. These dimensions of the student experience—along with many others—shape UVA graduates to be driven, intellectually curious, and community-minded citizens of integrity and purpose. The current student body is made up of approximately 18,000 undergraduate and 9,000 graduate and professional students.

The University attracts a highly accomplished applicant pool from all 50 states and over 150 countries and is one of the few public universities to meet 100% of every undergraduate student’s demonstrated financial need and offers admission to them without consideration of their financial situation. The University offers robust student scholarship support to attract the best and brightest students from all backgrounds, while protecting against excessive student debt. The University is consistently ranked among the top in the country for financial aid and value for students.

The University is a top producer of Rhodes and Marshall Scholars and provides extensive support through the Office of Citizen Scholar Development for students applying for these prestigious postgraduate awards. Success in these prestigious international fellowships flows directly from UVA’s enduring commitment to personal and academic excellence that infuses undergraduate life and beyond.

Admission to UVA is highly competitive, with a record number of over 82,000 first-year applications in 2026 with a 13% admit rate. This steady rise in applicants over the past decade reflects the University's growing national and global reputation. UVA also maintains a vibrant transfer student pipeline, particularly from UVA Wise and the Virginia Community College System.

The student experience at UVA is enriched by more than 750 student organizations, extensive leadership and service opportunities, a top-ranked Student Health and Wellness program, and a robust NCAA Division I athletics program featuring 27 varsity teams, and 65 club sports. UVA’s status as a leading research university is also evident in its support for undergraduate research and faculty mentorship. Programs such as the Undergraduate Research Network (URN) and Double Hoo Research Grants allow students to engage directly with groundbreaking research across disciplines.

UVA and UVA Global welcome students and faculty from all walks of life and from around the world. It has a strategic focus on enhancing the Commonwealth of Virginia’s global stature, preparing its students to become globally engaged citizen leaders after graduation, and supporting its faculty as they discover solutions to leading global challenges, ranging from mitigating climate change to combating infectious diseases. The University aims to support at least one global experience for every undergraduate student before graduation.

UVA has a strong history of athletic success and is committed to developing Cavaliers both academically and athletically. In 2026, UVA was in the top 10 overall in the Directors’ Cup all-sports rankings for more than 300 NCAA Division I programs.

During its storied athletics history (through the summer of 2026) Virginia has won 37 NCAA team national championships, 161 Atlantic Coast Conference team championships, and produced multiple NCAA and ACC individual champions. Most recently, the Cavalier women’s swimming and diving program won its sixth consecutive national championship and sent six swimmers to the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Head coach Todd DeSorbo was Team USA’s women’s head coach at the Games. In 2026, the UVA men’s tennis won their sixth national title since 2015.

A total of 13 Virginia athletics programs have been ranked No. 1 in their respective sports at some point in their history. UVA student-athletes have gone on to win Super Bowls, World Cups, NBA Championships, baseball World Series, Olympic gold medals, and they have been inducted into multiple national Halls of Fame.

Academically, UVA ranks among the nation’s leaders in the NCAA Graduation Success Rate and Academic Progress rate reports, well above the national averages. Virginia is also one of the top schools in the country for student-athlete graduation rates for minority students.

The University of Virginia boasts a vast and influential alumni network of over 270,000 living graduates worldwide. UVA alumni have made significant impacts across diverse fields, including literature, law, journalism, and international diplomacy, to name a few. This global community is spread across more than 100 countries. Beyond professional achievements, UVA alumni remain deeply engaged with their alma mater, supporting scholarships, organizing events, and funding innovative projects, reflecting a strong commitment to both the University and broader society. A testament to UVA’s alumni engagement is the 28 foundations UVA has developed as a means for alumni to participate and contribute to the University. UVA alumni played a pivotal role in the success of the Honor the Future campaign.

UVA’s External Relations is the primary driver of constituent engagement and fundraising efforts for UVA. It includes the Health System Development Office and comprises approximately 270 team members. External Relations is charged with securing philanthropic support for pan-University priorities and strategic initiatives, and several UVA schools and units have established management partnerships with External Relations for their development efforts. They work in close partnership with the independent foundations and fundraising offices associated with other UVA schools and units to form a holistic enterprise supporting shared strategic goals.

In support of its aspirations to be the best public university in the nation and among the best in the world, the University launched the Honor the Future capital campaign with a quiet phase beginning in the summer of 2017, followed by a public launch in October of 2019. UVA set an ambitious goal of $5 billion with a target completion date of June 30, 2025, which was surpassed 18 months ahead of the target due to the enormous generosity of alumni, parents, and friends. The campaign surpassed its goal, raising a total of $6.1 billion from more than 250,000 donors, and 2026 has seen continued fund-raising momentum in line with recent years.

The University operates on budget and has developed an exceptionally strong financial foundation as exhibited by a $17+ billion long-term assets under management net position on June 30, 2026, a beautiful and well-maintained Grounds and capital plan, and a consensus triple-A bond rating. The three major rating agencies have noted the University’s excellent reputation; student demand, highly selective admissions, and broad geographic reach; sponsored research prowess; superior wealth and liquidity management; exceptional strategic positioning supported by strong planning, risk management, and ongoing prospects to support programmatic investments; the medical center’s prominent clinical reputation and ability to compete for patient care revenue; and remarkable donor support, among other factors. The recently completed capital campaign raised $6.1 billion.

The $7.1 billion FY2027 annual budget encompasses the medical center ($4.4 billion), the academic division ($2.6 billion), and the College at Wise ($80 million). Significant revenue sources for the academic division include tuition and fees (39%), externally sponsored programs (22%), gifts and endowment distribution (24%), state appropriations (11%), and other revenues (4%). The University and its associated organization have approximately $17 billion invested in the University of Virginia Investment Management Company’s (UVIMCO) long-term pool as of June 30, 2026, boosted by the long-term performance of UVIMCO, which has achieved an ~9.6% return over the past 20 years, compared to a benchmark of 7.5%. In recent years, UVA has transformed significant parts of its operations (human resources and finance) and implemented new cloud-based systems that will enable best-in-class analysis, services, and support in a rapidly changing environment.

UVA Health’s vision is to be the nation’s leading public academic health system and a best place to work, while transforming patient care, research, education, and engagement with the diverse communities it serves. UVA Health is an expansive network comprised of the UVA Medical Center, UVA Community Health (including hospitals in Culpeper, Prince William, Haymarket, and a community medical practice), UVA School of Nursing, UVA School of Medicine, University of Virginia Physicians Group, Claude Moore Health Sciences Library, and other strategic partnerships and alliances.

UVA Health has a long and storied history beginning almost two centuries ago. The School of Medicine was founded in 1825, six short years after Thomas Jefferson founded UVA, becoming the 10th medical school in the nation. UVA Health continues to expand at an incredibly rapid rate and to invest significant resources across all missions. Just over the past four years, UVA Health has opened a new 84-bed tower, acquired a free-standing ambulatory surgery center, opened a 200,000 square foot orthopedic center, acquired three community hospitals as well as a physician’s organization in Northern Virginia, and was ranked the No. 1 children’s hospital in the state for the fourth consecutive year. Forbes ranked UVA Health the No. 1 hospital in Virginia in 2025 and 2026 and successfully achieved comprehensive status for its National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center.

Located in Central Virginia just east of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and 100 miles south of Washington, D.C., Charlottesville offers stunning natural beauty, a thriving art, music, and food culture, and an ever-growing list of things to do.

In the span of a single day, you can hike part of the Appalachian Trail, attend a concert, enjoy a memorable meal at one of Charlottesville’s many celebrated restaurants (the city ranks among the nation’s top 15 places with the most restaurants per capita), stroll the historic Downtown Mall, and explore Monticello, tour the Fralin Museum, visit the Jefferson School African American Heritage Center, or enjoy world-class wineries in some of the most beautiful landscapes on the East Coast.

Charlottesville brings together the best of many worlds, offering the livability and community of a small city with the amenities and cultural attractions of a metropolis. For more information, visit Visit Charlottesville.

The mission of UVA Northern Virginia is to connect Grounds in Charlottesville with Northern Virginia and vice versa. UVA Northern Virginia is the center point of UVA’s efforts to better serve the Commonwealth by bringing new and existing academic programs across disciplines and modalities—in-person, online, and hybrid—to Northern Virginia. UVA reimagined how the academic rigor of Charlottesville could be channeled north to create educational programs, research, mentorship, and events to support Northern Virginia working professionals in parallel with their careers.

UVA Northern Virginia works across UVA units to promote over 35 degree and non-degree programs in two locations: Rosslyn and Fairfax. Offerings include programs from the Darden School of Business, McIntire School of Commerce, School of Medicine, School of Engineering and Applied Science, School of Architecture, School of Continuing and Professional Studies, School of Data Science, School of Education and Human Development, and School of Nursing. In addition, UVA Northern Virginia continues to develop non-degree educational programs with governmental and corporate partners. Highlights include a custom executive education program with Amazon and an open enrollment program for the Department of Defense. The UVA Northern Virginia Inspire Summer Program, offering in-person and online courses across disciplines such as programming and forensic science, serves local high school students in the Northern Virginia region.

UVA Wise is a public, four-year residential liberal arts college located on 396 acres in the Appalachian Mountains of Southwest Virginia, with a mission to build a diverse community of learners who have the drive to serve and lead in their communities, the nation and the world.

Before the University of Virginia founded UVA Wise in 1954 with the support of the Virginia legislature, there were no public colleges serving Virginia’s mountainous western and southwestern regions, putting postsecondary and higher education out of reach for many individuals and families living there.

Today, UVA Wise has an enrollment of nearly 2,000 students taught by 102 full-time faculty. The college has a student-faculty ratio of 13:1 and consistently ranks as one of the best nationally for students graduating with little to no debt.

UVA Wise offers 34 majors, 43 minors, and 24 teaching licensures. Undergraduate degree programs include Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, and Bachelor of Science in Nursing. UVA Wise began offering graduate programs in Fall 2023 with a Master of Education degree in Curriculum and Instruction.

The Year in Wise program allows undergraduate students to enroll in UVA Wise for a year, complete 30 credits and maintain a ‘B’ average, then receive a guaranteed transfer into UVA’s College of Arts & Sciences in Charlottesville.