The University of Virginia Darden School of Business

The Darden School is named for Colgate Whitehead Darden Jr., who served the Commonwealth and the nation as governor of Virginia, U.S. Congressman and as president of the University of Virginia (UVA). One of the early advocates for a graduate business school at UVA, Darden’s support led to the School’s founding in 1955. A bold champion of public education, Darden strove to improve educational quality and access at all levels, from primary schools through the system of higher education and at UVA. Keenly aware of the importance of economic development to the state and the region, Darden conceived and led the campaign to create a graduate school of business administration to nurture the managerial talent essential for economic growth. Astute in his strategy to generate political and financial support and tireless in his advocacy, he succeeded in establishing the first graduate business school in the South: the University of Virginia Darden School of Business.