Truly a red carpet affair at John Paul Jones Arena, Saturday night's gala played host to major Capital Campaign contributors and over 1,100 alumni.
Hosted by Tiki and Ronde Barber, the gala was an evening of "homegrown" entertainment, according to Christine Gustason, chair of the Campaign Gala Committee.
According to Gustason, she and the committee worked on the endeavor for nearly 16 months, researching the records and writings of Thomas and Martha Jefferson and interweaving what they found into the night's festivities.
"Everything that you will see tonight, including the menu, is inspired by Jefferson's writings," she said.
The black-tie affair was an effort to recognize the various contributions made to the University by both donors and volunteers.
"The point of the gala is to honor the donors and have a chance to bring everyone together that's been working so hard to raise money for the University," said Gustason, adding that the evening was also a time "to celebrate, to have a chance to really say this is a wonderful place, this is a fabulous opportunity and bring everyone together ... to celebrate that we've raised one billion dollars."
One Campaign contributor, Leonard Sandridge, executive vice president and chief operating officer, was specifically recognized during the evening. Board Rector Thomas F. Farrell, II., called the Board of Visitors back into session during the event to name the entrance to the John Paul Jones Arena "The Leonard W. Sandridge Portal" and the access Road from the bypass and Massie Road to the arena "Sandridge Road."
According to Farrell, the resolution, which was unanimously passed, "can only hint" to what Sandridge "has done for the University day in and day out." He added that Sandridge often shies away from the "significant difference in the lives of faculty, staff, students and alumni as well as Central Virginia and the Commonwealth of Virginia" that he has made over the past 30 years.
On Friday the Board also commemorated the naming of the University's new cancer research center as The Emily Couric Clinical Cancer Center, in honor of the late state senator who died of cancer in 2001.
Alumna Katie Couric spoke at the gala about her family's appreciation of the naming.
"Obviously it's really meaningful to my entire family that the cancer center be named after my sister," she said in an interview. "It's bittersweet of course, but you know I think there's very little you can do after someone loses a battle with a disease like this and I think to try to help other people is the best way to honor her, so it's obviously really meaningful to us."
While Gustason noted that many of the guests were donors from the "quiet" portion of the Campaign, she emphasized the effort to recognize the labors of University volunteers as well.
"Most of our guests tonight have been long-time donors to the University and are really people that were involved even in the previous campaign and have now stepped up to this campaign," Gustason said. "Most of our donors I have to say are also people that are volunteers. ... I think that's what makes it special is just about everyone here is involved with the University on many different levels."
Campaign Chair Gordon Rainey agreed, noting that "there are a lot of people here that have also given time which is often just as important as the money"
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