The Shenandoah University Sesquicentennial Wish List
Your Sesquicentennial investment is the cornerstone of Shenandoah’s next 150 years, directly funding the bold, strategic priorities that will define our students’ success, our faculty’s innovation, and our enduring impact on the world. The opportunities below are our most urgent needs—a curated list of strategic investments where your generosity will immediately unlock potential, secure our competitive edge, and elevate our mission.
Classroom/Lab in the Hazel-Pruitt Armory
Secure your legacy by naming a premier classroom or lab in the Hazel-Pruitt Armory, directly funding the next generation of tech innovators.
Naming Gift Opportunities from $50,000-$500,000
Entrepreneurship Lounge in the Hazel-Pruitt Armory
Transform this central hub for student ventures. Your investment links your name directly to innovation and student success, and regional economic growth.
Naming Gift Opportunities for $100,000
Fund Virginia’s Air Traffic Control Pipeline
Provide the FAA-mandated simulator that unlocks the only Air Traffic Control program of its kind in the Mid-Atlantic, creating a direct, career path for Virginia students.
$250,000 is needed to secure this initiative
Global Citizenship Project Trip
Fund a trip for 12 members of the SU community to travel abroad, celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Global Citizenship Project.
$30,000 is needed to secure this initiative
Robots!
Buy a robot for the Engineering Lab in the Hazel-Pruitt Armory, providing students with the essential, hands-on skills needed for competitive careers in automation.
$2,000 is needed to secure this initiative
Share the Wonder of Washington, D.C.
Fund a transformative cultural experience by sponsoring a one-day trip for a busload of 50 students to Washington, D.C., opening doors to the Smithsonian museums and the history of our nation’s landmarks.
$5,000 is needed to secure this initiative
Give the Gift of Music
Sponsor an evening for 50 students to travel by bus to Washington to enjoy a world-class performance of the National Symphony Orchestra, inspiring cultural appreciation and artistic growth.
$5,000 is needed to secure this initiative
Performance Hall & Center for the Arts
Elevate our acclaimed Conservatory by creating a major cultural destination for the region, attracting top artistic talent, and providing world-class performance space for the community.
Any gift amount advances the project. Leadership naming opportunities available.
Name Your Seat in the Performance Hall
Secure your permanent legacy in the heart of our new cultural destination. Name a seat in the state-of-the-art Performance Hall, directly supporting our acclaimed Conservatory and attracting top artistic talent for the community.
Naming Gift Opportunities from $5,000 – $20,000
Allen Dining Hall Transformation
Invest in the soul of our campus. Help us transform the Shenandoah Dining Commons, the vital center of community and connection for our students. Your gift will fund a complete modernization, featuring a dramatic new entrance and expanded outdoor seating, creating a welcoming, inspiring environment, and a renewed culinary experience, supporting wellness, sustainability, and student choice all of which directly supports every student’s success.
$200,000 is needed to secure this initiative
Campus Preservation Fund
Establish a fund to address critical restoration, modernization, and long-term upkeep for our cherished campus buildings, ensuring the beauty and functionality of Shenandoah’s legacy endures for the next century and a half.
$50,000 is needed to secure this investment
Spring Joy! Daffodils and Tulips
Add vibrant color to campus! Your gift will assist SU in purchasing bulbs to plant across campus for spring blooms.
$1,000 is needed to secure this initiative
SOAR 12-Passenger Van
Provide a dedicated 12-passenger van to Shenandoah Outdoor and Adventure Recreation (SOAR), directly expanding student access to experiential learning, leadership training, and local wilderness outings.
$50,000 is needed to secure this investment
Get them outside!
Fund an overnight camping trip for 20 students through SOAR, fostering resilience, teamwork, and the leadership skills critical for personal and professional growth.
$500 is needed to secure this initiative
Open Career Doors
Provide a stipend to a rising sophomore, junior or senior engaged in an unpaid internship in their profession in summer 2026.
$2,000 is needed to secure this initiative
Athletics Leadership Development Fund
Contribute to ensuring our coaches receive the advanced training and professional development necessary to build championship teams and mentor student leaders.
$1,000i s needed to secure this initiative
Fund one Summer Research Scholar
This program offers students summer research opportunities on campus, led by a professor, to gain critical experience and faculty mentorship for graduate school and career placement.
$2,000 is needed to secure this initiative
Athletics Hall of Fame Board
Celebrate our Hall of Fame Hornets through the creation of a Hall of Fame Board to be displayed in the Wilkins Athletics & Events Center.
$5,000 is needed to secure this investment
Spread Holiday Cheer
Fund the Shenandoah tradition that defines our holiday season. Your gift will purchase new outdoor lights, ensuring our campus continues to shine brightly, inspiring community pride and holiday spirit for all our students, faculty, and neighbors.
$5,000 is needed to secure this initiative
Support the Musical Theatre senior class
Support the Musical Theatre senior class in bringing in talent agents and casting directors from New York and Los Angeles! Any gift above $1,000 allows the donor to attend and observe one of the agent/casting workshops.
$1,000 is needed to secure this initiative
Music Therapy Instruments
Provide instruments for our music therapy faculty and students to use in local clinics. Includes an opportunity to visit with students.
$3,000 is needed to secure this initiative