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Jan. 14, 2004
CHARLOTTESVILLE – At the recent men’s basketball game between Duke and Virginia at University Hall (Jan. 11), UVa Athletics Director Craig Littlepage presented a check for $50,000 to Elizabeth Hudson, chairwoman of the University’s McIntire Department of Music. The money is from Virginia’s share of football bowl proceeds and will be used to finance an upcoming University music festival.
“We are pleased to be in a position to support University programming through our football program’s success,” Littlepage said prior to Virginia’s game with the University of Pittsburgh in the 2003 Continental Tire Bowl in Charlotte, N.C. “This year’s gift to the music department continues a tradition of supporting important University academics initiatives – a tradition we believe to be important to all members of the University community.”
Since the Cavalier football team’s first postseason appearance in the 1984 Peach Bowl, the Department of Athletics has donated more than $830,000 toward academic projects. Among the causes bowl revenues have supported are computer purchases, the University’s Eminent Scholars Endowment, a newspaper database for the University Library, endowment of the Cavaliers Distinguished Teaching Professorship, and a telephone course-registration system.
Hudson indicated the gift will cover the entire budget of the music festival. She said her goal is to fashion a festival that will be of interest to a wide range of students while dovetailing with her department’s academic interests. “It’s clear,” she said, “that we’re going to be able to do something really exciting.”
Virginia defeated Pittsburgh 23-16 in the 2003 Continental Tire Bowl on Dec. 27.