Yale Announces $50 Million Gift to Name School of Management's New Campus

Yale University has received a $50 million commitment from a Yale College alumnus to support the construction of a new state-of-the-art campus for its School of Management (SOM), President Richard C. Levin ’74 Ph.D. announced today. Edward P. (Ned) Evans is a member of the Yale College Class of 1964. His gift—the largest in SOM’s history—will be recognized with the naming of the new facility as Edward P. Evans Hall. In making the announcement, Levin stated, "The School of Management’s new home will be as forward-looking as its pioneering curriculum. With this gift, Ned Evans has expressed confidence in the School’s future and ensured that construction can proceed without putting undue pressure on our budget. We are immensely grateful for his generosity, and proud that his name will now be associated with this spectacular new facility." The new 4.25 acre campus, under construction on Whitney Avenue, has been designed by Foster + Partners, the architectural firm chaired by Pritzker Architecture Prize Laureate Lord Norman Foster M.Arch. ’62. It will be a landmark at the northern gateway to the Yale campus, housing state-of-the-art classrooms, faculty offices, academic centers, and student and meeting spaces organized around a welcoming courtyard. The new campus will incorporate the latest in "green construction" materials and practices, and intends to create a teaching and learning environment that will support the School's innovative integrated MBA curriculum and enhance the Yale SOM community. Wholly modern in conception and outlook, it will be a notable addition to Yale's distinguished architectural landmarks and the embodiment of the business school of the 21st century. Dean of the School of Management Sharon Oster said, "I and the entire Yale SOM community are very grateful for this extraordinary gift, a gift which will greatly facilitate the construction of our spectacular new building. Over the years, we have found many Yale College alumni for whom our mission of educating leaders for business and society has had great resonance. This current gift, from Ned Evans, a distinguished Yale alumnus, is another example of this close connection between Yale College and its professional schools and will enable SOM to expand its influence in the world of scholarship and practice and further contribute to the Yale University community." Evans, now a private investor, was the Chair and CEO of publishing house Macmillan Inc. from 1979-1989. In addition to his investment activities, he breeds thoroughbred horses on his Virginia farm. He made a significant gift in 1991 to support the renovation and expansion of the Yale University Press building, which was recognized with the naming of the Evans Wing. He has also contributed generously to the renovation of the residential colleges. With this new gift, Evans will join a group of transformative donors whose generosity to Yale will reverberate for decades to come. Evans said: "I am delighted to make this gift that will bring together the Yale School of Management on a beautiful new campus, enlarge its student body, and propel it to the highest level in the 21st century." Contact: Tabitha Wilde, 203.432.6010, tabitha.wilde@yale.edu --- We were deeply saddened to learn that Edward P. Evans passed away on Friday, December 31, 2010, less than two weeks after the announcement of his magnificent gift to support the construction of the new Yale School of Management campus. President Richard C. Levin, Yale SOM Dean Sharon Oster and the entire SOM community wish to express their deepest sympathy and condolences, as well as ongoing gratitude for Ned Evans's transformative contribution to the School of Management.