× Thanks for reading! Log in to continue. Enjoy more articles by logging in or creating a free account. No credit card required. Log in Sign up {{featured_button_text}}

A new scholarship program aimed at attracting first-generation students to the University of Virginia will be established as part of a $100 million gift announced Saturday.

Alumnus David Walentas, a New York real estate developer, and his wife, Jane, donated the $100 million. He was the first in his family to attend college, according to a news release.

“Growing up, I didn’t know anyone who had been to college, but I knew that it was a way out of poverty and a path to opportunity,” Walentas said in the release. “Thanks to a scholarship, I was the first in my family to attend college, and my time at UVa completely changed my life. There are so many talented young people in this country — in places like New York City and Rochester, where I grew up — who can help make our society a better place if given the opportunity. I can’t wait to see how these first-generation college students change the world.”

Most of the gift — $75 million — is committed to scholarships and fellowships for first-generation students, with the remaining $25 million dedicated to fellowships and professorships through the Jefferson Scholars Foundation and the Darden School of Business.