Katie Paige, BS'97, and Matt Paige, San Francisco-based philanthropists, community leaders and passionate champions of the visual arts, have made a generous gift to establish the Katie and Matt Paige Dean's Chair at Vanderbilt's Jen-Hsun and Lori Huang College of Art, Architecture and Design.
Vanderbilt recently announced plans to establish the Jen-Hsun and Lori Huang College of Art, Architecture and Design as a cornerstone of its San Francisco campus, pending receipt of regulatory approvals. The Katie and Matt Paige Dean will provide visionary academic leadership for the college, establish industry and cultural partnerships and position Vanderbilt's San Francisco campus as a leading destination for education, research and innovation. Through these efforts, the college will serve as a catalyst for new ideas and solutions that extend far beyond the university. A national search is currently underway to identify the college's inaugural dean.
"I am deeply grateful for Katie and Matt's investment in the future of the Jen-Hsun and Lori Huang College of Art, Architecture and Design," Chancellor Daniel Diermeier said. "Katie and Matt have embraced Vanderbilt's vision for San Francisco from the beginning. Their gift reflects a shared belief in what this college can achieve and is a lasting investment in the leadership that will help fulfill its extraordinary promise."
Building on the momentum of the Huang family's landmark $75 million matching gift invitation, the Paige family's gift contributes to the more than $100 million that has already been committed by donors to support Vanderbilt's newest college.
"Katie and Matt have embraced Vanderbilt's vision for San Francisco from the beginning. Their gift reflects a shared belief in what this college can achieve and is a lasting investment in the leadership that will help fulfill its extraordinary promise."
In San Francisco, Vanderbilt will build on the nearly 120-year legacy of the California College of the Arts, while embodying the values, intellectual rigor and societal impact that drive Vanderbilt's distinctive excellence. Envisioned as a hub for the creative fields that shape how we see, build and understand the world, the Jen-Hsun and Lori Huang College of Art, Architecture and Design will nurture artists, architects and designers whose work inspires communities, advances opportunity and contributes to cultural and societal progress.
"We are honored to partner with Katie and Matt as Vanderbilt establishes its roots in the Bay Area," Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs C. Cybele Raver said. "Their extraordinary leadership, generosity and longstanding commitment to the visual arts embody the collaborative spirit that will help this college thrive. The Katie and Matt Paige Dean's Chair will provide enduring support for visionary leadership that advances Vanderbilt's excellence in art, architecture and design while preparing the next generation of artists, architects, designers and innovators."
For Katie and Matt Paige, Vanderbilt's vision to unite its distinctive values and excellence in education and research with San Francisco's unique creative ecosystem represented a harmonious opportunity to advance some of the causes they care about most.
Their longstanding commitment to living artists and institutions that foster creativity inspired them to endow the dean's chair as a lasting investment in the leadership that will shape the college's long-term trajectory and impact. They have also helped connect Vanderbilt with key communities in the Bay Area while also championing the university's bold vision for the region.
"The Katie and Matt Paige Dean's Chair will provide enduring support for visionary leadership that advances Vanderbilt's excellence in art, architecture and design while preparing the next generation of artists, architects, designers and innovators."
The gift also reflects the Paiges' steadfast support for both Vanderbilt and the Wattis Institute for Contemporary Arts at the California College of the Arts. The Wattis Institute will continue its important work as part of a new California College of the Arts Institute at Vanderbilt University's San Francisco campus. Through this new chapter, the Wattis Institute will build upon its legacy of exhibitions, scholarship and public engagement while connecting with Vanderbilt's broader academic and cultural resources.
"San Francisco has long been a place where artists, makers and visionaries have challenged convention and shaped culture," Katie Paige said. "Vanderbilt's new campus will honor that remarkable legacy while creating new opportunities at the intersection of arts, technology and design. As a proud Vanderbilt alumna, I couldn't be more excited to see my alma mater expand into San Francisco and become part of this extraordinary creative community. It's inspiring to imagine the next generation of innovators building on the city's rich artistic tradition while shaping the future."
The Paiges have long invested in organizations that strengthen education, the arts and their Bay Area community. Katie Paige serves as board chair and president of the Charles and Helen Schwab Foundation, which focuses its efforts on education reform and poverty prevention. She also serves on the boards of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and Tipping Point Community, a nonprofit founded by San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie. Matt Paige is managing director of Twin Tree Ventures. Together, the Paiges are internationally recognized art collectors and dedicated stewards of the arts. They have also given a scholarship benefiting students at Vanderbilt's Peabody College of Education and Human Development.
"San Francisco has long been a place where artists, makers and visionaries have challenged convention and shaped culture. Vanderbilt's new campus will honor that remarkable legacy while creating new opportunities at the intersection of arts, technology and design.
The Paige family's partnership represents the kind of visionary philanthropy that is helping drive Vanderbilt's success in San Francisco and beyond. Their investment was inspired by and contributed to the tremendous momentum of the university's historic Dare to Grow campaign. Support for the Dare to Grow campaign has fueled some of the university's most groundbreaking initiatives, including the Institute of National Security, Vandy United, Vanderbilt's enhanced presences in New York City, San Francisco, Chattanooga and West Palm Beach, and signature programs like Opportunity Vanderbilt, residential colleges and many more.
