Home Shenandoah University growing campus footprint with $5 million real-estate gift
Local News

Shenandoah University growing campus footprint with $5 million real-estate gift

Crystal Graham

Shenandoah University will soon own the Millwood Avenue property that includes South Campus Commons and Buzzins restaurant thanks to a generous donation by the Don Vaden family that is one of the largest real estate gifts in the university’s history.

Shenandoah has renamed South Campus Commons to Vaden Campus Commons to express its appreciation and gratitude for the gift as well as the Vaden family’s long-standing support of the university.

SU’s Board of Trustees presented the Vaden family with a resolution of appreciation following the board’s vote to approve the real estate donation and related bargain sale on Oct. 27, and Shenandoah celebrated the donation and renaming during a special event with students outside Buzzins later that afternoon.

The donation and related bargain sale will be finalized on Jan. 3, 2023.

“Shenandoah has grown in enrollment, grown in reputation, and now we’re again growing our campus footprint,” said SU president Tracy Fitzsimmons, Ph.D. “Here in Vaden, our students will have the opportunity to live, to dine, to have pets, to swim in a pool, to play basketball and to be very conveniently located right across the street from Shenandoah University.

“This is valued at a $5 million gift. It is both a $5 million gift and an investment in Shenandoah University, in the Winchester community, and in our students. I’m so deeply grateful, on behalf of all the faculty, staff, students and local community, to the Vaden family.”

Shenandoah students gathered to thank the Vaden family at the surprise event outside Buzzins, which featured a performance by the Shenandoah University Marching Band.

Don and Carol Vaden, their daughter Jody Vaden, granddaughter Amy Vaden, great-grandsons Angel and Giovani, and great-granddaughter Liliana Guzman, a first-year Shenandoah student, were present for the event.

“It’s just been an astounding day that Shenandoah has presented to us, and we’re very appreciative,” said Don Vaden during the event. “It’s been just a great pleasure working with Shenandoah University and helping grow a great college. I drove through the university one day this week and just looked at the campus. What a beautiful campus Winchester has. A lot of people don’t realize what an asset Shenandoah University is to the city of Winchester.”

The Vaden family has been a Shenandoah partner for 50 years. Don and Carol have been university donors and members of the President’s Leadership Circle, and the banquet hall on the Millwood Avenue property has hosted many SU events over the years.

In 2020, Don Vaden agreed to lease the property at 711 Millwood Ave., long known as a premier motel and conference center in Winchester, to Shenandoah University, which had developed space needs related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The lease allowed SU to establish the property as a college housing facility, which features rooms for residential students, the sit-down dining facility Buzzins, classroom spaces and an outdoor swimming pool.

SU’s need for the space persisted even after the height of the pandemic, as the university has nearly 1,200 residential students this school year, its highest total ever.

Vaden Campus Commons is currently home to 117 residential students, and as the university continues to grow, it will eventually be able to house more than 200 students.

Don Vaden had been associated with the former motel and restaurant on the property since 1965 and became sole owner of the property in 1991. The property most recently housed a motel and conference center and restaurant before it was leased to Shenandoah in 2020.

Crystal Graham

Crystal Graham

Crystal Abbe Graham is the regional editor of Augusta Free Press. A 1999 graduate of Virginia Tech, she has worked for 25 years as a reporter and editor for several Virginia publications, written a book, and garnered more than a dozen Virginia Press Association awards for writing and graphic design. She was the co-host of "Viewpoints," a weekly TV news show, and co-host of Virginia Tonight, a nightly TV news show on PBS. Her work on "Virginia Tonight" earned her a national Telly award for excellence in television.