Vanderbilt Board of Trust member Robert “Bob” Levy, BA’72, and Diane vS. Levy are fueling a surge in momentum for Vanderbilt’s future in South Florida with a $6.5 million commitment. Their gift marks an important milestone in Vanderbilt’s expansion to its new graduate campus in West Palm Beach, establishing a strong foundation for academic excellence and strategic flexibility in the region known as Wall Street South.
The Levys’ investment directly supports the university’s historic Dare to Grow campaign, specifically the recently launched $250 million fundraising effort dedicated to the West Palm Beach project to establish a hub for technology, finance and engineering that aligns with the area’s burgeoning innovation economy. The gift establishes the Diane vS. and Robert M. Levy Chair in Finance at the Owen Graduate School of Management, supporting a faculty member in West Palm Beach, as well as the Owen Dean’s West Palm Beach Discretionary Fund. Their support will help ensure that Vanderbilt’s world-class business education is fully integrated into the South Florida ecosystem.
“Bob Levy’s leadership as a trustee has always been defined by a deep commitment to Vanderbilt’s mission and a forward-thinking approach to our future,” said Chancellor Daniel Diermeier. “We are profoundly grateful for Bob and Diane’s investment in this new chapter. Their support for our students has been a constant for decades, and this gift further cements their legacy by helping us reimagine business education for the age of technology on our campus in West Palm Beach.”
The new campus is designed to bridge Nashville’s academic rigor to South Florida’s rapidly evolving professional and financial landscape. By offering high-demand graduate programs in finance, management, engineering, space technology and innovation, defense technology and manufacturing, and business innovation—with education in AI and data science integrated throughout—Vanderbilt aims to fortify the area’s business ecosystem, attracting top-tier talent and fostering a robust pipeline of innovation. Plans for academic programming in West Palm Beach remain in development and subject to approval by the Florida Commission for Independent Education and other regulatory agencies.
“Bob Levy’s leadership as a trustee has always been defined by a deep commitment to Vanderbilt’s mission and a forward-thinking approach to our future…Their support for our students has been a constant for decades, and this gift further cements their legacy by helping us reimagine business education for the age of technology on our campus in West Palm Beach.”
“Diane and I are thrilled to support Vanderbilt’s expansion into South Florida,” Bob Levy said. “We are incredibly impressed by Dean Steenburgh’s vision for the new campus and how it will elevate the Owen Graduate School of Management. We are excited to provide the resources necessary to bring that vision to fruition, nurturing a community where business leaders and scholars thrive together.”
The Levys’ impact with this gift is twofold. The newly created endowed chair will fund a preeminent faculty leader based at the West Palm Beach campus, while the discretionary fund allows for the flexibility to address emerging opportunities as the site and programs take shape.
“This contribution significantly accelerates our progress,” said Tom Steenburgh, Ralph Owen Dean of the Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management. “The Diane vS. and Robert M. Levy Chair in Finance will allow us to attract a scholar who will serve as a pillar for our presence in the region, drawing the best and brightest students to our programs. We are deeply grateful to Bob and Diane for their partnership in building a global business hub.”
This commitment is the latest in the Levys’ nearly four decades of philanthropic support for Vanderbilt. Since Bob’s graduation in 1972, the couple has been instrumental in shaping the university’s landscape through scholarships and programs that enable student success at every stage of the undergraduate experience. Their longstanding dedication consistently focuses on increasing access and ensuring that Vanderbilt remains a pioneer in higher education.
“The Diane vS. and Robert M. Levy Chair in Finance will allow us to attract a scholar who will serve as a pillar for our presence in the region, drawing the best and brightest students to our programs.”
As Vanderbilt pursues a $250 million fundraising goal for the West Palm Beach campus, the Levys’ gift sets a compelling example for alumni and the South Florida community to join this historic effort.
This investment further propels Vanderbilt’s Dare to Grow campaign, which surpassed its initial goal in November 2024 and has already exceeded $3.8 billion. Support for the Dare to Grow campaign catalyzes some of the university’s most groundbreaking initiatives, including the Institute of National Security, Vandy United, Vanderbilt’s enhanced presences in New York City, West Palm Beach and San Francisco, and signature programs like Opportunity Vanderbilt, residential colleges and many more.