Dwight Schar gives $30 million to George Mason to launch national security and economic statecraft institutes

Philanthropist Dwight Schar, founder of NVR Inc., has given $30 million to George Mason University to expand the Schar School of Policy and Government's work in national security, intelligence, and economic statecraft through the creation of two new institutes and broader opportunities for students and the public to engage with scholars and experienced practitioners addressing some of the country's most consequential policy challenges.

The gift establishes the Institute for Security, Intelligence, and Defense and the Institute for Economic Statecraft. In recognition of Schar's longstanding support, George Mason will name the plaza at the heart of Mason Square the Dwight Schar Plaza at Mason Square. The plaza is a gathering place for students, faculty, staff, and visitors that hosts regular programming and special events open to both the university and the Arlington community.

"Dwight Schar has long understood that investing in George Mason University students and faculty is investing in the future prosperity and thought leadership of our region and the Commonwealth of Virginia," said George Mason President Gregory Washington. "Dwight's support of these new institutes deepens the Schar legacy of impact and opportunity at the university that he so proudly and generously supports."

The Institute for Security, Intelligence, and Defense will build on the Schar School's established strength in national security and intelligence. It will focus on security challenges in the Indo-Pacific; nuclear, biological, and chemical threats; emerging technologies; and the role of major technology companies in national security. It will also expand public programming of the Schar's School's Michael V. Hayden Center for Intelligence, Policy, and International Security, a featured component of the new institute.

"People should have the opportunity to understand how national security decisions are made, who makes them, and the responsibilities those public servants carry," said retired Air Force Gen. Michael V. Hayden, founder of the Hayden Center and former director of the CIA and NSA. "Bringing these conversations into the open can help people ask better questions, understand the work more fully, and perhaps even see a place for themselves in public service."

The Institute for Economic Statecraft will examine how governments use economic tools to advance foreign policy and national security objectives. Those tools include export controls, financial sanctions, tariffs, and restrictions on critical technologies. The institute will also study the trade-offs those choices create for businesses, markets, and international relationships. The gift will enable the Schar School to recruit faculty with senior government experience, launch a research initiative on illicit financial flows, convene an annual summit, and produce new research on economic statecraft.

"I have believed for a long time in what this school can become," said Schar. "My hope is that these institutes will help prepare the next generation to take on the difficult questions facing our country and give students the judgment, experience, and perspective to do that work well. I'm proud to continue supporting the Schar School as it builds for the future."

The gift builds on more than a decade of Schar's support for the school that bears his name. In 2016, the university announced his $10 million gift to what was then the School of Policy, Government, and International Affairs. Since then, his philanthropy has helped the school strengthen its national profile-including establishing the Washington Post-Schar School polls, recruit leading academics and policy experts, and expand its research and programs.

"Philanthropy expands what a university can accomplish, creating opportunities to address some of the most pressing challenges facing our communities and the world," said Trishana E. Bowden, vice president for advancement and alumni relations and president of the George Mason University Foundation. "Dwight Schar's investment reflects a belief in the Schar School's potential and in George Mason's ability to contribute to the public good."

The institutes are expected to launch in fall 2027, with research initiatives, public events, and opportunities for engagement taking shape in the months ahead. Additional details on the institutes and the Schar School's strategic priorities will be announced as plans advance.

"This gift allows us to put our vision for the next chapter of the school into practice," said Mark J. Rozell, dean of the Schar School. "By establishing these two institutes focused on critical, global issues and bringing in additional academic and practitioner expertise, we can expand the research we undertake and the opportunities we offer students. Just as important, we can bring those ideas and conversations to a broader public at a time when they are needed most."

The gift is part of Mason Now: Power the Possible, George Mason's $1 billion comprehensive campaign. Schar's gift advances the campaign's commitment to research and student success while strengthening the university's contributions to the region and the nation.