‘First Coffee’ launches Scott Beardsley’s first full week as UVA’s 10th president

January 5, 2026
Beardsley talking with guests in the UVA Office of the President

University of Virginia President Scott Beardsley and his wife, Claire Dufournet, left, chat with people at the coffee in the lobby of Madison Hall.

The aroma of coffee filled the lobby of Madison Hall Monday morning as new University of Virginia President Scott Beardsley brought the Darden School of Business’s longstanding “First Coffee” tradition to the Office of the President.

Faculty and staff mingled, sampled pastries and caught up with one another following the winter break.

“The First Coffee tradition just brings the community together to share thoughts around something informal … and try to be nonhierarchical,” Beardsley said.

The daily First Coffee ritual began with the 1955 founding of Darden School, where Beardsley served a record three terms as the school’s dean before becoming UVA’s 10th president on Jan. 1.

“At Darden, we bring faculty, staff and students together. Anybody can just come over and have a free cup of coffee, so I thought, ‘Try it out,’” Beardsley said. “If people like it, we’ll keep doing it.”

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The president said he wants to keep “the good momentum of the University going. I love everything we do.

“I look forward to meeting faculty, staff and students, going to some games, meeting the stakeholders in Richmond, all the alumni … basically channeling the love of UVA toward good things,” he said.

Monday afternoon, Beardsley returned to the Darden School to visit a January term course, The CEO in the 21st Century, that he taught for years. Speakers included Wick Moorman, a former president and chief executive officer of Amtrak, and Lily West, president and CEO of UVA’s Alumni Association. 

Beardsley speaking with Jane Sun

Beardsley meets Presidential Fellow Jane Sun, who graduated from UVA in 2023 with degrees in speech communication disorders and computer science.
Left, Beardsley introduces his dog, Lawnie, to the audience, and, right, close up of Lawnie looking up at Beardsley.

The new president holds a pastry, drawing the full attention of his dog, Lawnie. He and Dufournet welcomed the 6-year-old golden retriever into their Lawn pavilion just before the pandemic. “She’s part of the family,” Beardsley said. “I view UVA as a family, so I thought everyone would want to get to know her.”

Beardsley talks with 3 people in the UVA Office of the President

Beardsley says doing something as simple as getting together for coffee can build community. “I think … everybody likes to have a cup of coffee, or a cup of tea, or just get together and chat,” he said.
Beardsley speaking to students in a lecture hall at the UVA Darden School of Business

Beardsley remains the Charles C. Abbott Professor of Business Administration. Monday afternoon, he returned to the Darden School of Business to visit the course, The CEO in the 21st Century, that he has taught for years.

Media Contacts

Jane Kelly

University News Senior Associate Office of University Communications

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