U.Va.’s College at Wise received its largest gift ever April 24, a $3 million pledge earmarked for the completion of the school’s football stadium.

The gift, announced by President John T. Casteen III, is being given through the Richmond-based Community Foundation’s fund as advised by Carl W. Smith of Charlottesville.

In 1997, Smith, a native of Wise and a U.Va. alumnus, pledged $25 million to the University’s athletics department. The bulk of Smith’s unrestricted gift — $23 million — was used to expand Scott Stadium in Charlottesville. The remaining $2 million was for construction of phase one of the first football stadium at U.Va.’s College at Wise in Southwest Virginia. It included construction of the field and extensive site preparation for phase two.

The new pledge will cover stadium seating, lighting, restrooms, concessions and a field house. Completion is scheduled for September 2003, and early plans call for 2,600 seats and the lights to be in place for this fall’s season-opener.

Previous gifts from Smith and his wife, Hunter, have supported U.Va.’s schools of architecture, law, medicine and the Darden School, the Children’s Medical Center and the Jefferson Scholars Program.