La Follette’s New Home

Herb Kohl Philanthropies announced a pledge to support the La Follette School of Public Affairs with a historic $30 million lead private gift. The gift will aid programming and renovations to UW–Madison’s Music Hall, which will serve as La Follette’s future home under the new name of Herb Kohl Hall.

The move comes as La Follette undergoes rapid expansion. In fall 2026, the school will introduce an undergraduate major that is expected to enroll as many as 400 students within five years. The late Herb Kohl ’56 was dedicated to his alma mater, supported education across the state, and spent decades advancing public policy. The Universities of Wisconsin Board of Regents approved the name change on February 6, 2026.

The updates will modernize the interior of Music Hall while its 146-year-old exterior will remain intact. Courtesy UW–Madison

Courtesy UW–Madison

“We are so incredibly grateful to Herb Kohl Philanthropies for this historic gift,” says Susan Yackee, the La Follette School’s director. “I can’t think of a better way to honor [Kohl] than by naming one of the most beautiful, historic, and recognizable buildings on campus after him.”

The updates will modernize the interior of the building while its 146-year-old exterior will remain intact. The changes will return the structure, originally called Assembly Hall, to its roots as UW–Madison’s first campus building dedicated to large gatherings. Herb Kohl Hall is expected to open in 2029.

Published in the Summer 2026 issue