David Booth, founder and chairman of Dimensional Fund Advisors, recently discussed his new book, "Stay Calm: Learn to Embrace Uncertainty in Investing and Life," which advocates for passive investing and staying invested despite market volatility. Booth, a student of Nobel laureate Eugene Fama at the University of Chicago, highlighted how index investing, which emerged in the 1970s, allows ordinary investors to achieve market returns at low cost, unlike active managers who often fail to beat the market after fees. He emphasized that the market offers great news for investors as long as they stay calm and avoid pulling out during downturns, stressing that missing out on gains by sitting on the sidelines is a significant setback.
Booth also spoke about his unprecedented $300 million gift to the University of Kansas Athletics, announced in August 2025, which is the largest in the university's history and among the largest in college sports. This donation includes a $75 million challenge to other donors and will primarily fund the next phase of the Gateway District project. This initiative will not only renovate the David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium but also develop the surrounding area with a new hotel, retail spaces, student housing, improved parking, and an outdoor event plaza.
The remainder of the $300 million commitment will create a permanent income stream to strengthen Kansas Athletics across generations, helping the university maintain a leadership position in college athletics amid evolving NCAA and conference dynamics. Booth, who also famously donated James Naismith’s original rules of basketball to KU, views this gift as an investment in the university and its mission. He expressed amazement at the rapid progress of the stadium construction, noting the challenges of such large-scale projects and praising the execution.
