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A Virginia-based philanthropist has donated $100 million to the College of William & Mary, the largest single gift in the institution’s 331-year history.
The money will help establish the Batten School of Coastal and Marine Sciences, named after the donor, Jane Batten, according to a news release the college published Wednesday. While Batten is not an alumna of the college, her late husband, Frank Batten, served on William & Mary’s Board of Visitors in the 1990s, and the family are longtime donors to the college who have supported research, education and environmental conservation.
“This gift propels us forward toward great promise and progress,” Batten said in the release. “I am confident that this will spark significant change, building resilience in coastal communities in the Commonwealth and across the globe for generations to come.”
Located on the coast of the York River, the new school will focus on developing solutions to the threats environmental changes present for coastal communities, including rising sea levels, increased storm intensity, flooding, loss of agricultural land and impaired water quality.
William & Mary has set a goal to raise an additional $100 million to “realize fully the visions for the school,” according to the news release, which called Batten’s gift the “biggest and boldest” ever given to a school dedicated to coastal and marine sciences.
“With this unprecedented gift, we will not only advance critical research and inform policy but also train the next generation of scientists, thought leaders and engaged citizens, preparing them to navigate the complexities of global change in this century,” said Derek Aday, dean of the Batten School and director of the Virginia Institute of Marine Science at William & Mary.
