Philanthropist Jane Batten has donated $100 million to establish the newly named Batten School of Coastal & Marine Sciences for the College of William & Mary.
Batten was accepted as an honorary member of W&M’s Alumni Association in 2017. Two years later, she received a Doctor of Humane Letters in recognition of her philanthropic and humanitarian efforts.
Batten’s gift will position W&M and its Virginia Institute of Marine Science at Gloucester Point as the premier destination for developing solutions to threats facing marine systems and communities positioned on coastlines, including rising sea levels, increased storm intensity and flooding, loss of agricultural land, and impaired water quality.
This donation will build on the university’s strong scientific reputation and unmatched expertise in coastal resilience. Dr. Derek Aday, Dean of the Batten School and Director of VIMS, said the gift will “amplify the success that we’ve had.”The new funds will be used to invest i...