As the College of William & Mary begins the new academic year, two new schools are on the horizon as part of the institution’s recent expansion initiatives.
The College announced on Wednesday, July 24, that philanthropist Jane Batten HON ’17, L.H.D. ’19 had committed $100 million to establish the Batten School of Coastal and Marine Sciences. The contribution is the largest in the college’s history.
With this expansion, the College will become the first public institution in Virginia to offer a Bachelor of Science degree in marine science.
“It’s the [James] River, the [Chesapeake] Bay, the ocean, and our coastline,” Batten told The Flat Hat, saying that her philanthropy has primarily focused on education and environmental issues. “Something like 40% of the population in the U.S. live in coastal zones and they’re all under the gun for these changes, particularly the sea level rise problem, it’s an environmental issue, it’s an economic development issue.”
Batten also mentioned Norfolk’s role in the US military.
“Here in Hampton Roads, it’s very much a national security issue,” Batten told reporters. “We have the largest naval base in the world in Norfolk, and a lot of its infrastructure is totally out of date and not prepared to deal with these changes.”
College President Katherine Rowe revealed the donation to the institution via email on Wednesday, June 24.
“I am grateful to Mrs. Batten for her trust in William & Mary and our mission,” Rowe wrote to the editor. “She has called on alumni, friends, philanthropists, and policymakers to join her in supporting the school’s pioneering curriculum and research. William & Mary has set a goal of raising at least an additional $100 million to accomplish its vision for the school.
The announcement was also made in person during the College’s board of visitors’ summer meeting. Several luminaries attended the event, including U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, LL.D. ’06.
The marine science major was first revealed by the College at an April board of visitors meeting. Gwen Galleher ’24, a student representative on the Board of Visitors, stated at the time that as an admissions interviewer, many prospective students had shown an interest in studying marine science at the college.
In addition to the Batten School, the College announced that the Virginia State Council for Higher Education has authorized its plans for a new school of Computing, Data Sciences, and Physics.
“I appreciate SCHEV’s shared commitment to preparing broadly educated, forward-thinking citizens and professionals,” Rowe told reporters. “The jobs of tomorrow will go to those who are prepared to tackle tomorrow’s issues. Machine learning, artificial intelligence, and computational modeling are crucial modalities of critical thinking that are central to a liberal arts education in the twenty-first century.
According to the release, the four academic fields are already seeing significant growth in both external investment (over $9 million in 2023) and student enrollment. Master’s students at the new school accounted for one-third of all Arts and Sciences master’s students. When PhD programs are taken into account, the share jumps to about two-thirds.
Students applying for undergraduate studies will not apply directly to the school. Second-year students in strong academic standing, similar to the Raymond A. Mason School of Business’ existing model, can be admitted if they match the school’s and their desired major’s criteria. Students will also have the option to double major or minor in fields provided by other College programs.
Looking ahead, Batten hopes that others may join her efforts.
“I’m hoping that this will be a very strong public private partnership, with support from the state and from the federal government, because this is a national and international issue,” Batten told reporters.