William & Mary expands new climate-focused major, deepens coastal research with $100 million gift

Associated Press

NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — William & Mary has received a $100 million donation that aims to help coastal communities adapt to changing temperatures, rising seas and more intense storms. The university said Wednesday that the gift from Virginia philanthropist Jane Batten is the largest in the school’s history. It will establish the Batten School of Coastal & Marine Sciences. The money will help the school hire more faculty, deepen research and expand a new major in marine science. William & Mary is based in Williamsburg, Virginia. The new school will be located alongside the university’s Virginia Institute for Marine Science near the Chesapeake Bay.