You have /5 articles left.
Sign up for a free account or log in.
William & Mary received a historic $50 million gift to support scholarships for students pursuing a newly approved bachelor’s degree in coastal and marine sciences at the institution’s Batten School.
The donation comes from alumnus Dr. R. Todd Stravitz and his family’s Brunckhorst Foundations.
“We are deeply grateful to Dr. Stravitz and the Brunckhorst Foundations,” said President Katherine A. Rowe. “This gift removes financial barriers, allowing the brightest minds to access the learning and tools needed to address our planet’s urgent problems. These future trailblazers will craft solutions that safeguard ecosystems, economies and the communities that depend on them around the globe.”
Stravitz’s gift builds upon the $100 million Jane Batten gave last year to establish the Batten School and coincides with the launch of Virginia’s first public undergraduate degree in coastal and marine sciences.
“When I was a student, a degree like this didn’t exist, and I want to create the pathway for today’s students to experience the best of William & Mary so they are prepared for the greatest challenges of their generation,” Stravitz said in a news release. “Our best hope for solving the environmental crises we face is educating young people to care for and improve our planet. Programs like this are critical to our future, and I’m honored to support this vital mission.”
