Batten donates $10 million to U.Va. public policy and leadership school

The University of Virginia announced Wednesday a $10 million gift from Jane Batten to the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy.

The gift will be matched by the university’s Bicentennial Scholars Fund.

The $20 million gift will support the new Batten Family Bicentennial Scholars Fund, which benefits graduate students in the Batten School’s master of public policy program.

Batten is the wife of the late Frank Batten Sr.  In 2007, Frank Batten, the former chairman of Landmark Communications, dedicated a $100 million endowment for creation of the school. It is the largest single gift in the university’s history.

Earlier this year, an initial $1 million endowment, which also was matched by the Bicentennial Scholars Fund, established the Batten Family Bicentennial Scholars Fund. Fellowships distributed through the fund will impact graduate students arriving at the Batten School in fall 2019.

“U.Va.’s Board of Visitors established the Bicentennial Scholars Fund to increase our capacity to make a U.Va. education accessible for talented students from all backgrounds, regardless of their financial situations,” U.Va. President Teresa A. Sullivan said in a statement.

Through the fund, the Board of Visitors allocated $100 million to match major gifts supporting student scholarships and fellowships.