JANE BATTEN

At 19 years old, Jane Batten married Frank Batten, who later became chairman and CEO of Landmark Communications and co-founder of The Weather Channel, which he sold to NBC Universal and other partners in 2008. For decades, the couple was known for their philanthropic work, a legacy Jane Batten has continued following her husband’s death in 2009.

Many of the family’s major gifts have been to colleges and universities across the state, including Hollins University, the University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, Old Dominion University, Virginia Wesleyan University and William & Mary. In 2024, Batten donated $100 million to establish the William & Mary Batten School of Coastal and Marine Sciences, billed as the largest-ever individual donation for marine research.

VWU has been a special cause for Batten over the years, as she started serving on its board in 1981 and in 1995 became its first female chair, while supporting the private Virginia Beach university financially through the decades. Earlier this year, the university announced it would rename itself Batten University in 2026 in recognition of the Batten family’s generosity.

Batten also provided one of two lead gifts to relocate the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art from the Virginia Beach Oceanfront to VWU’s campus, with the new location slated to open in early 2026.