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Virginia Supreme Court won’t intervene in Youngkin-Senate university boards dispute

Summary:

  • Representing U.Va., VMI and GMU rectors, the attorney general’s office asked Virginia Supreme Court to vacate preliminary injunction blocking disputed board appointees
  • Seven Supreme Court justices declined to take up petition, a win for Senate Democrats, who won July injunction
  • State can still appeal to Virginia Court of Appeals, ruling says

In a loss for Gov. Glenn Youngkin and the state attorney general’s office, the will not review a lower court’s ruling that blocked three Virginia universities from seating rejected Youngkin board appointees.

Representing the rectors of , the and , state ‘ office had asked the state’s high court to overturn a Circuit Court judge’s temporary injunction issued in July. That injunction prevented the rectors from recognizing eight Youngkin board appointees who were not confirmed by a Democratic-controlled state Senate committee.

The Youngkin administration, represented by Virginia Solicitor General Kevin Gallagher, argued that the entire General Assembly must be called to vote on the matter if the Privileges & Elections Committee wished to reject gubernatorial appointees outside of regular session.

On the opposite side, nine Democratic state senators argued that the nullification of their votes would cause “irreparable harm,” an argument Fairfax County Judge Jonathan Frieden supported in his ruling this summer. The Privileges & Elections committee traditionally votes on many gubernatorial appointees throughout the year, effectively representing the entire state legislature.

In October, the Supreme Court’s seven justices heard arguments from both sides, as Miyares sought to vacate the injunction. However, in a brief order issued Monday, the court refused Miyares’ petition for review. The order notes, though, that the state can still appeal the original ruling in the state Court of Appeals.

“I am disappointed that the Supreme Court of Virginia has refused to decide whether or not one committee of one chamber in the General Assembly can unilaterally, with merely a handful of members of one party, remove incredibly qualified public servants who have been serving Virginia’s higher education institutions admirably for months,” the governor said in a statement. “The Senate committee did so without debate or reasoning or providing an opportunity for input from any of the 100 members of the House of Delegates or a majority of the members of the Senate. That is not what the Constitution prescribes. It will be important for the next administration to stand for the Constitution, as the case will now continue at the trial court level.”

The state senators’ attorneys from Willkie, Farr & Gallagher declined to comment on the order.

“Our system works best when everyone plays by the same rules,” Sen. Aaron Rouse, chair of the Privileges & Elections committee, said in a statement. “Today’s decision is a win for fairness, accountability and the rule of in our commonwealth. We have seen the politicization of independent agencies at the federal level, it’s good to see the maintaining independence free from political control.”

Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell tweeted Monday that the state Supreme Court “has affirmed the Senate P&E committees’ authority to reject gubernatorial nominations because MAGA rules don’t work in Virginia where we still have a rule of law that Youngkin and Miyares have to follow.”

The political dispute over university governance has hit a fever pitch this year under the ‘s investigations into diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and alleged antisemitism at the University of Virginia and George Mason University.

Critics of the president have accused his Department of Justice of overreach and harming academic freedom by threatening to remove federal funding for research and scholarships. Many, including faculty groups at George Mason and U.Va. and Democratic officials, have also accused the two university boards’ members of failing to defend the universities’ presidents.

All of Virginia’s public universities’ current board members were appointed by Youngkin, a Republican. Surovell and other Democrats have accused the governor of attempting to control universities through political influence by their boards, which include members with ties to the Trump White House.

Last week, former U.Va. president Jim Ryan, who resigned in July citing pressure from the DOJ, said that the push for him to exit may not have come directly from the Justice Department but may have been driven by Youngkin, board members, newly hired university counsel “or some combination of that group,” Ryan wrote in a 12-page narrative of the weeks leading up to his resignation.

Ryan sent the letter Friday to the U.Va. Faculty Senate, which then voted to pass a resolution demanding the resignation of Rector Rachel Sheridan and Vice Rector Porter Wilkinson, whom Ryan said directly spoke with the DOJ’s attorneys, while he was not invited to do so. Ryan calls Sheridan’s account of his resignation, which she sent to the Faculty Senate last week, “inaccurate.”

George Mason’s president, Gregory Washington, is still in office despite coming under heavy criticism by congressional Republicans and the U.S. Department of Education, which found in August that the university violated federal civil rights law, in essence favoring Black and Latino job candidates over white candidates. Washington, who has denied breaking civil rights laws, also was accused in a November House Judiciary Committee report of lying to Congress.

Meanwhile, the dispute over university governance and gubernatorial appointments extended into a spat between Youngkin and Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger last week after Democrat Spanberger wrote a letter to U.Va.’s board members, asking them to delay naming finalists or hiring a permanent successor to Ryan until she takes office in January 2026 and has an opportunity to name appointees to university’s board.

Youngkin, in a letter to Spanberger, accused the governor-elect of trying to “bully or micromanage” the board, and said her letter was “riddled with hyperbole and factual errors and impugns both the Board of Visitors and the presidential search underway.”

NSF to remain in Alexandria, but in a smaller building

SUMMARY: 

  • The will move to new in
  • New location will be on same campus as the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
  • will relocate its headquarters to the NSF’s current Alexandria headquarters

The headquarters of the National Science Foundation will remain in Alexandria but in a smaller office, according to a joint announcement Friday by the NSF and the U.S. General Services Administration, which manages the ‘s .

The new NSF headquarters will be located at the 382,000-square-foot Randolph Building at 401 Dulany St. in the Carlyle neighborhood on the same campus as the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office ().

In June, the announced that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development would relocate its headquarters and about 2,700 employees from Washington, D.C., to the NSF’s current headquarters at 2415 Eisenhower Ave. in Alexandria, where it occupies about 661,000 square feet.

“This relocation enables the U.S. National Science Foundation to remain in Alexandria while making responsible use of federal facilities and supporting the needs of our workforce and the research community,” Brian Stone, who is performing the duties of NSF director, said in a statement. “Co-location with the [USPTO] will also strengthen both of our abilities to translate discoveries to innovation.”

About 1,600 employees work at the NSF, according to the announcement.

HUD leaders had previously complained that the Robert C. Weaver building — its current headquarters — is plagued by severe long-term infrastructure, safety, health and operational challenges.

Michael Peters, GSA’s public buildings service commissioner, said the move to Alexandria will save $500 million in deferred maintenance as well as $56 million a year.

Local 3403 of the American Federation of Government Employees, which represents NSF workers, called out the GSA this summer for “callous disregard” of NSF employees and noted they had been told the plans for the new headquarters include a dedicated executive suite for Scott Turner, HUD’s secretary, along with his own elevator, an executive dining room and possibly a gym.

“This kind of let-them-eat-cake approach to government is absurd,” the union stated in a news announcement. “At a time when they claim to be cutting government waste, it is unbelievable that government funding is being redirected to build a palace-like office for the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.”

While Alexandria’s mayor, members of city council and the Alexandria Partnership welcomed HUD, which will be the first cabinet-level federal agency to locate in the city, they stressed that they didn’t want to lose NSF workers.

“We are thrilled to say that NSF will stay in the City of Alexandria and that it will continue its role growing the innovation hub in Carlyle, collaborating directly with USPTO,” Alyia Gaskins, Alexandria’s mayor, said in a separate Friday news release.

In 2017, the NSF moved its headquarters from Ballston to Alexandria.

“Alexandria’s economy is supported by a number of anchors we have recruited to the city — employers who themselves contribute to our economy, but importantly also catalyze spin-off activity like hotel stays, restaurant visits, and contractor businesses who locate nearby,” AEDP President and Stephanie Landrum said. “For that reason, the city aggressively pursued the NSF headquarters in 2017 and was vigilant in efforts to retain them in 2025.”

Booz Allen Hamilton to relocate global HQ to Reston

SUMMARY:

  • is moving its from to a new campus by 2027
  • The relocation aims to cut costs and support advanced tech with more flexible space
  • Current McLean office will be decommissioned in 2028

McLean-based government contractor announced Monday that it is relocating its global headquarters from McLean to a newly constructed facility in Reston.

The company will occupy the entirety of the nearly-finished 220,000-square-foot building located at 1870 Reston Row Plaza, as well as multiple floors in the recently completed 322,000-square-foot adjacent building at 1800 Reston Row Plaza.

Holding Cos., which is leasing the space, stated that the total leased space to Booz Allen is approximately 310,000 square feet. The two LEED Silver trophy office towers are part of its The Row at Reston Station development.

The financial terms of the lease were not disclosed, and neither Booz Allen nor Comstock immediately returned requests for comment. It is unclear how many employees will be relocated.

Booz Allen said the move was intended to reflect the evolving needs of the company’s business, upgrade and enhance the “employee experience” and streamline operating costs. The company said it needed flexible spaces that can enable and accelerate its advanced technology capabilities.

“We continue to invest in an innovative, optimized Booz Allen,” said Booz Allen Chief Operating Officer Kristine Martin Anderson in a statement. “Our new headquarters will provide our people, partners and customers with upgraded resources to build the technologies that support national missions while rightsizing our facilities footprint.”

Booz Allen expects its new headquarters to open in fall 2027, following an interior buildout that is scheduled to begin in summer 2026. The company’s current office at 8283 Greensboro Drive in McLean will be decommissioned in 2028.

“Booz Allen has been a top employer and business leader in the Washington metro area for decades,” said Tim Steffan, chief operating officer of Comstock, in a statement. “The Row at Reston Station reflects the best of Northern Virginia’s economy, tech talent and modern conveniences, and we are honored to welcome Booz Allen as part of our community.”

Booz Allen posted $12 billion in revenue in fiscal 2025, up 12% from the previous year, with 98% of that coming from government-related work, according to The Wall Street Journal.

In May, the company announced it would cut 2,500 jobs by the end of June as the slashed federal spending. In October, the company announced it was launching another round of layoffs after a weak quarter, citing earlier federal contract reductions and an ongoing slowdown in federal funding. However, Horacio Rozanski did not specify how many positions were being cut.

Booz Allen has not said whether the workforce reductions are connected to the headquarters relocation.

As of Sept. 30, the firm employed 32,500 people globally.

Novo Nordisk cuts Wegovy prices again

Novo Nordisk is chopping prices again for , but doctors say the expense will remain challenging for patients without insurance.

The drugmaker said Monday that it has started selling higher doses of the injectable for $349 a month to patients paying the full bill. That’s down from $499, and in line with terms of a agreement outlined earlier this month by President Donald Trump’s administration.

Novo also started a temporary offer of $199 a month for the first two months of low doses of Wegovy and the drug’s counterpart for diabetes, . The new pricing will be available at pharmacies nationwide, through home delivery and from some telemedicine providers.

Rival Eli Lilly also plans price breaks for its weight-loss drug Zepbound once it gets a new, multi-dose pen on the market. Lilly has said it will sell a starter dose of Zepbound for $299 a month and additional doses at up to $449. Both represent $50 reductions from current prices for sales directly to patients.

Obesity treatments like Zepbound and Wegovy have soared in popularity in recent years. Known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, the drugs work by targeting hormones in the gut and brain that affect appetite and feelings of fullness.

In clinical trials, they helped people shed 15% to 22% of their body weight — up to 50 pounds or more in many cases. But affordability has been a persistent challenge for patients.

A recent poll by the nonprofit KFF found that about half of the people who take the treatments say it was hard to afford them.

Both Lilly and Novo announced price cuts earlier this year that brought the cost of higher doses of their treatments down to around $500 a month.

Previous research has shown that people have difficulty paying for a medication when the cost rises above $100 per month, said Stacie Dusetzina, a Vanderbilt University Medical Center professor and prescription drug pricing expert.

She said Novo’s new prices are “not going to really move the needle for a person who doesn’t have a pretty reasonable amount of disposable income.”

Dr. Laura Davisson said the medication would still be unaffordable for patients on Medicaid in states where the government-funded program for people with low incomes doesn’t cover the drug.

The bigger issue is expanding coverage of the treatments, said Davisson, a West Virginia University obesity specialist.

“We’ve had hundreds of people lose coverage over the last couple of years, and we keep seeing more and more insurers drop coverage,” she said, adding that her practice has started a group support program to help those who have lost coverage.

Coverage is slated to improve starting next year for at least one big payer under a deal announced by the . The federally funded Medicare program, mainly for people ages 65 and older, will begin covering the treatments for people who have severe obesity and others who are overweight or obese and have serious health problems.

Those who qualify will pay $50 copays for the medicine.

Administration officials also said lower prices for the drugs that they negotiated for Medicare also will be provided for Medicaid programs.

That will help expand coverage, according to Dave Moore, Novo’s executive vice president for U.S. operations. He said Medicaid programs in 20 states cover the drug for obesity.

Novo officials expect around 40 million more Americans will gain access to their drug through coverage expansions for Medicaid and Medicare.

Neither Moore nor representatives for Eli Lilly would say whether they plan additional price cuts. Both companies also are seeking approval of pill versions of the drugs, which would come with new prices.

Lilly spokesperson Courtney Kasinger said the company believes obesity treatments should be covered just like those for any other chronic condition.

“We’re going to continue to work to improve coverage as much as we can across all channels, all stakeholders,” she said.

Edwards to step down as Port of Virginia CEO

Stephen A. Edwards is stepping down at the end of the year as the ‘s and executive director to take a new job in the private sector, the announced Monday.

According to port spokesperson Joe Harris, Edwards did not share his future employer but said in a memo that he will be moving to New York City and that his position is in a different field of operation.

Edwards joined the port in 2021, and oversaw its $1.4 billion capital investment program, including the dredging work to make the Port of Virginia the East Coast’s widest and deepest harbor.

Sarah J. McCoy, the authority’s chief administrative officer, will serve as the port authority’s interim CEO upon Edwards’ departure.

“I cannot be more thankful for the wonderful team and leadership at the Port of Virginia,” Edwards said in a statement. “This team is among the strongest in the nation, and it has a true purpose to help our customers and port users succeed and to bring economic value to the commonwealth. I am confident in their continued success, and I look forward to monitoring their future contributions to global trade and securing Virginia’s prosperity.”

Edwards succeeded John Reinhart as the port authority’s CEO at the start of 2021. He was previously CEO of TraPac, Global Container Terminals and America.

The Port of Virginia is one of the state’s economic drivers, and accounts for more than 565,000 jobs, more than $124.1 billion in total spending and $5.8 billion in state and local tax revenues. Under Edwards, the port completed a $220 million improvement project that upgraded 72 acres of the Portsmouth Marine Terminal and 1,500 feet of wharf to support Dominion Energy’s Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project as a staging area.

“We cannot overstate the contribution that Stephen has provided during his tenure,” said John W. “Bill” Kirk III, chairman of the VPA Board of Commissioners. “Under Stephen’s guidance, the Port of Virginia has been widely recognized as the highest performing port by customers and users. He has built a strong commercial and operating culture that will serve us well moving forward.”

FAA lifts flight restrictions after shutdown ends

Summary

  • lifts all commercial imposed during the shutdown.
  • to resume normal schedules starting Monday at 6 a.m. EST.
  • Cuts once reached 6% before staffing improvements reduced cancellations.
  • FAA reviewing reports of airline noncompliance during emergency order.

The Federal Aviation Administration said Sunday it is lifting all restrictions on commercial flights that were imposed at 40 major airports during the country’s longest .

Airlines can resume their regular flight schedules beginning Monday at 6 a.m. EST, the agency said.

The announcement was made in a joint statement by Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford.

Citing safety concerns as staffing shortages grew at facilities during the shutdown, the FAA issued an unprecedented order to limit traffic in the skies. It had been in place since Nov. 7, affecting thousands of flights across the country.

Impacted airports included large hubs in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Atlanta.

The flight cuts started at 4% and later grew to 6% before the FAA on Friday rolled the restrictions back to 3%, citing continued improvements in air traffic controller staffing since the record 43-day shutdown ended on Nov. 12.

The number of flights canceled this weekend was at its lowest point since the order took effect and was well below the 3% cuts FAA was requiring for Saturday and Sunday. Data from aviation analytics firm Cirium showed that less than 1% of all flights were canceled this weekend. The flight tracking website FlightAware said 149 flights were cut Sunday and 315 were canceled on Saturday.

The FAA statement said an agency safety team recommended the order be rescinded after “detailed reviews of safety trends and the steady decline of staffing-trigger events in air traffic control facilities.”

The statement said the FAA “is aware of reports of non-compliance by carriers over the course of the emergency order. The agency is reviewing and assessing enforcement options.” It did not elaborate.

Cancellations hit their highest point Nov. 9, when airlines cut more than 2,900 flights because of the FAA order, ongoing controller shortages and severe weather in parts of the country. Conditions began to improve throughout last week as more controllers returned to work amid news that Congress was close to a deal to end the shutdown. That progress also prompted the FAA to pause plans for further rate increases.

The agency had initially aimed for a 10% reduction in flights. Duffy had said worrisome safety data showed the move was necessary to ease pressure on the aviation system and help manage worsening staffing shortages at air traffic control facilities as the shutdown entered its second month and flight disruptions began to pile up.

Air traffic controllers were among the federal employees who had to continue working without pay throughout the shutdown. They missed two paychecks during the impasse.

Duffy hasn’t shared the specific safety data that prompted the cuts, but he cited reports during the shutdown of planes getting too close in the air, more runway incursions and pilot concerns about controllers’ responses.

Airline leaders have expressed optimism that operations would rebound in time for the Thanksgiving travel period after the FAA lifted its order.

Scout Motors picks Charlotte for new corporate headquarters

Summary

  •  selects Charlotte for its corporate .
  • EV maker investing $2.3B in  production center.
  • New HQ strengthens coordination between South Carolina and North Carolina sites.
  • Production expected to begin in 2027, creating 4,000+ South Carolina jobs.

After investing over $2 billion in South Carolina, an electric vehicle manufacturer has chosen to cross state lines for its corporate headquarters.

Scout Motors, which is building a $2.3 billion production center for its all-electric SUV and pick-up in the Midlands, will locate its corporate hive in Charlotte.

The news comes just two months after Scout announced it would also build a $300 million supply park near its production center in Blythewood.

Location was the main draw for Scout in choosing to cross the state line for its corporate operations.

Scout said the decision followed a comprehensive, multi-state evaluation process as Scout Motors sought the right location to serve as the long-term center of gravity for the company’s corporate operations. Charlotte stood out for its combination of workforce strength, business climate, livability and strategic location.

“Charlotte is well known as the home of strong global brands, and we’re thrilled to welcome Scout Motors to that list,” said Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles in the release. “This project is a major  milestone for the city and will serve as a catalyst for continued revitalization in a part of our city that’s seeing new life through infrastructure and development. We can’t wait to see the impact this innovative company’s investment will bring to our city.”

Just over an hour north of the company’s production center that is under construction in Blythewood, Scout says the Charlotte location will further cement its presence in the Carolinas and enable seamless coordination between manufacturing, corporate and technical operations.

The Scout Motors headquarters will be at the Commonwealth development in Plaza Midwood.

Construction is progressing rapidly at Scout Motors’ production center, with initial production targeted to begin in 2027, according to the release. Once it reaches full capacity, the Production Center is expected to create more than 4,000 jobs in South Carolina and attract additional suppliers and economic opportunities to the region.

The  will serve as the home base for executive leadership, research and development, finance, IT, sales, marketing, and other key corporate functions. Scout Motors will begin establishing its Charlotte presence gradually, with plans for initial staffing and office development beginning in 2026 and full headquarters operations scaling up in the coming years.

Housing inventory rises in major Virginia markets

SUMMARY:

  • rose year-over-year in Northern Virginia, and Central Virginia
  • In Northern Virginia the total sold dollar volume climbed to more than $1.3 billion
  • Median price in Hampton Roads was $362,000

Inventory grew year-over-year in Northern Virginia, Central Virginia and Hampton Roads in October, providing home buyers with more options.

Northern Virginia

The Northern Virginia Association of Realtors reports that there were 1,427 homes sold in October, a 7.5% increase over October 2024. The total sales volume was $1.3 billion, a 16.5% increase compared with October of last year. Pending sales increased by .08% year-over-year to 1,352.

“The growth we’re seeing in both sales and dollar volume is a sign of steady confidence in Northern Virginia ,” NVAR Ryan McLaughlin said in a news release. “Even as buyers adjust to hovering around six percent, the fundamentals of our market — strong employment, desirable communities, and economic diversity — remain incredibly solid.”

The association says the median sales price rose to $750,000, up 4.9% from last year, which the association says underscores “continued buyer demand for well-priced, move-in-ready homes across the region.”

The association reported active listings jumping 42.2% year-over-year, with 2,562 properties listed in October.

Homes spent an average of 27 days on the market, up 42.1% from last year, which the association calls “another indicator of returning balance.”

The immediate impact on housing from the shutdown, which began Oct. 1, has been limited, according to the association.

“While we’re monitoring how the shutdown may affect buyer confidence and transaction timelines, Northern Virginia’s housing market remains steady,” McLaughlin stated. “Northern Virginia’s strong base of public- and private-sector employers can help mitigate some of the short-term effects that often accompany a federal shutdown.”

NVAR reports home sales activity for Fairfax and Arlington counties, the cities of , Fairfax and Falls Church, and the towns of Vienna, Herndon and Clifton.

Hampton Roads

According to the Real Estate Information Network (REIN), Hampton Roads saw active listings, median selling prices and pending sales increase year-over-year in October.

Hampton Roads saw 2,099 closed sales in October, down less than 1% year-over-year.

In October, the month’s supply of inventory (MSI) — a measure of how many months there would be homes on the market if no new inventory were added — was 2.68, up from 2.35 during October 2024.

Active residential listings rose to 5,571 from 5,472 in September and up 16.9% year-over-year from 4,765 during October 2024.

“An ample supply of homes presently on the market provide today’s buyers with an array of choices,“ said Barbara Wolcott with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices RW Towne Realty and president of REIN’s board. “The combination of increased supply and lower mortgage rates gives buyers significant incentive to act quickly.”

The median selling price for October was $362,000, down from $365,000 in September but a 2.26% increase year-over-year.

October’s pending sales stood at 2,162, down from 2,270 in September, but up 4.3% from 2,072 in October 2024.

Homes spent a median of 30 days on the market in October, up from 27 days in both September and October 2024.

Founded in 1969, REIN is a regional multiple listing service that covers an area stretching from east to Virginia Beach and south across the North Carolina border.

Central Virginia

The Central Virginia Regional Multiple Listing Service divides its data between single-family homes and condos and townhomes.

In the region, there were 1,344 closed single-family home sales in October, down 2.5% from the 1,379 sold at the same point in 2024. For condo/townhomes, there were 266 sales, up 0.4% from October 2024’s 265.

Pending sales for single-family homes increased 10.6% year-over-year from 1,316 in October 2024 to 1,456 in October 2025. For condo/townhomes, there were 245 pending sales last month — a 9.9% increase from October 2024.

Single-family homes spent 31 days on the market in October —up from the 30 days on the market the previous year. Meanwhile, condo/townhomes spent 39 days on the market, up from the 37 reported in October 2024.

The median sales price for single-family homes was $415,000 in October of this year compared to $391,692 in October 2024. But the median sales price for condo/townhomes dipped .04%, from $372,000 in October 2024 to $370,345 this year.

Single-family homes for sale in October totaled 2,974, a 3.8% year-over-year rise from 2,864 homes, while the number of condo/townhome units for sale totaled 788, a 24.1% rise from October 2024’s 635 units.

The CVR MLS includes data for the cities of Richmond, Petersburg, Hopewell and Colonial Heights and the counties of Amelia, Charles City, Chesterfield, Dinwiddie, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico, King & Queen, King William, New Kent, Powhatan and Prince George.

Norfolk State receives record $50M gift from MacKenzie Scott

Norfolk State University announced Thursday that philanthropist, billionaire and early contributor has donated $50 million to the university — the largest gift in the school’s 90-year history.

The donation comes two weeks after Scott’s record-setting donation of $50 million to Virginia State University, the state’s other public historically Black university, or HBCU.

will use the unrestricted gift, Scott’s second eight-figure award to the university, to support student scholarships, faculty research, athletics and strategic initiatives. In 2020, Scott donated $40 million to , its previous record donation.

The ex-wife of Amazon founder and former Jeff Bezos, Scott was involved with the e-tail giant from its start, contributing to its original business plan and its first freight contract. She is a published author, and following her 2019 divorce from Bezos, she had $35.6 billion in Amazon stock and became one of the world’s wealthiest women.

In 2020, she made $30 million donations to Hampton University and Virginia State University.

The university, which announced the donation Friday, expects to add funds to an endowment to generate revenue for scholarships in perpetuity, and that scholarships will be awarded beginning in fall 2026.

The university says the gift “will catapult State to its next level of excellence,” and President Javaune Adams-Gaston thanked Scott for the “enormous vote of confidence” she placed in the institution.

According to NSU spokesperson Stevelynn Adams, Scott’s first gift to the university was used to increase student scholarships, purchase property near the campus for expansion, establish faculty research and performance awards, and increase the school’s scholarship endowment. The university states that the new gift demonstrates a positive return on the 2020 investment.

Founded in 1935, NSU is a public university based in Norfolk. There are 6,557 students enrolled at the college this fall, comprising 5,828 undergraduates and 729 graduate students.

William & Mary to be U.S. hub for AUKUS submarine pact

SUMMARY:

  • will host the United States’ Center of Excellence for to support production
  • The center will be part of U.S.-U.K.-Australia trilateral nuclear sub alliance dubbed AUKUS
  • Specifics on the center are still being developed

William & Mary is stepping into a new role as the nation’s academic hub focusing on the development of nuclear-powered submarines between the U.S., the United Kingdom and Australia.

The university will be the U.S. academic base for nuclear submarine technology, with counterparts in Sheffield, England, and Adelaide, Australia, as part of AUKUS, a trilateral security alliance formed in 2021 among the three countries.

Newport News-based shipbuilder , parent of Newport News , is also involved in AUKUS, having been awarded in March a contract from the Australian government to develop and run a new pilot program that will build a submarine supply chain between the U.S. and Australia.

The AUKUS agreement, established under former President Joe Biden, calls for the U.S. and the U.K. to share nuclear propulsion technology with Australia, whose Navy is set to acquire at least eight nuclear-powered submarines, including three to five Virginia-class submarines in the 2030s.

Early in President Donald Trump’s second term, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said he would continue the nation’s involvement in AUKUS, but in August, the DOD changed course, announcing it would review AUKUS by this fall.

Lawmakers from both parties have urged the White House to continue the partnership, and the Japanese news outlet Nikkei Asia reported Nov. 8 that the Pentagon is likely to conclude its review in December with an endorsement of the pact.

‘s new role in AUKUS was first referenced publicly Oct. 29 by the Alliance as part of its regional “Playbook” strategy to grow the area’s economy. According to the alliance, the AUKUS Center of Excellence at W&M is envisioned as a hub that helps the U.S., U.K. and Australia tackle shared challenges in building and sustaining nuclear-powered submarines.

“William & Mary’s designation as the U.S. academic home for the AUKUS initiative underscores the vital role of higher education in advancing innovation and security,” William & Mary Provost Peggy Agouris said in a statement. “This Center of Excellence brings together dedicated expertise to address complex global challenges and prepare the next generation of leaders who will shape the future of defense and technology.”

W&M’s Whole of Government Center of Excellence, which serves as a national security hub for the campus and the broader defense community, will lead the initiative.

Kathryn Floyd, director of the university’s Whole of Government Center of Excellence, said in an interview the new center will be a research and development hub for emerging technologies and supply chains. A lot of the specifics are still in motion, she added, noting that the U.K., Australia and U.S. officials will be determining over the next year what W&M’s center will do.

Floyd said that the broad parameters of the center will include connecting private investment with defense industry needs, exchanging expertise and best practices to advance submarine production, workforce training, supplier growth and innovation.

The center will also help streamline approval processes for submarine components and key technologies, thereby accelerating production, and it may also play a role in building a workforce pipeline, particularly in identifying gaps and connecting regional partners, she added.

Many of the W&M center’s programs and partnerships and some of its day-to-day functions are still being defined, Floyd said. “I think we’re going to see who has what, where are the gaps and what needs to be built in that space.”

Other W&M partners include its military and veteran affairs team, the university’s vice provost for research, the Reves Center for International Studies, the College of Arts & Sciences’ public policy program, the Batten School of Coastal & Marine Sciences, the Virginia Institute of Marine Science and the W&M School of Computing, Data Sciences and Physics, among others.

“William & Mary, with its global reputation for excellence and deep ties to international partners, is the perfect home for the U.S. AUKUS Center of Excellence,” President and CEO Doug Smith said in a statement. “Hampton Roads is at the forefront of shaping global security, and this partnership brings together the intellectual power and connections of one of the world’s great universities with the industrial strength of America’s military metro.”