Pathfinders ceremony celebrates growing momentum at the Batten School & VIMS
Rain poured down but spirits were high on the evening of Friday, April 11th as William & Mary’s Batten School & VIMS celebrated the Pathfinders Dinner at the Freight Shed venue at Yorktown Beach. This annual ceremony commemorates the contributions of the most charitable donors to the Batten School of Coastal & Marine Sciences & VIMS.
Following a lively cocktail reception, 80 guests sat down to an elegant dinner and celebrated ten new inductees into the Pathfinders Society, which is bestowed upon those individuals, households and organizations with a lifetime giving of at least $100,000.
The 2025 inductees to the Pathfinders Society included Jane Batten HON ’17, L.H.D. ’19; Bentley R. Andrews; Dr. Tim Harvey ’79 and Rick Wallace; Taylor Spencer MBA ’83 and Martha Spencer; Lynn Dillon ’75 and John Dillon ’75; and Emeritus Dean & Director John T. Wells and Patsy Wells. The ceremony also paused to thank Susan Maples for her 23 years of service to the Batten School & VIMS, most recently as director of development before her retirement in early 2025.
“This was a remarkable evening that celebrated some of our most generous and consistent supporters,” said Batten School Dean & VIMS Director Derek Aday. “It was our honor to recognize these distinguished friends and publicly mark the growing momentum at the Batten School & VIMS as we continue to lead in developing science for solutions.”
“It was thrilling to meet Dr. Aday and other leaders at VIMS,” noted Martha and Taylor Spencer, who recently set up an undergraduate field research endowment in honor of their daughter, Erin Spencer ’14, who minored in marine sciences. “We were honored to be with a group of people who all have a passionate commitment to support the Batten School & VIMS in their ongoing work researching the environment.”
The keynote speaker for the evening was Grace Molino Ph.D. ’25, who at the time was mere weeks away from her dissertation defense. “Private philanthropy is often what makes it possible for graduate students to take their research beyond Virginia,” she said. “It empowers students, broadens the renown of the Batten School & VIMS and demonstrates the societally important and fundamental research we are doing. I am incredibly grateful for the support of each and every donor in a time when private philanthropy is critical.”
During the program, Aday also presented two Pathfinder Awards, a preeminent donor recognition only bestowed when service and contributions are extraordinary. The recipients were Batten, following her transformational $100 million gift, the largest gift in W&M’s 331-year history, and Dr. R. Todd Stravitz ’82 and the Brunckhorst Foundations, following their historic gift of $50 million, which will provide full tuition support for undergraduate students pursuing the new bachelor’s degree in coastal & marine sciences.
“This is one of the best nights of my life,” said Batten as she graciously accepted her award. In fact, appreciation all around the room was mutual. Said the Spencers, “The highlight of the evening for us was meeting Mrs. Batten and Dr. Stravitz, whose transformational gifts solidified the Batten School & VIMS’ reputation as one of the premier marine science schools in the country. We hope their generosity will inspire others to support VIMS' critical mission.”
Invitees to the annual Pathfinders dinner include donors who have given at least $5,000 to the Batten School & VIMS in the current fiscal year, have lifetime giving of $100,000 or more and/or documented an estate plan.