Frank Batten Sr., a former College BOV member, donated $100 million to the University of Virginia, according to the Chronicle of Philanthrophy. Batten, a 1950 graduate of U.Va., is the founder and former chairman of Landmark Communications in Norfolk, Va., which owns the Weather Channel and other cable channels.
p. The money will be allocated toward the creation of the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy, which will work to educate students in law, medicine and history, the Chronicle said.
In 2003, Batten and his wife, Jane, gave $142 million to eight different colleges and programs, including $11.3 million to the College. That year, the two were listed as the seventh most generous donors in the Chronicle of Philanthrophy’s annual rankings.
p. Batten previously gave $60 million to U.Va. in 1999 to create the Batten Institute, helping promote business entrepreneurship. His gift brings U.Va. closer to their campaign goal of raising $3 billion by the end of 2011. U.Va. has currently raised $1.2 billion.
