The Jane P. Batten Student Center celebrates 10 years as the heart and hub of life at Virginia Wesleyan
By Leona Baker | February 22, 2012
When the College broke ground on the Batten Student Center in 2000, its namesake, longtime Board of Trustees member and tireless Virginia Wesleyan supporter Jane Batten, hoped the new facility would “make an enormous difference to the life of the campus.”
That it has—and then some. For the last decade, the Jane P. Batten Student Center has served as the heart and hub of campus life for students, faculty, staff and visitors from near and far.
On Feb. 18, 2012, the College hosted a special “Batten Center Birthday Celebration” that included a cake cutting by President Billy Greer and Jane Batten before the men’s basketball game against Emory and Henry. Jane Batten was also presented with a large, custom designed thank-you card signed by members of the VWC community.
The construction of the Jane P. Batten Center was made possible by a $10 million gift from Frank Batten Sr., a business leader and philanthropist known for his pioneering work in the communications industry as well as his generous support for education. The center was named for his wife Jane in honor of her leadership and fundraising efforts for the College.
Designed to serve as the “town square” of the campus, the 137,000 square-foot Batten Center features a modern convocation center with an elevated jogging track, an eight-lane pool, a training and fitness center, an aerobics room, racquetball courts, a climbing wall, an aquarium, the campus bookstore, and the popular Marlin Grille as well as offices, classrooms and meeting spaces. From basketball games to blood drives, poetry readings to pool parties—the Batten Center has become the place to be at VWC.
"The Jane P. Batten Student Center was a catalyst for making campus life what it is today,” says Dean of Students Keith Moore. “It brought learning, fitness, and fun under one roof, a dynamic our students benefit from every day."
For current students, it’s hard to imagine life before the Batten Center. It’s a place to work, study, play and gather with fellow Marlins. Like many students, junior Rachel Balsley has held several jobs in Batten. She also spends a lot of time in the second-floor offices of the Marlin Chronicle student newspaper, for which she serves as photo editor.
“The Batten Center has provided me with not only a job, but a place to really flourish as a student,” Balsley says. “This past summer, I was privileged enough to work with the lifeguards in the pool and teach young children to swim, an experience I will always treasure. Without this building, I'm not sure where we would go for a delicious peanut butter protein smoothie or a quick climb up the rock wall or where we would congregate for great Wesleyan's traditions like the annual Airband competition. Batten and Wesleyan hold dear places in my heart and my college career wouldn't be the same without them.”
As the Virginia Wesleyan community prepared to celebrate the facility’s anniversary, Batten Center Director Jason Seward looked back and expressed his gratitude in an email to students, faculty and staff.
“On February 2, 2002, the Jane P. Batten Student Activities Center officially opened its doors for business,” Seward wrote. “It has housed professional bowling, national music acts, academic lectures, national champions, and much more. It is hard to believe this marks 10 years of milestones and memories for our Batten Center. We are very grateful to the Batten family for their generous gift which brought this true gem to our campus.”
For more information visit the Batten Center website or contact Batten Center Director Jason Seward.