New endowment serves students, honors a brother’s love for the outdoors
When Stephen “Stevie” Peters passed away in 2024, the former shipyard employee left behind a legacy of love for fishing and the natural world. To memorialize that passion, his brother, Danny Peters, established the Stephen Peters Fellowship Endowment (1863) at William & Mary's Batten School & VIMS. This generous gift supports graduate student research and ensures that Stevie’s name endures in a way that continues to make a difference for students and science.
Stevie, a 1969 graduate of York High School and 1973 graduate of Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock’s Apprentice School, retired in 2012 after a long and fulfilling career. While he had no direct ties to the Batten School of Coastal & Marine Sciences & VIMS, Stevie shared a lifelong love of fishing with Danny, a marine science enthusiast and retired educator. Danny recognized that the proceeds from Stevie’s estate could be used to support hands-on student research on the Chesapeake Bay, an ecosystem deeply reminiscent of their childhood memories fishing and exploring the outdoors.
Inspired by the work and friendship of the late Batten School & VIMS Professor Dr. Robert “Bob” J. Byrne — Danny taught Byrne’s daughters at York High School — Danny chose to align the new endowment with Byrne’s existing legacy fund.
“It's for student research, it's for travel, it's for anything to promote graduate students at the Batten School & VIMS,” said Danny of the new endowment, which will help empower student research and academic experiences. “They're committed to the field, but it's expensive. Students are really struggling to fund their work and going to conferences and things like that are also big expenses. I'm very appreciative of the help I've had in my life, and I want to pay that forward to others.”
The gift was formalized in June 2025, and more funding will follow as additional assets are liquidated. “It’ll take time,” Danny explained, “but I’ll continue to give as my CPA advises. All of Stevie’s money will go into this endowment.”
Though Stevie never stepped foot on the Batten School & VIMS campus, his memory now helps power the next generation of marine science discovery. Danny hopes others will be inspired to make similar gifts, either in memory of loved ones or simply as a way of giving back. “Everyone has had some kind of assistance in getting to where they are today,” he said. “So why not pay it forward to help others? You don't have to spend a huge amount of money, but there are ways in which you can give and make a difference.”
Through this tribute, Danny has not only honored his beloved brother but also helped ensure that future scientists have the support they need to carry their research into the Bay and beyond. Said Danny, “It's all worked out very well and I'm very pleased that it has. I'm glad I can do something to help the students at the Batten School & VIMS.”