Darius McCallum ’27

From an early age, Darius McCallum knew the water was his world. He grew up fascinated by fish, and his passion led him to attend the Virginia Institute of Marine Science’s Estuaries Camp in middle school. Today, Darius is part of the first cohort of undergraduates majoring in coastal and marine sciences at William & Mary’s Batten School & VIMS. He also participates in Minorities Against the Climate Crisis (MACC), extending his passion for marine science into broader climate justice advocacy on campus. Thanks to the full-tuition support provided by the R. Todd Stravitz Scholars Program, he can immerse himself in research and field work across campus and at VIMS — precisely the kind of opportunity the major was designed to offer.

{{youtube:large:center|dng1kfBjl0s, Darius McCallum '27 | Pursuing Coastal & Marine Science at William & Mary}}

“The new cohort of undergraduate majors will have unparalleled opportunities, learning side by side with our scientists as they tackle real-world challenges facing our oceans and coastal communities,” said Derek Aday, dean of the Batten School of Coastal & Marine Sciences and director of VIMS. For Darius, the program’s emphasis on immersive field and lab work in the first fall semester, a hallmark of the major, aligns exactly with how he envisioned his college experience.

As a scholarship recipient and a student dedicated to environmental stewardship, McCallum embodies the future that the Batten School & VIMS are shaping — scientists who not only have strong quantitative and field skills but are also fueled by a lifelong curiosity about the natural world.

Learn More About Darius

• Read about the Batten School & VIMS welcoming their first class of coastal & marine sciences undergraduates.