Columbus Zoo and The Wilds Recipients of Transformational Gift From Battelle, Shaping the Future of Education and Conservation

POWELL, OH (April 27, 2023)—The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium and The Wilds have been awarded a $2.625 million gift from Battelle, to make a positive impact on people, wildlife, and wild places through educational scholarships, school group educational opportunities, and conservation-focused experiential learning projects. Battelle’s support will ultimately impact more than 200,000 students and 7 million Zoo guests over three years. 

This gift is the largest the Zoo and The Wilds have received since 2019 and the largest ever received from Battelle. This grant is part of Battelle’s ongoing commitment to reach 1 million students annually with quality STEM education programming. Through this effort, programs like those at the Zoo and The Wilds help students to develop skills to become the next generation of innovators. 

The $2.625 million gift will introduce hundreds of thousands of children to wildlife and the natural world through the following programs: WildeCamp scholarships, Zoo Career Exploration scholarships, RISE scholarships, updated interactive sea ice floor projections in Polar Frontier, development of the Ohio Wildlife Conservation Center and interactive education interpretive stations, and phase one redevelopment of the North America Trek region. These programs represent a transformational investment in modernizing programs and spaces to connect young people to conservation.

“We are honored and grateful to Battelle for their generosity and forward-thinking philanthropy,” said Tom Schmid, President and CEO of the Columbus Zoo and The Wilds. “We are confident these projects and initiatives will provide significant and meaningful investments in empowering people and saving wildlife and in Battelle’s mission of applying science and technology into innovations that have a positive impact on the world.” 

“These programs will help the Columbus Zoo and The Wilds give generations of young wildlife enthusiasts the opportunity to learn and become better stewards of the world around us,” said Lou Von Thaer, President and CEO of Battelle. “Battelle is proud to help this landmark Columbus institution grow its positive impact on people, wildlife, and wild places.”

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About the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
Home to more than 10,000 animals representing over 600 species worldwide, the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium leads by making a positive impact on people, wildlife, and wild places. The Zoo complex is a recreational and education destination that includes the 22-acre Zoombezi Bay water park and 18-hole Safari Golf Club. The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium also manages The Wilds, a 10,000-acre conservation center and safari park located in southeastern Ohio. The Zoo is a wildlife conservation organization with regional, national and global impact, annually supporting conservation and research projects locally and worldwide to continue the mission of Empowering People. Saving Wildlife. A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the Columbus Zoo has earned Charity Navigator’s prestigious 4-star rating.

About The Wilds
The Wilds sits on almost 10,000 acres of lush landscapes along the Appalachian Byway and attracts nearly 120,000 visitors annually. With the mission of Empowering People. Saving Wildlife., The Wilds is among one of the largest, cutting-edge conservation centers in North America and is home to more than 500 animals representing 28 rare and endangered species from around the world. The Wilds operates tours, overnight accommodations, special events, and summer camps as a source of revenue. The Wilds is located at 14000 International Road in Cumberland, Ohio, about 90 minutes east of Columbus. Normal hours of operation are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day from May through October. For more information, visit www.thewilds.org

About Battelle
Every day, the people of Battelle apply science and technology to solving what matters most. At major technology centers and national laboratories around the world, Battelle conducts research and development, designs and manufactures products, and delivers critical services for government and commercial customers. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio since its founding in 1929, Battelle serves the national security, health and life sciences, and energy and environmental industries. For more information, visit www.battelle.org.