A desire to create meaningful change
Kacey Clayton ‘23 recognizes how the Batten School & VIMS helped her connect coastal and marine science with federal policy
Kacey Clayton has always known that marine science was her calling. “I decided when I was seven that I was going to be a marine biologist, and that was it,” said Clayton, who credits her mother with passing on a passion for environmental conservation. “She really impressed on me a love for being part of the solution.” Clayton’s journey, from childhood ambition to graduating from William & Mary’s Batten School & VIMS to recently completing a prestigious Knauss Fellowship, demonstrates that she has developed into the environmental problem-solver she always dreamed of becoming.
Originally planning to pursue a traditional, research-based education which she envisioned would lead to a Ph.D., Clayton’s time in undergrad at the College of Charleston revealed a different path. “I realized that while I loved science, I didn't love collecting data or being in the lab every day," she said. “It didn’t fit the goal of what I wanted to do with my career, which was to create change by giving voice to science in other spaces.”
After graduation, Clayton accepted a role at COMPASS Science Communication, where she worked in Washington D.C. on the policy team, giving scientists communication tools to bring coastal and marine information to non-scientists. “It was helpful for me to kind of get a break from school,” said Clayton, “and figure out where I wanted to go and what I wanted to do with my career.”
Informed by her time at COMPASS, Clayton applied to the newly formed M.A. program at the Batten School of Coastal & Marine Sciences & VIMS. “They offered the mix that I was looking for out of this degree,” she said. “Plus, the program was close to D.C. which was a great opportunity for the annual spring trip as well as possible internships.”
Doing something new and different, together
“I loved my time at VIMS,” said Clayton, reflecting on the unique experience of being in the inaugural M.A. cohort. “Orientation set a good tone right off the bat. There was a great sense of community, because we all knew that we were doing something new and a little bit different. And it wasn’t just us; the M.S. and Ph.D. students and the faculty were excited about the new program, too.”
Schoolwork reinforced Clayton’s preference for a generalist perspective, especially the interdisciplinary 503 course that all graduate students take together in their first year. What historically would have been data-focused group projects took on additional meaning with the inclusion of Clayton’s cohort, who contributed communication and policy elements. “We got to break and reform the mold and create something that worked for both the M.A. students and the M.S. and Ph.D. students,” she said. “The professor was open to it and happy for us to incorporate additional layers into the project.”
The diversity of opportunities at the Batten School & VIMS, and its place within the W&M community, further optimized the M.A. experience for practical skill development. “The program allows you to build skills in a bunch of different ways,” Clayton agreed. “I got to take coursework at William & Mary’s law school and in the public policy program. And assistantships and internships taught me a lot of useful job skills. So, there's many ways the M.A. helps you build tangible skills, from the capstone to other experiences.”
Clayton also sings the praises of the mentors she found at the Batten School & VIMS. “Andrew Scheld was my advisor, and he was fantastic; the perfect combination of science and its practical uses,” she said. “And I worked with Emily Hein, the assistant director of advisory services. She allowed me to ask a thousand questions and tag along to different things. She invested in me, not only as a student, but also as a professional. Seeing a woman leading this fantastic career was very influential.”
Becoming an environmental change-maker
For her capstone project, Clayton explored offshore wind energy policy, interviewing fishermen, offshore wind representatives and scientists from three European countries to inform policy recommendations tailored for the U.S. After graduating, she took a position at the Center for American Progress, managing a state-focused climate portfolio to help states take advantage of the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. However, eight months in, Clayton was awarded the esteemed Knauss Fellowship, an opportunity she could not pass up.
She spent the next year working in the office of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) administrator, working on presentation materials, press calls, administration transition materials and accomplishment reports. “It was a transformative experience for me,” she said, “seeing the sheer number of communities and ecosystems and environments that this money was helping."
Describing her time in the Knauss Fellowship at NOAA as “fast-paced,” Clayton recounted times when “the White House would reach out and ask for something specific, or a congressperson would. We were always working on something new, and it appealed to the part of me that likes to do a bunch of different things all at once. In a week, I’d work on everything from fisheries and habitats to coastal communities and working waterfronts.”
With the fellowship having come to its conclusion, Clayton has accepted a position at the Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, an organization focused on ocean conservation grants. “I’ve learned from every experience and put myself on the path I want to be on,” she said. “Being able to leave VIMS as a generalist because of the M.A. program has helped me with my career, having the ability to switch around and work on lots of different things.”
Inspiring students to consider multiple career paths
Clayton has been encouraged by the vibrant Batten School & VIMS alumni network. “There's a great VIMS network within the Knauss Fellowship and more broadly within the D.C. space. I was recently at a reception and saw the two alums who are currently doing Knauss fellowships,” (Mary Beth Armstrong M.A. ‘24 and Abigail Sisti Ph.D. ‘24). She suggests current students take advantage of that network. “Ask to have coffee chats with people. There are so many great VIMS alums that have interesting jobs, and they’re always happy to talk to other students and alums.”
For those at the beginning of their educational journey and considering graduate school, Clayton enthusiastically endorses her time at the Batten School & VIMS. “The M.A. program is perfect for someone who wants to use science in their career, but not necessarily do research day in and day out. It’s perfect for someone who has a lot of interests and wants to work on a bunch of different things,” she said. “There are so many ways that you can have a career in and around science.”
This alumni profile was written and published in March, 2025.