A memorable Commencement capped a successful year at Virginia Wesleyan College. It was especially meaningful to watch 326 new Marlin graduates process into the Jane P. Batten Student Center, joining approximately 10,000 alumni worldwide, and to welcome Carrie Hessler-Radelet, Director of the Peace Corps, as principal speaker.  

As I travel around the region to meet with alumni, the strong bonds of tradition and ongoing relations with faculty and former classmates that link graduates of all generations continue to inspire me.

We close out the academic year with pride. This year, the College earned several noteworthy rankings from The Princeton Review and Colleges of Distinction, among others. Despite an uncertain economy, the College is discovering new ways to flourish. Our new Birdsong Field is a great venue for intercollegiate and intramural sports. The Greer Environmental Sciences Center is progressing toward a fall 2017 opening.  

As we approach the end of the 2015-2016 fiscal year on June 30, all trends are positive, yet there is much more to be done in capital giving, enrollment management, operational efficiency and long-range academic planning. As we prepare to offer our first graduate degree program and explore other initiatives, it is critical that we continue to forge collaborative partnerships and enhance private giving while strengthening our outstanding academic programs.

The strength of our curriculum endures not only as a point of pride for all Virginia Wesleyanites, but also as a way to differentiate ourselves from many other institutions. Virginia Wesleyan graduates continue to demonstrate the value and importance of a liberal arts education in their lives and careers as resourceful, influential leaders.  

Some other items of note from this past month:

• Congratulations to the Class of 2016! On Saturday, May 14, Virginia Wesleyan College held its 47th Commencement Ceremony as 326 graduates marched into the Jane P. Batten Student Center to receive degrees--Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, or Bachelor of Social Work. It was a day to celebrate this major accomplishment and to wish them well as they begin the next phase of their lives. Delivering the Commencement address to the VWC Class of 2016 was Director of the Peace Corps and global public health leader Carrie Hessler-Radelet. She was introduced by the first VWC student to graduate as part of Virginia Wesleyan's Peace Corps Prep Program, Mindy Bertram '16, who began her own Peace Corps service in Cameroon on May 24. Ms. Hessler-Radelet and Virginia Wesleyan College Trustee Emeritus George Y. Birdsong, CEO and General Counsel for the Birdsong Corporation, were recognized with honorary doctoral degrees during the ceremony. I am happy to report the overwhelming success of the internet streaming of our 47th Commencement Ceremony--a first for Virginia Wesleyan College. Thanks to the generous sponsorship of Sun Trust, we were able to make this opportunity possible. Immediately following Commencement, we hosted an Army ROTC Commissioning Ceremony for graduate Clay Jones '16 who was commissioned as a second lieutenant. I wish all of our graduates the very best as they embark on new careers or continue their education.

• I had the pleasure of attending "Feathers in Your Cap" in Hofheimer Library in May. The event recognized Virginia Wesleyan faculty, adjunct professors, librarians, and staff who in the last year have published a book or professional publication, obtained a grant, and received tenure and/or promotion. I was incredibly impressed by both the quality and quantity of work displayed, and I am honored to work among extraordinarily talented colleagues who are so strongly committed to excellence in both teaching and scholarship. In addition, four Virginia Wesleyan faculty members were also recognized during our Commencement ceremony: The recipient of the 2016 Samuel Nelson Gray Distinguished Teaching Award was Assistant Professor of Education William McConnell; The annual Frank and Jane P. Batten Distinguished Scholar Award went to Professor of Philosophy Steven Emmanuel; The Service and Community Engagement Award was presented to Professor of Art History and Co-Chair of the Academic Effectiveness Committee Joyce Howell; and the United Methodist Church General Board of Higher Education and Ministry 2016 Exemplary Teacher Award went to Professor of Management, Business, and Economics Linda Ferguson.

• Since 2004, the distinction of Batten Professorship has been awarded to Virginia Wesleyan College professors for faculty excellence in teaching and scholarship, community contributions, and passion for inspiring excellence in others. Faculty recipients of this prestigious honor carry the title for three academic years and are rewarded with special development funding that enhances the quality of teaching throughout the College. The newly named Batten Professors for 2016-2019 are: Dr. Paul Ewell, Associate Professor of Management, Business, and Economics and Director of the MBA Program; Dr. Kevin Kittredge, Associate Professor of Chemistry; Dr. Taryn Myers, Assistant Professor of Psychology; and Ms. Sharon Swift, Professor of Art. Congratulations to these outstanding members of our faculty for this much-deserved recognition.

• Marlin athletics saw some noteworthy accomplishments this month. Sophomore Evan Cox fought through a tough final round on May 13, battling two other competitors in a playoff to earn the NCAA Division III National Golf Championship. His win marks a first for the program and for Virginia Wesleyan College. Kudos to Evan! In addition, the top-seeded Virginia Wesleyan College softball team rallied from a 9-5 sixth-inning deficit to claim the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) title on May 2 with a 10-9 extra-inning victory over Eastern Mennonite University. This is the ninth ODAC title for the VWC softball program--the most in conference history--and the second time the championship game has reached extra innings, with the Marlins defeating Shenandoah University 8-6 in 19 innings in the 2013 tournament. Virginia Wesleyan (38-5) earned the ODAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Softball Tournament, and our No. 1-ranked team hosted a regional NCAA tournament on May 13-14 against No. 2 Salisbury University, Saint Vincent College, and Haverford College.

• Many thanks to outgoing VWC Alumni Council Chair Amy Mallet Rickard '98, a communication major and the client services manager for AEG, who has served for six years on the Council, the last two as chair. She has provided exceptional leadership and passion for her alma mater and will remain on the Alumni Council (formerly the Alumni Association Board of Directors) for a transition period of one year. Mavis McKenley '11 will assume the role of Alumni Council Chair on July 1. She is a graduate of the Adult Studies Program with a degree in business, and she currently serves as as vice president and trust officer at AMG National Trust Bank.

  Let me close with an invitation to you and all Virginia Wesleyan alumni and friends to express support for our mission through personal giving. As we conclude another milestone chapter in the life of Virginia Wesleyan College, we can take special pride in continuing to offer an affordable, accessible and excellent education to all who can benefit from it. To ensure that incoming students can receive the same education which has provided a lifelong foundation for alumni, however, we need to secure new gifts and pledges. Your financial support by June 30--the close of the current fiscal year--is critical. I encourage you to visit our new online giving page at www.vwc.edu/giveonline. Together, we can create a dynamic future for Virginia Wesleyan College.

Thanks to each of you for another rewarding and productive year at Coastal Virginia's premier liberal arts college. Sincerely,