We welcomed 117 high school students and their parents to campus last month as part of  Virginia Private College Week , an annual event hosted by the Council of Independent Colleges in Virginia (CICV). Our guests enjoyed walking tours and information sessions about admission, financial aid, and academic programs, and our enrollment counselors addressed some common myths about private education --- including the belief that private colleges cost significantly more than public colleges.

 

Here at VWU, we have adopted a wide variety of measures to remain affordable and to financially support our students. We've capped tuition and fees at their current level for the 2018-2019 Academic Year; established an on-campus student work program; launched the Batten Honors College, which fully or partially funds 40 new academically talented students each year; widened access to early- and dual-enrollment programs; and expanded institutional grants and scholarships.Top of Form

 

We also encourage prospective students and their families to think value, not just advertised cost. Our coastal campus is situated in the middle of a great urban area that's perfect for internships, career starts, sports activities, museums, and many cultural and recreational attractions that enrich the college experience. We also partner with and offer classes at the Chrysler Museum of Art and the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center, and we own a research vessel, The Ocean Explorer, which expands learning and undergraduate research opportunities. Few colleges or universities can match the resources available to Virginia Wesleyan students.

 

I invite you to visit cicv.org to learn more about the quality and affordability of Virginia private colleges. Be sure to share your findings with loved ones or friends who may be considering their future in higher education.

 

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Additional updates from the past month include:

 

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Campus Construction Updates

Despite another rainy month, brick and structural work continued on the Susan S. Goode Fine and Performing Arts Center (view recent drone footage of the construction). Landscaping and seeding was completed along Marlin Way, at the outdoor athletics complex (watch video), and the East Gate area, and the renovation/restoration of the Bell Tower/Beacon. Construction also began on Virginia Wesleyan's new "SmartFlower," a fully integrated photovoltaic system that will supply power to Honors Village (view photo). Many thanks again to the CICV for helping to bring this project to life on our campus.

2018 Alumni Awards Announced

Congratulations to our 2018 Alumni Awards recipients --- Joe Ruddy '83, Chief Innovation Officer at The Port of Virginia (Distinguished Alumni Award), Clayton Singleton '94, Artist/Teacher at Norfolk Public Schools (Alumni Service Award), and Alisa Crider '10, Public Relations Coordinator at Hampton Roads Transit (Graduate of the Last Decade Award). The Alumni Awards will be presented during our annual Founders Day festivities on Thursday, September 6. 

 

VWU Welcomes Second Batten Honors College Cohort

This month we'll welcome the second cohort of scholars for our highly selective Batten Honors College. Our newest full-tuition Batten Fellows have a collective grade point average of 4.21 on a 4.0 scale, an average SAT of 1340, and an average ACT of 29. Sixty-three percent of these students hail from Virginia and over 60 percent indicate an interest in a science discipline at VWU. We look forward to walking beside them in this journey, and we wish them the very best in their academic pursuits.

 

Virginia Wesleyan Environmental Institute: Summer Scholars  

Last week we hosted the Virginia Wesleyan Environmental Institute: Summer Scholars, a residential environmental science program designed for top-performing, rising ninth-grade females. Participants took part in authentic environmental science, technology, engineering, and math (E-STEM) experiences alongside environmental science professionals in academia, industry, business, government, and non-profit organizations in order to better understand the vast amount of opportunities for women in E-STEM fields. Thanks to Dr. Bill McConnell, Assistant Professor of Education, and Dr. Deirdre Gonsalves-Jackson, Associate Professor of Biology, for their collaborative effort leading this successful program. Learn more about the  Summer Scholars  program and enjoy a few photos from the week .

 

New Alumni Council Officers

Last month we also announced new leadership for our 2018-2019 Alumni Council. Serving as our new chair is Troy DeLawrence '93 (Quality Assurance Senior Specialist, CACI International), who most recently served as the vice chair of the Alumni Council and as chair of the Alumni Resource Committee. Troy succeeds former chair Mavis McKenley '11 (Vice President and Trust Officer, AMG National Trust Bank). We are grateful for Mavis' leadership and look forward to her continued guidance as the immediate past chair. Kevin Otey '05 (Director of Strategic Initiatives, Hampton Roads Community Action Program) will transition to vice chair from his previous roles as secretary of the Alumni Council and chair of the Alumni Engagement Committee. We thank Mavis, Troy, and Kevin for their ongoing support and contributions to our campus and community. The Council will elect a new secretary and new committee chairs at their first meeting at the start of the fall semester. View a complete list of our Alumni Council members on the  VWU website . 

 

News from United Methodist Higher Education

I attended the National Association of Schools and Colleges of The United Methodist Church ( NASCUMC ) Board of Directors meeting in Williamsburg last month ( view photos ). I have served on the 18-member NASCUMC Board for many years and the annual meeting each summer is a wonderful opportunity to learn more about trends on the campuses of the 119-affiliated institutions and important issues in the church. Mark Hanshaw, Associate General Secretary for the General Board of Higher Education & Ministry, updated the Board on the hotly debated work of the  Commission on a Way Forward . 

 

"Effort to Save the Bay Offers Lessons for Higher Education" 

My July column in  The Virginian-Pilot  discussed a unique resource available to us in Coastal Virginia and its pertinence to higher education --- the Chesapeake Bay. Not only does the presence of the Bay provide experiential learning, lending itself as a classroom for our students, but the ongoing restoration also provides enlightenment of students, their families, and the general public. The same is true of colleges and universities across the nation. Higher education institutions, along with primary and secondary schools, can relate to the efforts to sustain the bay's health and productivity. 

 

Virginia Beach Sports Center 

Recently the City of Virginia Beach approved the construction of a new multi-purpose sports center on lands adjacent to the Virginia Beach Convention Center. A number of you have asked about our advocacy for the new Virginia Beach Sports Center in the days leading up to the City Council vote. Linked  here  is my letter of support on behalf of VWU, and some additional information about the new facility can be found on the  City website . 

 

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I end this month's letter on a somber note. We are saddened to share the July 24 passing of longtime Virginia Wesleyan University Trustee Anne B. Shumadine . Anne's service to the University as a member of our Board was thoughtful, gracious, and indicative of her devotion to the ideals of education and commitment to community. She was a guiding inspiration to her fellow Trustees and to our entire campus community and will be deeply missed.  

 

Anne joined Virginia Wesleyan's Board of Trustees in 2005. Her mother, Helen Ballard Hoffman, also served on the Board for more than 35 years and was recognized by the University in 2003 with an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree. Anne's son, Jim Shumadine, recently joined the Board, representing three generations of service to Virginia Wesleyan.

 

Anne was chair and founder of Signature Family Wealth Advisors. She was active in the business community in Hampton Roads and in addition to VWU she served on the boards of numerous non-profit institutions, including Eastern Virginia Medical School, Old Dominion University, Chesapeake Bay Foundation, ACCESS College Foundation, and the ODU Educational Foundation.

 

During the formation of the Batten Honors College in 2017, Virginia Wesleyan recognized Anne's leadership and lasting legacy by establishing two-thirds tuition scholarships for Batten Honors College students known as Shumadine Scholars.

 

Also in 2017, Anne was honored with The T.C. and Elizabeth Clarke Medallion, the highest honor of the Raymond A. Mason School of Business at the College of William and Mary. She was recognized in 2014 by Junior Achievement of Hampton Roads in the Business Hall of Fame, and in 2011 she received the Citizen Lawyer award from the William & Mary School of Law and the Barron F. Black Community Builder Award from the Hampton Roads Community Foundation. She was also recognized in 2011 by LEAD Hampton Roads with its Visionary Award for business leaders. She was a graduate of Wellesley College and William & Mary Law School. 

 

We are grateful for Anne's numerous contributions to our community and to our institution, which she served so faithfully, and we extend our sincerest sympathy to her husband, Conrad, and sons, John and Jim.

 

Sincerely,