Friends:
This fall will be my first as Virginia Wesleyan's president, and I am truly looking forward to observing many special traditions. Two weeks ago, I delivered my first
State of the College Address and observed for the first time our newest Marlins taking part in our Freshman Honor Convocation. My first Virginia Wesleyan Homecoming is only about a month away.
Annie and I thank you for the warm and gracious Wesleyan welcome we have received from all of you. It is a testament to the caring community that Virginia Wesleyanites enjoy that our first weeks with you have been exceptionally productive, most kind, and very exciting. We are thrilled to be here and very much feel a part of the Wesleyan Family!
We are off to a momentous start. Virginia Wesleyan has garnered many "points of pride," accolades that can make us all stand a little taller. Here are some highlights:
- The College has once again been chosen as one of the nation's best by The Princeton Review and is featured in its guide, The Best 380 Colleges: 2016 Edition. Student responses to The Princeton Review included in the announcement were particularly impressive.
- The College has also been selected by The Princeton Review as one of the most environmentally responsible colleges in the U.S. and Canada, and is profiled in its Guide to 353 Green Colleges: 2015 Edition.
- The College was recognized as one of the top eight liberal arts colleges in the country for veterans by U.S. News & World Report in its ranking of the Best Colleges for Veterans.
- The College has been chosen as a 2015-2016 College of Distinction for excellence in student-focused higher education and commitment to engaged students, great teaching, vibrant community and successful outcomes.
- The College was featured by Forbes on its 2015 list of "50 College Gems With Bargain Tuitions, SAT Optional Policies And Openings."
I recently enjoyed a wonderful conversation with the Virginia Wesleyan College Alumni Association Board of Directors over breakfast. It gave me the opportunity to learn more about our Alumni Board members and hear their thoughts on a variety of topics. I mentioned to them that it was the spectacular Coastal Virginia lifestyle and its scenic beauty as well as the outstanding academic reputation of the College that attracted me back to the region earlier this spring as a part of the search process.
I was impressed by their loyalty to their alma mater and by the fact that 100 percent of the Alumni Board contributed to Virginia Wesleyan in the 2014-2015 academic year. To contribute so generously during these difficult economic times is a major statement of support in the people and programs of Virginia Wesleyan College.
I also encouraged the Alumni Board to identify potential locations for off-campus alumni gatherings around the region and nation. These gatherings will enable interactions with large numbers of graduates who live a greater distance from the campus and can't always return for events. Ultimately, they will have a positive impact on alumni participation and support.
Other initiatives we discussed:
- VWC Institutional Review (IR): The Board of Trustees commissioned an Institutional Review with a national authority to assist in the presidential transition and to set priorities for the coming years.
- Developing a new business model for VWC: Multiple external authorities have assisted with a growth oriented business model for the College. We discussed many new initiatives at the State of the College Address on August 18. I encourage you to read the address and send me your thoughts.
- Privatized development of non-contiguous property: The College is exploring development possibilities for properties owned by the College but not on the campus proper.
- Globalization, Internships and Service Learning/Community Engagement: In the current market, I suggested that the College must expand opportunities in each of these areas.
I was also able to provide updates on a number of projects:
- Birdsong Field: This $3 million project provides a state-of-the-art venue for field hockey, men's and women's lacrosse, and men's and women's soccer. The facility includes artificial turf, lighting, stands and a concession/restroom building. It also benefits the College's intramural program.
- Greer Environmental Sciences Center: Construction is expected to begin this winter for a nearly 40,000-square-foot, state-of-the art environmental sciences center entirely funded by a private gift.
- Joint use facility: The College is in active discussions with the YMCA for a shared use facility on campus. Donors to the YMCA would provide funding for the facility, which would be used by the YMCA for summer camps and during the academic year by the College for academic purposes.
- Enrollment: This fall, the College welcomed approximately 440 new students, including 360 freshmen and 80 transfers. Overall fall enrollment is approximately 1,400 total students with around 1,300 being traditional full time.
All of us share a pride in the heritage of this outstanding College. More than 10,000 students have availed themselves of a Virginia Wesleyan education and have earned the distinction of Virginia Wesleyanites for life.
The Talmud contains a rich piece of wisdom: "When one changes a single life, one changes the world entire." At Virginia Wesleyan College, we are in the business of changing and enriching lives--expanding opportunities and enriching options--for our students, our alumni and the state and region we serve.
Welcome to a new, transcendent year.
Cordially,
