The fall semester is officially underway and it's a joy to have all of our students back on campus again. We opened the year on a positive note, despite unusual circumstances. Thank you to our Marlin community for your tremendous spirit of cooperation, exceptional work ethic, and for your shared responsibility during this ongoing journey. A reminder that all communication sent to our Marlins, and all updates, can be found on our COVID-19 website.
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It was an honor to deliver my sixth State of the University address to our Virginia Wesleyan family last month. Thank you to those of you who tuned in virtually to hear highlights from the past year and goals for the future. For those who couldn't join us, the address is archived on our VWU Digital Broadcasting Network. Our gratitude to our friends at The Franklin Johnston Group and TowneBank for sponsoring this wonderful event. Read more and watch the 2020 State of the University: Feature Story | Video
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Highlights from the past month include:
VCIC Humanitarian Awards
At the 56th Annual Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities Humanitarian Awards presentation, held virtually this year, VWU Trustee Sharon S. Goodwyn was recognized as an honoree along with Jay M. Klebanoff, Amy K. Milligan, Toiya A. Sosa, James M. Wood, Jr., and the Association of American Physicians of Indian Origin Hampton Roads. We extend our sincerest congratulations to all of the honorees who are pillars of our community. The Humanitarian Awards are presented to individuals and organizations demonstrating a commitment to the promotion of respect and understanding among people of diverse racial, ethnic, and religious backgrounds. Special thanks and applause to Headmaster of Norfolk Academy Dennis Manning (Event Chair) and President and CEO of VCIC Jonathan Zur. Many of us from VWU attended to celebrate VCIC and some very good friends. Virginia Wesleyan is proud to support the program and to have been included by VCIC in several prominent places in their program.
Batten Honors College Matriculation Ceremony
At the Batten Honors College Matriculation Ceremony on August 20, we welcomed the fourth class of Batten Fellows and Shumadine Scholars. Hailing from all over the country and internationally, these students collectively boast a grade point average of 4.21 on a 4.0 scale, an average SAT score of 1382, and an average ACT score of 30--both ACT and SAT are a four-year high. We wish them all the best in their academic pursuits and look forward to their continued success at Virginia Wesleyan. Read more, view the photo gallery, and watch the ceremony here.
SACS Approves Joint BSN Program
VWU has received approval from our accrediting body, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges (SACS-COC), to offer a joint Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program with Sentara College of Health Sciences. The 131-credit hour joint BSN degree involves coursework at both institutions. Formal acceptance into the Sentara program occurs at the end of freshman year. Ten qualified applicants are guaranteed admission, and additional students will be considered on a competitive basis. Learn more here.
Honoring Retirees
We paid tribute to recently retired faculty and staff members on campus. Three faculty members--Dr. Michael Hall (40 years of service), Dr. Jayne Sullivan (20 years), and Dr. Hilve Firek (10 years)--were honored at VWU's traditional commemorative Tree Planting Ceremony in the new extension to the Wilson Arboretum. A special luncheon was held for three team members in the Office of Finance and Administration. Congratulations to Midge Zimmerman (30 years of service), Ronda Rothwell (37 years of service), and Audrey Rafferty (36 years of service). I am grateful to each of these Marlins for their many contributions to our campus and our community. Please join me in congratulating them on this well-deserved milestone and wishing each of them the best in this next chapter.
Feathers in Your Cap
Many of our accomplished faculty and staff were duly highlighted during VWU's annual "Feathers in Your Cap" celebration. The event recognized faculty, adjunct professors, librarians, and staff members who in the last year have published a book or professional publication, completed artwork, obtained a grant, received tenure and/or a promotion, and much more. You are invited to stop by Hofheimer Library, at your convenience, to check out the "Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works" display in the Reading Room (first floor). The display showcases accomplishments included in The Pharos from May 2019 to June 2020. The display will be up through the end of the academic year, with accomplishments added as they become available. I am honored to work among a talented faculty and staff who are so strongly committed to excellence in both teaching and scholarship.
VWU Receives 2020 Inspiring Programs in STEM Award
Virginia Wesleyan University's Environmental Institute: Summer Scholars program received the 2020 Inspiring Programs in STEM Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the largest and oldest diversity and inclusion publication in higher education. The award honors colleges and universities that encourage and assist students from underrepresented groups to enter the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Virginia Wesleyan is featured along with 49 other recipients in the September 2020 issue of the magazine. Read more here.
VWU Education Department Partners on NOAA-Funded Project
The VWU Education Department has partnered with Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) in Gloucester on their capacity building NOAA-funded project, "VA TIDES: Virginia Teachers Innovating and Designing Experiential Science." This project is a collaborative endeavor of several Virginia organizations and institutions (VIMS, Virginia Wesleyan, William and Mary, James Madison University, and Old Dominion University) to provide aspiring educators with the knowledge and skills to engage K-12 students in meaningful watershed educational experiences. VWU students who complete the project will receive a stipend and present their work to a statewide audience of educators. Having established successful environmental education events on our campus like the Downstream Collaborative Project, the Virginia Wesleyan Environmental Institute, and our partnership with YMCA Camp Red Feather has positioned Virginia Wesleyan as a leader on this project.
VWU Names New Vice President for Advancement/Special Assistant to the President
Kimberley J. Hammer, Esq.,has been appointed as our new Vice President for Advancement/Special Assistant to the President. Kim will join the VWU family on November 1. She replaces Dr. Mort Gamble, who passed away in January. Kim earned her law degree from the University of Cincinnati College of Law, and her bachelor's degree from Ohio Wesleyan University where she graduated magna cum laude. Kim is an accomplished academic leader who brings a proven track record in all areas of advancement from her 28-year career in the field. She brings a breadth of experience, talent and strategic thinking to this important role. Please join me in extending a warm VWU welcome to Kim, her husband Ted, and their twins, Blake and Trent. Read more here.
Greg Skinner to Join VWU as New Chief Information Officer
Greg Skinner will join Virginia Wesleyan in October as our new Chief Information Officer. An information technology and higher education veteran, Greg has served in multiple roles at York College, Lehigh University, and Ursinus College, all in Pennsylvania, most recently served as Director of Enterprise Information & Chief Privacy Officer. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems from York College and a Master of Science in Information Systems: System Design and Programming from Capella University. Additionally, he completed the EDUCAUSE Institute Management Program and CLIR/EDUCAUSE Leading Change Institute. Please join me in welcoming Greg to the VWU Family and to Coastal Virginia this fall.
Project Amplify
Tidewater Collegiate Academy at Virginia Wesleyan University is offering a new program to provide meaningful, personal, and affordable educational options for students during COVID. Project Amplify is an online, pre-college program designed to equip college-bound students for success in the transition to college through authentic, thought-demanding, hands-on, community-based learning experiences. Eleventh graders will be part of a two-year cohort that will engage in a series of coursework based on the TCA innovative learning model while taking dual enrollment classes at VWU concurrently. This will include one VWU class their first fall semester, and then two courses the next three semesters. Students will graduate with an Advanced High School Diploma and potentially 28 college credits. For more information, please contact Dr. Wendy Scott, Founder and Director of TCA.
VWU Athletics Launches New Website With SIDEARM Sports
VWU athletics has unveiled a completely redesigned website through a partnership with SIDEARM Sports. SIDEARM is one of the most well-known and reputable brands in college athletics, partnering with colleges and universities across all three NCAA divisions as well as NAIA and the NJCAA. The new design is fully responsive, allowing users to easily access the website on multiple platforms (mobile, desktop, tablet). It also features new looks to the team roster and statistical pages, larger images on story pages, and easy navigation to specific areas for fans and prospective student-athletes. It still provides the comprehensive coverage of Virginia Wesleyan's 22 athletic teams. Virginia Wesleyan is the sixth ODAC school to switch to SIDEARM with a seventh ODAC institution making the move later this summer. Washington & Lee, Sweet Briar, Shenandoah, Randolph, and Hollins are the other five ODAC schools that utilize SIDEARM Sports for their athletics websites. Visit vwuathletics.com to check out the new look and learn more here.
VWU Esports Growing in Popularity
The Marlin Esports team began its official competition schedule in early 2020, playing in a total of 33 matches against colleges and universities from around the country (including a victory over cross-town rival Old Dominion University). The team is ready for fall competition in our state-of-the-art Esports Arena, which is equipped with 17 high-end gaming PCs featuring ASUS Prime Z390-P motherboards, Intel 9th Gen i7 processors, 16gb ADATA Gammix RAM, MSI GeForce RTX 2070 Armor GPU's, and MSI Optix 24-inch gazing monitors. The Marlins will compete this fall in League of Legends, OVERWATCH, Rocket League, and Magic the Gathering Arena. They'll be led by coaches Glenn Johnson and Zak Peeler, as the world's fastest growing competitive sport continues to grow its roots here at VWU. You can follow all the Esports action on the Marlin's Twitch Channel.
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This month brings much to look forward to, including our Founders Day celebration next week. This is a Virginia Wesleyan tradition that gives students, faculty, staff and special guests an opportunity to honor the University's history. Founders Day Convocation, which includes the Alumni Awards, is normally attended by all students, faculty and staff of the University. This year, given the special circumstances, we will be streaming our virtual Founders Day event on Thursday, September 10, at 11:00 a.m.
As I previously shared, our Founders Day Keynote Speaker will be Anthony Walters, President and CEO for the YMCA of South Hampton Roads and a valued member of our VWU Board of Trustees. Our 2020 Alumni Awards recipients include VWU Trustee Lee T. Stevenson '85 (Distinguished Alumnus Award), Dr. James Embrey '72 (Alumni Service Award), and Dominique Fowler '12 (Graduate of the Last Decade Award).
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