Congratulations to our students and faculty on completing week one of remote instruction and learning. While I continue to miss the presence of our University community on campus, I am overwhelmed with pride by the hard work, dedication, and adaptability our Marlins have exhibited. Your resilience and commitment to excellence is inspiring and absolutely vital to our mission.
Best wishes as we forge ahead on this journey. Keep up the good work and know we are all here to support your success in any way we can. Remember to keep in touch with your professors and take advantage of the virtual assistance available to you. I recognize that these are unprecedented times for all of us and many of you may be feeling unsettled. Please rest assured we will continue to put people first as we navigate and lead through this uncharted territory. We are committed to responding to COVID-19 in a way that upholds our values and culture, and we remain student-focused in our approach to education.
# # #
Last week members of the Virginia Wesleyan Emergency Response Team and I hosted a live town hall with information and updates regarding the University's response to COVID-19. In case you missed it, the video is now archived on the VWU Digital Broadcasting Network and is available for streaming
here.
As I shared during the town hall, I hope you are all staying well and being vigilant in your efforts to protect your health and the wellbeing of others. Remember, we are on this uncertain and unprecedented journey together--and it is important to emphasize that we are
together. Perhaps not physically, but in spirit and mind. Thank you all for your belief in each other, in Virginia Wesleyan, and in doing what is right. I look forward to having you back on the campus we call home. Read more
here.
# # #
We were fortunate to have celebrated a special day in Virginia Wesleyan's history prior to our shift in operations. On March 11, we rededicated the H.C. Hofheimer II Library and paid tribute to its namesake. Mr. Hofheimer was one of the first major contributors and visionaries of not just the library, but of the institution. He served on the Board of Trustees and was instrumental in the growth of Virginia Wesleyan, providing strong support from the beginning. The library was originally dedicated on March 5, 1970, under the leadership of Mr. Hofheimer and then-President Lambuth Clarke, and it was a true privilege to re-dedicate the space 50 years later. The celebration included a
special unveiling
of a commissioned portrait of Mr. Hofheimer that is prominently displayed near the library's main entrance. It was an honor to join Dr. Steve Mansfield, University Archivist and Vice President and Dean Emeritus, and Sue Erickson, Director of Hofheimer Library, in delivering
remarks
, honoring the past, present, and future of this significant building in the heart of campus.
We were honored to host some very special guests for the ceremony, including Clay Barr and Linda Kaufman (two of Mr. Hofheimer's daughters), Ms. Elena Baum (granddaughter of Mr. Hofheimer) and her husband Gary, and President Emeritus Lambuth Clarke's wife Alice Clarke and daughter Virginia Hitch. We thank Elise Wright, Mr. Hofheimer's daughter, for sending her support and celebrating with us from afar. Read more and view the photo gallery here.
# # #
Highlights from the past month include:
Kudos to the VWU Theatre Department
Congratulations to the Virginia Wesleyan Theatre Department on a wonderful spring production of "The Shield," by Greek playwright Menander. Adapted for stage and directed by Dr. Travis Malone, VWU Dean of the Susan S. Goode School of Arts and Humanities and Professor of Theatre, the production ran from March 5-8 in the Brock Theatre of the Goode Center. Kudos to the cast and crew on their tremendous work--you are talented artists and have made Virginia Wesleyan proud. Read more here.
Technology Updates
The Malbon Center for Technology is working to finalize a replacement for MyBeacon, our University portal. The Center will soon share their implementation plan for the new product that features companion smartphone application, improved single sign-on capability, and integrated communication functionality. More information is forthcoming so please stay tuned. We look forward to continuing to enhance and update our technology. My thanks to Dr. Chris Davis, Chief Information Officer, and his team for their continued work in this area.
VWU Receives Commendation from Governor Northam
Governor Ralph Northam sent congratulations to Virginia Wesleyan for being one of five colleges and universities in the Commonwealth, and one of 119 in the nation, to receive the
Carnegie Community Engagement Classification
for the 2020 cycle. Dr. Brian Kurisky, Chief Diversity Officer and Director of Wesleyan Engaged, is pictured holding a letter of commendation to the University from Governor Northam
here
.
ALL IN Action Plan
VWU's 2020 campus democratic engagement action plan has been selected as one of the top plans submitted to the
ALL IN Challenge. A
link to our plan is featured as a strong example plan on the sample action plan page of the ALL IN website. Kudos to Dr. Brian Kurisky for his work on this.
Welcome to the Marlin Family
Virginia Wesleyan Athletics welcomed two of its newest Marlins in collaboration with the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation, an organization aiming to improve the quality of life for children battling pediatric brain tumors and other childhood cancers. Three-year-old Mia Grace Moore, who lives with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma--a very rare and aggressive form of pediatric brain cancer--was "signed" to the VWU softball team on March 5 during a special ceremony in the Batten Student Center. Her older brother, Brendyn, was also welcomed to the VWU baseball team. It was a beautiful day for all, and we are so happy to have Mia, Brendyn, and their mother Michelle, as part of our Marlin family. Watch a WTKR news segment covering this special celebration here.
VWU Glass Blowing Exhibition Profiled in Veer Magazine
The recent glass blowing exhibition in the Neil Britton Art Gallery, "180," was recently reviewed in Veer Magazine. The segment highlights
the academic collaboration between Virginia Wesleyan and the Chrysler Museum. Thank you to our featured artists Rachel Bartek, Sukayma El Hani, Suhyeon Kang, Malcolm Kriegel, Michael Mills, Jordan Tavan, Abegael Uffelman, and Nichole Vitchner. View more
here
.
Learning Landscapes: Greer Environmental Sciences Center
Recently Virginia Wesleyan was invited by WHRO to participate in a video project profiling native plants of Virginia to be distributed in classrooms and other education venues. The research gardens surrounding our Greer Environmental Sciences Center will be featured in a film segment and discussion with Brian O'Neil, Director of Living Landscapes at Norfolk Botanical Garden/Virginia Wesleyan University. WHRO noted that our gardens, native plantings, and wildlife habitats make a great environment for producing science-oriented education material. We were happy to share them!
President's Council
We had a productive
spring meeting of the Virginia Wesleyan University President's Council recently. The Council is comprised of business leaders who embrace, embody, and similarly align with the University's vision and values in their management practices. Their personal and professional influence and support ensures students are strategically positioned to participate in opportunities such as internships and externships that will prepare them for a meaningful life and career. VWU Chief Diversity Officer and Director of Wesleyan Engaged Brian Kurisky along with student India Khanna gave an engaging presentation on our civic engagement and service learning initiatives and progress.
Transportation & Climate Initiative (TCI)
Virginia Wesleyan joined more than 100 major businesses, investors, and higher education institutions in supporting the Transportation & Climate Initiative (TCI), a regional effort to decrease transportation-sector emissions from across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states. TCI presents an opportunity to address climate change and ensure state economies continue to thrive while modernizing the region's transportation system.
A list of our fellow signatories in each state, as well as more information about the policy and resources to learn about TCI can be found
here. Read more in the
press release.
Batten Honors College Competition
We welcomed the final of three Batten Honors College competition groups for next fall's class, which will bring our total enrollment to the desired 160 students. We're delighted with the progress of this highly selective program, which has turned into a national-niche program for Virginia Wesleyan. The first competition weekend took place in November and the second in February. This selective academic program is made possible by generous support from Virginia Wesleyan University Trustee Emerita Jane P. Batten H'06 and her late husband, Frank Batten, Sr. View the photo gallery from the weekend
here
.
Batten Bulletin
The spring issue of the Batten Bulletin--the newsletter of VWU's highly selective Batten Honors College--is now available. View it here.
Construction Updates
Campus is quiet right now, but as we enter this season of spring, it is looking beautiful as ever. Several campus construction projects are moving along nicely. These projects will continue to benefit the local economy and will not be disruptive to our campus community.
Construction continues on the eight building, 244-unit Coastal 61 at Oxford Village mixed-use housing complex on the north side of campus along Wesleyan Drive.
View recent photos here
. The public-private partnership with The Franklin Johnston Group of Virginia Beach is scheduled for completion this fall/winter.
Renovation of the former Bookstore into the
Scribner University Store
has been completed. In addition to apparel, the store is now the home to
Duplication and Postal Services
. Adjacent to the Scribner University Store is Coastal Market, a quick-stop store with a variety of food, beverages, and convenient items.
In
the coming months, a new playing surface will be installed and demolition of existing seating and installation of new seating will occur in the Convocation Hall of the Jane P. Batten Student Center. Demolition began this week.
View renderings here
. Thanks to TowneBank for their grant that is making this project possible.
Construction and landscaping have been completed at the Betty S. Rogers Track and Field Center.
View a photo of the entrance archway here
. Thanks to Trustee Emeritus Bill Shelhorse '70 for his support on this project named in memory of his sister.
Clearing and grading was completed recently on the
newest trail in Wesleyan Woods. Located off of Norfolk Lane (the road that runs to Facilities Management), the trail loop goes back to the western border of the campus (at Interstate 64) and follows the Norfolk side of Lake Taylor before re-emerging near the Norfolk Avenue connection. Also, in case you missed it,
new signage arrived recently
for the scenic walking, running and biking trails on our beautiful, park-like 300-acre Virginia Wesleyan University campus.
Fundraising continues and our goal is in sight for a May challenge grant deadline for the upgrades to the original Fine Arts Building. We have initiated conversations with several contractors and should be ready to proceed sometime this spring/summer.
Private funds have been raised and plans have been finalized for DeFord Manor. Construction is expected to begin this fall.
Alumni Engagement Opportunities
While it was necessary to cancel much of our Spring Alumni Weekend (and postpone the rest), we are glad to present some unique opportunities for alumni engagement. We hope Virginia Wesleyan can be a light for our alumni during these of uncertainty. Read more from our VWU Alumni Office
here.
Gratitude for Chaplain Greg West
After 10 years of dedicated service to the University, the United Methodist Church will be reassigning Greg West as part of their pastoral appointment process. As you are aware, this is a pivotal time in the United Methodist Church with deep divides among subgroups of the Church. Greg has been instrumental in establishing opportunities for community members to explore their faith through structured group dialogue, ecumenical Sunday worship, and as the organizer of several mission trips during his tenure. We wish Greg and his family all the best, and we thank him for his many contributions to the institution and in the community. Please join me in thanking Greg for his immeasurable contributions.
# # #
I close with a sorrowful message as our community continues to grieve from the passing of Sue Birdsong, a dear member of the Virginia Wesleyan Family. We are deeply saddened by the passing of Sue and will miss her dearly. Sue and George Birdsong and the Birdsong family have been special friends to the University since its founding. The Birdsongs are known on campus through the numerous landmarks and programs that pay tribute to and were made possible by their family.
The strength of Virginia Wesleyan today can be traced in significant ways to the Birdsongs, and the University has benefited tremendously from their genuine interest in student success. To honor their continued guidance and support, in 2016 the University announced the formation of the Birdsong School of Social Science. And just this past February, Sue and George and the Birdsong families were inducted into the Virginia Wesleyan Athletic Hall of Fame for their contributions to our Marlins intercollegiate athletics program. A portrait of Sue and George hangs in Founders Foyer, among the University's greatest benefactors, and will forever cement the importance of the family in Virginia Wesleyan history.
It is true that Sue lived a meaningful life and touched so many. This is evident when talking to those who have been part of the Virginia Wesleyan community for decades and those who joined recently. I share with you a message received from Dr. Loren Loving Marquez (Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs) who came on board in 2019. Dr. Marquez shares: "This saddens my heart, President Miller. I only met Sue once, a couple of months after we moved to Virginia Beach. My family and I went to an event at Westminster-Canterbury and I introduced myself to Sue and George, and told them I was new to the Virginia Wesleyan family. She and I talked for a while about how much she loved VWU. She had a gift for making people feel a part of all of her good work."
We are grateful for her numerous contributions to our community and to our institution, which she served so faithfully, and extend sincerest sympathy to George, their three children, and eight grandchildren.
Read my full
letter to campus
here and access Sue's obituary
here
.
A sentiment I shared not long ago rings true today--let us all remember just how fragile life is and surround one another with peace, comfort, and compassion as we navigate this difficult time.
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