Homecoming and Family Weekend officially begins tomorrow, and Marlin pride on campus is evident everywhere. While we will certainly miss some Homecoming traditions like our annual FinFest tailgate and our athletics events, this year’s virtual event gives Marlins near and far the chance to connect and engage in new and exciting ways.
Launching the festivities tomorrow, October 2, is Marlin Spirit Day. I hope Marlins everywhere will join me in sporting your favorite Virginia Wesleyan gear. Don't forget to snap and share a photo using the hashtag #MarlinSpiritDay. 

The weekend’s virtual events include the Marlin 5k, our 4th Annual Chili Cook-Off, campus tours, a pub trivia night, and a special 50th anniversary celebration for the Class of 1970. The fine and performing arts will showcase virtual exhibits along with musical and theatrical performances during the Marlin Fringe Festival. Our Esports team will offer an exhibition game for alumni. There’s something for everyone, and we hope you’ll join us throughout the weekend.

Visit vwu.edu/homecoming for the full schedule of Homecoming and Family Weekend virtual events. 
Highlights from the past month include...

Founders Day
Our annual Founders Day celebration proceeded virtually on September 10. Anthony Walters, President and CEO of the YMCA of South Hampton Roads and VWU Board of Trustees member, gave an inspiring virtual keynote address. We also celebrated our 2020 Alumni Awards honorees—Lee Stevenson '85 (Distinguished Alumnus Award), Dr. James Embrey '72 (Alumni Service Award), Dominique Fowler '12 (Graduate of the Last Decade Award), and Lori Simpers Harris '94 (Outstanding Service to Alma Mater). 

Batten Honors College Convocation
We welcomed Ian H. Solomon, Dean of the Frank Batten School for Leadership and Public Policy at the University of Virginia, as our virtual keynote speaker. Since the founding of this distinctive program in the fall of 2017, this intimate recognition ceremony has been held for the newest Batten Fellows and Shumadine Scholars. A ceremonial pinning of each student represents their completion of orientation and formal induction into the elite program. As the Batten Honors College has flourished, the ceremony has also grown to reflect this.

Joint Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Our accrediting body SACS-COC has approved our new joint Bachelor of Science in Nursing program with Sentara College of Health Sciences (SCHS). Read more here about our joint degree program with SCHS here.

Virginia Wesleyan Named Among U.S. News 'Best Colleges'
Virginia Wesleyan University has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report in three categories of its recently released 2021 Best Colleges rankings. VWU is ranked 24th in “Ethnic Diversity” among National Liberal Arts Colleges and is featured among 221 selective "Best National Liberal Arts Colleges.” The University is also recognized 66th in this category as a “Top Performer on Social Mobility.”

This is the fourth consecutive year Virginia Wesleyan has been ranked among the most ethnically diverse National Liberal Arts Colleges. We are proud to hold this designation, as it represents the diverse, global community in which our University is located. We are a welcoming, inclusive campus with an outstanding, nationally prominent academic reputation—and we take pride in fostering the kinds of values and traditions that make our students proud to have chosen us for their career and life success. Read more here.

LUJ/VWU Global Update
We hosted Dr. Brian Frink, Dean of the School of Business, Science and Technology at Lakeland University in Wisconsin. Dr. Frink will become Vice President of the Lakeland University Japan and Virginia Wesleyan University Global at the Tokyo campus in January.

The agreement partners Virginia Wesleyan with an institution that currently teaches 355 students from 30 countries in an English-speaking associate’s degree program. Bachelor’s programs will eventually be added at the Tokyo campus and the current curriculum and academic programming will be expanded to include certain baccalaureate and corporate training programs and English for academic programs. Learn more about LUJ and VWU Global here.

All-Steinway Status
I am pleased to announce that Virginia Wesleyan has earned the prestigious achievement of "All-Steinway School" status, a distinction which raises the level of excellence in music education at the University. From practice rooms to recital halls, all pianos on our campus are now Steinway or Steinway-designed. This achievement provides VWU students and faculty with the best instruments possible for the study of music. Read more here.

President to President: Fostering Innovation
The first chapter of the 2020-2021 President to President thought-leadership series, of which I am proud to serve as co-editor, is now available online. In "Leveraging Institutional Culture to Foster Innovation," California State University, Monterey Bay President Dr. Eduardo M. Ochoa, describes how his relatively young institution transformed itself into a vibrant, bustling campus in only a few short years. He explains how an ongoing focus on innovation helps the University remain aligned with the needs of today's students and the surrounding community while staying true to its founding principles.

Recognizing Linda Ferguson and Travis Malone
The COVID crisis prohibited us from adequately thanking Dr. Linda Ferguson and Dr. Travis Malone as they concluded their service as deans in the spring. Although they are no longer deans, we’re pleased that they are still members of our faculty, and thank them for their ongoing support of our students in and out of the classroom. View our special tribute here. 

VWU Championed as a 2020-21 "College of Distinction"
VWU has once again been recognized for its honorable commitment to engaged, experiential education by Colleges of Distinction. The guide for college-bound students also celebrated the University as an Equity & Inclusion College of Distinction and awarded VWU "Field of Study" badges for its business, education, and career services programs. Read more here. 

Marlins Vote
On National Voter Registration Day, members of Marlins Go Green and the Student Government Association (SGA) hosted a voter registration table in the Jane P. Batten Center while members of Wesleyan Engaged created and distributed voter registration packets for the campus community. Thanks to Dr. Brian Kurisky and Wesleyan Engaged for all of their efforts in the Marlins Vote program. 
 
VWU CovidSafe
The University's Emergency Response Team has created VWU CovidSafe to provide information about the current number of confirmed cases impacting our community. It will be updated weekly on Wednesdays to keep the campus informed of our current situation.

Campus Improvements
September saw a lot of progress on campus. Work continues on the renovation of Susan T. Beverly Hall (formerly known as the Fine Arts Building). The courts were resurfaced at the Everett Tennis Center, thanks to an endowment. Boyd Dining Center was renovated over the spring/summer, and we are excited that students are now able to enjoy the improvements made to the space. The final phase of the Boyd Dining Center renovation is scheduled for 2021 when Brock Commons, an addition, is added to the front of the building that will provide banquet space, outdoor seating, and a new face/access to the Boyd Dining Center and Jane P. Batten Student Center.

Coastal 61
Coastal 61 at Oxford Village is now open. The new eight-building, 244 luxury-apartment community is located on the north side of campus on Wesleyan Drive. Seven of the nine buildings are either complete or to be finished soon. The other two buildings on the west side of the complex are scheduled for completion in the next two months. We are proud to embrace both sides of Wesleyan Drive, expanding our presence as we expand our programs and enrollment. Learn more here.
I look forward to connecting with many of you this weekend for our virtual Homecoming and Family Weekend festivities. While different from prior years, this weekend is sure to create special and lasting memories during this unforgettable year.

Sincerely,
Scott D. Miller, Ph.D.
President