December 3, 2015
French philosopher and founder of the discipline of
Sociology, Auguste Comte, is credited with the observation that
"demography is destiny." That observation has become axiomatic in the
"population science" underlying enrollment patterns and finances at
liberal arts colleges like Virginia Wesleyan. For example, new births in this
region 18 years ago were about 8% fewer in number than those born ten years
prior. Further, during the 18 years that have followed their births, incomes of
families in the 50-85% annual earnings range, from which most of VWC students
came at that time, have remained basically stagnant while VWC's real (net of
discount) tuition has about doubled. As Comte likely would have predicted from
those two factors, the College, 18 years later, experienced a decline in
enrollment and an increase in the need for student financial aid. Such is the
lament in modestly endowed, moderately selective liberal arts colleges across
the U.S.
With all due respect to Comte and those other colleges, I
reject the notion that Virginia Wesleyan's destiny must be determined by such
predictive factors, believing instead that we can create our own future. The
future that I envision includes larger entering classes whose diverse students
bring college-ready curiosity and academic ability to a faculty, curriculum and
student development gestalt that are exceptional and that influence student
formation now and society later. The power to create that future will come from
factors similar to those that are present here in academics and student
development. The first such factor is knowledge of marketing, recruiting,
persuasion, financial planning, social media and, yes, demographics. The second
factor is leadership that has successfully applied that knowledge in the
liberal arts sector, motivating engaged colleagues who are goal-directed and mission
focused to accomplished performance. The third important factor is an active
institutional connectedness through which VWC networks with numerous high
schools, community colleges and dual enrolling universities with timely
graduate and professional degree programs.
Based on the above assumptions, I am pleased to announce the
appointment of David Waggoner as our Vice President for Enrollment. David
is an experienced leader in liberal arts colleges who has led with the
knowledge and skill we need to grow this College. He will join the
Virginia Wesleyan College community on December 7 and will have full
oversight and responsibility for both traditional and non-traditional
recruitment and enrollment.
Since 2011, David has served as Associate Vice President for
Admission at the University of Baltimore. He has previously served as Assistant
Vice President for Admission at Monmouth University, Dean of Enrollment at The
French Culinary Institute (now International Culinary Center), and Associate
Dean of Admission and Financial Aid at Upsula College. He is also a former Vice
President of Premier Communications, a marketing consulting firm on student
enrollment strategies, and Miller/Cook & Associates, an enrollment
consulting firm.
David holds a B.A. in Political Science/Psychology from the
University of Kansas and an M.A. from the University of Missouri.
Please join me in welcoming him to the Virginia Wesleyan
Family.
