February 24, 2016
This past Saturday, I had the pleasure of meeting with the Virginia Wesleyan College Alumni Association Board of Directors. I shared a number of campus updates with them, including our master planning process and the forthcoming public launch of our $60 million capital campaign. It was also a time to introduce Dr. Mort Gamble, Vice President for Advancement. Dr. Gamble led a discussion regarding the importance of alumni connections to campus, engagement of all alumni age groups, and increasing alumni participation in annual giving.
Following the Alumni Board meeting, the Alumni Association hosted the Alumni Legacy Endowed Scholarship Luncheon. Alumni donors to the scholarship had an opportunity to meet the current legacy students who receive the scholarship. The Alumni Legacy Endowed Scholarship was established in 2004 as a permanent endowment at the College. In 2014, an alumnus offered a fundraising challenge which raised another $30,000 for the endowed fund. Dan Mason '88, former alumni board chair and signer of the endowment agreement, shared the history of the scholarship.
It is through gatherings like this that we build and sustain our community. Each alumnus and legacy are connected to the campus in a very special way. As we plan for the future of the College, it is imperative that we honor the traditions that have meant so much to our Virginia Wesleyan family since our founding, while also charting an aggressive course for enrollment and fundraising in the years ahead.
The current legacies are:
Elizabeth Marie Brisson Victoria Nichole Laughlin
Lafayette C. Campbell, Jr. Ulia Elizabeth Grace Nelson
Madalyn Noelle Chevalier Connor Travise Pederson
Alese Cassandra Herbert Virginia Elizabeth Peery
Savannah Anne Jones Frederic Glen Pizzanello
Cameron Reid Kessler Meaghan Elizabeth Rawls
Corey Kyle King Quinci Marie Rockette
Regan Leigh Kirwin Christian Michael Spivey
Ashley Anne Kline Olivia Jordan Staul
Mary Lynne Kurzenknabe Margaret Abigail Tuthill
Our special thanks to Amy Mallett Rickard '98 for her outstanding leadership of the Alumni Association.
