I am both proud and excited
to share that 38 prospective freshmen—one all the way from France—will
arrive in Coastal Virginia today to take part in our inaugural Batten Honors College
competition (February 9-11). I had the privilege during my State of the
College Address in August to introduce the Batten Honors College, which
is named for Virginia Wesleyan College Trustee Emerita and dedicated
friends of the institution, Jane P. Batten H’06 and her late husband,
Frank Batten, Sr.
The competition will get underway with a
welcome reception at the Virginia Aquarium and will continue Friday and
Saturday with various interviews, campus tours, and panel discussions.
Participating students and their parents will also attend a second
reception at Slover Library in downtown Norfolk.
Students will be
contending for a place in the very first cohort of the Batten Honors
College. Twenty students will be selected to receive the Batten
Fellowship, a prestigious scholarship renewable for four years and
covering the full amount of tuition—$36,010 for the 2017-2018 academic
year—plus funding for an international study-away experience during
their junior or senior year. Further, the Batten Honors College will
recognize the academic merit and leadership potential of another 20
students by admitting them to the Honors College as Shumadine Scholars.
Shumadine Scholarships will have a value in an amount equal to
two-thirds tuition—$24,000 during the 2017-2018 academic year.
Through
small class sizes, personalized instruction and especially vigorous
faculty-student interaction, the Batten Honors College will inspire,
engage, and prepare academically-talented students to become impactful
leaders and environmental stewards in our global community.
It is
sure to be an exciting few days here on our campus. Many thanks to all
who have worked hard to make this inaugural competition a truly special
occasion for our participants. If you see Batten Honors College
competitors on campus, be sure to give them a warm Wesleyan welcome and
wish them well in their pursuits.
