Shortly after my arrival in 2015, I had extensive discussion with Ben
Unkle, President and CEO of Westminster-Canterbury on Chesapeake Bay, on
ways to develop a closer relationship between our organizations. On
Tuesday, a signing ceremony
was held to formally mark a new partnership—the Westminster/Wesleyan
Lifelong Learning Institute—which brings courses taught by Virginia
Wesleyan faculty to the campus of Westminster-Canterbury.
Programming
for this initiative is coordinated by Dr. Ben Fraser, the newly
appointed Westminster-Canterbury Fellow for Religious Studies and
Lifelong Learning. Several courses will be taught each semester, and
roughly half will be on faith-related topics. Courses are offered at no
cost to Westminster-Canterbury members, who will also receive free
admission to many VWU athletic and cultural events on our campus.
Many
thanks to Ben Unkle, Ben Fraser, and the Virginia Wesleyan faculty who
are teaching this semester as part of the Lifelong Learning Institute:
Dr. Kathleen Casey, Assistant Professor of History; Dr. Leslie Caughell,
Assistant Professor of Political Science; Dr. Terry Lindvall, C.S.
Lewis Endowed Chair in Communication and Christian Thought and Professor
of Communication; Dr. Taryn Myers, Batten Associate Professor of
Psychology; Dr. Timothy O’Rourke, Provost and Vice President and
Professor of Political Science; Dr. Vic Townsend, Professor of Biology;
and Dr. Craig Wansink, Joan P. and Macon F. Brock, Jr. Director of the
Center for the Study of Religious Freedom and Professor of Religious
Studies.
We have so many good, shared friends who are actively
involved with both Virginia Wesleyan and the Westminster-Canterbury
community. The Birdsong Initiative,
for example, was funded by Westminster-Canterbury Foundation Board
Member Sue Birdsong and her husband, VWU Trustee Emeritus George
Birdsong, both longtime Virginia Wesleyan supporters. The 24-week study
examined whether the use of computer technology could increase
socialization and improve mental health among residents of nursing homes
and memory support programs. Researchers at Eastern Virginia Medical
School led the study with support from students in Virginia Wesleyan's
Recreational Therapy program. Our students played a critical role in
assessing residents, providing treatment intervention and collecting
data. Participation in the study was part of Dr. Wayne Pollock's course,
"Recreational Therapy Analysis and Assessment."
We are extremely
grateful for our ongoing relationship with Westminster-Canterbury, as
it is a natural fit and truly a win-win. It allows
Westminster-Canterbury members to stay challenged and energized as they
continue their path of education and growth, and it gives Virginia
Wesleyan opportunities to share the talents and leadership of our
faculty, students, and community.
