Dialogue: Nota Bene: Weekly Update

May 15, 2023

Good morning,

Congratulations, again, to the Class of 2023! We were so pleased to be able to celebrate you on Saturday, and we wish you the very best as you pursue your personal and professional goals.

A special thanks to our Commencement speaker, Hilary Harp Falk, President and CEO of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, for her inspiring address. She was awarded an honorary doctorate along with our Baccalaureate keynote speaker, Bishop Sue Haupert-Johnson.

Our faculty award winners include Dr. Terry Lindvall (Samuel Nelson Gray Distinguished Teaching Award), Dr. Jennifer Slivka (Birdsong Community Engagement Award), and Dr. Craig Jackson (United Methodist Church General Board of Higher Education and Ministry Exemplary Teacher of the Year Award).

Earlier on Friday, during the Batten Honors College Capstone Ceremony, graduating seniors were given medallions to wear on Saturday for Commencement indicating their completion of this distinctive program. The program also included the awarding the Jane P. Batten Distinguished Scholar Award to Dr. Joyce Howell, retiring Professor of Art History.

I would also like to recognize our four graduates from our collaborative campus in Tokyo: Momo Higuchi, Reo Nagayama, Moeno Sawai and Risa Yanagita. These pioneering graduates were invited with their families to a special reception at DeFord Manor during the evening of Commencement. We are pictured with Dr. Deirdre Gonsalves-Jackson, Dean of VWU Global Campus, and Dr. David R. Black, Executive-in-Residence and founder of the Lakeland University campus in Tokyo over 30 years ago.

Congratulations to all, especially to the resilient Class of 2023. We will miss you and hope you keep in touch. Read more about the Commencement ceremonies and view the photo gallery.

We’re excited to share the launch of our new website! Vwu.edu has received an overhaul thanks to the work of Michael Skipper, Webmaster (and member of the Class of 2023), and the Marketing and Communications team. The new design continues to enhance user experience for current and future students, faculty and staff, and donors and fans.

ET CETERA

The Virginia Wesleyan University Board of Trustees held their Spring Meeting Wednesday in the Shafer Room (Board of Trustees Suite) in the Boyd Dining Center of Brock Commons.

Among the actions:

Approved actions of Board Committees, February to May, 2023.
Approved the May-August 2023 List of Graduates
Approved the FY 2023-24 Budget
Accepted the Endowment Report of Brown Advisory
Affirmed Officers of the Board, Officers of the University, ex-officio representatives, financial authorizations (for the period beginning July 1, 2023)
Affirmed signature policies
Virginia Wesleyan University Mission Statement
Virginia Wesleyan University Environmental Guiding Principles
The Wesleyan Creed
Virginia Wesleyan University Quality Service Pledge
Virginia Wesleyan University Athletics Mission Statement
Approved Policy Documents (for the period beginning July 1, 2023):
Virginia Wesleyan University Faculty Handbook, 2023-24
Virginia Wesleyan University Policy and Procedure Manual, 2023-24
Virginia Wesleyan University Academic Catalog, 2023-24
Virginia Wesleyan University Online Degree and Graduate Catalog, 2023-24
Virginia Wesleyan University Student Handbook, 2023-24
VWU Student-Athlete Handbook, 2023-24
VWU Athletic Department Policy and Procedure Handbook, 2023-24
Approved Faculty Emeritus/a Status (June 30, 2022 retirements):
Elaine Dessouki, Assistant Professor of Management, Business, and Economics
Joyce Howell, Professor of Art History
Phil Rock, Professor of Biology
Accepted detailed written reports from Colleges, Schools and Departments of the University.

We were happy to honor our Board members with a wonderful dinner at DeFord Manor immediately following the Spring meeting. We enjoyed entertainment by VWU Vox Vera, led by Dr. Bryson Mortensen, on the Virginia Oveda Williams DeFord Terrace. We thank the Board for their continued energy and support throughout this past academic year.

AROUND TOWN AND ACROSS CAMPUS

Class of 2023 Makes a Splash at DeFord Manor

We were delighted to celebrate the Class of 2023 at DeFord Manor during a special open house for those who gave to the Senior Giving Campaign. This year’s campaign raised a total of $2,434.15 for student scholarships.

Some class members were so excited, they even jumped in the pool!

Visiting with U.S. Secretary of Education

It was a productive discussion about important higher education issues with U.S. Secretary of Education Dr. Miguel Cardona. My thanks to Congressman Bobby Scott for inviting me to the conversation and to Hampton University President Darrell Williams for hosting the meeting.

While at Hampton, I thoroughly enjoyed touring the historic Hampton University Museum with President Williams. It was nice to visit with Virginia Wesleyan University graduate Vanessa Thaxton-Ward, Director of the Museum and Archives, during the tour.

Campus Ministries Infuses Energy, Excitement to Local Youth Groups

VWU Campus Ministries heard the concerns of youth leaders struggling to reconnect and engage youth back into church life post-COVID. VWU Campus Ministries responded with a student-led monthly event called Wesleyan Worship Youth Sundays: As One.

This pilot program, which was featured in last week’s The Advocate, invited youth groups to campus to worship, play games and eat dinner together in the campus dining hall. Many of the youth groups who attended were small in numbers and this event gave their students an opportunity to meet and interact with other students in the Coastal Virginia District. Kim Pool, a youth leader with New Creation UMC explained, “This event has infused energy and excitement back into our group after COVID. The youth love coming to VWU and having college students share their faith with them.” VWU students, in turn, love the energy the youth groups bring and the connections that are made. We look forward to continuing the program next fall.

The Pharos: May 2023

The final edition of The Pharos for this academic year is available now. We hope you have enjoyed learning more about our talented faculty and staff members who continue to make important contributions to their respective fields through publications, presentations, and more.

Former UK Prime Minister David Cameron Speaks at Norfolk Forum

The Norfolk Forum concluded its 90th anniversary season with a fabulous Board of Directors reception and dinner with former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom David Cameron at the Chrysler Museum. The dinner was followed by a keynote presentation and moderated discussion at Chrysler Hall. Thanks to Harry Gerwien for snapping this photo of Annie and me with the Prime Minister as well as one with Dr. Travis Malone, Anne B. Shumadine Dean of the Batten Honors College, and Brooke Novkovic '18, Director of Enrollment, Batten Honors College.

The Hive: May 2023 Newsletter

Our friends at The Hive in Virginia Beach Town Center deliver updates and news for our region’s businesses. VWU and Tidewater Community College Virginia Beach are the educational partners at The Hive.

Chris Boynton at the VBV Board of Directors Meeting

Thanks to Chris Boynton, Virginia Beach Deputy City Attorney, for leading an informative briefing and discussion about the current VB election system at the Virginia Beach Vision Board of Directors meeting. He discussed applicable legal precedents/statutes, associated public engagement, requirements for referendum, process for City Charter change, and next steps. Chris and I are pictured with Delceno Miles who is currently the President of VBV, and I serve as Vice President. VBV mission “is to create a vision and advance initiatives necessary to the City of Virginia Beach and the Hampton Roads region’s future development, prosperity and quality of life.”

G. Gilmer Minor III, 82, A Humble Leader of a Fortune 500 Firm, Has Died

A prominent friend of higher education in Virginia, G. Gilmer Minor III, 82, died on May 4. During his tenure from 1981 to 2005 leading Owens & Minor Inc., the 140-year-old cornerstone of the Richmond business community, Minor shepherded its growth from a less than $300 million-a-year medical supply firm to a $4.82 billion powerhouse.

STAY CURRENT ON VWU NEWS AND FEATURES

Virginia Wesleyan University Magazine

The Pharos

REFLECTIONS

I hope you find these links useful to my recent columns and publications:

University Business