Dialogue: Nota Bene: Weekly Update

December 16, 2024

Good morning,

I hope our Marlins are finishing up their final exams with confidence and excitement. Your well-deserved winter break is on the way!

Annie and I wish all Marlins everywhere a happy, safe, and relaxing holiday. If you're one of our pioneering students taking an online December Session course, good luck! We look forward to seeing many of our students back on campus in January.

This year, Virginia Wesleyan’s annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day commemoration will take a different approach, allowing our community the opportunity to reflect on our nation’s past, present, and the future we aspire to build on MLK Day (January 20).

Later in the week, the VWU Robert Nusbaum Center invites you to join us for a time of commemoration featuring “Incarceration to Transformation: Education as a Catalyst for Change” on Thursday, January 23, at 11:00 a.m. in the Joan P. Brock Room of Brock Commons. Our keynote speaker will be Darryl Byers-Robinson, whose life was forever changed by the Bard Prison Initiative (BPI) during his time at the Eastern New York Correctional Facility. His testimony will have you rethinking justice, second chances, and the impact of education in the most unlikely places.

Understanding the power of education, Virginia Wesleyan is proud to launch a groundbreaking initiative, bringing university courses and degree programs to incarcerated individuals at St. Brides and Indian Creek Correctional Facilities in Chesapeake, VA. VWU is the first university in the state to offer such degrees.

Following Darryl’s talk, Dr. Susan Larkin, VWU Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, and Gil Bland, President of the Urban League of Hampton Roads, will share the vision behind the exciting collaboration designed to change lives and create opportunities for those transitioning out of incarceration.

Additionally, we will honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by celebrating a student whose commitment to justice and education reflects Dr. King’s ideals. This student will be presented with the university’s annual Mavis McKenley ’11 Award during our event.

Please join us for this meaningful address as we honor Dr. King’s vision of equality, justice, and transformative change.

ET CETERA

For our Marlins graduating on Friday during our Winter Commencement Ceremony, congratulations! We look forward to celebrating your accomplishments at the Susan S. Goode Fine and Performing Arts Center with our keynote speaker Don Scott, Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates.

During our ceremony, we will honor Dr. Amelia Ross-Hammond, Virginia Beach City Council member and Founder/Chair of the Virginia African American Cultural Center, with The Wesley Award. The Wesley Award celebrates those who have made a lasting, positive impact on Virginia Wesleyan and our community through dedicated service.

A committed community leader, Dr. Ross-Hammond is the President of the Virginia Beach Beautification Commission, Secretary for the ViBe Creative District, and a member of the Virginia College Affordability Policy Council, the Mayor’s African American Roundtable, and the National Black Women for Positive Change organization. Her numerous honors include recognition by the Urban League of South Hampton Roads Young Professionals and the National Association of Blacks in Higher Education. She was the first recipient of the Achievement in Government Award from the Virginia Beach Human Rights Commission.

Under her leadership, the City Council of Virginia Beach unanimously gifted 4.83 acres for the development of the VAACC, which delivers cultural, historic, and artistic enrichment programs to the community, schools and surrounding cities. Dr. Ross-Hammond also partnered with the Virginia Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau to create the city's first self-guided tour brochure highlighting African American history in Virginia Beach.

Dr. Ross-Hammond holds a Ph.D. from the University of Denver and is a graduate of the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership at the University of Virginia. She retired from Norfolk State University as Distinguished Professor Emerita and Director of Service-Learning and Civic Engagement. She loves traveling, attending cultural events, and spending time with her family. She is the proud mother of one adult son, Anwar.

More information about Winter Commencement can be found here.

AROUND TOWN AND ACROSS CAMPUS

Children’s Brunch with Santa

We enjoyed hosting the annual Children's Brunch with Santa for children and grandchildren of the Virginia Wesleyan community in the CMAC on Saturday. My thanks to Dr. Jill Sturts and the students of "Sport & Recreation Program and Event Principles" (pictured with student Emma Adams) for coordinating such a wonderful event.

Speaking of Santa, find my annual letter to the North Pole published in Sunday's edition of The Virginian-Pilot.

Trustee and Alumna Mavis McKenley Honored by HRCF

Congratulations to Trustee Mavis McKenley ‘11, who was honored by the Hampton Roads Community Foundation last week with the Barron F. Black Community Builder Award at Town Point Club in Norfolk. During the ceremony, Mavis was gifted an original painting by local artist Clayton Singleton, who is also a Virginia Wesleyan graduate.

Mavis (center left) and Clayton (center right) are pictured with Trustees Gary Bonnewell ‘79 H’16 and Sharon Goodwyn, as well as Kelly Cordova, Chief of Staff/ Vice President for Strategic Initiatives; Deirdre Gonsalves-Jackson, Vice President for VWU Global Campus; and Keith Moore, Senior Vice President. We thank Mavis for everything she does for Virginia Wesleyan and our broader Coastal Virginia community.

Wesleyan Wednesday: APEX Entertainment

Join us at APEX in Virginia Beach Town Center on Wednesday to celebrate all VWU graduates - the new Class of 2024 and those that came before. The event is free and open to all Marlin alumni, faculty, and staff on Wednesday (December 18) from 5:00 -7:00 p.m. We hope to see you there!

Great Decisions 2025

Developed by the Foreign Policy Association and presented by the World Affairs Council of Hampton Roads, Great Decisions 2025 is a unique opportunity to learn about issues of global importance in an engaging and interactive format. The educational events will be held on eight consecutive Saturdays beginning January 11 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Blocker Hall Auditorium. Topics include American Foreign Policy in the Middle East: Taking Stock and Looking Ahead, U.S.-China Relations, International Cooperation on Climate Change, American Foreign Policy at a Crossroads, and much more. Register to attend here.

CBA Head of School Announces Retirement

Our friend and partner in progress, Dr. Judy Jankowski, Head of School at Chesapeake Bay Academy, has announced her intention to retire as of June 30, 2026. We are deeply appreciative of her leadership and friendship over the past decade and wish her well in retirement.

CBA will now begin the task of recruiting its next Head of School. A search committee has been formed and a seasoned search consultant has been retained to help guide the selection process. The school hopes to announce the next Head of School by fall of 2025, allowing sufficient time for a seamless transition to new leadership beginning in July 2026.

Congratulations to Judy and best wishes to the search committee!

Get Ahead This Winter

It’s not too late to register for December Session or January Term, which are special academic terms during which students concentrate their studies on one intensive course. They have the opportunity to take unique courses not offered during the regular semester, improve their employability through microcredentials or talent development workshops, fulfill needed course requirements, or participate in exciting study away courses.

Christmas Tree-Cycling & E-Cycling through the Virginia Aquarium

Mark your calendars for two Virginia Aquarium and Marine Sciences Center holiday recycling events coming soon. They will be collecting bare, live-cut Christmas trees from December 28 through January 9 for Marine Stewards America to use to restore local sand dunes. They are also hosting their E-Cycling Event on January 11, which collects old electronics, vehicle batteries, prescription drugs, and more for safe disposal after the holidays.

The Pharos: December Edition

I am proud to share the December 2024 edition of The Pharos, which is now available online. We hope you enjoy learning more about our talented faculty and staff members who continue to make important contributions to their respective fields through publications, presentations, and more.

President to President: The Power of Preservation + Innovation

The fifth chapter of this year’s President to President thought leadership series is now available online. In “Breathing with Double Lungs: A Vision for Thriving Higher Education,” L. Gregory Jones, Ph.D., explores the transformative impact of combining traditional practices with innovative new approaches to reimagine the role of today’s universities. Drawing from his experience as President of Belmont University, he offers strategies for achieving this balanced approach, empowering campuses to navigate changes in higher education and emerge stronger than ever.

This year's President to President series, titled “Game Changers in Higher Education,” investigates the complex strategies leaders employ to adapt to an evolving world and ensure their campus communities flourish. Each chapter in this 10-part online series investigates the unique ways colleges are keeping pace with the shifting educational landscape while staying true to their foundational missions.

Make Your Annual Gift by December 31

Virginia Wesleyan's ability to prosper and grow is rooted in the generosity of our alumni and donors. Your gifts are an investment in our students and will echo throughout the lives of every student touched by your generosity. Make your tax-deductible gift by midnight December 31 to give students unique and valuable experiential opportunities that help prepare them for their lives and careers beyond the classroom.

A special thank-you to those who have already made their gift in 2024. View The Excellence Fund Honor Roll of Donors here.

News of Note

WHRO reports that a multi-state coalition, including Virginia, recommits to Chesapeake Bay cleanup with a new path forward.

The Dome, Virginia Beach’s upcoming venue, is booking shows with some entertainment already on the schedule. The Virginian-Pilot reports what’s coming.

PARTNERS IN PROGRESS

A Virginia Wesleyan University Community