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September 15, 2025
Good morning,
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I am pleased to share the following statement from the Virginia Wesleyan University Board of Trustees, issued last week. This message underscores both the care taken in the process and the bold vision that will guide our institution into the future.
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The Board of Trustees of Virginia Wesleyan University is united in its commitment to ensuring a strong and vibrant future for our institution. After months of thoughtful analysis and broad engagement, the Board decided to embrace a new chapter with gratitude for our legacy, awareness of the need to find clarity and distinction in the competitive higher education landscape, and momentum based on expanding programs and partners.
This decision enables us to secure a bright and sustainable future for generations to come. By bringing together three institutions—Sentara College of Health Sciences, the Batten & Black School (Lakeland Japan), and Virginia Wesleyan—under one unified identity, we strengthen our academic offerings, expand opportunities for our students, and honor the values that have guided us since our founding. The new Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art being constructed on campus enhances our role as a cultural and academic hub. The transformation is about more than a name. It represents a bold vision for the future.
We value the deep pride our alumni hold for their alma mater demonstrated by their friendships, experiences, and achievements. As Batten University grows in impact and reputation, proud graduates of Virginia Wesleyan will find enhanced prestige in their accomplishments. As we look to the future, we invite all alumni, students, faculty, and friends to join us in writing this next chapter. Together, we will build on a remarkable legacy and create an even stronger community, united under one name, an expanded vision, and a bright future.
As Batten University, we will carry forward the values that have always defined our community: excellence, integrity, and inclusiveness, while embracing new pathways for growth and innovation.
Learn more about VWU’s transition to Batten University here.
| Several months ago, the Norfolk Police Department approached our university about a partnership designed to strengthen the educational pathway for officers—broadening their knowledge and skills, deepening their understanding of human behavior, and cultivating professionals with enhanced conflict-resolution capabilities. | |
The Norfolk Police Department is dedicated to maintaining the highest professional and ethical standards in modern policing. The knowledge, skills, and temperament required to meet those standards are tested daily in real-time situations of conflict, crisis, and danger. While the exemplary Norfolk Police Academy and its ongoing professional development programs provide excellent training and reflect a strong learning-centered culture, today’s increasing polarization and conflict—including within Norfolk’s communities—demand a broader range of competencies than ever before. They also require a deeper understanding of both self and others.
I want to extend sincere gratitude to Dr. Deirdre Gonsalves-Jackson, Provost and Vice President, and Dr. Drian Glyde, Dean of VWU Global Campus, for leading VWU’s development efforts in this initiative. They worked closely with Capt. Mike Thomas, Ph.D., of Norfolk PD to review curriculum and design a plan that ensures a rigorous and meaningful academic experience for participating officers. Under the program, officers will receive college credit for certain transferable, college-level content completed at the Norfolk Police Academy’s Basic Recruit curriculum, then continue their studies at VWU to complete additional coursework on their pathway to a baccalaureate degree.
We are honored to partner with the Norfolk Police Department and to support the vision of Norfolk Mayor Kenny Alexander and Norfolk PD Chief Mark Talbot with the educational resources that will empower officers to uphold—and elevate—the highest professional standards in service to our community.
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Make plans to join us as we honor the 2025 VWU Athletic Hall of Fame inductees during Homecoming and Family Weekend on Saturday, October 4, at 5:00 p.m. The evening will begin with a reception in the Joan P. Brock Room of Brock Commons, followed by dinner and the induction ceremony in the Cunningham Multi-Activity Center of the Jane P. Batten Student Center.
We will celebrate athletic greats Courtney Bogan ’16 (softball), Jayla Harris ’19 (women’s basketball), Hanna (Hull) Mazingo ’20/ M.B.A. ’21 (softball), and Pete Sadin ’91 (men’s soccer). We will also honor benefactor Gary D. Bonnewell ’79, H’16, Senior Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager at Morgan Stanley and member of the VWU Board of Trustees, for his decades of support to the University and our intercollegiate athletics program.
Register your attendance by Friday, September 19, here.
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September 17 is recognized in the United States as Constitution & Citizenship Day to commemorate the formation and signing of the U.S. Constitution on September 17, 1787. Each September, educational institutions throughout the U.S. hold programs that draw attention to our commitment to the rights and obligations of citizens.
Join the Robert Nusbaum Center in Clarke Hall on Thursday, September 18, from 12:00 - 12:50 p.m. for Three Visions of Virginia, and engaging talk by William C. “Bill” Wooldridge, retired Vice President-Law, Norfolk Southern Corporation, and author of Mapping Virginia: From the Age of Exploration to the Civil War. Through historical maps, Wooldridge will explore how the idea of “Virginia” has evolved over the centuries, revealing how geography, ambition, and politics shaped our understanding of place and identity.
View the Robert Nusbaum Center’s Fall 2025 Events Schedule here.
| AROUND TOWN AND ACROSS CAMPUS | | |
Marlin Athletics Renames Annual Golf Tournament in Honor of Joanne Renn
I am pleased to share the announcement by VWU Athletics that its annual Homecoming golf tournament, now in its 24th year, will be renamed the Joanne Renn Annual Golf Outing in tribute to the University’s longtime Executive Director of Intercollegiate Athletics.
Renn, who retired in 2018 after 25 years with the Marlins, served as athletics director for 11 years and was the first female AD at a co-educational institution in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. Her tenure marked a period of historic growth, highlighted by new and upgraded facilities—including Birdsong Field, the Tassos Paphites Soccer Complex, and TowneBank Park—and by multiple NCAA Division III National Championships in men’s basketball (2006), men’s golf (2016), and softball (2017).
Beyond wins and facilities, Renn elevated Virginia Wesleyan’s profile through leadership on NCAA and community boards, service as ODAC chair, and her role in bringing NCAA tournaments to campus.
The Joanne Renn Golf Outing will continue to unite alumni, friends, and community members in support of Marlin athletics while celebrating Renn’s lasting contributions. This year’s event will be held Friday, October 3, at Cypress Point Country Club.
Find Joanne Renn Golf Outing Registration and Sponsorship information here.
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Welcoming New Faculty to the Marlin Community
Join me in warmly welcoming four outstanding faculty members to the Marlin community: Dr. Shalyn Lapke (Accounting), Dr. Lauren Stephens (Sport & Recreation Professions), Dr. Zachary Topor (Marine Biology), and Dr. Charmaine Wilson (Business). Their diverse expertise and passion for teaching and mentorship will enrich our campus and create meaningful opportunities for our students. I encourage you to introduce yourself and help them feel at home as they begin their VWU journey.
Annie and I were delighted to host our first faculty dinner of the academic year, where we had the pleasure of spending time with our new faculty members and sharing recent updates and initiatives of the University. These small group dinners will continue throughout the fall as a way to connect, engage, and strengthen our community.
Learn more here.
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The Pharos: September 2025 Available Now
I am proud to share that the September 2025 edition of The Pharos is now available. I 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.
Read more here.
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Hofheimer Library Launches New Lecture Series
The H.C. Hofheimer II Library kicked off its new Page to Podium Lecture Series on September 10 with a thought-provoking presentation by VWU Online Student Success Coordinator Grant Williams, “Ethical Capitalism in a Divided World: Reconciling Profit as a Corporate Social Responsibility.”
Designed to bring the campus community together for dialogue and discovery, the series will feature faculty, staff, and student presenters across a variety of disciplines. Upcoming lectures will be held at noon in the library forum and are open to all, with food and drink welcome.
Find upcoming lecture dates and presentation information here.
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Celebrating Record Enrollment Growth
For the eighth time in 10 years, VWU is celebrating record enrollment growth, with more than 5,100 students expected across traditional and Global Campus programs for 2025-26. The University welcomed its largest fall class ever with over 700 new degree-seeking students representing 30 countries and every U.S. region. This historic enrollment underscores the strength and reputation of our University at a pivotal moment in its history. As we prepare to become Batten University in July 2026, these numbers reflect confidence in our future and excitement about what’s ahead.
Learn more here.
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Partnership with BloomBoard to Address Teacher Shortages
VWU has partnered with BloomBoard to create pathways for school paraprofessionals and support staff to earn bachelor’s degrees in Elementary Education and Special Education, fulfilling licensure requirements while continuing to work in their schools. This initiative helps address Virginia’s teacher shortages, particularly in high-need areas such as Title I schools and special education.
Read more here or for more program information visit here.
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The Countdown is On: Homecoming 2025
Make plans to join us for Homecoming and Family Weekend, October 3-4, 2025! Kick off the festivities at the 24th annual golf outing on Friday, October 3, at Cypress Point Golf Course, supporting Marlin softball, baseball, and men’s lacrosse. Then head to campus for a weekend full of celebration, connection, and Marlin spirit among alumni, parents, students, and friends.
Check out the 2025 Homecoming and Family Weekend full schedule here.
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PARTNERS IN PROGRESS
A Virginia Wesleyan University Community
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It's a great day to be a Marlin!
Sincerely,
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