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August 20, 2025
Good afternoon,
| | Today marks a defining moment in our history—one filled with pride, gratitude, and tremendous promise for the future. We are excited to announce that, effective July 1, 2026, Virginia Wesleyan University will become Batten University, Virginia’s innovative university of the arts and sciences. | |
This bold step reflects the remarkable evolution of our institution and the transformative journey we’ve taken together, thanks, in large part, to the belief and vision of the Batten family. Over the last ten years, we’ve added graduate, online, dual enrollment, and continuing education programs; a campus in Tokyo, Japan; instructional sites in Chesapeake for incarcerated persons; the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art on our campus; and, most recently, Sentara College of Health Sciences, a respected professional college founded in 1892. As we look ahead, Batten University represents who we are today, how we got here, and our growing impact in the region and around the world.
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The name may be new, but the legacy is longstanding. Since 1978, the Battens have been a part of this campus and our community. With the completion of the Jane P. Batten Student Center in 2001, the Battens have improved the campus life of every Marlin to follow. Their scholarship support made higher education possible for thousands of students before that.
The choice to become Batten University is rooted in history and reflects our commitment to permanently align the university with a name synonymous with vision, generosity, and enduring societal impact. I highly encourage all Marlins to watch The Batten Legacy, a video that details their profound impact at Virginia Wesleyan and throughout the world.
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We recognize that change, even good change, can bring a sense of nostalgia. For many of us, Virginia Wesleyan is more than just a name—it’s woven into our personal stories, our friendships, and the milestones that shaped us. It’s okay to take a moment to reflect on the past before embracing all that the future holds.
Let’s be clear, no matter our name, we are still us. We are still committed to the liberal arts, to community engagement, to innovation, and to challenging students of all ages to be critical thinkers, problem-solvers, and environmental stewards. We are still driven by purpose. And we are still Marlins.
Over the next year, we’ll be celebrating both our legacy and our future. There will be many opportunities to engage, reflect, and join in the excitement as we prepare for this bold, new era. For our faculty and staff, I will be hosting informational sessions in the coming weeks. Stay tuned.
I also invite you to read my 2025 State of the University report, sharing the wonderful initiatives and accomplishments from the 2024-25 academic year.
Thank you for the role you’ve played in making our momentum possible. We can’t wait to share what comes next.
Sincerely,
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Scott D. Miller, Ph.D.
President
Virginia Wesleyan University
5817 Wesleyan Drive
Virginia Beach, VA 23455
Phone: 757.455.3215
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