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September 29, 2025
Good morning,
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The countdown is on, and Homecoming & Family Weekend is almost here! We hope you’re ready for a weekend filled with Marlin pride, tradition, and celebration.
The festivities begin Friday, October 3, with Marlin Spirit Day. Share your blue-and-silver pride on social media using #marlinspiritday, then head to Cypress Point Country Club for the 24th Annual Joanne Renn Golf Outing. Stick around afterward for an alumni gathering from 5-7 p.m. at the club, featuring an unforgettable performance by A Man to Cook For, a high-energy band featuring Virginia Wesleyan alumni.
On Saturday, traditions continue at FinFest, our annual community tailgate. Enjoy a picnic-style lunch from Sodexo, beverages from Hoffman Beverage, and plenty of family fun with inflatables for the kids. Astro DJ will keep the music going while you mingle with friends, classmates, and faculty. Athletic competition will be in full swing with Marlin teams taking the field in field hockey, women’s soccer, and men’s soccer, along with alumni games in baseball, men’s and women’s lacrosse, and softball. That evening, the Jane P. Batten Student Center will host the 2025 Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony honoring benefactor Gary D. Bonnewell ’79 H’16, and athletes Courtney Bogan ’16, Jayla Harris ’19, Hanna Hull Mazingo ’20/’21, and Pete Sadin ’91.
Homecoming & Family Weekend also showcases the arts and student life. The fall theater production The Wolves will be staged Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2:00 p.m. in the Susan S. Goode Fine and Performing Arts Center. Students will shine at the Homecoming Dance at The Cove on Friday evening and during the Homecoming Court Ceremony on Birdsong Field Saturday afternoon.
View the full schedule for 2025 Homecoming & Family Weekend and make your plans to join us. We look forward to welcoming you back to campus!
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Implementation teams are hard at work preparing for the transition to Batten University on July 1, 2026. This historic change is being carefully guided by three operational teams, each focused on ensuring a seamless shift in every aspect of university life—from academics and student services to technology and communications. Importantly, the entire implementation is being supported through generous private donations, underscoring the strong belief of our friends and benefactors in the bright future of Batten University.
At its meeting on September 15, the Virginia Wesleyan University Board of Trustees issued the following statement here.
Learn more about VWU’s transition to Batten University here.
We also invite you to explore the Letters of Legacy collection online. This living archive features powerful reflections from alumni, faculty, staff, and friends of the University, sharing stories of impact and pride. Over time, the collection will continue to grow, offering a meaningful way to honor our past, celebrate the present, and inspire the future we are building together.
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The integration of Sentara College of Health Sciences into Virginia Wesleyan University is progressing steadily, with joint workgroups aligning operations, policies, and student services. This collaborative effort will enhance academic opportunities, strengthen healthcare education, and expand VWU’s reach in Coastal Virginia and beyond. We look forward to celebrating the full integration—pending accreditation approval—by July 1, 2026, when Virginia Wesleyan will become Batten University, marking another transformational milestone in the University’s history.
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Last week I shared an update. This week I’m pleased to share pictures for those who don’t get to follow progress daily as I do.
The new home for the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art (Virginia MOCA) on the Virginia Wesleyan campus is nearing completion. More than a year after breaking ground within the David R. Goode Arts Complex, the project remains on time and on budget, with significant completion expected December 17 and occupancy in February 2026.
Its spring opening will lead directly into Virginia Wesleyan’s transformation to Batten University on July 1, 2026—milestones that showcase the University’s growth as a regional hub of creativity, learning, and engagement.
The facility expands space by 20 percent with enhanced galleries, a reimagined ARTLab, and one of the region’s largest art classrooms serving students and the community.
When doors open in early 2026, Virginia MOCA will present exhibitions, performances, lectures, and workshops—offering new opportunities for creativity and connection.
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The Athenaeum in the H.C. Hofheimer II Library continues to flourish as a vibrant hub for learning, engagement, and collaboration. Early this spring, the first floor welcomed a dynamic mix of offices—including Civic Engagement and Service Learning, Career Development, Undergraduate Research & Creativity, Global Engagement, Professional Development, the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities, and Digital Learning (VWU Online, Continuing Education and INTEL) —coming together under the banner of The Athenaeum.
The 24-hour Study Lounge has been transformed into The Study, a dedicated space supporting our expanding eBook collection. The Barclay Sheaks Gallery now offers comfortable seating for relaxed reading, while the central open area—renamed The Forum—is available for lectures, presentations, and community gatherings.
Upstairs, change continues as well. The Registrar’s Office relocated last week to the second floor, adjacent to the new Navy ROTC office. In the coming weeks, the archives room will be expanded and rededicated as the Stephen S. Mansfield Special Collections and University Archives, providing an enhanced home for preserving the institution’s history.
Together, these transformations are creating a dynamic, multifunctional space that both honors tradition and advances innovation—positioning The Athenaeum as the intellectual heart of the university.
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Coastal 61, the eight-building, 244-unit mixed-use apartment community on the north end of campus, continues to thrive in its fifth year of full capacity operations. A joint venture between Virginia Wesleyan University and The Franklin Group, the complex is home to approximately 600 residents and includes a clubhouse, entertainment deck, and saltwater swimming pool. Designed to enhance the housing experience and provide modern living options for graduate and international students and the local community, Coastal 61 has become a vibrant residential hub that complements the University’s growth and commitment to innovative campus-community partnerships. Taylor Franklin, a 2004 graduate of VWU and former Trustee, is the CEO of The Franklin Group.
| AROUND TOWN AND ACROSS CAMPUS | | |
Faculty Dinner at DeFord Manor
We enjoyed a wonderful faculty dinner at DeFord Manor, a meaningful tradition that brings colleagues together for conversation and connection. Annie and I are always grateful for the opportunity to host these special gatherings.
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Monthly Meeting of the Leadership Council
I was pleased to convene the Leadership Council for its first meeting of the fall session. This group of faculty and staff leaders from across the University meets monthly during the academic year to share ideas and updates aimed at enhancing the campus experience.
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President’s Council Fall Meeting
The President’s Council gathered for its fall meeting in the Shafer Room for a productive discussion on current priorities and initiatives. A highlight of the meeting was hearing from Batten Honors College scholar Gabrielle Barnett, who shared her experiences as an active and engaged Marlin, offering valuable insight into student life and involvement on campus.
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Major and Minor Festival
We were happy to see our students enthusiastically exploring VWU’s wide range of majors, minors, and special programs at the annual Major and Minor Festival in the Batten Student Center. Faculty and staff were on hand to answer questions and guide students as they discovered exciting academic pathways. The event’s festive atmosphere—complete with cider, donuts, cotton candy, and prize giveaways—made planning for the future both fun and inspiring.
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The Arts at VWU
The Arts at VWU opened its Fall 2025 season on Saturday, September 20, with the Concert Jazz Series: Funk and Fusion Night. Hosted by VWU Associate Professor of Music Jason Squinobal, the concert featured faculty and local professional musicians performing funk and fusion favorites from the 1960s, 70s, and 80s — from Lee Morgan’s The Sidewinder to Weather Report’s Birdland.
See the full Fall 2025 Arts at VWU calendar for upcoming performances and events.
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Virginia Private Colleges Annual Meeting
Last week I attended the Virginia Private Colleges annual Board of Directors meeting at Hollins University in Roanoke. My thanks to my good friend and colleague Mary Dana Hinton, Chair of the Board, for hosting us on the HU campus. Congratulations to Kevin Hallock, President of the University of Richmond, who will serve as Chair in the coming year.
VWU is one of 28 members of the Virginia Private Colleges collaborative.
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The Virginia Private Colleges Benefits Consortium, the CICV Education Foundation, the 403-b Multi-Employer Program (MEP) and CICV Business Session all took place at the annual meeting.
Pictured with (left to right): Mary Dana Hinton, Hollins University President and Virginia Private Colleges Chair of the Board; Chris Peace, Council of Independent Colleges in Virginia President; Michael Hill, Randolph-Macon College President; and Steve Bruce (VWU Class of 1994), Regent University Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration.
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Celebrating Dr. Amelia Ross-Hammond
Congratulations to our good friend the Honorable Dr. Amelia Ross-Hammond, Virginia Beach City Council member (District 4), who was honored with the Community Builder Award at the Tidewater African Cultural Alliance’s Colors of the Diaspora, Golden Gourd Awards. A retired distinguished professor at Norfolk State University, Dr. Ross-Hammond holds a Ph.D. in Education Leadership, Curriculum, and Instruction with a minor in Ethnomusicology (University of Denver) and is a graduate of the University of Virginia’s Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership. She is also the founder of the Virginia African American Cultural Center and has been recognized with numerous notable appointments and honors throughout her career.
Pictured (left to right) Amelia Ross-Hammond, TACA Executive Director Rita Addico Cohen, and VWU Provost and Vice President Deirdre Gonsalves-Jackson.
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President to President: Sparking Conversations and Building Bridges to Belonging
The second chapter of this year’s President to President thought leadership series, Intentional Efforts in Belonging, is now available online. In “Building Community by Building Bridges,” former University of Virginia President James E. Ryan, J.D., shares how he creates meaningful opportunities for students, faculty, and community members to connect, better understand one another, and foster a genuine sense of belonging on campus.
Read Chapter 2.
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Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month
The annual celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, observed across the United States from September 15 to October 15, honors the significant contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans. This month pays tribute to the generations of individuals who have played pivotal roles in shaping our nation's history. Virginia Wesleyan is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with a variety of special programs from Off the Hook, Latino Student Alliance, and VWU Student Engagement.
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PARTNERS IN PROGRESS
A Virginia Wesleyan University Community
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See you at Homecoming and Family Weekend!
Sincerely,
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