Student Club Fair

Great to see so many members of Virginia Wesleyan's student-led clubs and organizations at today's Club Fair in the Jane P. Batten Student Center. Vice President for Student Affairs Keith Moore and I stopped by the "Marlins Vote" table to visit with VWU junior Bayli Foley.

Congressman Scott Taylor

Enjoyed talking education and public policy this morning with Congressman Scott Taylor.

​Nota Bene: Founders Day to Focus on Sustainability

Sustainability will be at the heart of Virginia Wesleyan University’s Founders Day this Thursday, September 7. We will proudly dedicate our Greer Environmental Sciences Center, enjoy environmentally-themed activities as part of the Wesleyan EcoFestival, and host a series of distinguished speakers and guests—including our 2017 Alumni Awards recipients and Virginia Beach Mayor Will Sessoms. 

I invite our campus community to take part in this full-day event, which will occur entirely on campus. Founders Day highlights are as follows and the full schedule is attached.

Founders Day Breakfast Reception (RSVP Required)
8:30-9:00 a.m., East Dining Room, Boyd Dining Center
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Alumni Awards Celebration (RSVP Required)
9:00-10:30 a.m., East Dining Room, Boyd Dining Center

Distinguished Alumni Award
Douglas B. Wilson ’86, Executive Vice President, LifeNet Health
Presented by Rony Thomas, President and CEO, LifeNet Health

Alumni Service Award
W. Taylor Franklin ’04, Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer, The Franklin Johnston Group
Presented by Bruce Thompson, CEO, Gold Key/PHR Hotels & Resorts

Graduate of the Last Decade (GOLD) Award
Sydney A. Covey ’16, Sustainability Program Analyst, Hourigan Construction
Presented by Dr. Paul Ewell, Batten Associate Professor of Management, Business, and Economics, Virginia Wesleyan
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Founders Day Convocation
11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m., Convocation Hall, Jane P. Batten Student Center

Keynote Speaker: Dr. Janet L. Adams, Biology Department Head at J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College, Virginia Wesleyan Class of 1990 (Live Webcast)
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Old-Growth Beech Forest Sign Unveiling
1:45 p.m., Traffic circle adjacent to the Batten Student Center

Dr. Elizabeth Malcolm, Chair of the President's Environmental Issues Council, will unveil new signage, which tells the story of this unique and beautiful part of our campus.
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Tours: Greer Environmental Sciences Center
2:00-3:30 p.m. Greer Environmental Sciences Center
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Environmental Service Project: Oyster Cage Build
2:00-3:30 p.m., Greer Environmental Sciences Center Lawn
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Wesleyan EcoFestival
3:30-5:30 p.m., Greer Environmental Sciences Center Lawn

The Wesleyan EcoFestival will feature environmentally-themed activities and displays from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Eastern Shore Watermen, Lynnhaven River Now, Norfolk Botanical Garden, Sierra Club, Sodexo, Tidewater Fiber, and the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center.
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Chesapeake Bay-themed Student Dinner
4:45-7:30 p.m., Virginia Wesleyan University Quad

A Chesapeake Bay-themed student dinner will feature sustainable local seafood and music by Narissa Bond and Mike Proffitt.
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Ribbon Cutting: Greer Environmental Sciences Center
6:00 p.m., Greer Environmental Sciences Center Steps

Virginia Beach Mayor Will Sessoms will join us for special remarks as we celebrate the official opening of our world-class Greer Environmental Sciences Center. (Live Webcast)
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Moth Project Event
7:30 p.m., Greer Environmental Sciences Center Lawn

Taste Unlimited Returns to Ghent

Congratulations to Jon Pruden, Vice Chair of the VWU Board of Trustees and Co-owner and President of Taste Unlimited, on the launch of the specialty food market's new Ghent location: http://southsidedaily.com/2017/08/30/after-seven-years-taste-unlimited-returns-to-ghent-norfolk-biz/

President to President: 2017-2018 Series Foreward

The 2017-18 series foreward is now available for "President to President," a higher education thought leadership publication written by university presidents for university presidents, and edited by myself and long-time friend and colleague Dr. Marylouise Fennell. This year's series explores "How Disruptive Innovation is Shaping the Next-Gen Campus and Enabling Student Success."

2017-18 Series Foreward: https://president2president.com/blogarticle/156898

Nota Bene: Beech Forest Sign Unveiling

I hope today’s message finds each of you feeling rested and well and that you are enjoying your Labor Day holiday. This will be a momentous week for the Virginia Wesleyan community, as we celebrate our annual Founders Day and highlight the University’s steadfast commitment to the environment.

Sustainability is a way of life at Virginia Wesleyan. Anyone who sets foot on our beautiful 300-acre park-like campus knows it as a green oasis of trees, open fields and flowers. Our campus also happens to be home to an old-growth beech forest.

Designated in 1992 as a Natural Heritage Resource by the Commonwealth of Virginia and listed on the Council of Independent Colleges’ site for Historic Campus Architecture, this nearly 12-acre forest is a living testament to Virginia Wesleyan’s past and future commitment to environmental preservation.

Beech forest is an old-growth hardwood forest which gives a glimpse into past forest conditions in our region. It encompasses several acres of mature hardwoods, with a very tall canopy and an undisturbed understory, making it a sustainable ecological system.

This Founders Day—Thursday, September 7—we will unveil new campus signage for the old-growth beech forest at 1:45 p.m. in the traffic circle adjacent to the Batten Student Center. Dr. Elizabeth Malcolm, Chair of the President's Environmental Issues Council and Professor of Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, will present the new sign, which tells the story of this unique and beautiful part of our campus.

I invite you to join us for this meaningful ceremony and to celebrate the environmental commitment it represents on our campus.

Sincerely,

VWU Introduces "Choose to Reuse" Food Container Program

Presidential Associate Alana Peters, a senior at Virginia Wesleyan, shows off a "Choose to Reuse" to-go food container, just introduced on campus. The goal of the program, the latest in a number of sustainability initiatives to coincide with the opening of the new Greer Environmental Sciences Center, is to eliminate polystyrene foam containers from the campus environment. Read more: https://goo.gl/2dM5wf 

The Big Picture

New aerial photo of the Virginia Wesleyan University campus! See the new Greer Environmental Sciences Center, Frank Blocker Youth Center, and construction on the Betty S. Rogers Track and Field Center?

Nota Bene: Federal Overtime Ruling

As I promised late last fall, we would keep you informed on developments regarding the federal government's proposed regulations on overtime (via the Fair Labor Standards Act).

I have received this afternoon from NAICU, the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, the following link on the latest ruling by a federal judge, which effectively rejects the Obama administration's actions on the regulations:

https://www.bna.com/texas-judge-kills-n73014463988/?amp=true

I encourage you to read this in detail, in hopes of eventually bringing to some closure the months of action and speculation that preceded yesterday's ruling. As before, I will keep you informed of relevant developments.

The President's Letter: An Inspiring Start

Greetings from Wesleyan Drive, where we have just begun our first official semester as Virginia Wesleyan University. To say this is an exciting time in our history has begun to feel like a bit of an understatement. Each day I watch this incredible University grow and thrive around us, and I am reminded that there is no limit to its potential or what we can achieve --- together. Read more in my September President's Letter: http://conta.cc/2vvfuov