May 20, 2016
This week brings the opportunity to share information on several topics:
2016-17 Administrative/Staff Holiday Calendar
For planning purposes, I'm sharing the 2016-2017 Administrative/Staff Holiday Calendar. For the most part, the College will be closed for business on these dates. Offices and departments that have critical deadlines and responsibilities during these times may adjust work schedules accordingly. I hope this is helpful to you as you plan ahead for the upcoming academic year.
Successful Streaming of our 47th Commencement Ceremony
I am happy to report the overwhelming success of the internet streaming of our 47th Commencement Ceremony—a first for Virginia Wesleyan College. Thanks to the generous sponsorship of Sun Trust, we were able to make this opportunity possible.
Many people contributed to the success of this event. Here are a few:
Cody Clifton, Director of Sports Information, offered his expertise in planning the technology and services used to produce the broadcast. His experience with streaming our Marlin athletic games was critical.
John Aird, Senior Technologist /IT Project Manager ensured the successful operation of the video stream in the Boyd Dining Hall. John also helped shore-up the wireless capacity for our guests- over 1200 devices were connected in the Batten Convocation Center during commencement.
Robbie Adams, a colleague of Cody who often volunteers to help broadcast Marlin games, stepped in to manage the live streaming broadcast.
Suzanne Savage, Associate Vice President for Advancement, for securing Sun Trust's sponsorship--the key to getting this ball rolling.
In the end, I am told that nearly 500 connections were made to the streaming event. I heard a report from our own Lindsay Sands ’16, Student Accounts Supervisor, telling us her aunt was able to watch her graduate from her hospital bed. Her story really answered the question of whether or not this was worth the effort. Stories like this and others will continue to drive the need to offer and improve this valuable service for our Wesleyan community.
Alpha Sigma Lambda Induction Ceremony
On May 12, I had the pleasure of attending the induction ceremony for Alpha Sigma Lambda, a society that stands as an inspiration for adult students who are continuing their scholastic growth. That evening, twelve new members were inducted into this distinguished society that was founded in 1945 at Northwestern University by Dr. Rollin Posey. Congratulations to the following students who have adroitly handled life responsibilities while maintaining high scholastic standards:
Julia Allen
Marcia Boomer
Tamika Demiel
Aimee Haywood
Mary McCarthy
Bryon Miller
Michelle Neal
David O’Rork
Michelle Sanderson
Jesus Santos
Ruth Virgilio
Charlene Washington
In addition, our associate dean for academic support, Debbie Hicks, was inducted into the society as an honorary member-- a well-deserved honor indeed.
