Virginia
Wesleyan has seen tremendous growth since our first class of 41
pioneering students graduated in 1970. The University now has nearly
10,000 alumni in Coastal Virginia and throughout the United States and
abroad. And, as Wesleyan grows, so does its alumni family.
We were proud to welcome our 2017-18 Alumni Council
to campus Wednesday for their fall Business Meeting. I provided a
comprehensive update on the fall semester and new initiatives for the
near future, and shared our success in sponsored alumni activities
around the country. We also discussed ongoing efforts to increase
engagement among fellow alumni, as well as ideas to encourage support of
The Excellence Fund. Finally, I enjoyed sharing a number of our newly
branded marketing materials from Scribner Bookstore, including VWU
Christmas ornaments, coffee mugs, mouse pads, and clocks.
The
principal purpose of the Alumni Council is to strengthen the bond
between our graduates and Virginia Wesleyan University—its students,
faculty, administration, and Board of Trustees. We value the Alumni
Council’s role in advocating for VWU and offering the support for the
enrollment and advancement programs of a growing, dynamic institution.
Special thank you to Chair of the Alumni Council, Mavis McKenley '11,
and her fellow members, listed below, and to Lori Simpers Harris ’94,
Executive Director of Annual Giving & Alumni Relations, and Kelly
Cordova, Assistant Director of Annual Giving and Alumni Relations, for
the management and support role they play in facilitating the important
work of this group.
2017-18 Alumni Council
Jennifer Smith Boyd '94
Troy DeLawrence '93, Vice Chair
Robert Gillikin '00
Glynn Goodrich '82
Lori Simpers Harris ’94 (Ex-officio)
Catherine Holava '93
Robert Kohler '93
John Nash Maravich '11
Mavis McKenley '11, Chair
Kevin Otey '05, Secretary
Rachel Rigoglioso '10
Katherine Shea-Sword '99
Edmund Stanton '02
Thomas Taylor '00
Giorgio Valentini '98
Megan Watts '15
William Williard '82
