Monday, November 26, 2018

Nota Bene: Weekly Update

I hope you all enjoyed the Thanksgiving holiday and that you have returned to campus rested and ready to take on the remainder of the semester. I spent much time over the break reflecting on the many things for which I am most grateful, including all that we have achieved here at Virginia Wesleyan in the last year.

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We have affectionately referred to this time as the "Year of the Arts" here on campus. It started last December with the groundbreaking for the Susan S. Goode Fine and Performing Arts Center, and has continued with various milestone events surrounding the new facility-the announcement of our forthcoming Steinway Concert Grand Piano, the signing of the steel beam as the final structural piece was raised into place, our recent unveiling of the building's cornerstone, and of course, the many theatrical and musical performances that have taken place in Hofheimer Theater this fall as we've said farewell to this historic space as a mainstage.
 
Today I am proud to share yet another landmark moment for our new Susan S. Goode Fine and Performing Arts Center. It is my pleasure to reveal the creation of a stunning new logo that captures the modern design of this magnificent facility and symbolizes the unique performances and artistic imagination that will come to life within its walls. Many thanks to Christine Hall, Associate Director of Communications and Design Manager, for her outstanding work. Christine was instrumental in the rebranding of Virginia Wesleyan to a University and is also responsible for our new Marlin logo in athletics. We appreciate her good work and dedication to enhancing Virginia Wesleyan's image.

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Our best wishes to Provost and Vice President Timothy O'Rourke as he recovers from hip replacement surgery. We look forward to seeing him at the start of the new year. Special thanks to Associate Provost and Dean of University College Maynard Schaus who will act on behalf of Dr. O'Rourke for the remainder of the fall semester until his return in January.

ET CETERA
Thanks to Governor Ralph Northam for making a special visit to campus on November 16 to recognize our back-to-back NCAA National Championship softball team. The Governor has been a good friend to our University and it was wonderful to see him, as always. Read more about his visit and view photos here.

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Special thanks to our friends at TowneBank for their sponsorship of last weekend's TowneBank Tip-Off Tournament. In their season opener, Virginia Wesleyan's basketball team defeated Greensboro College (NC) 75-74 on Friday, November 16. Closing out the tournament, St. John Fisher College (NY) narrowly upended Virginia Wesleyan 64-61 for the championship on Saturday afternoon. I'm pleased to share that the entire weekend was well attended and the quality of all four teams participating in the tournament was solid, both in regards to athleticism and sportsmanship. View the full men's basketball schedule  here.

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Kudos to VWU student-leaders for hosting the 2018 Marlin Prestige Business Conference November 12-16. The Marlin Prestige featured workshops, presentations, and interactive panels that embraced the fall 2018 theme, "The Business of Everything." Read more here.

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With parts of our campus in both Virginia Beach and Norfolk territory, we benefit from many strong leadership organizations in both cities. One such organization is the award-winning Downtown Norfolk Council. Founded in 1979, the DNC is comprised of more than 300 business and individual members dedicated to promoting and enhancing business, cultural, and residential initiatives in Norfolk. I recently had the pleasure of visiting with President and CEO Mary Miller and under her leadership, the DNC is a valuable asset to our community. Visit their website for more information and to explore local attractions and upcoming events.

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Another valuable asset to Coastal Virginia is the Greater Norfolk Corporation where I enjoy serving on their Board of Directors. Our last meeting was particularly interesting with presentations from  Entrepreneurial Ecosystem, Glass Light Hotel & Gallery, and  Economic Development. It is always exciting to see the collaboration between the greater Hampton Roads community. 
AROUND TOWN AND ACROSS CAMPUS
A wonderful debut at the Virginia Wesleyan University basketball opener on November 16 by the new Pep Band. Thanks to Dr. Jason Squinobal, Director of Instrumental Music, for his leadership.

Congratulations to student-athlete Amber Matalus of the Virginia Wesleyan University volleyball team for earning an All-America Honorable Mention from the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) for her performance during the 2018 season.

As in 2018-19, Virginia Wesleyan University will freeze tuition for the 2019-20 academic year. Read more here.

Congratulations to The Rev. Dr. Theodore "Ted" Smith '84, a Virginia Wesleyan alumni, on his appointment as the new Director of Connectional Ministries, effective July 1, 2019! It was great to see Rev. Smith on campus last month when he delivered an inspiring message at a special Homecoming worship service. Read more here.

Brick work on The Beacon is complete and crews are preparing to remove scaffolding in the coming week. Pads have been poured on the Broyles Field at TowneBank Park and the step-down, walk-in softball dugouts are nearing completion. Work is set to begin this week on the new stands. The new baseball scoreboard for Kenneth R. Perry Field at TowneBank Park is looking great as are the new stands at Betty S. Rogers Track and Field Center. Construction continues on schedule for the March opening of the Susan S. Goode Fine and Performing Arts Center.
STAY CURRENT ON VWU NEWS AND FEATURES

HIGHLIGHTS FROM MY WEEKEND READING
  • "Is the 'Trump Effect' Scaring Away Prospective Students? The number of international students enrolled in American higher education in the fall of 2017 dropped by 6.6 percent." Read more in The Chronicle of Higher Education.
  • "What is the future of fraternities on college campuses? After four student deaths in 2017 and pressure from parents, colleges are cracking down--but just how far they'll go is still undetermined." Read more here.
  • "Study Abroad Numbers Grow," reports Inside Higher Ed, "The number of Americans studying abroad continues to increase and grow more racially diverse. Participation in short-term programs is booming, while the number of students studying abroad for a full year is decreasing."
  • "Welcome to Virginia Beach, home of the East Coast's fastest-rising sea level."  Read more in The Washington Post.
  • "Report: Colleges must teach liberal arts grads to merge hard and soft skills." Read more here.
  • What You Need to Know About the Proposed Title IX Regulations," reports The Chronicle of Higher Education.  "The long-awaited draft rules would replace the Obama administration's guidance, which had called for more aggressive enforcement of the 1972 law mandating gender equity among colleges that accept federal money."
  • United Methodist Church Coverage of the Commission on a Way Forward:
  • Everyone knows English majors can't get jobs. Except the employers who hire them. College kids--and their parents--think a humanities degree is useless. But businesses want students who can write and think critically."  Read more in The Boston Globe.
  • "VT's transformative higher-ed package attracted Amazon to Va," reports Tim Sands in the Richmond Times-Dispatch. 
     
REFLECTIONS 
I hope you find these links useful to my recent columns and publications:
 
PRESIDENTIAL EVENTS
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Have a great week!
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