Last Thursday, Annie and I had the pleasure of attending opening night of "Legally Blonde: The Musical," the first Virginia Wesleyan University Theatre Department production in the new Susan S. Goode Fine and Performing Arts Center. Directed by Professor of Theatre Travis Malone, the production ran from Thursday, April 11, through Sunday, April 14. It was presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI), music and lyrics by Laurence O'Keefe and Nell Benjamin, and the book by Heather Hatch based on the popular novel and MGM film. I hope you had the opportunity to catch one of the performances as it was truly excellent. It was wonderful to see so many of our Trustees in attendance. Kudos to the entire cast (listed below) who are talented artists, and we thank you for an enjoyable evening! You have done Virginia Wesleyan proud. More information on upcoming shows can be found here.
| Grant Bennett |
Yaminah Lewis
|
Allaina Boggs
| Travis Malone |
| Emilee Caldbeck | Kylea McCarel |
| Darion Carr | Michael McOsker |
| Rowan Ellis | Katy Niediwecki |
| Rylie Evans | Sayaka Sakaguchi |
| Kerstin Holman | Sally Shedd |
| Abigail Horgan | Jackson Simmons |
| Azania Inman | Jakob Steward |
| Aleigha Johnson | Jennifer Vega |
| Khari Johnson | Amanda Waller |
| Adam Kurek | Lindsay White |
| Sara Lemm | Parris Willis |
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Although we have traditionally had great weather for Spring Alumni Weekend, this year's festivities had to bow to rain on Saturday. We did welcome members of the President's Parents Roundtable to campus Friday afternoon for several presentations updating them on our progress; had a huge crowd Friday evening for the Alumni Social at ShoreBreak Pizza and Taphouse; enjoyed alumni athletic games; and hosted a retirement reception honoring longtime Professors Robert "Bob" Albertson and Dave Garraty. We also welcomed alumni back for a Liberal Arts Management Program (LAMP)/Business Reunion. We are so grateful to our alumni for staying connected to the University, a true testament to the strength of the Marlin Family. Many thanks to Lori Harris '94, Executive Director of Annual Giving and Alumni Relations, and her team for quickly adjusting to the weather conditions and producing what events could be held. Please note that the annual Strike Out Cancer softball games have been postponed to this coming Saturday, April 20, at 12:30 p.m. with the doubleheader against Ferrum. Check out the full photo gallery here.
As we hosted longtime members of the Virginia Wesleyan community, future Marlins and their families visited on Saturday morning for the University's second Marlins Day Open House of the spring semester. The day kicked off with early-bird tours of our beautiful 300-acre campus and a welcome session in the new Brock Theatre of the Goode Center. Throughout the morning, visitors explored campus, met VWU faculty and staff, and learned about academic offerings, scholarships, and the financial aid process. Special parent, freshman, and transfer break-out sessions were held, and an Academic Department Fair took place in the Jane P. Batten Student Center. With Spring Alumni Weekend in action on campus, guests also had the opportunity to watch alumni games. Read more and view the photo gallery here.
ET CETERA
It was a busy weekend indeed as we also proudly hosted the 2019 Virginia Humanities Conference (VHC) meeting--"The Fluid Humanities"--on campus. VHC is an organization of higher education institutions in Virginia whose purpose is to promote interest and research in the humanities. Congratulations to Dr. Diana Risk, VWU Professor of Hispanic Studies and the President of VHC, for her work in coordinating this successful meeting. Dr. Risk represents our institution well and we appreciate her contributions to the humanities disciplines.
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As many of you know, Debbie Hicks, Assistant Provost and Director of the Learning Center, plans to retire at the end of the academic year. We congratulate her on a well-deserved retirement. I am pleased to share the appointment of Dr. Loren Loving Marquez as Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs and Director of the Learning Center, effective June 17. Dr. Marquez is currently Director of the Rhetoric Studio at Hampden-Sydney College and previously served as Director of First-Year Writing and Associate Professor of English at Salisbury University. A native of West Point, Virginia, she received her Bachelor of Arts in English from Christopher Newport University; her Master of Arts in English from Virginia Commonwealth University; and her Ph.D. in English from Texas Christian University. She is a published author of several articles and book chapters on composition and writing instruction. Please join me in welcoming Dr. Marquez to Virginia Wesleyan!
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Last week, I attended the 38th annual State of the Port Address by John Reinhart, Chief Operating Officer of the Port of Virginia. The event was sponsored by the Hampton Roads Global Commerce Council. The Port and Virginia Wesleyan have been good friends for many years. They have been a partner in both our Evening and Weekend Program and VWU Online, and many of our students have gained valuable experience through internships at the Port. Additionally, we are proud to say that Virginia Wesleyan alumnus Joe Ruddy '83 serves as Chief Innovation Officer for The Port of Virginia. You can find the State of the Port Address and their Annual Report here.
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The tenth and final chapter is now available for the 2018-19 series of President to President, a higher education thought leadership publication written by university presidents for university presidents, and edited by longtime friend and colleague Dr. Marylouise Fennell and me. In "All at Once: Never is the Past," California Lutheran University President Dr. Chris Kimball shares the story of how his institution faced multiple crises in the span of only a few days. Read more at president2president.com.
AROUND TOWN AND ACROSS CAMPUS
It was an honor to celebrate Joan Brock, VWU Trustee Emerita, as Norfolk's First Citizen on Saturday, April 6. This was a well-deserved honor for Joan, a longtime friend and benefactor of VWU. Read more in The Virginian-Pilot.
College access and affordability are important topics in mainstream media nationally. Through the generosity of two donors, Virginia Wesleyan University's efforts to make education affordable have taken a significant new step. The Opus student work program has expanded and is now year-round. The Opus work program serves at-risk students who want to continue their studies at Virginia Wesleyan. I am extremely grateful to our donors who have made this valuable program possible. Read more here.
Last Friday, I proudly presented the Wesleyan Spirit Award to Grant Bennett at "The Bobbies" Student Leadership Awards! The Wesleyan Spirit Award celebrates a student who lives by the tenets of the Wesleyan Creed and is a positive reflection of the University community. A heartfelt thank you to Grant for embodying the spirit of VWU!
In case you missed it, Congresswoman Elaine Luria, representative of Virginia's Second Congressional District, will deliver the 2019 Commencement Address at Virginia Wesleyan University on Saturday, May 18. We are looking forward to welcoming Rep. Luria back to campus next month as we honor the graduating Class of 2019. Read more here.
Recently, I attended an energizing and informative State of the City Address in Portsmouth. It was nice to visit with Portsmouth Mayor John Rowe and Lynn Clements, Executive Director of the Slover Library and former Trustee at VWU.
Did you see this billboard around town? Thanks to Jesse Anderson from Adams Outdoor Advertising for helping us spread the word about the VWU softball team's "Strike Out Cancer" doubleheader. Jesse attended Virginia Wesleyan from 1990-1992. As a reminder, the annual Strike Out Cancer softball games have been postponed to this coming Saturday, April 20, at 12:30 p.m. with the doubleheader against Ferrum
The annual Robert F. Boyd Institute, held in partnership with the Virginia Conference of the United Methodist Church, took place on campus last week. Dr. Scott Kisker of the United Theological Seminary served as keynote speaker. In closing, we enjoyed a luncheon debriefing with special guests Dr. Kisker and Rev. Tim Earnhardt '91, Middlesex Charge UMC, in the President's Dining Room. View the Boyd Institute photo gallery here.
Mark your calendars for Earth Week! Members of the Virginia Wesleyan community have organized "Earth Week" activities which will take place April 23-27. The purpose of Earth Week is to inform, entertain, and inspire through speakers, cleanups, a career fair, and more. Additional information can be found on this flyer. Be sure to get involved and share photos on social media using the hashtag #VWUEarthweek.
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Have a great week!
