I hope you had an enjoyable Easter Weekend! Tomorrow morning we will recognize 36 members of the Marlin Family for special milestones in their Virginia Wesleyan careers. We will include those who have reached a decade of service as well as those who have served for many years. Congratulations to these employees, listed below, and thank you for all that you do for Virginia Wesleyan every day. We look forward to celebrating you tomorrow morning at an Employee Appreciation Breakfast!
50 Years
Lawrence Hultgren
40 Years
Robert Albertson
David Garraty
35 Years
Kathy Ames
Joyce Howell
Kathy Merlock Jackson
Audrey Rafferty
30 Years
Gale CarterDebbie Hicks Susan Wansink | 25 YearsPolly Gaskins Patrick Goold Billye Youmans 20 Years Bill Brown Tamela Dhority Amy Dudley Alain Gabon Philip Guilfoyle Keith Moore Michael Panitz Sally Shedd Jayne Sullivan Patricia Terry Malesia Williams Midge Zimmerman | 15 YearsKathy Bartkus Mario Hurdle Elizabeth Malcolm Gavin Pate Harold Stallings Saskia White 10 Years David Freeman Mariebeth Jornacion Randy Lott Adam Ruh Laynee Timlin |
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Following tomorrow's event, I will travel to Chicago to take part in the second U.S.-Mexico Higher Education Summit hosted by the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) in collaboration with the Mexican Federation of Private Higher Education Institutions (FIMPES) and Santander Universidades and Universia. For five years I have been a part of this select group of approximately 40 college and university presidents from the U.S. and Mexico, formulating plans for collaboration, shared research, and other mutually beneficial partnerships between our institutions. It is especially timely that we convene, given the cross-border tensions and diminished trust now impacting our nations.
Topics of discussion will include innovation in internationalization, cross-border articulation agreements, student and faculty exchange programs, the nature of global leadership, exploration of joint summer programs and other forms of partnership possibilities. We plan to provide increased international opportunities for students and faculty members in both countries, increased accessibility to internships for students, and collaboration in shared research projects and development programs.
Topics of discussion will include innovation in internationalization, cross-border articulation agreements, student and faculty exchange programs, the nature of global leadership, exploration of joint summer programs and other forms of partnership possibilities. We plan to provide increased international opportunities for students and faculty members in both countries, increased accessibility to internships for students, and collaboration in shared research projects and development programs.
ET CETERA
Last Thursday I attended the 44th Annual Awards Ceremony for the U.S. Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) Monarch Battalion at Old Dominion University. I am proud to share that five Virginia Wesleyan Cadets--members of the Army ROTC Marlin Company--were recognized with awards. Congratulations to these VWU students for their exemplary achievements: Zachary Raymond (Association of the U.S. Army Award and Outstanding VWU Cadet), Robert Mazingo (Scottish Rite of Freemasonry Award and Outstanding VWU Cadet), Gavin Steel (American Veterans of World War II Award and Outstanding VWU Cadet), Landry Moffo (Outstanding Varsity Athlete Award), and Dakota Felkins-Beach (Military Order of World Wars Award).
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In case you missed it, the April edition of my monthly column addresses affordability and the implications of the recent admissions scandals. Read "Partnerships a remedy to admissions scandal" in The Virginian-Pilot and "A better way to enter college," in the Daily Press.
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The tenth and final chapter is 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
Kudos to Tidewater Collegiate Academy for becoming the newest Project Learning Tree (PLT) Certified Green School! Read more here.
Last Monday afternoon was well spent with a faculty gathering and roundtable discussion in the Eleanor and Henry Watts Grand Lobby and Gallery of the new Susan S. Goode Fine and Performing Arts Center.
Earth Week kicks off today at Virginia Wesleyan! Members of the VWU community have organized activities throughout the week to inform, entertain, and inspire with 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.
I enjoyed the Norfolk Academy Alumni Association Spring Luncheon last week. It was wonderful to visit with our good friend and VWU Trustee Emerita Jane Batten, and Dennis Manning, Headmaster of Norfolk Academy. Virginia Wesleyan University and Norfolk Academy have been good neighbors in the Virginia Beach/Norfolk education corridor for five decades.
It was wonderful to visit with students from Heidelberg, Germany who are studying this semester at Virginia Wesleyan. Kaja McKnight and Lukas Pfister are here as part of an exchange program VWU enjoys with Heidelberg University of Education (HUE). We also have a VWU student currently studying at HUE.
At Waterside in Norfolk last week I had a delightful lunch and discussion with Senator Louise Lucas (D, 18th Senatorial District), Senator Lynwood Lewis (D, 6th Senatorial District), and Delegate Matthew James (D, 80th House District). We discussed educational issues and the importance of the Virginia Tuition Assistance Grant(VTAG) program to residents of the Commonwealth.
We had a productive meeting of the Virginia Beach Vision Board of Directors Education Task Force on Friday. I am pleased to serve on this important group with other business and education leaders.
Later that morning, I participated in an informative briefing on Coastal Resiliency at the Brock Environmental Center, co-hosted by Delegate Kelly Fowler, 2003 VWU graduate, and Senator Lynwood Lewis.
Friday afternoon I attended the Norfolk State of the City at The Main. It was wonderful to visit with good friendsand supporters of Virginia Wesleyan, including Norfolk Mayor Kenny Alexander, Congressman Bobby Scott (D-03), Lynn Clements (Executive Director of Slover Library and former VWU Trustee), Bert Schmidt (President/CEO of WHRO), Bryan Stephens (President/CEO of the Hampton Roads Chamber), and Melvin Stith (President of Norfolk State University). There are so many exciting things happening in Coastal Virginia!
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REFLECTIONS
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PRESIDENTIAL EVENTS
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Have a great week!
