It is hard to believe that pre-season student-athletes will arrive on campus in just a few short weeks in preparation for the fall semester. We look forward to another busy week as we prepare for our largest enrollment starting point of the year with 450 new students expected.
Here are some updates from around campus:
FOUNDERS DAY SPEAKER
I am pleased to announce that Eric Nyman, a 1994 Virginia Wesleyan graduate and president of Hasbro North America, will serve as the keynote speaker for Founders Day. The Founders Day Convocation will be held on Thursday, September 5, at 11 a.m. in the Joan and Macon Brock Theatre of the Susan S. Goode Fine and Performing Arts Center. This event will be livestreamed through the VWU Digital Broadcasting Network. Eric will also be honored during the event with the Distinguished Alumnus Award, joining fellow 2019 Alumni Award recipients Candice E. Driskell '94 (Alumni Service Award), Wallace R. Driskell, Jr. '00 (Alumni Service Award), and Amari Agee '15 (Graduate of the Last Decade Award).
HIGHEST ENROLLMENT IN VWU'S HISTORY
I am pleased to share that enrollment at Virginia Wesleyan is the highest it has ever been in the University's 59-year history at 1,673 students for the 2018-19 academic year.
A major factor in the significant growth is a result of the formation of University College. The University College includes the Evening and Weekend Program, Early Enrollment programs, and our growing graduate and online programs. A summary is listed below of VWU's enrollment for 2018-19:
Undergraduate Liberal Arts and Sciences
Batten Honors College
Susan S. Goode School of Arts and Humanities
Joan P. Brock School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences
Birdsong School of Social Science
D. Henry Watts School of Professional Studies
TOTAL.........................
University College
Evening and Weekend 81
Graduate 145
-Master of Business Administration
-Master of Arts in Education
Degree Completion (online) 86
Non-Degree 29
Early Enrollment 47
TOTAL.........................
Grand Total.........................
Overall, the University received 3,169 traditional undergraduate applications and accepted 2,167 (68 percent acceptance rate) with 369 first-year and 126 transfer students enrolling. First-year students had a 3.3 cumulative high school grade point average (4.0 scale) and 1083 SAT.
The highly selective Batten Honors College enrolled its second cohort of 40 students in 2017-18. Batten Fellows had a 4.21 cumulative high school grade point average of 4.21 (4.0 scale) and 1340 SAT.
I am pleased to see this demonstrates that more students are finding a fit with Virginia Wesleyan University. This can be attributed to many factors, including the greater visibility of the University and the growing academic reputation, as evidenced by increasing numbers of out-of-state students.
The majority of VWU's undergraduate students come from Virginia, with 71 percent of undergraduate day students coming from the state. Of this figure, 40 percent come from Coastal Virginia communities.
An additional 3,000 learners enrolled/attended new non-credit programs offered through University College, including the Westminster/Wesleyan Lifelong Learning Institute, Center for the Study of Religious Freedom, Center for Sacred Music, and Boyd Institute. Clearly, we are becoming much more than a Coastal Virginia institution; we are becoming an institution of significance throughout Coastal Virginia, the Mid-Atlantic Region, and the nation.
Despite the University's growth, class size remains small--a hallmark of the Virginia Wesleyan educational experience. We are expanding our reach while staying true to our mission as a student-centered institution with a small student-to-faculty ratio.
STATE OF THE UNIVERSITY
Each August, prior to the start of the fall semester, I deliver a State of the University Address to our campus community. The address includes highlights, initiatives and significant accomplishments from the past year, recognition of faculty and staff, points of pride, recent University news and information, current campus projects and direction for the future. The 2019 State of the University Address will take place on August 23 at 12:15 p.m. We look forward to welcoming our Trustees, faculty, staff, and many friends in person. For our students and alumni, the State of the University will be livestreamed on our VWU Digital Broadcasting Network.
UNIVERSITY BRANDING STANDARDS
Virginia Wesleyan's Office of Marketing and Communications supports the mission of the University by leading our promotion and branding initiatives. The department utilizes a variety of platforms to distinguish VWU in the higher education marketplace and effectively communicate our story to key constituencies, including prospective and current students, alumni, donors and friends, faculty and staff, the broader public, and the media. They are also tasked with protecting our brand and guiding our community in using our logos and likeness appropriately. For your convenience, the University's brand guidelines are available on the Marketing and Communications webpage. Be on the lookout for a Virginia Wesleyan Athletics style guide, featuring the newly designed Marlin, in the near future. As we work with our University trademarking process, protecting our brand will continue to be a priority, and we thank you for your support of these important efforts. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our Marketing and Communications staff directly.
ENVIRONMENTAL INSTITUTE SUMMER SCHOLARS
Another very exciting happening on campus is the Virginia Wesleyan Environmental Institute: Summer Scholars. This week-long residential environmental science program designed for top-performing, rising ninth-grade girls, is in its second year. Participants take part in authentic environmental science, technology, engineering, and math (E-STEM) experiences alongside environmental science professionals in academia, industry, business, government, and non-profit organizations in order to better understand the vast amount of opportunities for women in E-STEM fields to make a positive difference in the world. I enjoyed my time visiting with the group and was impressed with the participants' presentations during Friday's closing session.
Many thanks to Dr. Bill McConnell, Associate Professor of Education and Director of the Teacher Education Program, Dr. Deirdre Gonsalves-Jackson, Associate Professor of Biology and Director of January Term and Summer Sessions, and Dr. Elizabeth Malcolm, Professor of Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences and Director of Campus Sustainability, for their collaborative effort leading this impactful program. I've included a link to the program blog which is updated daily.
ET CETERA
Longtime VWU Board member and graduate Gary Bonnewell '79, President of Norfolk Sister City Association, led the "60 Years of Partnership" celebration at the Norfolk Botanical Garden. The program recognized the sister city partnership between Kitakyushu and Norfolk which was established in 1959. Pictured here with Gary and Norfolk Mayor Kenneth Cooper Alexander at the tree-planting celebration in the Japanese Garden and Kitakyushu Sakura Harmony. During the reception, Mayor Alexander, Norfolk State University President Javaune Adams-Gaston, and I had the opportunity to discuss important topics such as the City of Norfolk, higher education, and international collaboration. It was a great event, celebrating a special milestone.
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Thank you to Amy '89 and Eric Klann for hosting our New York City alumni gathering in their home. Pictured here with Board of Trustees member Lee Stevenson '85 and his wife Lara '88.
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I am saddened to share the recent passing of a Marlin Family member, Walter "Pete" Raines, father of Kathy Ames, VWU Lecturer in Mathematics. Please join me in keeping Kathy and her family in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. The obituary for Mr. Raines can be found here.
STAY CURRENT ON VWU NEWS AND FEATURES
REFLECTIONS
I hope you find these links useful to my recent columns and publications:
PRESIDENTIAL EVENTS
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Have a great week!
