It's great to have many students on campus, preparing for the academic year ahead--welcome back to our student-athletes and Resident Assistants! The coming week will be full of excitement as our Batten Fellows, Shumadine Scholars, first-year, and transfer students arrive to begin their journey at Virginia Wesleyan. On Friday, I will give my annual State of the University address and share highlights from the past year and goals for the future. The program will be livestreamed and archived on Facebook and our VWU Digital Broadcasting Network. Tune in!
With the start of a new fiscal year brings a change in leadership for our Alumni Council. I am pleased to welcome our new Alumni Council officers for 2019-2020. Troy DeLawrence '93 (Quality Assurance Senior Specialist, CACI International) will continue his service and guidance to the Alumni Council as Chair. Rob Kohler '93 (Vice President, CraneTech Solutions, LLC) will transition to Vice Chair from his previous role as secretary of the Alumni Council. The Council elected Rob Gillikin '00 (Attorney, Rutter Mills, LLP) to serve as Secretary. He most recently served as Chair of the Alumni Resource Committee. The Council will welcome new members and elect new committee chairs at its first business meeting of the fall semester. View a complete list of our Alumni Council members on the VWU website.
Please join me in thanking Troy, Rob Kohler, and Rob Gillikin for their ongoing support and contributions to our campus and community, along with the other current members of this valued group of Marlin alumni leaders.
ET CETERA
As we look forward to welcoming our third Batten Honors College cohort, I'd like to share with you how some of our current Fellows and Scholars spent two weeks of their summer. BHC students traveled with Dr. Larry Hultgren, Professor of Philosophy, and Dr. Elizabeth Malcolm, Professor of Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, to Juneau and Haines, Alaska, as part of the study-away course, "Environmental and Cultural Sustainability in Haines, Alaska."
Dr. Hultgren shared that students could "live the text" as they learned about climate change while walking near a retreating glacier; studied the life cycle of a salmon while rafting the Chilkat River; identified flora and fauna during a hike in the largest temperate rainforest in the world; and discussed ancient and contemporary concepts and practices of sustainability with native Tlingit people.
This course is one of the many examples of the distinctive opportunities students have in the Batten Honors College which equips students with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of an ethical and influential global citizen who understands the interdependence of society, culture, and the natural world. Read more about their Alaskan adventure and view photos here.
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I am pleased to advise that Brandi Calica, a 2014 Virginia Wesleyan alumna and a former member of the Alumni Council, will join the Advancement team on September 9 as Director of Corporate and Parent Relations. Most recently, she has worked as Events Manager for Chartway Federal Credit Union's We Promise Foundation, and has extensive fundraising, marketing, and client-services experience.
Reporting to Dr. Mort Gamble, Senior Vice President, Brandi will have additional responsibilities as a liaison to the Athletic Department for securing sponsorships, banners, and other forms of support for our teams. She will also have a portfolio as a gifts officer, in support of The Excellence Fund and other priority appeals.
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It also pleases me to announce that Joshua Wilks has been named Head Men's and Women's Cross Country Coach for the upcoming season! Coach Wilks is a decorated champion from his days attending NCAA Division II, Seton Hill University in Pennsylvania. He is a five-time national qualifier, three-time All-American in 800 meters, two-time CoSIDA Academic All-American and was awarded the prestigious NCAA Elite 88 Award that goes to the individual for the highest GPA in the NCAA championship meet. He holds four school records for the Griffins, was crowned WVIAC Champion six times, earned WVIAC Rookie of the Year and Runner of the Year and landed an 11th-place finish in the 800m USATFIndoor Nationals.
A 2017 Hall of Fame Inductee at Seton Hill, he has also led a remarkable turnaround in the Great Neck Middle School Track Program, where they have won the city championship three of the last four years, while he also teaches math at Great Neck. Coach Wilks earned his bachelor's degree in Mathematics and Actuary Science and master's degree in Educational Leadership from Old Dominion University. He continues to pursue his passion for running every day, and is looking forward to leading our athletes to greater heights this fall.
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We received good news that Bishop Sharma D. Lewis' return to the Virginia Annual Conference is planned for September after a six-month medical leave. As I previously shared, Bishop Lewis began medical leave in March as she underwent several surgeries. In her absence, Bishop Peter D. Weaver, retired bishop, served as the interim episcopal leader. We thank Bishop Weaver for his leadership during a vital time and we look forward to welcoming Bishop Lewis back. Read more here.
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Be sure to watch VWU alumna Jennifer Marshall '08 in the new investigative documentary series "Mysteries Decoded." A U.S. Navy veteran and real-life licensed private investigator, Jennifer graduated magna cum laude from Virginia Wesleyan University with a double major in international politics and Spanish and a minor in history.
AROUND TOWN AND ACROSS CAMPUS
As is our tradition at the end of summer, our Virginia Wesleyan Alumni Office hosted the annual Wesleyan Wednesday for alumni, faculty, staff, family, and friends. We had an excellent turnout at Ballyhoos in Virginia Beach where many good times were shared. Thanks to all who planned a delightful event and for those who came out! View the photo gallery from the event here.
It was a special evening at the 74th annual Norfolk Sports Club Jamboree honoring one of our own, Hanna Hull of the Virginia Wesleyan softball team. At the dinner, Hanna was presented with the General Douglas MacArthur Memorial Award denoting her as the Most Outstanding College Athlete who formerly attended a Virginia high school. Past winners of this honor include Mia Hamm, Alonzo Mourning, David Robinson, Tremaine Edmunds, Tajh Boyd and Dre Bly. Hanna is a three-time All-American, three-time National Pitcher of the Year, two-time NCAA National Champion, and Academic All-American--and still has one season to go. It was great to meet the legendary UVA and NBA star Ralph Sampson at the event and to visit with Ajee Church '16 who performed as the pianist for the evening.
Recently, I was one of 20 business leaders from Virginia Beach who was invited to attend the Virginia Beach Business Roundtable, sponsored by the NFIB and the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce. It was a valuable meeting with many local leaders, including Bill DeSteph (Virginia Senate 8th District), John Cosgrove (Virginia Senate 14th District), Barry Knight (Virginia House of Delegates 81st District), Glenn Davis (Virginia House of Delegates 84th District) and Chris Stolle (Virginia House of Delegates 83rd District).
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Have a great week!
