Dialogue: Nota Bene: Weekly Update

With the passing of the storm, Founders Day has been rescheduled to coincide with Homecoming and Family Weekend. Founders Day Convocation will now be held on Friday, October 4, at 2:00 p.m. in the Joan and Macon Brock Theatre of the Susan S. Goode Fine and Performing Arts Center. Convocation will feature keynote speaker VWU Trustee and alumnus Eric Nyman '94, President of Hasbro North America, and will honor Virginia Beach Police Chief James "Jim" Cervera with The Wesley Award.

The 2019 Alumni Awards have been incorporated into "Good Morning at the Goode" on Saturday, October 5, in the Eleanor and Henry Watts Grand Lobby and Gallery of the Goode Center. Invited guests will enjoy a program that includes the 2019 Alumni Awards, Scholar-Athlete Recognition, and a special presentation and dedication in honor of Robert T. Williams '75.

All guests are invited to stay on Saturday for Homecoming FinFest from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Marlin Way. The campus community will celebrate Homecoming and Family Weekend with fun and food trucks while mingling with favorite faculty members. The children can enjoy the inflatable bounce house, and Astro DJ will keep the party going with great music. There's so much for the Marlin community to enjoy all afternoon long! Visit vwu.edu/homecoming for the full schedule of Homecoming and Family Weekend events, updated to include Founders Day activities.

The Steinway Spirio event originally scheduled for the evening of Founders Day has not yet been rescheduled. However, the Spirio piano is currently on display in the Watts Grand Lobby and Gallery of the Goode Center. More information about the Steinway Spirio event and campaign can be found here.

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Friday, October 4, marks our first Marlin Spirit Day of the year. We will celebrate Marlin Spirit Day on the Friday of Homecoming, and I hope you will join me in sporting your favorite Virginia Wesleyan gear. Don't forget to snap and share a photo using #MarlinSpiritDay.

There's another very important way to show your Marlin Spirit in the coming weeks--supporting the annual faculty and staff campaign.

Tuesday, October 1, will mark the official kick-off of the Faculty and Staff Campaign, The Future Is Here, which is an opportunity for faculty and staff to contribute financially to the University. As an institution, we are striving to meet goals in academics, enrollment, fundraising, student life, and finance/administration. Every member of the faculty and staff is invaluable to achieving these goals, and I am grateful to every one of you for the efforts you put forth daily.

In the coming days, you will receive a letter from our Annual Giving and Alumni Relations team at your home address about the campaign. Furthermore, be on the lookout for weekly emails with information about how to simply and quickly make a gift or pledge to the campaign from Kelly Cordova, Assistant Director of Annual Giving and Alumni Relations. You may also visit vwu.edu/giveonline to make your gift online today.

Those who make gifts before 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, September 26, will be entered into a special "early bird" raffle. This year's early bird raffle is 4 park-hopper passes to Disney World in Orlando, FL! A special thank you to Brian Kurisky, Director of Wesleyan Engaged, for securing this wonderful prize for our campaign again this year.

As VWU faculty and staff, we are part of a special community of talented people who believe that VWU has a valuable place in our community, our nation and our world. The future is here, so please show you believe in Virginia Wesleyan and the people and programs that make it great by investing with your financial support today.

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It is with pride that I announce that Dr. James "Jim" Noseworthy has accepted our invitation to deliver the 2020 Baccalaureate Address in May. Jim is recognized as a national leader and scholar in the United Methodist Church and has been a positive force in the higher education world. He is currently a consultant and previously served as the Assistant General Secretary for Higher Education of the United Methodist Church and President of Hiwassee College, among many other vital roles he has played. Dr. Noseworthy earned a master of divinity from Duke University and went on to earn his doctorate in Theology of Campus Ministry (D.Min) from University of Dubuque. He also holds degrees from Simpson College and Vandberbilt University. His wife, the Rev. Karla Kincannon 76, H '18, was our first Baccalaureate Speaker after transitioning to University status. We look forward to honoring Dr. Noseworthy with the distinction of Doctor of Divinity, honoris causa, in May.

ET CETERA

Virginia Wesleyan University Magazine

It has been a big year for Virginia Wesleyan! You can read all about it in the latest edition of the VWU Magazine which hit mailboxes and inboxes this week. Read it here: vwu.edu/magazine.

VWU Featured in U.S. News Best Colleges Rankings for 2020

Virginia Wesleyan University has again been recognized by U.S. News & World Report in its annual Best Colleges rankings, which were released recently. The University is featured among the publication's "Best National Liberal Arts Colleges" for 2020 and also ranked 23rd in "Ethnic Diversity" among National Liberal Arts Colleges. New this year, U.S. News has recognized Virginia Wesleyan as a "Top Performer on Social Mobility." The University is ranked among the top 25 percent of National Liberal Arts Colleges in this category, which measures how well schools graduated students who received federal Pell Grants relative to the rest of the student body. We are proud to be recognized for these designations, as they represent our prominent academic reputation and our diverse, global community. We take pride in fostering the kinds of values and traditions that make our students proud to have chosen us for their career and life success. Read more about this latest U.S. News designation as well as other points of pride for the University.

Westminster/Wesleyan Lifelong Learning Institute

The fall 2019 schedule has been released for the Wesleyan/Westminster Lifelong Learning Institute. Now in its third year, our partnership with Westminster-Canterbury on Chesapeake Bay is mutually beneficial. It allows Westminster-Canterbury members to stay challenged and energized as they continue their path of education and growth, and it gives Virginia Wesleyan opportunities to share the talents and leadership of our faculty. Courses are offered at both the VWU campus and at WC. View the updated schedule here.

January Term Registration

Registration for first-year students opens today for January Term 2020 and runs through Wednesday, September 18. For assistance with registering through WebAdvisor, students should contact their First-Year Academic Advisors. For upper-class students, January Term registration opens Thursday, September 19. View the upcoming January Term schedule here.

Welcome, Jesse Weiner

Please join me in welcoming Jesse Weiner to the Marlin Family as our new Director of Cross Country and Track & Field at Virginia Wesleyan. Jesse comes to us with impressive experience and a proven success record. Read more here.

Condolences to Brian Kurisky

It is with sorrow that I share the passing of a member of our Virginia Wesleyan Family. Dr. Brian Kurisky's stepfather, Harry Duggan, passed away after a courageous battle with cancer. I extend my sincere condolences to Brian and his family. Please join me in keeping them in your thoughts and prayers. Harry's obituary can be viewed here.

AROUND TOWN AND ACROSS CAMPUS

For the third consecutive year, overflow housing at Northampton Crossing is at approximately 50 students. Upgrades this past year took place in Bray Village and Allen Village, which are now complete and looking great.

September 17 is nationally recognized as Constitution & Citizenship Day to commemorate the formation and signing of the U.S. Constitution on September 17, 1787. We are proud to recognize and celebrate this day on our campus--visit Hofheimer Library between now and October 1 to view an interactive book display that examines a variety of constitutional issues and history. Also, as we commemorate the signing, test your constitutional knowledge by taking a 10-question quiz at www.constitutionfacts.com.

We held our first meeting of the year with the President's Leadership Council. The PLC meets each month during the academic year to discuss initiatives and programming spanning all divisions of campus.

The Chesapeake Bay Academy at Virginia Wesleyan is doing great work. We're proud to partner with them and the excellent learning programs they offer. Read more and watch this WTKR video feature, "A school dedicated to serving students with learning differences on Coast Live."

Recently I visited with Deborah Diamond, President of Campus Philly, and Kurt Krause, President and CEO of VisitNorfolk, to discuss an exciting new initiative with the Greater Norfolk Corporation and the City of Norfolk. Utilizing the experience of Deborah and the Campus Philly model, our five area higher education institutions are exploring the advantages of marketing our location as a college town.

There are many amazing things happening at VWU's Center for the Study of Religious Freedom this fall. Check out the offerings in the latest issue of the CSRF newsletter "Understanding Religious Freedom."

Mark your calendar for upcoming events and programs, and read up on the latest in the arts at Virginia Wesleyan here.

Over the weekend, Delegate Chris Stolle hosted a Community Success Summit on our campus in the Goode Center. Panelists discussed career services, education, and healthcare success. Community resources were also available for attendees. Dr. Maynard Schaus, Vice President for Academic Affairs at VWU, served as a panelist, discussing education. The event was free and open to the public with a great turnout.

Tomorrow Dr. John Cook from George Mason University's Center for Climate Change Communication will be giving a talk as part of the Eleanor & Henry Watts Conservation Speaker Series at the Virginia Aquarium. This event is free and open to the public. More information can be found here.

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REFLECTIONS

I hope you find these links useful to my recent columns and publications:

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