Dialogue: Nota Bene: Weekly Update

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday weekend!

Since the founding of the distinctive Batten Honors College in the fall of 2017, an intimate recognition ceremony has been held at the beginning of the academic year for the newest Batten Fellows and Shumadine Scholars. A ceremonial pinning of each student represents their completion of orientation and formal induction into the program. As the Batten Honors College has flourished, the ceremony has also grown. As such, we have adopted a convocation format this year, which will bring all four classes together for the first time.

This fall, we will virtually welcome Dr. Ian Solomon, Dean of the University of Virginia's Frank Batten School for Leadership and Public Policy, as the keynote speaker. This special event will be held on our Founders Day, September 10, in a modified format to prioritize the health and well-being of our campus community and guests.

Both the Batten Honors College Convocation Ceremony (September 10) and the Matriculation Ceremony (August 20), will be livestreamed and archived on the VWU Digital Broadcasting Network.

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Founders Day is a Virginia Wesleyan tradition that gives students, faculty, staff and special guests

an opportunity to honor the University's history. Founders Day Convocation, which includes the

Alumni Awards, is normally attended by all students, faculty and staff of the University. This year, given the special circumstances we face, we will be livestreaming our virtual Founders Day event on Thursday, September 10, at 11:00 a.m.

As I shared in my July President's Letter, our Founders Day Keynote Speaker will be Anthony Walters, President and CEO for the YMCA of South Hampton Roads and a valued member of our VWU Board of Trustees. Read more here.

I am also pleased to share our 2020 Alumni Awards recipients:

Distinguished Alumni Award - Lee Stevenson '85
Lee T. Stevenson '85 is a VWU Board of Trustees member and President of LineSlip Solutions, Inc. a software company at the heart of the commercial insurance industries digital transformation. Prior to joining LineSlip in January 2020, Lee spent 25 years in a variety of operational and strategic leadership roles at the global firm Marsh & McLennan Companies. Most recently he served as Chief Operating Officer and Managing Director for Marsh North America where he helped oversee day-to-day business and served on the division's Executive Committee. He was responsible for driving and implementing strategic, financial and operational initiatives as well as managing operations and technology. Lee started his career at Marsh in the Private Equity Mergers and Acquisition group where he spent 16 years. He is a member of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, Turnaround Management Association, is an active angel investor and sits on numerous boards. He is a native of Virginia's Eastern Shore and lives in Chicago with his wife, Lara (D'Domenicus) Stevenson '88. They have three children, Taylor, Jack and Natalie.

Alumni Service Award - Dr. James Embrey '72

James P. Embrey, Ph.D., CRNA '72 entered the United States Army upon graduation from Virginia Wesleyan and completed training as a medic and Licensed Practical Nurse. Dr. Embrey transferred to the United States Army Reserves while completing his Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from Augusta University (formerly the Medical College of Georgia) in 1977. He then returned to Richmond and received his commission in the United States Army Reserve Nurse Corps. Dr. Embrey began his nursing career at the Medical College of Virginia Hospitals while completing his Certificate in Nurse Anesthesia. From 1980 to 1998, he assumed roles in clinical and didactic instruction, and administrative roles in the Department of Nurse Anesthesia, Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). In 1984 and 1991, respectively, he completed a Master of Science in Nurse Anesthesia and a Doctorate in Education from VCU. In 1994, Dr. Embrey retired from the United States Army Reserves at the rank of Major. He served twice as the Interim Chairperson for the Department of Nurse Anesthesia until he accepted the role of Chief Nurse Anesthetist at Johnston-Willis Hospital for Commonwealth Anesthesia Associates in 1999. During his tenure at VCU, he was a recognized national lecturer and coordinator of nurse anesthesia continuing education meetings. After 15 years with the Commonwealth Anesthesia Associates as one of their lead nurse anesthetists, Dr. Embrey began working as a freelance nurse anesthetist at numerous health care facilities in central Virginia. He is married to Ann Grayson Price Embrey and they have two adult children and three grandchildren. He and his family live in the Richmond metropolitan area.

Graduate of the Last Decade (GOLD) Award - Dominique Fowler '12

Dominique Fowler '12 is the Director of Alumni Relations at Virginia Union University in Richmond. He is currently pursuing a master's degree in Urban Education with a focus in Higher Education and expects to graduate in December. He is a founding member of the Virginia Wesleyan Black Alumni organization and

currently serves on the VWU Alumni Council and the University's President's Council for Inclusive Communities. While at VWU, he participated in the Student Government Association, Off the Hook (formerly the Wesleyan Activities Council - WAC), and he was a student ambassador as well as the 2011 Homecoming King.

ET CETERA

Moving Ahead: Lakeland University Japan and Virginia Wesleyan University Global

Earlier this spring, Virginia Wesleyan launched an exclusive agreement with Lakeland University to jointly operate a campus in Tokyo. The name change of the campus in Tokyo--Lakeland University Japan / Virginia Wesleyan University Global--recently received final approval from all appropriate regulatory authorities.

The joint marketing team from LU/VWU has developed a temporary website to provide pertinent information to current and prospective students. The team will now begin work on a fully co-branded website. This donor-funded venture will create a variety of opportunities for the University and is a part of Virginia Wesleyan University Global Campus (formerly University College), led by Dr. Paul Ewell (Dean).

LUJ/VWU Global is a liberal arts college located in the Shinjuku area of Tokyo, Japan. After two years, students enroll at Virginia Wesleyan or Lakeland University in Wisconsin to continue their bachelor's degree studies.

VWU Offers Test-Optional Admission Policy for Fall 2021

COVID-19 mandates against mass gatherings unfortunately resulted in the cancellation of SAT and ACT

administrations this spring, and there is no certainty that either organization will be able offer testing this fall. Our competition is already acting. FairTest: the National Center for Fair and Open Testing has identified over 1,250 accredited four-year colleges and universities with optional testing policies for Fall 2021. More than 20 Virginia institutions are on this list. For that reason, we have chosen to adopt a test-optional policy at Virginia Wesleyan for the 2021 recruitment cycle. If we had not chosen this path, we would in effect "freeze" the admission process, as without test scores we could not make admission decisions on Fall 2021 applications.

Hunt Scanlon Media Podcast: "The Future of the College Presidency"

In a recent episode of "Talent Talks," Jay Lemons (President of Academic Search, Inc.) and I joined Hunt Scanlon Media host Rob Adams for a lively discussion. In this exclusive podcast, I reflect on the evolution of the college presidency over my 30 years in the industry and provide an outlook as to how I expect this role to continue to evolve over the next 30 years. Jay then provides his expertise as to how Academic Search is keeping up with the transforming role of the college presidency. Listen here.

VWU Digital Broadcasting Network to Stream Fall Events

A wide variety of insitutional events, which have been moved to a virtual format due to the COVID-19 crisis, will be streamed on the Virginia Wesleyan University Digital Broadcasting Network this fall:

State of the University Address (August 21)
Batten Honors College Matriculation Ceremony (August 20)
Founders Day Convocation (September 10)
Batten Honors College Convocation (September 10)

Visit the VWU Digital Broadcasting Network and the VWU athletics website for

details.

AROUND TOWN AND ACROSS CAMPUS

In celebration of Pride Month, and in support of all LGBT members of our VWU family, our community, this nation, and beyond, we proudly flew a Pride flag on our campus adjacent to the American flag and Virginia state flag.

I am pleased to share that non-credit continuing education courses offered by VWU Global Campus enrolled over 8,000 learners during the COVID-19 crisis. We offer hundreds of non-credit personal and professional development courses online that have become very attractive in the Coastal Virginia region. Kudos to Dr. Paul Ewell, Dean of VWU Global Campus, Larry Belcher, Director of Enrollment, VWU Global Campus, and Marion Hibbler, Coordinator of Evening and Weekend Program, for their leadership.

Here is an interesting visual perspective of the main entrance to campus as seen from the clubhouse at Oxford Village. For additional information on the unique P3 project with The Franklin Johnston Group, check out coastal61.com The eight-building, 244-unit luxury apartment complex is expected to have two buildings ready in September with completion of the entire complex by early 2021. Kudos to Marlyn Development Corporation for their leadership on this project.

The platforms for new seating in TowneBank Arena were completed early last week and contractors have now turned their attention to bench-style seating in the end stands and stadium-style seating in the main concourse (view photos here).

Atlantic Culinary Environments, Inc. of Danville, Pennsylvania, is hard at work on renovations to Boyd Dining Center, which are scheduled for completion August 5. Stay tuned for pictures of the beautifully updated center in the coming weeks.

Block Roofing is wrapping up the new roof on the recently-renovated Monumental Chapel and Beazley Recital Hall. When they finish this week, work will start work on the new roof for Susan T. Beverly Hall (formerly Fine Arts Building).

Taylor Construction of Virginia Beach is completing all new bathroom facilities in Beverly Hall, and Alwayz Frezh of Norfolk is completing the renovation of classrooms and studios in the facility.

If you're in the area of the Alumni Galleria in the Jane P. Batten Student Center, be sure to stop by and see the new Student Activities Suite and Dining and Conference Services Suite. Renovation was completed to include both areas after Duplication and Postal Services moved to the Scribner University Store.

During yesterday's walkabout, I had the opportunity to experience the beauty of the gardens at the Greer Environmental Sciences Center. Since the completion of the center three years ago, the gardens have matured not only into a another picturesque area on our beautiful campus, but also a valuable educational resource. The landscaping features 25,000 native plantings, wildlife habitats, vegetated bioretention basins, and constructed wetlands for stormwater runoffs. Special thanks to our partners from the Norfolk Botanical Garden for their special care of this area and contribution to the educational value and experience of our students.

As we enter Phase III of the Governor's Reopening Plan, it's good to see so many faculty and staff taking a break and walking some of our newly-surfaced paths. The Trails at Wesleyan Woods (Honors Village to Brock Village connector, and Lake Taylor path) and the path connecting to Oxford Village have been particularly popular. Trail maps are posted on campus for your convenience and can also be viewed here.

As time permits, staff and volunteers have been working on the Norfolk component of The Trails at Wesleyan Woods with hopes of having them open to the community by next spring. Starting on Norfolk Lane (the roadway to Facilities Management), the trails currently loop the wooded 44 acres located in Norfolk that are bordered by the west side of Lake Taylor and Interstate 64.

We are proud to call Virginia Beach our home, and are excited for the Oceanfront-themed wallpaper signage in the Batten Student Center across from Coastal Market (view photos here).

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REFLECTIONS

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

The Virginian-Pilot