Dialogue: Nota Bene: Weekly Update

October 26, 2020

Good Morning,

We are more than halfway through the Fall 2020 Semester. Our students have just a few more weeks before they leave for Thanksgiving break and then finish the semester remotely, including final exams. It has taken commitment and hard work from every single Marlin to get to this point, and I encourage all of us to remain steadfast so that we can finish the semester as planned.

I am pleased to announce the academic schedule for the Spring 2021 Semester. Members of the Emergency Response Team and President’s Cabinet reviewed a wide variety of options with respective working groups before developing consensus on this important topic. We shared these plans with the Board of Trustees at their recent meeting. The Board has been impressed with the outcomes of our current semester and was supportive of our plans for a condensed-format spring semester. The schedule for in-person instruction for the Spring 2021 Semester is as follows:

January 25: Spring 2021 Semester begins

April 27: Last day of classes

April 28: Reading Day

April 29-May 4: Final Exams

May 8: Commencement 2021 (format may depend on COVID)

May 16: VWU Global Campus Commencement 2021 (format may depend on COVID)

In this format, PORT Day will be held virtually over the course of a week. To mitigate the spread of COVID on campus, there will be no spring break.

It is important to note that the schedule above is for courses traditionally held in-person. The schedule for VWU Global Campus courses will continue as originally planned.

It’s going to be a busy spring with the condensed academic schedule and with fall, winter and spring athletics all in competition. I thank our students, faculty, and staff for their resilience and understanding and trust that they will continue their commitment to the safety and health of this campus during the spring semester.

Kim Hammer has arrived in Virginia Beach and joins the Marlin family as our new Vice President for Advancement/Special Assistant to the President next Monday. She replaces Dr. Mort Gamble, who passed away in January.

Hammer comes to Virginia Wesleyan from Carlow University, where she has served as vice president for advancement since 2016. During her 28-year career in advancement, she has also served as vice president for development at Robert Morris University, director of development at The Pittsburgh Promise, executive vice president for development at the Children's Hospital Foundation of Pittsburgh of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, and vice president for development and donor services at the Pittsburgh Foundation. Prior to that, she was an attorney at Buchanan Ingersoll and Rooney.

She earned her law degree from the University of Cincinnati College of Law and her bachelor's degree from Ohio Wesleyan University. She has served as a board member for Catholic Charities of Pittsburgh and is a former board member of the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh.

She is an accomplished academic leader who brings a proven track record in all areas of advancement. She brings a breadth of experience, talent and strategic thinking to this important role.

In her free time, she enjoys gardening, cooking, walking and golf. We welcome Kim, her husband Ted, and their twin sons, Blake and Trent, to the Marlin family.

ET CETERA

Brooke Novkovic Named Director of Enrollment for the Batten Honors College

Congratulations to Brooke Novkovic, VWU Class of 2018—our new director of enrollment for the Batten Honors College.

A native of Lake Villa, Illinois, Brooke relocated to Virginia Beach in 2004 with her husband to fulfill his sea duty assignment for the U.S. Navy and never looked back. After completing her Associate of Science degree in social sciences from Tidewater Community College, Brooke transferred to VWU and completed her Bachelor of Arts in comprehensive liberal studies via the Evening and Weekend Program, graduating summa cum laude. While attending Virginia Wesleyan, she was a member of the Eta Sigma Phi Honors Society and Alpha Sigma Lambda in the Delta Kappa Chapter. She has been a tremendous asset to the VWU Center for Enrollment Services team since September 2018, recruiting new Marlins and managing the Student Ambassador Program.

We thank Brooke for her continued service to her alma mater, helping the University attract the best and brightest of students from around the globe for our prestigious Batten Honors College program.

VWU Students: Prepare for Spring 2021 Registration

With the Spring 2021 Semester schedule announced, I encourage all students to start thinking ahead to registration. Complete the “Pre-Registration To-Do List” by clearing any registration holds, making sure your balance is paid down, finding courses in WebAdvisor that fit your academic plan, meeting with your academic advisor (Advising Weeks begin today), and then registering for classes at the prescribed time below.

Registration Dates*

November 2 - Honors/Military/Students with Accommodations

November 3 - Seniors

November 4 - Juniors

November 5-6 - Sophomores

November 9-11 - Freshmen

November 12 - Non-degree

November 13 - All other students

*Registration dates are determined by the number of credits accrued/class standing.

If you need help with advising or registration, please visit The Learning Center located on the second floor of Clarke Hall. They can help you navigate WebAdvisor and register for courses. Visit www.vwu.edu/Register123 for more information and helpful resources.

AROUND TOWN AND ACROSS CAMPUS

Alumni Council Committees

The Engagement and Resource Committees of the VWU Alumni Council met in a joint virtual session. Newly appointed officers of the Council—Alisa Crider '10, Chair; Thomas Taylor '00, Vice Chair; and Dominique Fowler '12, Secretary—were welcomed to their new roles.

The Committees debriefed our virtual Homecoming and Family Weekend and discussed virtual alumni regional gatherings. The group heard the University’s plans for Commencement 2020 and received brief introductions for the six new members of the Alumni Council who were announced last week.

These new members—Brandon Adair '12, Myles Baynard '19, Ksera Dyette '11, Taylor “Tip” Major '20, George Rogers '03, and Jaclyn Ruelle '04—were offered a virtual Alumni Council New Member Orientation last Friday.

Again, I thank the entire group—our new leaders and members as well as our seasoned members—for their continued engagement and support.

Skyler Lattuca '21 to Chair Student Athlete Advisory Committee

Congratulations to cross country and track standout Skyler Lattuca '21, the new chair of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). Skyler (pictured center with athletic director Joanne Renn and me) is a senior from Middle Island, New York, double majoring in earth and environmental sciences and sustainability management. Learn more about Skyler and his running abilities here.

As the chair of SAAC, Skyler holds a seat on the Athletic Management Council. Skyler and the Council met last week to discuss a wide variety of ODAC and NCAA issues as well as VWU’s plans for full competition this spring. Learn more about the Council here.

Virginia Wesleyan Named Among Nation's Most Environmentally Responsible Colleges

Virginia Wesleyan University is one of the nation's most environmentally responsible colleges, according to The Princeton Review. VWU is one of 416 colleges featured in the education services company’s Guide to Green Colleges: 2021 Edition, released October 20.

The Virginia Wesleyan University community is dedicated to a greener campus and a greener world. In addition to its consistent selection for the Green Colleges guide, VWU has been recognized locally, regionally and nationally for its sustainability practices. Read more here.

New Pedestrian/Bicycle Pathway at the Goode Center

A new eight-foot wide bicycle and pedestrian path has been added, connecting the Susan S. Goode Fine and Performing Arts Center parking lot and the spectator area at Birdsong Field. The new pathway will create easy access and convenient parking when larger crowds attend events at the field.

The Power of Experiential Learning

The Lighthouse: Center for Exploration and Discovery has started an initiative for alumni who have completed internships, study away, and/or undergraduate research to provide messages to current and prospective students. The goal is to show the impact experiential learning can have on personal, civic, and professional lives. The first entry for "Where are they now? Alumni Messages: The Power of Experiential Learning" comes from Manijha Mack '18. Manijha spent an academic semester in Havana, Cuba, and conducted undergraduate research as a Marlin. Read her message to students here.

“Good Trouble” Exhibit Explores Civil Rights Lessons

You may recall that journalist and illustrator Christopher Noxon, author of Good Trouble: Lessons from the Civil Rights Playbook, visited campus last November to speak with our students. I’m pleased to share that illustrations from Noxon’s latest book are now on display for students, faculty and staff in the Neil Britton Art Gallery inside Hofheimer Library. The VWU campus is currently closed to the public due to COVID-19 restrictions, but outside guests are invited to view the gallery virtually.

Thank you to the Robert Nusbaum Center and John Rudel, VWU Professor of Art and Curator of Exhibitions for the Neil Britton Art Gallery, for creating this experience for our community. Much appreciation also to the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and the Leon Family Gallery at the Simon Family JCC for generously loaning this exhibit to the University. The exhibit launches a year-long project by the Nusbaum Center to create an action guide that will complement Noxon’s book. Borrowing from the lessons of the civil rights movement, the guide will offer practical tools for activists in the 21st Century. Good Trouble will be on display in the Neil Britton Art Gallery through December 20.

Sound & Symbol Lecture Series Continues

As part of its fall lecture webinar series, The Wesleyan Sacred Music Institute will present “Exploring Laughter and Music in Times of Tragedy and Loss” on Wednesday, October 28, at 12:00 p.m. The presentation will be led by Dr. Terry Lindvall, C.S. Lewis Chair of Communication and Christian Thought and Professor of Communication at VWU, and Doug Brown, Director of Music and Adjunct Instructor in Church Music at Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond. Together, they will explore laughter and music in times of tragedy and loss. Register here.

NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships Coming to Virginia Beach Sports Center

Track and field enthusiasts are in awe of the new indoor facility at the Virginia Beach Sports Center. According to a recent article in The Virginian-Pilot, the new facility will host Indoor Track and Field Championships for NCAA Division I, II, and III in the coming years. I sincerely hope that the ODAC follows suit when planning for future championships.

Welcome Paul Neudigate, Our New Virginia Beach Police Chief

We welcome Paul Neudigate as the new City of Virginia Beach Police Chief. VWU and the Virginia Beach Police Department have had an outstanding relationship for years. You will recall that former Chief Jim Cervera was recognized with The Wesley Award at Founders Day last year just before his retirement. Learn more about Virginia Beach’s new Police Chief in this interview with The Virginian-Pilot.

New Virginia Beach Surf Park Map Reveals Where the Venue Will Land

The Pharrell Williams/Venture Realty Group surf park in Virginia Beach has passed many milestones and should be a game changer in the Virginia Beach Oceanfront area. We look forward to its development, as it will give prospective students, faculty and staff one more reason to choose Virginia Wesleyan and the vibrant cultural and economic opportunities this area provides. Learn more about the proposed surf park here.

Dominion Virginia Beach Offshore Wind Turbines Complete Reliability Testing

The new wind turbines, located 27 miles off the coast, will be able to provide electricity to up to 3,000 homes. This project has great implications for the region and beyond, and we are proud that the nation’s first offshore wind farm installed in federal waters is just off the coast from our University. Learn more.

P3 Partners, Led by VWU Grad Taylor Franklin, to Launch Another New VB Project Soon

Our partners on Coastal 61 at Oxford Village have another exciting project starting soon in Virginia Beach. Led by VWU grad Taylor Franklin '04, The Franklin Johnston Group announced plans last week to build senior apartments in the Pembroke area of the city. They have developed 1,300 units and made more than a $200 million investment in Virginia Beach in the last five years, according to a company release.

TowneBank Arena Updates Continue

Last week, Archbell Signs of Norfolk started painting the Marlin logo on the walkway to the entrance of TowneBank Arena in the Jane P. Batten Student Center. The logo was updated three years ago during the comprehensive rebranding when Virginia Wesleyan became a university.

Also in TowneBank Arena, WC Carpenter Commercial Floor Coverings of Virginia Beach—owned by VWU graduate Kaddy Hamilton '85—installed new athletic prescription carpeting in the main corridor of the team locker rooms, natatorium, sports medicine room, and team entry to the main arena and the Cunningham Multi-Activity Center (C-MAC).