December 21, 2020
Good morning, |
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I am pleased to announce Dr. Timothy Carter, President of Boston-based Second Nature, as the 2021 Commencement keynote speaker.
Dr. Carter became President of Second Nature in 2014. As President he is also the presiding officer of the Climate Leadership Network (formerly the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment). My involvement with Second Nature dates back to 2006 as one of the early presidents in ACUPCC. I served as Chair of the CLN from 2018-2020 and currently serve on the Board of Directors of Second Nature. That involvement has given me the opportunity to see Tim’s impactful leadership.
Dr. Carter received his Ph.D. in Ecology with distinction from the Odum School of Ecology at the University of Georgia and completed his B.S. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Learn more about him here.
We plan for the Class of 2021 to graduate at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 8 on the lawn in front of our Greer Environmental Sciences Center (weather and pandemic permitting). Should Virginia still be under restrictions regarding large gatherings in the spring, we will adapt how our 2021 Commencement exercises are executed. We are prepared for a number of scenarios and know that Dr. Carter will give an inspiring address to our graduates no matter the format. |
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I'm also pleased to announce that Dr. David R. Black will serve as the speaker for our 2021 Baccalaureate Service.
A university president for nearly 30 years and Executive-in-Residence at VWU the last five years, he assumed responsibility for the Lakeland University Japan and VWU Global (Japan) program earlier this month. He recently retired from a three-year term as interim President of Lakeland University’s parent campus in Sheboygan, Wisconsin.
In 2013 he retired after 15 years as President at Eastern University in Pennsylvania and was President of Lakeland from 1989 until 1998. He was the founder of the campus in Japan. He holds a B.A. degree from Lee University, M.S. from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and Ph.D. from Ohio University. |
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It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our friend and colleague Dr. Joseph Johnston Jr. Joe was the son of Virginia Wesleyan’s first president, Dr. Joseph S. Johnston Sr.
Joe was in high school when his father moved the family from the Washington, D.C.-area to Norfolk to help establish what would become Virginia Wesleyan University. The importance of higher education stayed with Joe his entire life. After graduating from Granby High School, he received his B.A. from Randolph-Macon College and his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago, both in English literature. He has an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. In 2013, Joe joined AGB Search, an executive search, interim search, and compensation evaluation services exclusively for higher education institutions, where he served as Senior Consultant and Director of Interim Search and the Compensation Evaluation Service. He stepped down in late 2019, capping off a decades-long career in higher education. He also co-authored invaluable resources for executive search, including "A Complete Guide to Presidential Search for Universities and Colleges" and "Presidential Compensation: A Comprehensive Guide for Higher Education Governing Boards and Chief Executives." Beyond his professional contributions to higher education, Joe will be remembered for his kind heart, sense of humor, and friendship. He will be missed by all who knew him, and our hearts go out to his family at this time. Read more about Joe’s extraordinary life here. |
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VWU Global Campus will offer an online Master of Education (M.Ed.) with a concentration in Teacher Leadership starting in the Fall Semester of 2021. The new online M.Ed. is specially designed for licensed teachers who are interested in furthering their knowledge and skills and becoming leaders in the field of education. Because of this, the program should be attractive to students across the country from a variety of disciplines. Kudos to Dr. Bill McConnell, Director of Teacher Education, for his leadership. We look forward to sharing more about our newest VWU Global Campus offering in the new year. |
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We’re pleased that the Commonwealth of Virginia has provided an award of $305,546 toward our COVID-19 relief efforts. Special thanks to our colleagues at the State Council for Higher Education in Virginia for facilitating our request. Thanks also to Virginia Health Services for providing 2,000 COVID tests to VWU at no cost to assist in our January Term and Spring Semester testing program. |
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The pandemic has caused us to revisit our plans for the future. Dr. Maynard Schaus, Vice President for Academic Affairs, has led a planning initiative these last four months to update the University’s strategic plan: Forging our Future: Building on Strength 2020-2030 The updated strategic plan is an interactive document with our 10-year Facilities Master Plan developed in 2016 utilizing a space utilization study and facility condition assessment. Our five-year financial business model is being revised now based on the changes to the strategic plan. |
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Over the years, we have devoted much space in this column to the importance of diversity and inclusivity at VWU. The appointment of a Chief Diversity Officer a year ago, the re-energized charge of the President’s Council on Inclusive Communities last summer, and our collaboration with top National Liberal Arts Colleges this fall for the formulation of LACRELA are some of our action items from a broader plan that was established in the fall of 2015. We are dedicated to Building a Campus Culture of Diversity and Inclusion and created a timeline that documents the University’s efforts to do so since 2015. We’ve made this timeline public to show our commitment to our students, alumni, and friends for this ongoing priority of the University. |
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AROUND TOWN AND ACROSS CAMPUS |
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VWU Magazine: Winter 2020 Special Edition Now Available Please enjoy our Winter 2020 Special Edition of the VWU Magazine, now available online. In this edition, you will find our 2019-2020 Annual Report and honor roll of donors. We sincerely thank our donors for their special support and care this year. Their contributions helped to make our year successful despite the challenges we have faced. Congratulations to our individual contributors and to the Marketing and Communications department for producing another great issue. |
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Virtual Art Galleries Available The VWU art department is proud to offer four virtual galleries which have generated over 800 views online and provided the department the chance to learn and improve in the digital age. Kudos to the entire department for their hard work and initiative. |
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The Power of Experiential Learning The Lighthouse: Center for Exploration and Discovery continues its initiative to connect alumni who have completed internships, study away, and/or undergraduate research with current and prospective students. The goal is to show the impact experiential learning can have on personal, civic, and professional lives. The latest entry for "Where are they now? Alumni Messages: The Power of Experiential Learning" comes from Hope (Hess) Black ’15. Hope’s internship involved working with the Victim Witness Assistance Program at the Adams County Courthouse in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Read her message to students here. |
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Chapter 5: “President to President” Series The fifth chapter this year’s President to President thought leadership series is now available. In " Innovation in a Time of Transition," Hollins University President Mary Dana Hinton, Ph.D., describes how innovative thinking in higher education can advance efforts to achieve racial equality and social justice. The 2020-2021 President to President series titled " Fostering a Culture of Innovation" asks prominent higher education experts to share how their institutions have innovated in response to the previously unimaginable challenges that have recently impacted higher education. I have been proud to serve as Executive Editor of this thought series along with Dr. Marylouise Fennell, Senior Counsel at the Council of Independent Colleges and a partner in the search firm of Hyatt-Fennell, LLC, for the last 16 years. |
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Susan T. Beverly Hall Renovation Continues Progress continues on our renovation of Susan T. Beverly Hall, formerly the Fine Arts Building. In the Edward D. Hofheimer Theatre, installation of the new floor has been completed. Finished floor sealing will be completed in the next week. The special acoustical stage flooring is similar to that used in the Joan and Macon Brock Theatre of the Susan S. Goode Fine and Performing Arts Center. The new kiln shop on the east side of the building is coming together nicely. We look forward to completing the entire renovation by the time the spring semester begins. |
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TowneBank Arena is Ready for Marlins and Fans Finishing touches are being put on TowneBank Arena in the Jane P. Batten Student Center. We look forward to the return of intercollegiate athletics this spring and can’t wait for our newly renovated arena to be filled with Marlins and fans once again. |
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This is the final issue of Nota Bene for 2020. As a campus community, we have faced some incredible obstacles and also celebrated some wonderful accomplishments this year. I offer my sincere thanks for your support and commitment to VWU. It has been one heck of a year. Annie and I hope you have a very Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy new year. May 2021 bring us all hope, peace, and vaccinations. |
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-- Scott D. Miller, Ph.D. President Virginia Wesleyan University 5817 Wesleyan Drive Virginia Beach, VA 23455 Phone: 757.455.3215 |
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