February 15, 2021
Good morning, |
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As we approach the one-year mark of the start of the pandemic at VWU, I know we are all eager to get back to normal and continue with traditions and activities that make the college years so special.
As more and more Virginians are vaccinated each day and case numbers trend downward, it is our sincerest hope and belief that come this spring the Commonwealth of Virginia will be allowing larger gatherings. For that reason, Virginia Wesleyan University has every intention of holding in-person Commencement ceremonies for the Class of 2021.
On Saturday, May 8, separate Commencement ceremonies will be held for each of VWU’s academic schools in TowneBank Arena in the Jane P. Batten Student Center (Birdsong School of Social Science, Joan P. Brock School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Susan S. Goode School of Arts and Humanities, and D. Henry Watts School of Professional Studies). The time for each ceremony will be determined soon. Our Commencement speaker will be Dr. Timothy Carter, President of the environmental organization Second Nature.
VWU Global Campus (VWU Online and Evening & Weekend) students will graduate on Sunday, May 15, in TowneBank Arena in the Jane P. Batten Student Center. The time will be determined soon.
Our Baccalaureate Service will be offered virtually on Friday, May 7, at 7:00 p.m. Our guest speaker will be Dr. David R. Black. Marlins can expect the same level of student participation in the ceremony as in the past.
As I said, it is our hope and intention to celebrate this most special occasion in person provided that our state government has deemed it safe to do so. We are actively planning this event and graduates of the Class of 2021 can expect to hear more details in the coming weeks. |
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Over the past five years, Virginia Wesleyan has dedicated itself to reviving the arts at VWU. This renaissance has taken many forms, from the construction and renovation of buildings to new academic programs and campus life initiatives.
After extensive planning and fundraising, we broke ground on the Susan S. Goode Fine and Performing Arts Center in December 2017 and dedicated the building in spectacular fashion in March 2019. The renovation of the original Fine Arts Building, now renamed Susan T. Beverly Hall, began in early 2020 and will be completed this spring. VWU added a Bachelor of Musical Arts in 2020 and will graduate the first students with this degree this May. VWU Online also added a Bachelor of Arts in Digital Music. The University has also prioritized housing for students majoring in the arts to live together in Eggleston Hall to foster creativity and community. |
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While all of these additions to our campus are significant, perhaps the most prestigious is our All-Steinway School Status, earned in September 2020, which adds another distinction to our nationally acclaimed academic program. It provides students an opportunity to learn utilizing the best, and is a draw for top talent. Special thanks to Dr. Bryson Mortensen, Associate Professor of Music and Chair of the Fine and Performing Arts Department, for his leadership and support of this outstanding endeavor.
The University was recently featured on Steinway’s website, telling the story of how our All-Steinway School Status came to be. Learn more here. |
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Advancement Initiates Grants and Contracts Office Virginia Wesleyan University has prospered significantly as a result of the strong support of businesses, corporations, alumni and friends. An additional revenue source for the University can come from state and federal grants and contracts; however, VWU does not have the internal resources to go after these revenue sources on our own. Therefore, I am pleased to announce that Virginia Wesleyan University has turned to the highly respected firm of McAllister & Quinn to assist us. An Office of Grants and Contracts within the Trinder Center for Advancement, led by Kim Hammer, Vice President for Advancement and Special Assistant to the President, has been established to further this partnership. Through a unique arrangement with Washington, D.C.-based McAllister & Quinn, the University will essentially share a grant writing team with similar institutions from non-competitive markets in a cost-effective way. A number of faculty members have already been involved with McAllister & Quinn’s organizational research of VWU so that the firm can better understand the University and our strengths as an institution. Vice President Hammer and I have both worked with McAllister & Quinn at previous institutions and the ROI is significant. We expect this partnership to grow significantly in the future and be as successful as we have seen it in the past. |
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VWU Board of Trustees Hears Update on COVID Response The Virginia Wesleyan University Board of Trustees met last week virtually. During the session, the Board received an update on operations from me, as well as an overview of campus life in the age of COVID-19 from the Emergency Response Team (ERT), represented by Dr. Maynard Schaus, Vice President for Academic Affairs; Dr. Keith Moore, Vice President for Campus Life and Operational Management; and Joanne Renn, Executive Director of Intercollegiate Athletics. Dr. Moore has represented us on the state level as the Virginia Private Colleges COVID Coordinator. Within the ERT’s update were special presentations relating to the various areas of the student experience. Athletics featured their #HelpUsPlay campaign as well as a visual walk-through of the student-athlete COVID testing process. Jason Seward, Associate Vice President of Campus Life and Operational Management, Ashley Roehrman ‘21 and Rakhem Green ‘24 discussed how campus has adapted over the last 12 months. Sarah Guzzo, Director of Student Activities, highlighted ways VWU has kept students engaged over the last six months despite the challenges. Professor of English Sue Larkin talked about the faculty experience and how teaching in the age of COVID-19 has offered unique opportunities and challenges for students and faculty alike in academics. The Board asked me to express their appreciation not only to these individuals for their contribution and assistance but to the entire campus for their dedication to our students in these unprecedented times. The Board will meet several more times over the next few weeks for committee meetings and the business session. I sincerely appreciate the time and energy each Trustee gives to VWU to help us further our goals for our students, our extended Marlin family, and our institution. |
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AROUND TOWN AND ACROSS CAMPUS |
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Black History Month Celebration Continues Around Campus I hope the campus community continues to take advantage of our special events and exhibits planned in celebration of Black History Month. Some upcoming events include “You Good? A Conversation on Black Mental Health,” facilitated by Dr. Crista Glover, Assistant Director of Counseling Services, on February 19, and the opportunity to dine on African-American cuisine, choosing from a menu suggested by students during “Soul Food Night,” sponsored by Sodexo, in Boyd Dining Hall on February 18. A full listing of the month’s events can be found here.
A special thank you to 13 News Now (WVEC) for covering Dr. Craig Wansink's presentation of " Nevertheless They Persisted," a virtual event held as part of VWU's Black History Month celebration last week. Chavon Thomas—a 2011 grad and Amazon #1 bestselling author—will present on February 24. Register here to attend. |
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Heritage Plaza Unveiled Despite the rain last Thursday, we unveiled our Heritage Plaza commemorative plaque located at the flagpoles in front of Godwin Hall. This acknowledgement of a special part of our history was recommended by Dr. Craig Wansink, Joan P. and Macon F. Brock, Jr. Director of the Robert Nusbaum Center. |
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New President of Belmont University Has VWU Ties Belmont University’s Board of Trustees recently announced the appointment of Dr. L. Gregory Jones, dean of Duke Divinity School, as president of Belmont, effective in June. Many in the VWU community will know Greg from his assistance in creating the Duke Divinity early admission program with VWU. His wife, Susan Pendleton Jones, VWU Class of 1980, also served as our Baccalaureate speaker for the Class of 2017, receiving a Doctor of Divinity (honoris causa) from VWU that same year. Congratulations to Greg and Susan as they take on this new challenge. |
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President to President: Staying True to the Mission |
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Despite the Pandemic, Our Work & Learn Program Continues to Grow In this unusual spring semester, the Work & Learn Program (WLP) is off and running with 253 Marlins assigned to on-campus employment in various positions and departments. The program is designed for an annual capacity of our 400, however, the pandemic has limited some in-person capabilities. |
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More than 2,500 hours of work service are completed on campus each week through the WLP. Students can be found assisting our facilities team, getting their hands dirty with our partners from the Norfolk Botanical Garden, assisting community members with package and mail pickup, processing sales at Coastal Market and Harbor Grill, building community of their assigned floors as resident assistants, working Marlin athletic competitions, and much more. Our student employees play a vital role in the success of the University, while making their VWU education more affordable. I send my deepest appreciation to each student for showing commitment to Virginia Wesleyan. |
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Esports Spring Season Off to a Great Start VWU’s Marlin Esports teams have sprung back into action, already competing against the University of Texas and Stephen F. Austin University in two very close matches. Two all-star performances have come this semester from Josh Liverman and Shane Fuselier. Josh should be commended for his in-game playmaking, and Shane for his ability to understand complex situations and shot calling. I would also like to recognize Brandon Kwon (Rocket League Team Captain) and Tucker Barco (Overwatch Team Captain) for their commitment and dedication to our Esports program since its inception. The Marlins will broadcast their matches on Twitch TV when league play begins in March.
Marlin Esports started in January 2020 with a beautiful new Esports Arena located adjacent to the Intercollegiate Athletics Suite in the Jane P. Batten Student Center. |
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Watch Now: Love Virtually in the Liberal Arts Held annually around Valentine's Day, the Love Liberally symposium—this year Love Virtually—explores love as it relates to the liberal arts. In this virtual age of COVID-19, Virginia Wesleyan University faculty and community members are sharing informal "Bob Talk" videos (February 8-19) that explore the concept of love through a variety of disciplinary lenses. After more than a decade, this series has become a University tradition that creates a unique opportunity for exploration of scholarly passions and engaged learning. Watch now. |
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Malbon Center for Technology Updates Beyond keeping our day-to-day online activities running as smoothly as possible, the Malbon Center for Technology is actively working on some exciting upgrades for VWU. The Colleague Modernization Plan, led by IT's Enterprise Resources team, is well under way and on schedule. The IT Helpdesk has two new knowledgeable and energetic staff members, James Jones and Christina Todd. We welcome them to the Marlin family as they work to pivot the HelpDesk to be more community-facing and proactive with support. Additional projects such as the upcoming campus portal (MyBeacon) and a new IT website and Knowledgebase software will help connect the VWU community.
I thank Greg Skinner, Chief Information Officer, for his leadership. Along with a strong background in IT for higher education, Greg has brought a spirit of collaboration and communication to VWU since his arrival in October. He and his team work to create efficiencies by finding the right processes for the right situations through renewed partnerships between IT staff and campus departments and students. The Malbon Center for Technology is at the core of so much of what happens at VWU—especially in this pandemic-driven virtual world—and I thank that team for their hard work and dedication to the Marlin community. |
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757 Recovery and Resilience Action The 757 Recovery & Resilience Action Framework is an action playbook created by and for the 757’s business community of Coastal Virginia. It was designed to help accelerate the region’s recovery from the COVID-19 economic shock—and to do so in a way that builds a more resilient economy for everyone in the 757. |
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Campus757 Launches Summer757 Summer757 is a 10-week initiative of the Campus757 Program helmed by the Hampton Roads Workforce Council (HRWC). The first program of its kind in our region, Summer757 gives interns at Hampton Roads-based companies an opportunity to get to know the 757 through a series of interactive events highlighting our unique blend of careers, community, and culture. |
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Coastal Virginia Retains 655 Jobs as CMA CGM Expands in Virginia Our friends down the street at CMA CGM Group, a world leader in shipping and logistics, have signed a new agreement to maintain the North American headquarters in the Lake Wright Executive Center. A planned investment of more than $30 million to renovate its HQ will retain 655 jobs here and will grow its presence in Virginia, resulting in the creation of more than 400 new jobs. “CMA CGM’s decision to continue direct investment and support for jobs in Norfolk is a testament to our role as a hub for innovation in international maritime and logistics. Their 15-year presence has proven Norfolk’s role as a platform for regional business development and catalyst for job growth for the Commonwealth of Virginia,” said Mayor Kenneth Cooper Alexander. Read the press release here. |
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I hope you all have a wonderful week.
Sincerely, |
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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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