Dialogue: Nota Bene: Weekly Update

March 29, 2021

Good morning,

I know many of you already have questions about our plans for fall. Based on what we know and what the Commonwealth of Virginia projects, I am pleased to share that students, faculty and staff should plan on a return to fully in-person learning for the Fall 2021 Semester.

We are optimistic that the availability and prevalence of vaccines will greatly increase throughout Virginia and the nation by the summer, allowing for the return of normalcy come the fall. The University will continue to monitor public health conditions and provide information about the fall semester as the situation evolves. I thank our students, faculty, and staff for their resilience, understanding and commitment to the safety and health of our community, as we have all done our best to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 on campus over the last 12 months.

Last weekend, the United Negro College Fund honored VWU Trustee Susan S. Goode with the UNCF Arts Advocate Award at the 2021 UNCF Virtual Mayors’ Masked Ball (Hampton Roads). Congratulations to Susan for all of her good work for the arts and for our community.

Susan has been a valued member of the VWU community for a number of years. In addition to serving as the vice chair of the VWU Board, she and her husband David have supported the arts at VWU in big ways. The Susan S. Goode Fine and Performing Arts Center was dedicated in March 2019 and the VWU School of Arts and Humanities is also named for Susan.

Competition for the Batten Honors College cohort for the Class of 2025 has concluded. The David L. Kaufman Center for Enrollment has extended offers to 20 new Batten Fellows and 20 new Shumadine Scholars to join VWU in the fall. We had an impressive number of qualified applicants this year, and we are very proud of the caliber of student the program is attracting.

The Batten Honors College is a highly selective residential program enrolling 160 of the top scholars in the country. Out of a pool of over 30,000 potential students, one-tenth of that group was deemed eligible in meeting preliminary requirements for the program, and 121 were invited to campus over the past several months to compete for the highly coveted seats in this cohort. Candidates were invited on the basis of academic performance, compelling personal essays, and remarkable service and extracurricular activities. Those chosen to join the program are truly the best and the brightest.

I thank Brooke Novkovic (Director of Enrollment, Batten Honors College) for leading three well-executed competitions over the last few months. I know it was challenging to administer these events virtually, but Brooke and the entire Enrollment team came together to offer our candidates a meaningful experience. I look forward to sharing the names of the 20 Batten Fellows and 20 Shumadine Scholars later this spring.

I am pleased to share that Matthew Nusbaum has been elected to the Virginia Wesleyan University Board of Trustees. Matt is a Partner in the Commercial Division of S.L. Nusbaum Realty Co.

He first joined S.L. Nusbaum Realty Co. in 2010, marking five generations of Nusbaums to join the firm. His property portfolio spans Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Newport News, Williamsburg, and Richmond, and he is part of the management team of the Wells Fargo Center in downtown Norfolk. Matt is a Partner in the firm and serves on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee.

Professionally, Matt is a member of International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) and ICSC Next Generation. He is also a licensed Real Estate Agent in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Matt currently serves the community as a member or director on the following boards: American Red Cross, Bayville Golf Club, ODAF Next Generation, Children’s Hospital Foundation, Festevents, and Small Business Commission of Virginia. He previously served as an Advisory Board Member at Southern Bank and on the Board of Directors at Heritage Bank. Matt holds a Bachelor of Science in history from the University of Alabama.

The Robert Nusbaum Center on campus is a tribute to Matt’s great uncle, who was the visionary and driving force for the founding of the Center in 1996. Matt’s sister, Lindsay Nusbaum Davenport, is a member of the VWU Class of 2006, and his late father, Alan, was also a faithful supporter of Virginia Wesleyan. We are delighted to have Matt join our Board and continue the long and meaningful relationship the University has with the Nusbaum family.

ET CETERA

Dr. Deirdre Gonsalves-Jackson has been making the rounds in her new role as Dean of VWU Global Campus, spreading the good work of this rapidly growing program. She was a guest of the Alumni Council, President’s Council and soon the Parents Council, talking about LUJ/VWU Global (Japan), VWU Online (both credit and non-credit offerings), and our workforce development partnership at The Hive with the City of Virginia Beach.

She has provided a detailed overview of the new online Master of Education program debuting this summer via VWU Online. Learn more at www.vwu.edu/MEd.

AROUND TOWN AND ACROSS CAMPUS

Excelsis

The Spring 2021 Batten Honors College publication has been redesigned and renamed, Excelsis, which means “in the highest degree.” The publication is now available for viewing from the Batten Honors College News & Media page. You can also follow BHC news throughout the year on Facebook (BHC Group) and Instagram.

Women’s History Month Campus Activities This Week

Tomorrow (March 30) at 4:00 p.m., Dr. Kathleen Casey, Associate Professor of History at VWU, will present “Pickets, Protests, and Women’s Purses in the Long Civil Rights Movement” via Zoom. Dr. Casey's presentation is part of ongoing research for her second book, tentatively titled, The Things She Carried: Women and the Power of the Purse, under contract with Oxford University Press. Join here.

On Thursday (April 1) at 4:00 p.m., Tayhia McCoy Nyahuma, Ph.D., of Rowan University in Glassboro, New Jersey, will present "Being A Woman Ain't No Easy Thing, But It Sure Is Great!" Her presentation will highlight the international, national and local status of women economically, politically, and socially while also highlighting the contribution to the world community. Join here.

VWU Students Participate in NACCC Survey by LACRELA

Students should have received their unique invitation link to the National Assessment of Collegiate Campus Climates (NACCC) survey by now. I sincerely encourage every student to take the completely confidential survey to be an active participant in improving the racial climate on campus and the experiences of all students. Learn more about the survey here.

Updated VWU Social Media Policy

Social media presents both opportunity and responsibility for the Virginia Wesleyan University community. Recently the President’s Cabinet tasked a broad group of University faculty and staff to review and update our Social Media Policy. The updated document is meant to provide guidance and encourage caution for all of our VWU community members as you utilize social media both professionally and personally. Please familiarize yourself with the new policy here.

CONSTRUCTION UPDATES

VWU Readies for Construction of Brock Commons

Site testing and demolition has begun in preparation for the construction of Brock Commons off the west side of the Boyd Dining Center and the Jane P. Batten Student Center (facing Hofheimer Library). Construction is expected to begin in May and be completed in early 2022.

The Brock Commons addition is a part of a broader renovation and upgrade to both the Boyd Dining Center and the Jane P. Batten Student Center that began in 2019. The expansion will provide a beautiful new main entrance to both facilities from the campus quad (pictured) and additional dining space. The architect of this project is Michael Schnekser of Tymoff + Moss.

Brock Commons is the final phase of renovations and expansion to our University dining facilities outlined in the 2016 Campus Master Plan facilitated by Derck and Edson of Litiz, PA. View dining center schematics here.

Earlier phases to the dining services renovation and expansion included the refurbishment of Founders Foyer, the President's Dining Room, and the Board of Trustees Suite (Shafer Room). We also completed several projects in Batten Plaza, an area that was rebranded to help better identify the multiple corridors of the Jane P. Batten Student Center and Boyd Dining Center, that included the transformation of the Marlin Grille to the new and improved Harbor Grill and the opening of the Coastal Market convenience store. Renovation of the University Store to include Duplication and Postal Services was completed as apparel, books, printing and mail services are now included in a more efficient one-stop shop.

After that, the renovation of the former campus mail center was completed, providing new office space for Student Activities, Greek Life, Conference and Event Services, and Dining Services. The space formerly occupied by Student Activities and Greek Life was renovated to house Human Resources and Payroll Services.

These changes are part of a larger effort to increase efficiency, streamline services, and enhance the student experience at Virginia Wesleyan University.

New Barclay Sheaks Gallery Nearing Completion

The new, larger Barclay Sheaks Gallery being constructed adjacent to the Neil Britton Art Gallery in the Henry Clay Hofheimer II Library is nearing completion. The new gallery will provide increased space to display a larger number of Sheaks’ paintings, and the location will provide greater access to our students and friends as the library is open longer hours and more days per year than the gallery’s previous location.

David L. Kaufman Center for Enrollment

The David L. Kaufman Center for Enrollment is getting a makeover as we renovate the “front porch” of the Center in Godwin Hall.

The former Sheaks Gallery is now a newly renovated space to be used as the enrollment waiting area, thanks to private funding. The former waiting area will become the enrollment group visitation room, and the current conference/group visitation room will be converted to be the outreach center. The Welcome Desk area has been relocated to the new waiting area and the former space is being converted to a Work and Learn Program work area.

The Center is named after longtime Board member and friend David Kaufman, a Virginia Beach businessman. He served as Board Chair from 2016 to 2019.

DeFord Manor

After a week of site preparation, construction started last week on DeFord Manor. Work crews will begin laying the foundation for the privately funded facility, and construction is expected to be completed by the end of November or early December.

Named in honor of longtime Trustees and benefactors Bob and Nancy DeFord, the 7,700-square foot house is designed with extensive indoor and outdoor entertainment areas on the ground level and the president's private residence on the second floor. It will be located on the west side of Smith Drive across from the Susan S. Goode Fine and Performing Arts Center and will face north toward Wesleyan Drive.

VWU is the only four-year institution in Hampton Roads—and one of the only private colleges in Virginia—without an on-campus president's residence.

Michael Schnekser of Tymoff + Moss Architects of Norfolk serves as the principal architect. Mike Gaddy of Gaddy Engineering Services, LLC, is the site planner. Hoy Construction of Norfolk will serve as the general contractor. Chesapeake Bay Contractors, owned and operated by Bill Shelhorse '70, will complete the site work.