Dialogue: Nota Bene: Weekly Update

July 12, 2021

Good morning,

I am pleased to welcome the fifth class to our highly selective Batten Honors College. Founded in 2016, with the first class enrolled in fall 2017, the Batten Honors College quickly emerged as a national niche program of Virginia Wesleyan University.

The first cohort graduated this spring. The program boasts of a 93 percent retention rate and 88 percent VWU graduation rate. The first graduating class had a cumulative college GPA of 3.6 (on a 4.0 scale).

Our newest class of scholars boast a collective high school grade point average of 4.16 (on a 4.0 scale) and an average SAT score of 1353. Students hail from all over the country—Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, and Wyoming.

Congratulations to the following new Marlins:

Erin Andrews - Raleigh, NC

Katelyn Baker - Nokesville, VA

Casey Bennett - Williamsburg, VA

Sarah Blackburn - Fredericksburg, VA

Lucas Bukowski - Brick, NJ

Kirkland Butler - Norfolk, VA

Kyleigh Castengera - Jacksonville, FL

Sainandan Challagundla - New Port Richey, FL

Kaitlyn Duswalt - Leonardtown, MD

Jenna Elswick - Chesapeake, VA

Isabelle Gaudet - Lynbrook, NY

Amalia Houff - Honolulu, HI

Kimberly Koscinski - Point Pleasant, NJ

Emma Lankford - Pocomoke, MD

Christopher Lopez - Sparks, MD

Jalen Major - Virginia Beach, VA

James McArthur - Somerset, KY

Marco Molino - Alexandria, VA

Emily Moody - Milton, DE

Josiah Palma - Chesapeake, VA

Christian Palmisano - Califon, NJ

Audrey Roberts - Casper, WY

Landon Rockwell - Georgetown, DE

Stephen Schneider - Wappingers Falls, NY

Samantha Silvia - Virginia Beach, VA

Harrison Smith - Alexandria, VA

Gabriella Snowman - Anacortes, WA

Joshua Spicer - Pipersville, PA

Alyssa Stepp - Windsor, VA

Adam Sterling - Upper Marlboro, MD

Ronaldinio Stickley - West Point, VA

Rowan Stuart - Nissequoge, NY

Sara Traver - Purcellville, VA

Jessica Warden - Virginia Beach, VA

Jenna Waters - Herndon, VA

Evelyn Weaver - Lancaster, PA

Emma Wehr - Virginia Beach, VA

Jessica Wilson - Trenton, NJ

Zuri Wilson - Virginia Beach, VA

Lauren Wynn - Bel Air, MD

Madelyn Yale - Egg Harbor Township, NJ

Kayla Yokom - Sherman, NY

We will officially welcome the newest Batten Honors College class with the traditional Matriculation Ceremony on August 20 at 4 p.m. A pinning ceremony in recognition of their completion of orientation and formal induction into the program will be held on September 9 as a part of our Founders Day celebration.

The Batten Honors College is gratefully named for Virginia Wesleyan Trustee Emerita Jane P. Batten and her late husband, Frank Batten, Sr. For nearly 40 years, Mrs. Batten has been a force for change, improvement, and empowerment, and she believes deeply that students of the highest academic ability will flourish through this innovative program. We are endlessly grateful for her passion for knowledge and her enduring support.

Additionally, the Summer 2021 edition of the Batten Honors College publication Excelsis is now available online. I hope you enjoy learning more about this program, which has become a national niche for Virginia Wesleyan University.

ET CETERA

On June 28, we celebrated the 318th birthday of John Wesley, the founder of the United Methodist Church. Wesley’s legacy lives on through the Church, his many writings and sermons, and the affiliated colleges and universities inspired by his message of hope, tolerance, and mutual understanding. In honor of his birthday, check out some Wesley-inspired fun facts here.

Our namesake is pictured right on Gamble Plaza at the Monumental Chapel and Beazley Recital Hall on campus.

This week we welcomed our new chaplain, Rev. Kotosha Griffin, and an enlivened partnership between Heritage United Methodist Church and Marlin Ministries at Virginia Wesleyan University.

Located on the east side of campus, HUMC holds prayer time in the Narthex each Sunday at 8:45 a.m., Sunday School at 9 a.m., and Worship Service at 10 a.m.

I encourage you to watch my Nota Bene and the weekly Off The Hook student activities calendar for services and events provided through this new relationship.

AROUND TOWN AND ACROSS CAMPUS

Administrative/Staff Holiday Calendar

I share with our campus community a link to the administrative/staff holiday calendar for the 2021-2022 academic year.

Campus Construction Update

I am pleased to provide updates on our a variety of campus construction projects:

Brock Commons (top right) construction has been slowed by approvals but demolition of the front area at the Boyd Dining Center began this week.
DeFord Manor (upper middle right) is on schedule for November completion. Masons are nearing completion on the external brickwork while plumbers, electricians and heating and cooling contractors have been working inside.
The Clarke Hall (middle right) renovation began this week with completion scheduled for mid-September.
The Kiln Shop in Susan T. Beverly Hall (lower middle right) is nearing completion with the placement of the re-constructed kiln. Renovation of Beverly Hall has enabled a new steel structure for the kiln off the east side of the building.
New offices for music faculty have been added to the Susan S. Goode Fine and Performing Arts Center. Located off the west side corridor of the Center, Bryson Mortensen, Associate Professor of Music and Chair of Fine and Performing Arts, and Jason Squinobal, Associate Professor of Music, will relocate to the Center. With the relocation of Travis Malone, Professor of Theatre and the new Dean of the Batten Honors College, to the Batten Honors College suite in Blocker Hall, Sally Shedd, Professor of Theatre, has moved to the theatre faculty suite in the Goode Center.
Renovation started this week on the women’s soccer and lacrosse locker room in the Trinder Center. In addition to more modern amenities, the renovation will provide additional space for both programs.
Upgrades to the Malbon Center for Technology are nearing completion (bottom right). The relocation of the enrollment/advancement outreach office to the Kaufman Center for Enrollment has enabled additional office and conference room space for the Malbon Center staff.

Judge Bray Retires as President and CEO of The Beazley Foundation

I offer my heartfelt thanks and appreciation to Judge Richard Bray, who is stepping down as President and CEO of The Beazley Foundation after nearly two decades of service. The Beazley Foundation has been a steadfast and generous supporter of Virginia Wesleyan throughout the years, funding campus initiatives like Monumental Chapel and Beazley Recital Hall and The Beazley Foundation Technology Center, which houses the computer lab and Help Desk in Clarke Hall. The foundation was also a major contributor to the construction of Godwin Hall. That support is recognized by the naming of the Beazley Foundation Foyer at the entrance to the building.

Judge Bray will be succeeded by Chesapeake City Council Member Steve Best. He will continue at The Beazley Foundation as Chair of the Board. Read more in The Daily Press.

VWU Named a “College of Distinction” Once Again

VWU has been named among the nation's "Colleges of Distinction," a national guide that highlights innovative learning opportunities at top schools. To be named a College of Distinction, schools must demonstrate results across the Four Distinctions: Engaged Students, Great Teaching, Vibrant Community and Successful Outcomes. High school counselors and educators make nominations, and each school is evaluated on key indicators, including student engagement, student empowerment and curricular innovation.

As Virginia Wesleyan plans for a new year of outstanding teaching and renewed opportunities in experiential learning and community engagement, these publications provide important external recognition and validation of our hard work throughout the entire year. This is exciting news as we welcome our incoming and returning students in the coming weeks.

Shelhorse Team Earns Top Honors at the Down the Bay Race

Kudos to VWU Trustee Emeritus Bill Shelhorse ‘70 on capturing line honors during the 71st Down the Bay Race for the Virginia Cruising Cup. Bill is a veteran in this race, but won line honors for the first time this year. Congratulations, Bill!

Going Places and Seeing Faces

As Coastal Virginia reopens from the pandemic, I had the opportunity to attend a number of meetings and social events hosted by prominent local organizations. First, I attended the Hampton Roads Alliance Investor Reunion. Kudos to Doug Smith and Alisa Crider ’10 for their part in hosting such a great event. Then the Greater Norfolk Corporation Executive Committee met with featured presentations from ipConfigure, the ODU Institute for Coastal Adaptation and Resilience, and the Norfolk Department of Economic Development regarding Military Circle Mall. Next, I was visited by Dr. Charles Stuppard, District Director for Congresswoman Elaine Luria. Later, I had the opportunity to visit with Hunter Walsh, a 2020 graduate of our M.B.A. program, at 757 Startup Studios. During the visit, Hunter provided a tour of the Assembly Norfolk facility. Finally, I attended an informative Virginia Beach Division Board meeting of the Hampton Roads Chamber. The meeting featured Brian Solis (pictured), Special Projects Manager for the City of Virginia Beach, who updated the Board on a new approach to managing the Virginia Beach Resort Area.

STAY CURRENT ON VWU NEWS AND FEATURES

Virginia Wesleyan University Magazine

The Pharos

REFLECTIONS

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

University Business