Dialogue: Nota Bene: Weekly Update

April 25, 2022

Good morning,

Scholars from the Batten Honors College of Virginia Wesleyan University have been selected to join an elite group nationwide to present at the Intentional Endowments Network’s Student Corporate Engagement Competition. The competition invites student teams to develop a pitch for an investment in a publicly traded company including a shareholder engagement strategy focused on addressing inequality and the climate crisis.

The 10 student teams from colleges and universities across the U.S. and Canada represent:

Arizona State University
Bard College
Central Washington University
New York University – Stern School of Business
Presidio Graduate School
Ryerson University
University of California Berkeley – Haas School of Business
University of Minnesota
Virginia Wesleyan University – Batten Honors College

Kudos to Travis Malone, Dean of the Batten Honors College, and the student team of Stephanie Hoke, Connor Merk, Benjamin Olson, Rowan Stuart, Kainant Trehan, Brooke Underwood, and Jessica Wilson, for their hard work and dedication as they join this impressive group of colleges and universities in competition. Marlins everywhere are invited to watch the competition on April 29 from 3:00-5:00 p.m.

VWU’s endowment has grown to $126 million this year with $83 million designated for the Batten Honors College. Utilizing IEN standards, the VWU endowment is entirely invested in an environmentally friendly way with Brown Advisory of Baltimore, Maryland.

I’m also proud to share that Virginia Wesleyan University is one of nine colleges and universities nationwide named as an awardee of the Acceleration Fund by Second Nature.

The awarded schools are:

Cal Poly Humboldt (Arcata, California)
California State University, Monterey Bay (Seaside, California)
California State University, Sacramento (Sacramento, California)
Chatham University (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
The University of Arizona (Tucson, Arizona)
The University of California, Los Angeles (Los Angeles, California)
University of Illinois, Chicago (Chicago, Illinois)
University of Mississippi (Oxford, Mississippi)
Virginia Wesleyan University (Virginia Beach, Virginia)

The Acceleration Fund is dedicated to supporting climate action activities driven by colleges and universities. The Fund supports projects that advance decarbonization and/or campus-community partnerships and resilience goals. Second Nature is especially excited to support projects that clearly articulate how the work relates to advancing principles of climate justice and equity.

The Acceleration Fund was first introduced at the 2020 Higher Education Climate Leadership Summit. Funding for this Third Round was made possible by an anonymous foundation.

My thanks to Elizabeth Malcolm, Director of Sustainability, for her leadership on this important topic.

The Academic Symposium (formerly known as Port Day) is a signature Virginia Wesleyan event that celebrates the academic achievement of students completing a variety of academic experiences, including research, internships, performance, and global engagement.

The Academic Symposium is a conference-style event held on campus. Students share their work with a professional oral, poster, or panel presentation. As part of the discussions following these presentations, students are encouraged to reflect upon their experiences and offer advice to other students who are preparing to undertake their own experiences.

Hosted by The Lighthouse: Center for Exploration and Discovery, the Academic Symposium will be held on Thursday, April 28 starting at 9:00 a.m. View the schedule and make plans to attend to support our student scholars.

ET CETERA

Last week I had the opportunity to moderate the Town Hall meeting for Congresswoman Elaine Luria (D-2). Rep. Luria has been a good friend and strong supporter of VWU and higher education during her two terms in Congress. Many will recall that she gave her first Commencement Address as a member of Congress to the Virginia Wesleyan Class of 2019.

As a part of her Town Hall, Rep. Luria included members of the Student Government Association Executive Board in a special meet-and-greet. Rep. Luria is pictured with Edward McDonald and Faith Osuji.

I was also delighted to join Rep. Luria at The Hive in Town Center of Virginia Beach at the end of last week to discuss VWU’s robust and well-received efforts in workforce development offered by VWU Global Campus in partnership with the City of Virginia Beach. We are pictured with Virginia Beach City Councilman Aaron Rouse.

The University will celebrate the retirements of faculty, staff, and friends in contract services in a campus-wide celebration on Thursday, May 5 at 3:30 p.m. in the Joan P. Brock Room of Brock Commons. The celebration will follow the traditional tree planting ceremony for retiring faculty members.

We are proud to celebrate:

Elaine Aird ’96, former Accounts Payable Bookkeeper
Bernice Bledsoe, Housekeeper
Bill Brown, Director of Counseling Services
Bill Gibson, Ph.D., Professor of Political Science
Brian O’Neil, VWU/Norfolk Botanical Garden Director of Living Landscapes
Wayne Pollock, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Sport and Recreation Professions
Shelia Rouson, Housekeeper
Vivian Teter, Lambuth M. Clarke Professor of English
Deborah Ware, Housekeeper

I hope all faculty and staff members have marked their calendars and made plans to join in our celebration for these long-serving and dedicated Marlins.

AROUND TOWN AND ACROSS CAMPUS

Celebration of Life for Nyah Liz Washington

Nyah Liz’s family welcomes members of the Marlin community to celebrate her life on Saturday, April 30 at Nehemiah 6:3 Faith Builders Ministry, located at 2051 Jefferson Road, Lincoln, Delaware 19960. Visitation will take place from 9:00-11:00 a.m. Nyah Liz’s service will immediately follow.

The Trails at Wesleyan Woods

Since taking up occupancy in DeFord Manor, I’ve developed a greater appreciation for the natural beauty and resources of our spacious, park-like campus. Since the University’s founding, Virginia Wesleyan has enjoyed a rich heritage of abundant biodiversity and natural resources. Located on a picturesque 300-acre campus bordered on the west by Lake Taylor, the University has ponds and mature forests which can be enjoyed by walking, hiking, jogging, or biking through our extensive trail system. As the semester closes and finals are upon us, I invite you to take a mental break and enjoy these campus treasures.

Mark Your Calendar for Spring Honors Convocation

Our traditional Spring Honors Convocation returns this week for the first time in-person since 2019. We look forward to celebrating our outstanding students on Friday, April 29 at 3:30 p.m. in TowneBank Arena of the Jane P. Batten Student Center.

2022 Day of Giving

The 2022 Day of Giving was an incredible success. Thank you to all the alumni, parents, faculty, staff, students, and friends who participated. Once again, I would like to offer my sincere gratitude to our dedicated Trustees Tim Bailey ‘83, Gary Bonnewell ‘79, H’16, Taylor Franklin ‘04, Mavis McKenley ‘11, Eric Nyman ‘94, Jon Pruden, and Michael Rawls ‘91 for generously providing meaningful matching gifts and incentives for giving. I look forward to sharing the day’s fundraising total soon.

The Bobbies Celebrate Student Leaders

Congratulations to the recipients of the 2022 student leadership awards presented last week at The Bobbies. This is always a memorable event for the entire campus community. My thanks to Sarah Guzzo, Director of Student Activities, and her team for organizing this event. View the photo gallery.

Dinner with SGA Executive Board

I was happy to host a dinner with members of the Student Government Association Executive Board at DeFord Manor last week along with Dr. Keith Moore, Vice President for Campus Life and Operational Management, and Jason Seward, Associate Vice President for Campus Life and Operational Management. Pictured from left: Hollyn Pleasants, Faith Osuji, Edward McDonald, and Jack Palmer.

Updates from Campus757

Last month Campus757 launched its full website. Feel free to check it out! This week, the organization will welcome its new director, Jaedda Hall (pictured). We thank former director Maegan Barnes for her energy and support to get this initiative off the ground.

The Summer757 internship enrichment program needs more students to participate. The program aims to boost students’ summer internships with opportunities to further develop workplace skills, create community ties and experience the depths of Hampton Roads’ culture. VWU students who plan to stay in Coastal Virginia for an internship this summer are welcome to apply by May 10.

A New Vice President for NCAA Division III

After a comprehensive national search, Norfolk-native Louise McCleary has been named the vice president of NCAA Division III athletics. Learn more.

President to President: Student Success Strategies

The tenth and final chapter of the 2021-2022 President to President thought leadership series is available online today. In “The Post-Pandemic Student Success Imperative,” Elmhurst University President Troy D. VanAken, Ph.D., describes strategies for ensuring student success at every step of the academic journey, from recruitment to graduation. He explains the importance of selecting students who will thrive within the campus culture, helping students find a sense of belonging, providing resources that support retention, and more.

As we wrap up this year's President to President series, titled “The Vitality and Power of Higher Education,” we will be publishing all 10 chapters in a comprehensive volume online. Look for the link to download the complete 2021-2022 series in this newsletter in the coming weeks.

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