Dialogue: Nota Bene: Weekly Update

May 16, 2022

Good morning,

I am pleased to share our newest class in 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. It is one of just 147 honors colleges in the United States.

The first cohort graduated last 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). Saturday's graduating class had a 3.7 GPA and 100 percent retention rate.

Our newest class of scholars boast a collective high school grade point average of 4.01 (on a 4.0 scale) and an average SAT score of 1335. Students hail from 11 states (California, Delaware, Maryland, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Utah, Virginia, and Wisconsin) as well as Germany and Sweden.

Congratulations to the following new Marlins:

Emma Adams - Winterville, NC

Gavin Ashe - Fort Mill, SC

Breanne Bessette - West Valley City, UT

Anna Collins - Menlo Park, CA

Alen Curovic - Gothenburg, Sweden

Em Dajc - Alexandria, VA

Kaza Dayton - Seaford, DE

Ashton Dodrill - Virginia Beach, VA

Victoria Dunham-Quigley - Midlothian, VA

Aidan Foley - Northport, NY

Noah Fowler - Yorktown, VA

Alec Gordon - Annapolis, MD

Jasmine Gorney - Moyock, NC

Anna Greenleaf - Yorktown, VA

Kaylee Grimstead - Virginia Beach, VA

Isabella Grosswiler - Summerville, SC

Victoria Haneline - Reston, VA

Liese Hazelwood - Virginia Beach, VA

Jake Hofstetter - Dalton, OH

Dhamisaa Holsclaw - Manassas, VA

Salena Jones - Goose Creek, SC

Jonas Jutz - Wuppertal, Germany

Elena Lichtenwalner - Harrisburg, PA

Tyler Noll - Mechanicsburg, PA

Josh Pepper - Zuni, VA

John Post - Windsor, VA

Sarah Prosser - Clayton, NC

Sydney Queen - Bel Air, MD

Joy Ramsey - Culpeper, VA

Lily Reslink - Erie, PA

Sarah Richards - South Chesterfield, VA

Haley Sadler - Sherwood, MD

Megan Setlak - Cary, NC

Leif Simons - Mukwonago, WI

EB Smeltzer - Roanoke, VA

Tyler Stanczyk - Chesapeake, VA

Andrew Steiner - Suffolk, VA

Ryleigh Taylor - Hubert, NC

Abby Villacrusis - Rockingham, VA

Sydnee Washington - Bowie, MD

Hannah Wright - Lynchburg, VA

We will officially welcome the newest Batten Honors College class with the traditional Matriculation Ceremony on August 19 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 an extension 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 over 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.

Congratulations to the Class of 2022! We were so pleased to be able to celebrate you on Saturday, and we wish you the very best as you pursue your personal and professional goals.

A special thanks to our Commencement speaker, Chief Justice S. Bernard Goodwyn, for his inspiring address. Chief Justice Goodwyn, outgoing VWU Chair of the Board of Trustees John Malbon, and outgoing Vice Chair of the VWU Board of Trustees Susan S. Goode, also received the highest distinction bestowed by the University. Goodwyn received the Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, and Malbon and Goode the Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa.

Our faculty award winners include Dr. Deirdre Gonsalves-Jackson (Samuel Nelson Gray Distinguished Teaching Award), Dr. Kathy Stolley (Birdsong Community Engagement Award), and Dr. Bill Gibson (United Methodist Church General Board of Higher Education and Ministry Exemplary Teacher of the Year Award).

During our Baccalaureate program, which was held on Friday evening, we honored our guest speaker, Rev. Beth Givens, Pastor of Haygood United Methodist Church, with The Wesley Award. We also presented the President’s Leadership Award to class speaker Erin Highsmith ‘22.

Earlier on Friday, graduating scholars in the Batten Honors College were given medallions to wear during the Commencement ceremony that indicated their completion of this distinctive program.

I would also like to recognize Dakota Felkins-Beach, Class of 2022, who was celebrated during an Army commissioning ceremony on Saturday following graduation. Dakota has been an outstanding member and leader in our ROTC Marlin Company, and we wish him the very best as he continues in his military career.

Congratulations to all, especially to the resilient Class of 2022. We will miss you and hope you keep in touch. Read more about the Commencement ceremonies and view the photo gallery from all of our Commencement Weekend events.

The Virginia Wesleyan University Board of Trustees held their Spring Meeting Wednesday in the Shafer Room (Board of Trustees Suite) in the Boyd Dining Center of Brock Commons.

Among the actions:

Approved actions of Board Committees, February to May, 2022.
Approved the 2022 List of Graduates
Approved tuition and fees for the 2022-23 Fiscal Year
Approved the FY 2022-23 Budget
Accepted the Endowment Report of Brown Advisory and approved modifications to the Endowment Policy Statement.
Affirmed Officers of the Board, Officers of the University, ex-officio representatives, financial authorizations (for the period beginning July 1, 2022)
Affirmed signature policies
Virginia Wesleyan University Mission Statement
Virginia Wesleyan University Environmental Guiding Principles
The Wesleyan Creed
Virginia Wesleyan University Quality Service Pledge
Virginia Wesleyan University Athletics Mission Statement
Approved Policy Documents (for the period beginning July 1, 2022):
Virginia Wesleyan University Faculty Handbook, 2022-23
Virginia Wesleyan University Policy and Procedure Manual, 2022-23
Virginia Wesleyan University Academic Catalog, 2022-23
Virginia Wesleyan University Online Degree and Graduate Catalog, 2022-23
Virginia Wesleyan University Student Handbook, 2022-23
VWU Student-Athlete Handbook, 2022-23
VWU Athletic Department Policy and Procedure Handbook, 2022-23
Approved Faculty Emeritus/a Status (June 30, 2022 retirements):
William “Bill” Gibson, Ph.D., Professor of Political Science
Wayne Pollock, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Sport and Recreation Professions
Vivian Teter, M.F.A, Lambuth M. Clarke Professor of English
Accepted detailed written reports from Colleges, Schools and Departments of the University.
Approved resolutions recognizing: Virginia Wesleyan University women’s soccer for winning the 2021 Old Dominion Athletic Conference Championship and advancing to the NCAA Tournament (March 2022); Virginia Wesleyan University student-athlete Geni Roberts for his NCAA national runner-up finish in the men’s long jump at the 2022 NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships (May 2022) (pictured top); and the Virginia Wesleyan University Batten Honors College student team of Edward McDonald, Connor Merk, Rowan Stuart, Kai Trehan, and Jessica Wilson for winning the 2022 Intentional Endowments Network “Student Corporate Engagement Competition” (May 2022) (pictured bottom)

ET CETERA

The long-awaited dedication of DeFord Manor occurred Wednesday evening. Delayed by the pandemic, we also dedicated the William Shelhorse Ponds and Lawn and David R. Black Japanese Garden. The evening included a reception and ribbon cutting at the home, followed by dinner and a special presentation in the Henry and Eleanor Watts Grand Lobby and Gallery of the Susan S. Goode Fine and Performing Arts Center.

Constructed in 2021, DeFord Manor is a 14-room, five bath, 7,771-square-foot home in federal-style architectural design. It features extensive indoor and outdoor entertainment areas on the ground level and the president's private residence on the second floor. It is located on the west side of Smith Drive across from the Goode Fine and Performing Arts Center and faces north toward Wesleyan Drive.

In keeping with the University's environmental sustainability initiatives, approximately 460 trees, shrubs and plants fill the landscape surrounding DeFord Manor. Nearly a mile of underground stormwater chambers and a bio pond are also a part of the project. DeFord Manor circle and driveway are also "green," helping to control runoff, prevent flooding and replenish groundwater.

We remain grateful to Bob and Nancy DeFord for their steadfast support of this project. Read more about the dedication event and view the photo gallery.

AROUND TOWN AND ACROSS CAMPUS

VWU Hosts SCHEV On Campus

Today and tomorrow we host the Spring Meeting of the State Council for Higher Education in Virginia (SCHEV). The Council meets with the 31-member Private College Advisory Board (PCAB) during their time on campus. This is a wonderful opportunity for us to show off our beautiful campus and the people and programs that make VWU Coastal Virginia’s premier university of the liberal arts and sciences.

A Collaborative Dinner with VWU Partner Institutions

We hosted our friends President Beth Borgen from Lakeland University and President Debbie Sydow from Richard Bland College of William & Mary on Thursday at DeFord Manor. The presidents of the three institutions and Dr. David Black, Executive in Residence and Chancellor of VWU Global (Japan), discussed a wide variety of topics including the Dual Enrollment Consortium forming for high school students in Asia.

SGA Elects New Officers

Congratulations to the newly elected Student Government Association officers for the 2022-2023 academic year:

President - Edward McDonald (Chesapeake, VA)
Vice President - Joseph Mueller (Woodbridge, VA)
Treasurer - Hollyn Pleasants (Scottsville, VA)
Secretary - Jennaphur Nixon (Williamsburg, VA)
Events Coordinator - Elseanne Richardson-Garris (Hampton, VA)

Class of 2023

Senator - Breanna Wimbush (Virginia Beach, VA)
Senator - Jordan Gilliam (Newport News, VA)

Class of 2024

Senator - Ashleigh Lockard (Vienna, VA)
Senator - James Johnson (Centreville, VA)

Class of 2025

Senator - Comfort Tambaya (Bowie, MD)

Church Leaders Ponder the Future of the UMC

At the annual meeting of the Black Methodists for Church Renewal, church leaders tackled the tough questions facing the future of the United Methodist Church. This year’s meeting theme was "We Are Strong. We Are Relevant. We Are Here." Learn more.

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