Dialogue: August 2022

August 29, 2022

Good morning,

I hope you all had a great first week! I wish all students, faculty, and staff a great start to what I hope will be an enjoyable and productive semester.

Special welcome to our first-year students as they begin their journey as Marlins. I encourage our upperclassmen, as well as all faculty and staff, to help ensure that their experience is meaningful and successful. Please support and assist them in any way you can—today and every day. To our returning students, we hope that you are as glad to be back on campus as we are to have you!

ET CETERA

Dr. David Black, Chancellor of VWU Global (Japan) and Executive-in-Residence, spent two weeks recently at our LUJ/VWU Global campus in Tokyo. While there, he completed arrangements for a VWU course for all students at the campus this fall. The course will introduce VWU to 303 students through the lens of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It was developed by Dr. Maynard Schaus, Professor of Biology and Environmental Science, Director of Graduate Programs, Coordinator of Sustainability Management, and coincides with Sumida’s (our district location in Tokyo) yearlong activities celebrating its recognition by the Japanese Government for an outstanding commitment to the SDGs. Dr. Black laid the groundwork for VWU’s related courses to be offered as Dual Enrollment courses in the district’s high schools.

He also visited two possible residential sites for the BHC group scheduled to study there this year.

Enrollment continues flat at the campus because Japan’s borders are closed to several Asian countries, including China, which was by far the largest source of non-Japanese students prior to Covid.

Finally, Dr. Black and I have also begun conversations with the Methodist College of Kuala Lumpur about an academic partnership that could expand VWU’s global footprint. I look forward to a number of us working together on that project if it becomes more than a conversation.

All 35 students enrolled in the WesBridge Optima Health Scholars program completed the program on August 18, concluding the University's second year of the program. Wesbridge is a comprehensive summer program featuring academic and social resources as well as experiential learning opportunities for students transitioning from high school to college.

Thanks to a generous sponsorship from Optima Health, the program provided robust resources and funding to help students live and learn on campus in order to prepare for the upcoming academic year. In addition to thanking Optima Health, I would like to thank all campus offices and personnel who were involved in providing this opportunity for these burgeoning scholars. Special gratitude, also, to Crit Muniz for serving as the director and to Professor John Rudel and Dr. Loren Loving Marquez for teaching in the program.

I am proud to share that Virginia Wesleyan University is among just 40 institutions selected for Campus Pride's 2022 list of the Best of the Best Colleges and Universities for LGBTQ+ Students in the United States. In addition, VWU has been named the #1 College in Virginia for LGBTQ+ students in 2022 by BestColleges.com in partnership with Campus Pride. Read more in University Business.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) continues to be a guiding principle as we plan the future of our University and ensure that we are meeting the needs of the many different people we serve. While DEI is an area in which we expect to perpetually grow and improve over time, we're grateful to know that our existing efforts have already been considered noteworthy by organizations devoted to the issue.

As we get closer to the deadline, I continue to welcome your input regarding the following topic, if you haven’t already:

Dr. Sue Larkin is serving as Vice President for Academic Affairs for a term of December 31, 2021 until June 30, 2023. It is important to me to be participative in this process for staffing this important position beyond that date.

I am committed to making the choice that is best for VWU, and my decision will be guided by the University’s mission, values and environmental context. As I’ve said previously, I welcome input from the faculty and campus community.

Internal comments will be accepted until August 31. No group or anonymous messages will be considered. Messages with author attribution should be sent directly to my private email address. All responses will be received in a completely confidential manner.

I am appreciative of the strong response to this request.

AROUND TOWN AND ACROSS CAMPUS

New International Students Welcome

We hosted an energizing breakfast in DeFord Manor last Monday with our newest international students hailing from 12 different countries. Sophie Gburek (top left) is from Bietigheim-Bissingen, Germany, the same hometown as my assistant Anja Serby-Wilkens, with whom she is pictured. Hubert Parawa (bottom left) is from Szczecin, Poland, and transferred to Virginia Wesleyan from Edinboro University in Pennsylvania, near where I lived as a teenager. Interesting how different walks of life come together unexpectedly and happily.

New Faculty Dinner

Annie and I welcomed new faculty to Virginia Wesleyan University last week with a reception and dinner at DeFord Manor. Pictured right, from back, Kristen Fedesco (Sport and Recreation Professions), Annika Quick (Earth and Environmental Studies), and James Moskowitz (Political Science). Susan Larkin, Vice President for Academic Affairs, is pictured left.

Chesapeake Bay Foundation

We welcomed to campus last week Hilary Harp Falk, new President and CEO of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. VWU and CBF have been good friends and partners for a number of years. We toured facilities and talked about our outstanding partnership over lunch at DeFord Manor. Pictured, left, from back: Hilary, Elizabeth Malcolm, VWU Director of Sustainability, and Christy Everett, Hampton Roads Director of CBF. With me on the right side: Travis Malone, Dean of the Batten Honors College, and Sue Larkin, Vice President for Academic Affairs. Learn more about CBF here.

Graduates Gather at DeFord Manor

Great to visit with alumni last week at DeFord Manor. Pictured left, Alisa Crider '10, Alumni Council Chair, and Lori Harris '94, Associate Vice President for Advancement and Executive Director of Alumni Relations. Top right: Kim and Chris Taylor '06, candidate for City Council in the 8th District of Virginia Beach. Bottom right: VWU alum Jesse Fanshaw '72, a loyal friend and supporter of the University for many years.

Career Development Resources and Information

Our new director of career development, Alice Jones, has hit the ground running in assisting students with discovering their academic and professional pathways and creating plans to achieve their goals. Alice recently shared a newsletter with our community containing career tools, upcoming events and resources to support faculty, staff, students and alumni. Read it here.

Too Many Ties!

Through the years, a number of you have asked me about my tie collection — which recently grew to 451. To assist with the development of our professional clothes closet in The Lighthouse, I’ve reduced my collection by 140. The clothes closet provides VWU students access to free professional attire that is appropriate for networking events, career fairs, interviews, and the workplace. Inventory includes suits, blazers, skirts, blouses, shirts and ties, as well as other accessories. The goal is to help students look their best throughout their job search so they can make a positive impression as they enter the professional world.

VWU Math Lounge Featured in Mathematical Association of America Magazine

VWU's Math Lounge is featured in the August/September edition of the Mathematical Association of America's magazine, MAA Focus. This thriving community space in Eggleston Commons provides students with academic and social support and builds relationships among faculty and students. Drop by Eggleston Commons to work a calculus problem or sketch Putnam-problem solutions.

Campus757 August Newsletter

I’m pleased to share Campus 757’s latest newsletter here. This edition highlights the organization's Summer757 initiative, a 10-week curriculum helping interns grow professionally while experiencing all that this region has to offer. Fifty-one students from area colleges—including Virginia Wesleyan—attended select professional development and networking events designed to highlight the region's unique culture, community, and careers.

University Business Feature

A recent University Business article highlighted the challenges facing college presidents these days. It included an overview of the most experienced university presidents, with a list featuring the longest serving presidents and chancellors. I chuckled to learn that I am currently fourth among longest-serving active presidents and seventh among chancellors and presidents. As I reflect back on the last 32 years, I am grateful to have served four uniquely different institutions. I have enjoyed every minute in higher education and look forward to many more years to come.

TowneBank to Acquire Farmers Bank

Congratulations to VWU Trustee Bob Aston, Executive Chairman of TowneBank, on the acquisition of Windsor-headquartered Farmers Bankshares Inc., the parent company of Farmers Bank. The deal is expected to close early next year. Read more here.

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