Dialogue: Nota Bene: Weekly Update

February 20, 2023

Good morning,

In an earlier issue, I shared a variety of actions by the Board of Trustees at its Winter Meeting. Of particular note, the Board voted to freeze tuition for the sixth year in a row. While a number of institutions have announced freezes last year and this, VWU has been a trendsetter with its model of freezing tuition six years in a row.

This action has been made possible through a variety of initiatives. First, through private gift support, the University’s endowment grew from approximately $60 million in 2015 to $126 million in 2022. Second, the University now supplements existing work-study positions with a privately funded Work and Learn Program. Third, VWU has actively sought other sources of funding that help to contain costs and expand student opportunities.

VWU’s John A. Trinder Center for Advancement, located adjacent to the Birdsong Presidential Suite on the second floor of Godwin Hall, is the key area pursuing this goal. The Center for Advancement has grown revenues for endowment, work opportunities, and operations significantly over the last seven years. They have also masterfully shaped a solid philanthropic culture across all areas of the campus.

I am pleased to share some recent gifts of note that will continue to provide our students with an affordable and quality education in the liberal arts and sciences.

Sentara Healthcare and VWU are committed to educating students who are passionate about pursuing careers in healthcare. This is a high-need and high-growth area for career development. As such, Sentara Healthcare recently made a large gift to VWU for need-based scholarships for Virginia-resident students enrolled in a healthcare or healthcare-related program. We thank Sentara Healthcare for their support of VWU students in these rapidly-growing areas.

The estate of Professor Emeritus of Religious Studies Charles Kessler, and his wife Viola, recently established the Charles and Viola Kessler Endowed Scholarship, with scholarship preference given to deserving students pursuing full-time ministry careers. Charles passed away in 2022 and Viola in 2020. We are so grateful for their legacy gift to help current and future generations of Marlins.

Last week, we celebrated the VWU community members that participated in the Marlin Family Campaign for Faculty and Staff. This year’s campaign raised $30,000. We held a reception for these special Marlin family members to thank them for their generosity. (Pictured with Imani Myint, Director of Annual Giving and coordinator of the campaign.)

I am pleased that VWU continues to be a trendsetter in an important area. I invite all Marlins and friends to help us continue on this journey of affordability for our students by making a gift to any area of the University. Every gift counts, and every gift matters.

ET CETERA

As our Batten Honors College expands the national reputation of Virginia Wesleyan University, I am delighted to share some significant new initiatives.

First, we will host our inaugural Louis and Prudence Ryan Environmental Research Symposium for scholars in the Batten Honors College in late April. Under the mentorship of VWU faculty and community leaders, student scholarship presented in the Ryan Environmental Research Symposium will explore complex environmental challenges in a global context. A committee of Batten Professors and student representatives will select the best projects from the application pool to present their research at a poster session during the symposium. The top three students will be selected to present their work in a premiere public event that brings together scholars, mentors, and community leaders. One student presenting at the event will be awarded the Louis and Prudence Ryan Prize for Excellence in Research, which will include a cash prize. The symposium and prize have been endowed by the Ryans.

I’m also proud to share a modification in the operational model of the Batten Honors College that will benefit the student experience. Most Batten Honors College students enroll at VWU with a significant number of college credits already taken. Starting this year, with the consent and support of our donor, Batten Honors College students will be permitted to take advantage of VWU graduate-level classes as a part of their eight-semester scholarships. This means that Batten Honors College students may take as many as nine credit hours of graduate coursework from VWU before they graduate. Additionally, if these students finish their undergraduate experience here in less than eight semesters, they may apply their Batten Honors College scholarship toward graduate classes or a degree from one of our master’s programs. Because environment and leadership are two of the three Batten Honors College “pillar” areas, we expect the new Master of Environmental Studies and our Master of Business Administration (leadership concentration) will be particularly attractive to this group. A condition of this new graduate option is that Batten Honors College scholars will be required to work 15 hours per week in an academic support role for the undergraduate program, including academic coaches and tutors.

Finally, inspired by the success of the Batten Honors College team in the 2021 Intentional Endowments Network nationwide competition, the Brown Advisory Foundation initiated the Brown Advisory Student Investment Fund (BASIF) at VWU. BASIF is a student investment club/class of the Batten Honors College that focuses on analyzing stocks for investment purposes, presenting findings, and defending ideas. All investment recommendations will follow the University’s Environmental Guiding Principles and overall “environmentally friendly” investment policy of the VWU Board of Trustees. While the club/class is an initiative of the Batten Honors College, it is open to all eligible full-time students of the University. At the end of the Spring 2024 Semester, students will prepare a report to present to the vice president for finance, president, and the Endowment Committee of the Board of Trustees.

We’re thrilled for the continued growth and prosperity of the Batten Honors College. I thank Dr. Susan Larkin, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs; Dr. Travis Malone, Dean of the Batten Honors College; and Dr. David Black, VWU Executive-in-Residence, for their leadership in furthering the prestige of the Batten Honors College and Virginia Wesleyan University.

The Virginia Wesleyan University student choir, Camerata, will take the stage at Carnegie Hall on March 11 at 7:00 p.m. under the direction of Associate Professor of Music Bryson Mortensen. This will be the Virginia Wesleyan Choirs' third performance in Carnegie Hall since 2014.

The singers will spend five days and four nights in New York City in preparation for the concert. They will spend approximately 10 hours in rehearsal as well as time touring the city. The Carnegie Hall performance will include several Virginia Wesleyan alumni, and Batten Honors College scholar Nathan Richardson has been invited to play as part of the New England Symphonic Orchestra for this performance.

Additionally, a contingent of faculty, staff, and students will travel with Dr. Travis Malone, Dean of the Batten Honors College and Professor of Theatre, to hear the concert and then stay in New York City for additional educational experiences over spring break.

Tickets are on sale for the general public via Carnegie Hall. There will be an encore performance at the Susan S. Goode Fine and Performing Arts Center on Thursday, April 6, at 6:30 p.m. for those who cannot travel to New York for the show.

Break a leg, Marlins!

AROUND TOWN AND ACROSS CAMPUS

Honoring Black History Month

Our campus-wide celebration of Black History Month continues through March 1 with opportunities for engagement around town in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Portsmouth, and more.

Marlins Day Open House

Our Marlins Day Open House over the weekend was a huge success. Prospective Marlins explored campus, met VWU faculty and staff, and learned about academic offerings, scholarships, and the financial aid process. They also participated in special parent, freshman, and transfer break-out sessions as well as an Academic and Resource Fair in the Jane P. Batten Student Center. The next Marlins Day Open House will be on April 1.

Batten Honors College Competition Attracts Best and Brightest

We held the second of three competitions for the highly coveted spots in the next cohort of the Batten Honors College. From a field of over 30,000 initial inquiries, 40 students will be offered spots in the fall class. I thank (pictured from left) Brooke Novkovic, Director of Enrollment, Batten Honors College; Dr. Travis Malone, Dean of the Batten Honors College; Dr. Jill Sturts, Assistant Dean of the Batten Honors College; and Heather Campbell, Vice President for Enrollment, for leading these competitions.

Students at VWU Global (Japan) This Semester

It was great to hear from our first students to study for a full semester at our LUJ/VWU Global (Japan) campus in Tokyo. Students (from left) Isabelle Mckenzie and Rowan Stuart are enjoying their time in and out of the classroom while in Tokyo. They are pictured at a sumo wrestling tournament. My thanks to Mandy Reinig, Director of Global Engagement, for her support of these scholars and all Marlin scholars studying around the world this spring.

Great to Visit with Bill Pendleton ’73

We had a nice visit with Bill Pendleton ‘73 (pictured) and his wife Lendy at the men’s basketball game last week. Bill is an avid Marlins fan and currently teaches at Cape Fear Community College in Wilmington, North Carolina. Welcome back to campus, Bill!

Spring 2023 Arts Calendar

The spring 2023 calendar for the Arts at VWU is now available. Learn more about the upcoming special events and be sure to mark your calendar!

The Pharos: February 2023

The February 2023 edition of The Pharos is available now. We hope you enjoy learning more about our talented faculty and staff members who continue to make important contributions to their respective fields through publications, presentations, and more.

Ukraine, CODEPINK, Global Exchange, and a Life of Activism

While the United States continues to send billions of dollars worth of military weapons to Ukraine, talks of actual peace solutions remain elusive. Code Pink co-founder Medea Benjamin addresses why this is a mistake at a presentation of her controversial new book "War In Ukraine: Making Sense of a Senseless War," co-authored by Nicholas J. Davies, tonight in Blocker Hall Auditorium at 7:00 p.m., presented by the VWU Robert Nusbaum Center.

NACU Kicks Off Emerging Leaders Institute

Our membership in nationwide organizations like the New American Colleges and Universities (NACU) extends our commitment and ability to grow talented leaders within our faculty and staff. As such, Kelly Cordova, Chief of Staff, and Dr. Antje Schwennicke, Dean of the Birdsong School of Social Science and Associate Professor of Political Science, are participating in the second cohort of the NACU Emerging Leaders Institute. Learn more about the program here.

A Refreshing Spring Semester in Clarke Hall

Talent development and VWU students alike are enjoying our upgraded spaces in Clarke Hall thanks to a variety of grants. The Beazley Foundation Technology Center now fits the needs of the modern student while renovated large and small audience classrooms expand the University’s capacity for talent development training on campus for local residents who were displaced by the pandemic. The Finance and Investment Lab gives all learners the opportunity for real-world training and experience to develop much-needed life skills for financial decision-making in their personal or professional lives. (Pictured: The Beazley Foundation Technology Center and the large audience classroom)