Dialogue: Nota Bene: Weekly Update

September 4, 2023

Good morning,

We hope you are making plans to join us live or online for our Founders Day celebration on Thursday at 11:00 a.m. in the Susan S. Goode Fine and Performing Arts Center. During this year's ceremony, Leighton Clarke Krips, daughter of former president Lambuth M. Clarke, will serve as the keynote speaker. We will also honor four exemplary alumni with awards bestowed by the VWU Alumni Council. We look forward to seeing you there!

Virginia Wesleyan University is proud to host the Intentional Endowments Network Fall Forum on October 25, an interactive half-day event in Virginia Beach. This Forum is a valuable platform for peer-learning and collaboration among endowments, focusing on sustainable investment strategies that enhance returns and societal impact. Register now for the 2024 Higher Education Climate Leadership Summit to deepen these important discussions.

IEN's partnership with the BlueMark team and Advisory Committee has led to the creation of the Endowment Impact Benchmark, reshaping investments to align with our values. Interested institutions can join the fall pilot program to contribute to refining this groundbreaking benchmarking effort.

The 2023 Fall Forum's agenda includes vital topics like consensus-building in investment policies, racial equity in portfolios, and safeguarding investment autonomy. This event offers ample opportunities for dialogue, networking, and collaborative action planning.

ET CETERA

The 2023-2024 edition of President to President, a groundbreaking higher education thought leadership series featuring insights from college and university presidents, begins now! This year’s series, titled “Sustainable Futures for Higher Education,” will examine the many facets of sustainability as well as its importance to students and its impacts on campuses. In a new chapter published online each month, esteemed college and university presidents will share how they’re proactively pursuing responsible business practices and sustainability strategies that meet students’ needs and create lasting impacts on both the local and global levels.

Leading in a Digital World - Keith E. Whitfield, Ph.D., President, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
A New Approach to Climate Action Planning: Reimagining Campus Sustainability in a Post-COVID Environment - Isiaah Crawford, Ph.D., President, University of Puget Sound
Making the "Case" for Sustainability - Robert L. (Bob) Jackson, Ed.D., President, Murray State University
Questions on the Path to a Sustainable Future - Frank Shushok Jr., Ph.D., President, Roanoke College
Reducing Energy Consumption as Step One to Building a Sustainability Movement - Alisa White, Ph.D., President, Sam Houston State University
Applying Sustainability to Presidential Leadership - Andrea Chapdelaine, Ph.D., President, Hood College
Talent Management as a Tool for Institutional Sustainability - Sandra S. Harper, Ph.D., President, McMurry University
Strategies for Creating a Business Plan for a Sustainable Future - Stanton F. McNeely III, Ed.D., President, University of Holy Cross (Louisiana)
Seeing All People More Clearly - Ronald S. Rochon, Ph.D., President, University of Southern Indiana
Sustainable Strategic Planning in Times of Turbulence - Christopher L. Holoman, Ph.D., President, Centenary College of Louisiana

Catch the series’ foreword, written by Sean Creighton, Ph.D., president of the New American Colleges & Universities and Washington Internship Institute, to learn more about what to expect in this year’s series.

President to President is celebrating its 20th year of publication. For 19 years, I served as Executive Editor of the series’ various forms alongside Marylouise Fennell, Ed.D., beloved colleague and friend. After Dr. Fennell’s passing in October 2022, my team and I are continuing the series in her honor. This year, we welcome two new Assistant Editors: Katelyn M. Sanders, Pharm. D., and Kelly R. Cordova, M.B.A. Sodexo, world leader in food and facilities management services, will once again provide publishing support for the series this year but will exert no editorial influence.

We hope you will enjoy delving into these important topics with us and perhaps gaining a new perspective. President to President aims to provide valuable insights that you can apply to your own campus as you work through the unique and ongoing challenges of modern higher education.

As my tenure as Chair of Virginia Private Colleges concludes, I'm delighted to share that Virginia Wesleyan University will host the annual meeting of Virginia Private Colleges (VPC) on September 19-20. This event will unite presidents from the 28 accredited nonprofit independent colleges across the state, promoting collaboration on crucial educational matters. Governor Glenn Youngkin will also join us for a portion of the meeting.

The VPC, also known as the Council of Independent Colleges in Virginia (CICV), established in 1971, operates as a nonprofit organization representing accredited institutions. VPC leads negotiations each year with the Commonwealth on The Virginia Tuition Assistance Grant (VTAG), which provides $5,000 grants to over 20,000 Virginia students attending nonprofit private colleges in the state – a total appropriation of over $90 million.

I'm especially proud of the appointment of Chris Peace as President during my time as chair. A graduate of two VPC institutions, Chris brings fresh perspective and energy to our membership.

We look forward to hosting this important meeting and showcasing VWU.

AROUND TOWN AND ACROSS CAMPUS

Virginia Women’s Conference: Harness Your Power!

U.S. Senator Mark Warner is delighted to invite the women of Virginia Wesleyan to the Virginia Women’s Conference on Saturday, September 30, in Norfolk. The Virginia Women’s Conference is dedicated to providing a venue for Virginia women of all ages to meet, network, hear from experts on a variety of important topics, and gather resources from federal, state, and local agencies. This year’s conference features keynote speaker Captain Janet Days, Commanding Officer of Naval Station Norfolk, remarks from Senator Warner, a variety of informative and engaging workshops to choose from, a Resource Fair featuring federal agencies, nonprofits, and other organizations, and plenty of time to network with newly made friends. This event is free to all participants, but registration is required as space is limited.

TASTE Celebrates 50 years in Coastal Virginia and Beyond

Congratulations to VWU Board Chair Jon Pruden, CEO of the TASTE Family of Businesses, as TASTE celebrates 50 years of culinary excellence in Coastal Virginia and beyond. Learn more.

VBED Tours Clarke Hall

It was wonderful to welcome new Acting Director of Virginia Beach Economic Development Chuck Rigney and Business Development Coordinator Ihsane Mouak to the talent development center in Clarke Hall, a program in collaboration with the City of Virginia Beach. While touring, Ihsane and Chuck saw The HIVE’s student intern Acasia White ‘23 working in The Learning Center (pictured top). We then enjoyed lunch at DeFord Manor (pictured bottom).

Volunteer Hampton Roads Back for a Visit

It was a great meeting and lunch with Stephanie Gorham, CEO of Volunteer Hampton Roads (VHR), and Phil Damuth, Vice President of Damuth Trane and Chair of the VHR Board, at DeFord Manor with VWU Senior Vice President Keith Moore and Director of Civic Engagement and Service Learning Bethany Tsiaras. VHR was previously headquartered at Virginia Wesleyan, so it was great to see our friends return to campus for this collaborative meeting.

Wesleyan Wednesday: Alumni Charity Challenge in Richmond

Virginia Wesleyan alumni and friends are invited to join the university at the Alumni Charity Challenge event at Richmond Kickers Stadium on Wednesday, September 13, from 5-8pm. The Alumni Charity Challenge joins alumni groups from over 40 institutions to compete in a canned food drive in support of Feed More. The Challenge’s 2023 goal is to raise 200,000 pounds of food, which will take this event to the 1 million pound mark since its inception. Join us at the stadium and bring canned food for a drink on us!

Norfolk Botanical Garden 15th Annual Heritage Celebration

Our partners at Norfolk Botanical Garden (NBG) will celebrate their 15th Annual Heritage Celebration on Sunday, September 17 at 2:00 p.m. to honor the 220 African-American women and men who originally planted the Norfolk Botanical Garden. The ceremony is free, and admission to the Garden will be free from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

I would also like to remind our students of the NBG’s President’s Council on Inclusion and Diversity Scholarship for educational pursuits of underrepresented minority students in green industries or related fields. More information and the scholarship application form can be found here. We would love to see many Marlins take advantage of this scholarship opportunity.

Welcome Back Open House

Annie and I were delighted to host a Welcome Back Open House at DeFord Manor for faculty and staff. We had a wonderful time sampling food and drinks from around the world as a kickoff to this fall semester. Our special thanks to Tim Lockett, Heather Beatty, Angie Johnston, and the entire Sodexo team for creating an evening to remember!

A Farewell to David Peterson

We had a nice send-off for our Director of Facilities Management David Peterson, who left Virginia Wesleyan last month to be closer to family while working at Georgia Tech. We thank David for his positive impact on our living, learning, and working spaces throughout campus.

Regionalization plan heads to General Conference

United Methodist News reports that a key United Methodist leadership body has given unanimous approval to submitting a proposal for worldwide regionalization to the denomination’s top lawmaking assembly. The legislative package aims to give Africa, Europe, the Philippines, and the U.S. equal standing in church decision-making. Read more.

Make Plans to Come Home: October 6-7

Our Homecoming and Family Weekend celebration will take place on campus on October 6 and 7. Make your plans to join us for collegiate and alumni games, our annual picnic, and much more!

Ways to Give at VWU

There is a plethora of ways to show your love for Virginia Wesleyan through philanthropic gifts.

The Lambuth and Alice Clarke Heritage Society stands as a tribute to the visionary leadership and generosity of Lambuth and Alice Clarke, second President and First Lady of Virginia Wesleyan. This society honors individuals who share their commitment to the university's growth and advancement by including VWU in their estate plans. To explore the ways in which you can create an estate plan that incorporates Virginia Wesleyan University, I encourage you to connect with Lori Harris ‘94, Executive Assistant to the President (lharris@vwu.edu).

The Marlin Athletic Fund (MAF), established in 2015, stands as a crucial pillar of financial backing for Virginia Wesleyan University's intercollegiate athletics program. Comprising 25 sports alongside our esports team, the MAF plays an instrumental role in ensuring the program's continued success. For further insights or to contribute to this transformative initiative, please visit our website or directly reach out to Brandon Elliott, Head Softball Coach and Assistant Athletic Director for Advancement (belliott@vwu.edu).

The Wesleyan Fund serves as the central hub for unrestricted donations supporting Virginia Wesleyan University's various initiatives. This encompassing fund comprises several distinct components, including The Excellence Fund, the United Methodist Church Fund, Alumni Fund, Faculty & Staff Campaign, Parents Fund, Senior Gift, and specific portions of the Marlin Athletic Fund. In the fiscal year 2022-23, the generous contributions of more than 1,500 dedicated alumni and friends underscored the fund's significance. For more information or to make a contribution, please visit our website or connect with Sarah Guzzo, Director of the Wesleyan Fund (sguzzo@vwu.edu).

Your support to any area of the University plays a vital role in sustaining our mission and fostering its growth.

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