July 15, 2024
Good morning, |
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I’m pleased to share that the Spring 2025 Commencement keynote speaker will be Captain Janet Days, Commander of Naval Station Norfolk.
Capt. Days reported to Naval Station Norfolk as Executive Officer in September 2021 and assumed command as the 51st Commanding Officer in February 2023, making her the first black female executive and commanding officer of the world’s largest naval base. She will retire from her post in August 2024.
Before being stationed in Norfolk, she served as the executive officer and commanding officer of USS McFaul (DDG 74). She has also served as the executive officer of Surface Warfare School (SWOS) Command in Newport, Rhode Island, and as director of maritime warfare at SWOS, where she was responsible for the training and development of all surface warfare department heads.
A Chicago native, she graduated summa cum laude from Old Dominion University with a Bachelor of Science in Business and received her commission through Naval ROTC via the Enlisted Commissioning Program. She holds an MBA from the Naval Postgraduate School and a Naval War College command and staff diploma. Additionally, she is a graduate of the Joint and Combined Warfighting School at Joint Forces Staff College and is a qualified joint specialty officer.
Her personal awards include the Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (seven awards), Army Commendation Medal (two awards), Afghanistan Campaign Medal, and various other medals, unit awards, and campaign ribbons.
Our university enjoys a strong and mutually beneficial relationship with all local military bases, reflecting our commitment to supporting service members and their families. Additionally, we were proud to announce our new partnership with Navy ROTC in the spring, further solidifying our dedication to fostering leadership and academic excellence among future Navy officers.
Spring Commencement will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 17, 2025, in TowneBank Arena in the Jane P. Batten Student Center.
As a reminder, Don Scott, Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates, will be our Winter Commencement speaker on Friday, December 20, 2024, at 4:00 p.m. in the Susan S. Goode Fine and Performing Arts Center. |
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I’m proud to share that Jessie Dawe ‘08 and William “Bill” Gobble ‘03 have been named the new Chair and Vice Chair, respectively, of the VWU Alumni Council.
A 2008 graduate of Virginia Wesleyan, Jessie’s remarkable journey from VWU to Harvard Law School and her subsequent professional achievements underscore her commitment to excellence and service. As an Associate at the Norfolk office of McGuireWoods, she has built a distinguished legal career. Her academic credentials include a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, magna cum laude, and a Doctor of Jurisprudence from Harvard Law School in 2022. Her dedication to her profession and community has earned her numerous accolades, including the prestigious VWU Beacon Award in 2022, which honors alumni who exemplify the university's values. |
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Joining Jessie in leading the Alumni Council is Bill Gobble ’03. His tenure at Virginia Wesleyan was marked by his active participation in both academics and athletics. As a student, Bill majored in the Liberal Arts Management Program (L.A.M.P.), now known as Management, Business, and Economics, and served as co-captain of the basketball team under Coach Dave Macedo. His professional journey led him to American Funds, where he works as a control analyst within financial and operational risks.
The purpose of the Alumni Council is to strengthen the bond between our graduates and Virginia Wesleyan University—its students, faculty, staff, senior administrators, and Board of Trustees. The VWU Alumni Council’s new leadership promises to inspire and connect VWU graduates, undoubtedly bringing a positive impact to the Alumni Council and the broader VWU community. |
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AROUND TOWN AND ACROSS CAMPUS |
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Site Visit from The Blocker Foundation We were delighted to host Whitney Saunders, President and CEO, and Sarah Taylor, Director of Programs and Grantmaking, from the The Blocker Foundation on campus last week. We’re pictured at the Frank Blocker, Jr. Youth Center, constructed in 2017, and the home of YMCA Camp Red Feather during the summer and Tidewater Collegiate Academy during the academic year. Dr. Wendy Scott, Head of School for TCA, presented Whitney and Sarah with a painting by her students.
Earlier this year, the Blocker Foundation made a significant contribution to our campus community by funding a two-classroom addition to the Blocker Youth Center. With the new addition, the Center now accommodates even more students and provides a safe and supportive environment for them to learn and grow. The Foundation's generosity has had a profound impact on the lives of over 1,500 youth who experienced the Center during the most recent academic year, and it will undoubtedly continue to do so for years to come.
Blocker Hall on campus is named after S. Frank (Sr.) and Wilma Williamson Blocker. |
DeFord Manor is a Full House! In FY 2023-24, DeFord Manor hosted 76 events with 1,404 total event participants. Annie and I sincerely thank Tim Lockett, Heather Beatty, Matthew Scott, Angie Johnston, Pedro Biasoli Magero, and the wonderful team in Catering & Conference Services for always providing outstanding hospitality to our many guests. |
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Welcome Pastor Doug It was nice to welcome Doug and Deena Sasser to Virginia Beach with lunch at DeFord Manor last week. Doug is the new pastor of Haygood United Methodist Church and also serves as Associate Chaplain for VWU. We were joined by Marie Porter, VWU Director of Campus Ministries (with a dual role at Haygood UMC), and Keith Moore, VWU Senior Vice President.
We’re proud that our partnership with Haygood UMC continues to flourish. Located just two miles east of campus on Wesleyan/Haygood Drive, the Church has been a partner in the past and often hosted the annual Baccalaureate Service during Spring Commencement Weekend. We look forward to continuing our good relationship with Haygood under Doug’s new leadership. |
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It’s Virginia Private Colleges Week VWU welcomes rising high school juniors and seniors to campus this week for Virginia Private College Week, hosted by the Council of Independent Colleges in Virginia (CICV). Virginia Wesleyan, along with 22 other member institutions, offered in-person and virtual sessions about admission, financial aid, and academic programs. Enrollment counselors also addressed common myths about the cost of a private college education. |
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Elevate Your Leadership Podcast My thanks to Bob Pizzini, US Navy Special Operations veteran and CEO of iFly Virginia Beach Indoor Skydiving, for asking me to join him on his Elevate Your Leadership podcast last week. Look for my episode to be released soon!
It's WINDSday See what’s new in this week’s edition here. |
Virginia Beach Vision Welcomes Dan Edwards Good friend Dan Edwards, former Chair of the Virginia Beach Public School Board, was the speaker at the Virginia Beach Vision Board of Directors last week. He spoke about how Virginia Beach City Public School (VBCPS) was an asset to recruiting top talent to the Coastal Virginia community.
VWU enjoys a wonderful relationship with VBCPS and now offers the DeFord Scholars program (Virginia Beach Tuition Promise) for students who declare an interest in teaching upon entering VWU. DeFord Scholars can receive a scholarship from the University to cover the remaining gaps in undergraduate tuition (up to $36,550) after the VTAG, Pell Grant, and other scholarships/benefits are applied. Ask a David L. Kaufman Center for Enrollment team member for more information. |
Chris Keffer Returns to Campus Chris Keffer, CEO of Stihl, returned to DeFord Manor for lunch last week. Chris served as a guest speaker for the Marlin Business Conference in the spring, and Stihl has been a partner to VWU for many years. We were joined by Deirdre Gonsalves-Jackson, Vice President for VWU Global Campus, and Larry Belcher, Director of Innovative Partnerships and Enrollment, VWU Global Campus. |
Regionalization: What It Means, Why It Matters The word “regionalization” has been discussed in the United Methodist Church before, during, and after the Postponed 2020 General Conference. ResourceUMC offers an infographic to better understand how the important legislation allows United Methodists throughout the world to best serve their communities. Read and Share. |
Wesleyan Wednesday at Ballyhoos: August 7 Mark your calendars to join us at Ballyhoos for our annual summertime Wesleyan Wednesday. The event is free and open to all Marlin alumni, faculty, staff, and their families on August 7 from 5-7pm. We hope to see you there! |
Dominion Energy to Buy N.C. Offshore Wind Lease A Dominion Energy subsidiary has agreed to acquire a 40,000-acre offshore wind lease off North Carolina’s Outer Banks for $160 million, the Fortune 500 utility announced Monday. Virginia Electric and Power Company will purchase the Kitty Hawk North Wind lease from Avangrid, a Connecticut-based sustainable energy company, and the project will be rebranded as CVOW-South, a nod to Dominion’s Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project under development 27 miles off the Virginia Beach coast. Read more.
CNBC Names Virginia as America’s Top State for Business in 2024 The news media outlet also cited Virginia as having the nation’s best schools and a solid infrastructure. Read more. |
2024 State of the University: August 23 Each August, prior to the start of the fall semester, I deliver a State of the University Address to our campus community. The address includes highlights, initiatives, and significant accomplishments from the past year, recognition of faculty and staff, points of pride, recent University news and information, current campus projects, and the strategic direction of the University’s future. The 2024 State of the University Address will take place on Friday, August 23. We look forward to welcoming our Trustees, faculty, staff, and many friends in person. For our students and alumni, the State of the University will be livestreamed on the VWU Digital Broadcasting Network beginning at 12:10 p.m. |
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PARTNERS IN PROGRESS A Virginia Wesleyan University Community |
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Have a great week, Marlins!
Sincerely, |
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