October 5, 2026
Good morning, |
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Homecoming and Family Weekend 2026 brought our campus community together for a memorable celebration of Marlin pride and tradition.
Friday’s festivities began with Marlin Spirit Day and the 24th Annual Joanne Renn Golf Outing. Members of the Parents Council later gathered for their fall meeting. The day concluded with “Marlins Nights at the Museum,” an alumni gathering held at the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art. |
Saturday was filled with excitement as FinFest, our annual community tailgate, offered great food, music, and plenty of family fun. Marlin teams competed throughout the day, while alumni returned to the field for spirited games.
The evening wrapped up with the Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, a highlight of the weekend with the largest audience in my 11 years as president here. |
Homecoming also showcased the arts and campus life, with performances of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, and a special walking tour, If This Ground Could Talk: A Walking Tour of Unrecognized Sacred Spaces from 60 Years of Virginia Wesleyan, led by Drs. Linda Ferguson, Larry Hultgren, and Steve Mansfield.
Our Homecoming celebration came to a close with Families in Worship, an Epworth Campus Ministries service held on Sunday at Haygood United Methodist Church.
Thank you to everyone who joined us to make this year’s Homecoming and Family Weekend truly special!
For more on all the weekend’s fun, read more and view the photo gallery. |
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Batten University is prominently featured in Virginia Business in an article examining the University’s continued growth and transformation. The feature highlights our transition to Batten University, the integration of Sentara College of Health Sciences, and our expanding role in meeting the educational and workforce needs of Hampton Roads.
The article also explores the vision behind the University’s evolution from a traditional liberal arts college into a comprehensive university while maintaining a strong foundation in the arts and sciences. Particular attention is given to our growing health sciences programs and the opportunity to help address the region’s significant need for nurses and other healthcare professionals.
I appreciated the opportunity to speak with Virginia Business about where Batten University is headed and our aspiration to be recognized as an innovative leader among private universities. As I shared with the magazine, we want those looking back a decade from now to see an institution that continues to evolve, innovate, and respond to the needs of its students and the region.
Read the Virginia Business feature. |
A three-year Food Rescue & Composting Program Grant from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is helping Batten University expand its composting efforts and build on more than a decade of sustainability work led by students, faculty, staff, and campus partners. Since the expanded program began in August, 12,279 pounds, or approximately 6.1 tons, of material have been diverted from the landfill. With weekly pickups by Tidewater Compost and collection containers currently located in Harbor Grill, Boyd Dining Center, and Honors Village, the program will continue to grow in scale over the next three years.
Our composting efforts began on a much smaller scale and gained significant momentum in 2022–23 through the work of Batten Honors College student Abigail Mahoney ’24, Marlins Go Green, Dining Services, Campus Horticulturist Skyler Lattuca, and Professor and Director of Sustainability Elizabeth Malcolm. By expanding collection to include post-consumer food waste and emphasizing student education and participation, the initiative increased the University’s composting rate by approximately 500 percent. |
More recently, Jane P. Batten Honors College graduate Tyler Noll ’26 examined how that work could develop into a comprehensive and sustainable campus composting program. His award-winning research, presented at the 2026 Louis and Prudence Ryan Environmental Research Symposium, explored the infrastructure, education, student engagement, and community partnerships necessary for a successful program. With support from the DEQ grant, that research is now helping inform the broader campus initiative, while Tidewater Compost provides commercial composting services, staff training, and an environmental impact dashboard to measure our progress.
Over the three-year grant period, the University hopes to build toward diverting 90 percent of food waste while also identifying ways to prevent waste before it occurs. It is a wonderful example of how student research and leadership, institutional support, and community partnerships can come together to create meaningful and lasting change. Learn More. |
Batten University is proud to join the CIVIC Leadership Institute partnership, expanding the university’s commitment to developing principled, engaged leaders who are prepared to make a meaningful difference in their communities and beyond.
Through this partnership, Batten University will work alongside fellow institutions and civic organizations to provide students with opportunities to strengthen their leadership skills, broaden their understanding of civic engagement, and build relationships with leaders across the region. The attached graphic highlights the Class of 2027 and the students who will be part of this important leadership experience. We are pleased to welcome them to this initiative and look forward to seeing how they apply what they learn to their campus, communities, and future professions. |
Batten University, recognized as Virginia’s Innovative University of the Arts & Sciences, is a proud member of New American Colleges and Universities (NACU) collaborative, which owns the Washington Internship Institute (WII). WII has signed a partnership agreement to co-locate with the Lutheran Colleges Washington Semester (LCWS) beginning January 1. The new location in Rosslyn will bring student housing, WII classes, and program staff together in one convenient setting, creating a more integrated experience while providing easy access to internship sites through multiple Metro lines. |
AROUND TOWN AND ACROSS CAMPUS |
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70th Annual Virginia MOCA Boardwalk Art Show The 70th Annual Virginia MOCA Boardwalk Art Show returns October 9–11 along the Virginia Beach oceanfront between 23rd and 33rd Streets. This free, family-friendly tradition will feature more than 160 artists, along with interactive art experiences, live performances, mural painting in partnership with the ViBe Creative District, the Commonwealth Brewing Co. Liquid Art Beer Garden, and a special “Through the Years” exhibit celebrating seven decades of the show. As Virginia MOCA’s signature fundraising event, proceeds support year-round exhibitions, education programs, and community initiatives. |
Planning for the Health Sciences Center Planning is well underway for our new Health Sciences Center, which will be located in the heart of the Batten University campus. My thanks to our outstanding partners at Derck & Edson (architects), Hourigan (contractor), and Pennoni (engineering consultants) for their excellent and timely work as we move this exciting project forward. We look forward to breaking ground this spring and taking another important step in the continued growth of health sciences education at Batten University. |
Supporting Virginia’s Private Colleges I appreciated the opportunity to attend the annual meeting of the Board of Directors of Virginia Private Colleges (VPC), held this year at the University of Richmond. Pictured with me are VPC President Chris Peace and Cliff Fleet, Chair of the Virginia Business Higher Education Council and Batten University’s Spring 2026 Commencement speaker. VPC represents 28 accredited, nonprofit private colleges and universities across the Commonwealth, working collectively to strengthen and advance private higher education in Virginia. |
Serving Up a Marlin Legacy How many pizzas does it take to become a Marlin legend? For over 24 years, John Roper has been a familiar and valued member of the Marlin family, serving up pizza to generations of students. On average, John makes about 50 pizzas a day—154,492 pizzas over the course of his career!
I enjoyed celebrating this remarkable milestone with John and Heather Beatty, General Manager of Sodexo Dining Services. John’s friendly face, dedicated service, and thousands upon thousands of pizzas have made him a special part of the Batten University experience.
Thank you, John, for more than 24 years of outstanding service to the Marlin family! |
Congratulations to Dr. Megan Hunsinger Congratulations to Dr. Megan Hunsinger, Dean of the Sentara College of Health Sciences at Batten University, on her induction into the Danville Area School District’s Athletics Hall of Fame. A 1994 graduate of Danville, Megan was among 14 honorees recognized this year for their athletic achievements. She went on to an All-American career at Bloomsburg University. We are proud to celebrate this well-deserved recognition of our colleague and friend. |
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PARTNERS IN PROGRESS A Batten University Community |
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