President to President: Chapter 8

 

The eighth chapter of the 2020-2021 President to President thought leadership series is now available online. In “Want to be More Innovative? Ask the Right Questions,” Southern New Hampshire University President Paul LeBlanc, Ph.D., shares practical ideas for fostering innovation in higher education, detailing how campuses can pursue the creative approaches that best fit their current and future needs. He explores various levels of innovation and offers tips for clearly identifying and pursuing the types of innovation that are right for each campus. This year's President to President series, titled “Fostering a Culture of Innovation,” offers insights from esteemed college and university presidents, who provide unique perspectives in a new chapter published online each month. As we work through this era of unprecedented challenges in higher education, we hope this series provides useful ideas on how campus leaders can overcome obstacles and meet the needs of students, faculty, staff, and communities through innovation and creativity. We look forward to continuing to share this thought-provoking series with you. Sincerely, Executive Editors: Dr. Marylouise Fennell   Senior Counsel, Council of Independent Colleges and  Past President, Carlow University Dr. Scott D. Miller  President, Virginia Wesleyan University

President to President is an annual series with ten chapters authored by various thought leaders in higher education, published by Sodexo, world leader in Quality of Life Services. Copyright © 2021, All rights reserved.

Introducing Andrea Hoover Erbig - VWU Executive Director for Intercollegiate Athletics

 

Marlins SportSplash

Catch the latest news from VWU Athletics: https://conta.cc/3dY1bh3

The President's Letter: March 2021

 

Remembering a Legend March 2021 Last week the campus community learned of the passing of Donald M. Forsyth, a founding father of Marlins Athletics. Hired in 1969 as the first full-time employee in Virginia Wesleyan Athletics, Don served as men's basketball coach, golf coach, and athletic director. He was instrumental in the formation of 14 varsity sports programs and guided the development of the athletic fields and the construction of Cunningham Gymnasium (now known as the CMAC). He was also a member of the inaugural class of the VWU Athletic Hall of Fame in 2009. In his more than 29 years at Virginia Wesleyan, he served as a mentor and friend to athletes on and off the court. In men's basketball, he coached the Marlins for 20 years and led Virginia Wesleyan to two conference championships in 1978 and 1979, three NCAA berths, nine consecutive winning seasons, and two 20 plus-win seasons. His awards include being named three times as Dixie Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Coach of the Year, National Association of Basketball Coaches South Atlantic Region Coach of the Year, and the Virginia Beach Sports Club Director's Award. After retiring from Virginia Wesleyan in 1998, Don and his wife Dianna moved to Reading, Pennsylvania, but they remained actively engaged with Virginia Wesleyan and Marlins Athletics. When he was still able to travel, Don often came to basketball games, alumni games and Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies. He was a steadfast supporter of many areas of VWU Athletics and always an avid Marlins fan. Today, the Virginia Wesleyan Marlins compete on the Donald M. Forsyth Court in TowneBank Arena of the Jane P. Batten Student Center. His legacy lives on at VWU, and we are grateful to have benefitted from his pioneering spirit and visionary leadership. The many successes of VWU Athletics today are a direct result of the strong foundation Don helped to build during the early years of this institution.  Please keep the Forsyth family in your prayers during this difficult time. Sincerely, More News from VWU: VWU Names a New Executive Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Congratulations to Andrea Hoover-Erbig, VWU's current Head Volleyball Coach, Senior Woman Administrator, and Academic Integration Coordinator. More VWU Plans for In-Person Commencement Ceremonies in May The University hopes to return to typical graduation traditions for the Class of 2021 with modified formatting. More Celebrating Black History VWU celebrated Black History Month through speakers, exhibits, cuisine and more. More The Story of our All-Steinway Status The University was recently featured by Steinway, telling the story of how our All-Steinway School Status came to be. More Enrollment Center Named for Trustee The David L. Kaufman Center for Enrollment was named after the former Chair of the Board of Trustees to honor his many years of steadfast and visionary support to the University. Heritage Plaza The Heritage Plaza commemorative plaque, located at the flagpoles in front of Godwin Hall, acknowledges of a special part of our history. More Susan T. Beverly Hall After nearly eight months of extensive renovation, Susan T. Beverly Hall is coming closer to completion. All major renovation work has been completed and multiple crews and contractors will devote the next three months to the finishing touches. Barclay Sheaks Gallery Through private funds a new, larger Barclay Sheaks Gallery will be constructed adjacent to the Neil Britton Art Gallery in the Henry Clay Hofheimer II Library this spring. The new gallery will provide increased space to display a larger number of paintings and greater access for our students and friends. Take Learning to the Next Level VWU Global Campus offers comprehensive continuing education courses designed to provide advanced professional skills sought in a wide variety of career fields. More  ‌  ‌  ‌  ‌