Enjoyable dinner at Cibolo Moon in San Antonio

 

Enjoyable dinner at Cibolo Moon in San Antonio with our friends from Hyatt-Fennell Executive Search Plus. I have had a close association with the firm for 20 years.  Pictured with Cheryl Hyatt, CEO and Partner, and Robert Head, Partner. The firm has completed several executive level searches for VWU.

Productive meeting this afternoon with our sponsor for the “President to President” presidential thought series

 

Productive meeting this afternoon with our sponsor for the “President to President” presidential thought series, now celebrating 21 years.  With Melanie, Sweeney Fetzer, Senior Vice President, Commercial Growth, Julia Pfeifer, Vice President for Growth & Consumer Experience Marketing, Stacy Bowman-Hade, Vice President for Segment Growth Marketing and Communications.  Stay tuned for the announcement of the 2025-26 topic soon.

Enjoyable meeting with Marcia Daniel

 

Enjoyable meeting with Marcia Daniel, Chief Client Officer, with Ferrilli.  Based in Haddonfield, NJ, Ferrilli is an IT infrastructure firm, that has assisted VWU with the independent analysis of our long term technology strategy.

Always great to visit with long-time colleague John Stevens

 

Always great to visit with long-time colleague John Stevens, President of Stevens Strategy,  and his new associate Jack Corby, Senior Consultant.  Based in New Hampshire, Stevens Strategy specializes in managing strategic change in colleges with particular strength in strategic analytics, finance and data analytics, and policy development.  They have been assets to our policy planning efforts at VWU.

Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) Presidents Institute

 

For the past 35 years, I have opened the new year by attending the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) Presidents Institute, the largest annual meeting of college presidents in the nation.  I enjoyed meeting this morning with Steve Sproles, Partner/Principal, Derck & Edson of Lititz, PA, the firm that facilitated our 10-year Campus Master Planning efforts.  That plan included a space utilization study, parking study, corrective maintenance analysis, and the comprehensive plan.  I thank Steve and his colleague for their part in our remarkable growth!

Virginia Wesleyan University is well represented

 

Virginia Wesleyan University is represented so well in Washington, DC, on legislative issues by Barbara Mistick, President of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, and her NAICU team. A former college president,  Barbara and I have been friends and colleagues for a good many years.

Enjoyable dinner this evening at 18 Oaks in San Antonio

 

Enjoyable dinner this evening at 18 Oaks in San Antonio with higher education friends associated with John Meyer (CompleteU) and John Dysart (The Dysart Group). Both have been good friends and partners of Virginia Wesleyan University.

Productive Winter Meeting

 

Productive Winter Meeting of the Board of Directors of the New American Colleges and Universities collaborative in San Antonio.  With Bryon Grigsby, President of Moravian University and Chair of the Board, and Sean Creighton, President of NACU.  NACU is a consortium of 27 private universities in non-competitive markets focusing on innovative approaches to future models of higher education in America.

The President's Letter: A New Year of Opportunity

A New Year of Opportunity January 2025 Dear friends,  We proudly celebrated the achievements of the Class of 2024 at the Winter Commencement Ceremony on Friday, December 20. Our keynote speaker, Del. Don Scott, Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates, delivered an inspiring address to graduates and their families. In addition to recognizing our graduates, we were honored to present several distinguished awards. Dr. Amelia Ross-Hammond, Virginia Beach City Council member and Founder/Chair of the Virginia African American Cultural Center, received the Wesley Award. Dr. Eric Mazur, Professor of Religious Studies, was presented with the Faculty Award for Distinguished Scholarship. Dr. Margaret Reese, Thomas R. Fanney Distinguished Professor of Mathematics, was honored with the Faculty Award for Campus Service. Before the semester concluded, the Fall 2024 Academic Symposium highlighted exceptional student work. Nearly 70 student presentations showcased capstone projects, internships, research, and creative endeavors. The event was a testament to the dedication and intellectual curiosity of the Marlins. Beyond academics, students achieved noteworthy success. The VWU Ethics Bowl Team is preparing for the 2025 VFIC Applied Ethics Bowl, where they will debate the topic of "Ethics and Artificial Intelligence" against top Virginia teams in January. Additionally, Alex Moody of the men's soccer team earned Fourth Team All-American recognition for his outstanding performance this season. As we open another year, we look forward to the opportunities and successes the future will bring.  Sincerely,

Congratulations to the Class of 2024! Don Scott, Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates, delivers a memorable Commencement address Read More | Watch Now Fall 2024 Academic Symposium Showcases Exceptional Student Work Students shared their capstone academic experiences with the campus community Read More | View Photos

VWU's 2025 Ethics Bowl Team Prepares for Statewide Competition Students from 17 VFIC colleges and universities to deliberate on Ethics and Artificial Intelligence in February Read More | View Photos Alex Moody Receives All-American Honors Alex Moody of the men's soccer team received Fourth Team All-American Honors for his performance for the 2024 season Read More

Chapter 5: Breathing with Double Lungs: A Vision for Thriving Higher Education As we stand at the crossroads of tradition and innovation, higher education finds itself amidst a sea of change.  Read More A College President's Letter to Santa Enjoy my annual letter to the North Pole, featured in The Virginian-Pilot on December 15, 2024. Read More

Always great to visit with LTC Brandon Shah

 

Always great to visit LTC Brandon Shah and discuss our Army ROTC collaborative. With Heather Campbell, Vice President for Enrollment and Student Success.