2023 VWU Student Art Showcase Exhibit at the Sandler Center. Artwork by Risa Yanagita depicts campus life at VWU, the theme for this exhibit, that features student works created in beginning drawing and painting courses at Virginia Wesleyan.
Cover photo: The Beacon at dusk
Welcome to this fall edition of Virginia Wesleyan University Magazine!
A few weeks ago, Virginia Wesleyan University and the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art proudly announced their collaboration on the construction of a state-of-the-art facility to be built on the University’s Virginia Beach campus. This monumental partnership is a major leap forward for the arts and education in the Coastal Virginia community and beyond. Much more information on this wonderful endeavor is to come, so stay tuned.
Opportunities for incredible, collaborative partnerships like the VWU-VMOCA project stem from our growing campus and prospering programs. At a time when so many institutions of higher education are closing or combining, Virginia Wesleyan raised an astounding $181 million during our Transformation Now! campaign (cover story).
And there’s even more to celebrate at Virginia Wesleyan. During Spring Commencement for the Class of 2023, we graduated our first students from our LUJ/VWU Global campus. Our diverse learning opportunities for traditional and non-traditional students continue to attract community partners like Virginia Beach City Public Schools and the Virginia Beach Police Department. We hosted the inaugural Louis and Prudence Ryan Environmental Research Symposium and the First Five Class Reunion during Spring Alumni Weekend. We announced the addition of Men’s Volleyball and Cheer programs in athletics and continue to earn national recognitions and accolades for our many environmental and sustainability efforts.
Among all this great news, we were saddened by the loss of Trustee Emerita Susan T. Beverly, Class of 1972 and honorary doctorate recipient in 2021. Susan’s legacy will remain at Virginia Wesleyan thanks to her many contributions to ensure the good future of her alma mater. We know she would be proud of how Virginia Wesleyan continues to promote and enhance the liberal arts experience for all Marlins everywhere.
We hope you enjoy reading all the VWU news.
Sincerely,
Scott D. Miller, Ph.D President of the University
10 14 16
Community leaders champion record-setting campaign that transformed Virginia Wesleyan from modest college to thriving university
Inaugural Ryan Research Symposium proves the environment is in good hands
From high schoolers to retirees to everyone in between, VWU is the gateway to learning at any stage of life
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Jonathan E. Pruden, Chair
Scott D. Miller, Ph.D., President of the University*
Nanc y T. DeFord, Ph.D., Vice Chair
Mavis E. McKenley ’11, Secretary
J. Timothy Bailey ’83, Treasurer
John F. Malbon H'22, Immediate Past Chair
G. Robert Aston, Jr. H’20
J. Timothy Bailey ’83
Gary D. Bonnewell ’79, H’16
Alisa W. Crider ’10*
Nancy T. DeFord, Ph.D.
W. Taylor Franklin ’04
Graham E. Garrenton
Susan S. Goode H’22
Sharon S. Goodwyn
William W. Granger III
Sue Haupert-Johnson H’23*
David L. Kaufman H’19
Howard P. Kern
John F. Malbon H’22
Vincent J. Mastracco, Jr.
Robert W. McFarland
Mavis E. McKenley ’11
Angela Mercer, M.D.
Scott D. Miller, Ph.D.*
Matthew R. Nusbaum
Eric C. Nyman ’94
Tassos J. Paphites ’79
Hon. Deborah M. Paxson ’75
Jonathan E. Pruden
Michael R. Rawls ’91
Robin D. Ray
Joseph P. Ruddy ’83
Louis F. Ryan
James H. Shumadine
Lee T. Stevenson ’85
Joseph R. Thomas
Kenneth G. Trinder II
George K. (Chip) Tsantes III ’83
Anthony Walters
Michael J. White ’81
Douglas B. Wilson ’86
*Ex Officio
TRUSTEES EMERITI
Jane P. Batten H’06
George Y. Birdsong H’16
Joan P. Brock H’10
Thomas C. Broyles
Robert W. Collenberg II ’90
O.L. (Butch) Everett
William J. Fanney
Ronald M. Kramer
Lemuel E. Lewis
John E. Lingo, Jr.
Elizabeth F. Middleton ’91
Emily S. Miles
Alan H. Shaw
William S. Shelhorse ’70
William H. Thumel, Jr.
John A. Trinder
D. Henry Watts, D.B.A. H’07
PRESIDENT AND LEADERSHIP
Scott D. Miller, Ph.D., President of the University
Susan E. Larkin, Ph.D., Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
Keith E. Moore, Ed.D., Senior Vice President
Mary A. Ryberg, Vice President for Finance
Kelly R. Cordova, Chief of Staff
Heather M. Campbell ’04, Vice President for Enrollment
Andrea Hoover-Erbig, Executive Director for Intercollegiate Athletics
David L. Black, Ph.D. H’21, Chancellor, VWU Global Campus (Japan)
ADVANCEMENT AND ALUMNI RELATIONS
Carolyn McKenna '99 Director of Business and Corporate Development
Tina Milligan '88 Director of Alumni and Parent Engagement
Sarah Guzzo Director of the Wesleyan Fund Alumni inquiries to alumni@vwu.edu
EDITOR
Nancy Chapman
ART DIRECTOR
Christine Hall
CONTRIBUTORS
Laynee Timlin
Damien Kelly '23
David Brandt
Executive Director Marketing and Communications
Eight members of the VWU Board of Trustees, along with VWU President Scott D. Miller, were named to the Inside Business 2023 Power List. The list highlights leaders who have the most influence in shaping Coastal Virginia.
VWU’s Commencement Ceremony in May included the first four students to graduate through VWU Global’s partnership with Lakeland University Japan (LUJ). The partnership was established in 2020 when VWU and Lakeland University of Plymouth, Wisconsin, agreed to jointly operate a campus in Tokyo with the name “Lakeland University Japan and Virginia Wesleyan University Global.” The agreement partnered VWU with an institution that teaches 400 students from 30 countries in an English-speaking associate’s degree program. LUJ is one of only two approved American universities in Japan and is fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Coincidentally, the LUJ/VWU Global students—Momo Higuchi, Reo Nagayama, Moeno Sawai and Risa Yanagita— chose business as their major. Before opting to complete their bachelor’s degrees at VWU Global’s Virginia Beach campus, they graduated from Lakeland University/VWU Global’s two-year program on the Tokyo campus.
Newto the Top 20 list this year is VWU Trustee W. Taylor Franklin ’04, chief operating officer of The Franklin Johnston Group.
Named to the list’s 60 Power Players are VWU Trustee Sharon S. Goodwyn, counsel for Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP, and President Miller.
Included in the list’s emeritus section are VWU Trustees G. Robert Aston Jr., executive chairman, TowneBank; Susan S. Goode H’22, community leader; John F. Malbon H’22, retired chairman and CEO of PAPCO; and Vincent J. Mastracco Jr., partner, Kaufman & Canoles, P.C. Also included in the emeritus section are VWU trustees emeriti Jane P. Batten H’06, philanthropist; and George Y. Birdsong H’16, chief executive officer and general counsel, Birdsong Corporation.
“ We are honored and grateful that such distinguished leaders are dedicated to serving our University,” President Miller said. “Their wisdom and guidance are vital to ensuring that VWU and our students continue to thrive.”
Susan Torma Beverly, Virginia Wesleyan University Trustee Emerita and alumna of the Class of 1972, passed away after a long and valiant battle with cancer.
Beverly graduated from Virginia Wesleyan with a bachelor of arts and earned a master of science degree from Old Dominion University in 1975, a certificate of advanced study from Old Dominion in 1978, and a doctorate in education administration from Virginia Tech in 1998. Most of her professional career was spent in elementary education, where she served as principal of White Oaks Elementary School before her retirement from Virginia Beach City Public Schools. She also earned certification as a nurse assistant and had worked part-time at Westminster Canterbury. She was active in the community, serving as a volunteer for several local organizations.
VWU was the recipient of Beverly’s wisdom and philanthropic generosity as she served on the University’s Board of Trustees for three terms. In 2011, she was inducted as an honorary member of the VWU Chapter of Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK), the National Leadership Honor Society. In 2021, she was awarded a doctorate of humane letters, honoris causa, for her steadfast friendship and support of the University.
On the VWU campus, her legacy as a fierce lover of the arts and arts education is assured. Three years ago, the original fine arts building was renovated and formally dedicated as Susan T. Beverly Hall in gratitude for her generous support of the project. The Susan Beverly Grand Terrace and Pond, a serene space for outdoor programming, is outside of the Susan S. Goode Fine and Performing Arts Center.
Dr. Lambuth M. Clarke, Virginia Wesleyan’s second president, called early graduates “pioneers,” as they charted their own course to help create the robust multi-versity of today. Beverly was very much a part of these pioneers, first as a student, and then as a proud alumna, trustee and philanthropist, helping guide the University to grow while remaining true to its mission. She loved Virginia Wesleyan and believed in its students. That love and belief will live on wherever Marlins create, imagine, delight and inspire.
The VWU student choir, Camerata, took the stage in New York City’s Carnegie Hall last spring under the baton of Associate Professor of Music Bryson Mortensen.
“ We were pleased to highlight the dedicated and talented Dr. Mortensen and the Virginia Wesleyan University Camerata on one of the world’s greatest stages,” said Peter Tiboris, general director and music director of MidAmerica Productions and MidAm International.
The group performed Norwegian composer Ola Gjeilo’s “Sunrise Mass” and was joined onstage by the New England Symphonic Ensemble. The second half of the concert featured
Dr. Mortensen is director of choral activities at VWU where he conducts Virginia Wesleyan Vox Vera and Camerata. He previously conducted the premieres of Andrew Maxfield's “Armistice Sonnets” and Timothy Takach's “The Longest Nights.” He also conducted the premiere of Joshua Harris’s “There will be stars over this place forever” at the grand opening of the Susan S. Goode Fine and Performing Arts Center at VWU.
The spring VWU Day of Giving nearly doubled the Day of Giving record from fall 2022. In a single day, student callers from Athletics, Academics and Student Life raised an incredible $61,181.90 for The Excellence Fund from 385 donors, demonstrating the power of the Marlin spirit.
The Excellence Fund supports scholarships, experiential learning, student research, internships and the many programs that contribute to VWU’s excellent reputation. A gift to The Excellence Fund is a direct investment in programs that foster leadership, achievement, lifelong learning and engaged citizenship for our current and future students.
Virginia Wesleyan University was recognized by the Elizabeth River Project for “Sustained Distinguished Performance at Model Level” at the Annual River Star Businesses Recognition Luncheon. Sustained Distinguished Performance represents completion of significant new initiatives by a River Star Business. The Elizabeth River Project and “Inside Business,” the project’s media partner, inducted the University into the Inside Business Hall of Fame for River Stars.
“It is so appropriate that VWU is recognized as a leader on this topic,” said President Scott D. Miller. “Our commitment goes beyond our beautiful 300-acre campus in Virginia Beach. We are distinctively unique in two very important ways: the mission and vision of our honors college and the investment of our full endowment in an environmentally friendly way.”
In 2021, Virginia Wesleyan received a series of private gifts, increasing its endowment to $123.5 million. Of those funds, $80.2 million are designated for the endowment of the Batten Honors College, a highly selective residential program of the University with a focus on environmental stewardship, global engagement and leadership. The entire endowment for the Batten Honors College and the University has been invested following environmental, social and governance criteria.
Sustainability efforts at VWU reflect a larger commitment to ethical conduct and social responsibility through environmental stewardship and education. In 2020, the University’s Board of Trustees adopted Environmental Guiding Principles that have been embedded in the permanent institutional mindset. Among numerous other examples of VWU’s commitment to sustainability are joining the American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment with a pledge to be carbon neutral by 2040. VWU’s Greer Environmental Sciences Center is LEED Gold certified for solar, green roof, cool roof, geothermal, LED, extra insulation and low-flow fixtures. Virginia Wesleyan’s wildlife-habitat enhancement efforts include the teaching gardens surrounding the Greer center, with more than two acres of vegetated open space and over 23,000 native plants.
One example of Virginia Wesleyan's commitment to sustainability is its wildlife-habitat enhancement efforts, which include the expansive teaching gardens surrounding the Greer Environmental Sciences Center.
1. 2023 COMMENCEMENT: In May, the University celebrated new graduates—including VWU webmaster Michael Skipper—as the Class of 2023 received their diplomas in TowneBank Arena in the Jane P. Batten Student Center.
2. AIRNESS: Last spring, the VWU Theatre Department presented “Airness” by Chelsea Marcantel, a comedy about competition, completion, and finding airness. It was an exuberant reminder that everything we need to rock is already inside us.
3. SENTARA CARES CHECK PRESENTATION: In April, Sentara Cares partners (from left) Alex Askew, Amanda Simpson and Sherry Norquist presented VWU President Scott D. Miller with a $100,000 check for Sentara Scholars at Virginia Wesleyan. The scholarships support students enrolled in healthcare-related programs.
4. CLARKE HERITAGE SOCIETY LUNCHEON: Ted Smith ’84 (left), Alice A. Clarke and VWU President Scott D. Miller attended the annual Lambuth M. and Alice A. Clarke Heritage Society Luncheon, held on campus in December to honor alumni and friends who have chosen to include Virginia Wesleyan in their estate plans, as well as those who are considering a bequest to the University.
5. MARLINS DAY SPRING OPEN HOUSE: Prospective students and their families visited Virginia Wesleyan last spring for a look at life on campus during the University's Marlins Day Open House.
6. TREE CAMPUS: In April, Kendall Topping of the Department of Forestry (right) presented Scott D. Miller, VWU President, and Elizabeth Malcolm, Professor of Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences and Director of Sustainability, with a Campus Tree flag and plaque from the Arbor Day Foundation. VWU was one of only 411 campuses in the nation to receive a 2022 Tree Campus Higher Education recognition from the foundation.
7. 2023 ETHICS BOWL: The VWU Ethics Bowl Team deliberated the topic Ethics and Digital Media during the 23rd annual Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges’ Ethics Bowl, hosted on the Virginia Wesleyan campus in January.
8. GEORGE BIRDSONG HONORED AT ETHICS BOWL: The 2023 Ethics Bowl Dinner honored VWU Trustee Emeritus and Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges Trustee George Y. Birdsong (right), pictured with VWU President Scott D. Miller.
9. ART MAJOR EXHIBITION: Haley Parshall with her ceramic art display in the exhibition, “Not JUST refrigerator art,” hosted by VWU’s Fine Arts Department. The exhibit also showcased the work of Britni Arrington, Kathryn Baca, Erness Anne Deseo, Carley Tantlinger, Melissa Ward, Alaycia Williams and Kara Young, all students of Professor of Art Sharon Swift.
Those words aren’t often found in the same sentence— except when VWU President Scott D. Miller reflects on his immense gratitude for the University’s donors.
“When I arrived at Virginia Wesleyan in 2015,” President Miller said, “a goal of mine was to establish a culture of philanthropy. I believe this campaign has enabled us to achieve that goal.”
President Miller is referring to the University’s eightyear capital campaign known as “Transformation Now!” Launched in 2015, it concluded in 2022 as a tremendous success of historical significance and proportion to the University, raising over $172 million in private support. With additional gifts and pledges that occurred outside the official campaign dates, VWU’s total private support surpassed $181 million.
In expressing his gratitude to campaign donors, President Miller cited the two words referenced above. The first, philanthropia, is a Greek word meaning “love for humanity.”
“ The philanthropists who gave transformational gifts to this campaign,” he said, “did so because of how much they care about our challenged society and how convinced they are that VWU is a university of consequence designed and determined to graduate problem solvers.”
The second word, sustainability, has two applications, he explained.
“Sustainability is central to our academic programs. The advancement of sustainability is an intended learning outcome for students in the sciences, business, the arts and community development.”
The word also applies to VWU itself, President Miller added. More than 70 institutions similar to VWU closed or merged for financial reasons while VWU was engaged in the campaign.
“Margins remain too small for us to relax for even a minute,” he said. “Even so, we are by all measures a sustainable and powerfully relevant university.”
David Kaufman H’19 echoes that sentiment. Kaufman is founder and senior managing director for Envest Private Equity as well as a current member and former chair of the VWU Board of Trustees.
“ The transformation and growth of Virginia Wesleyan into a vibrant University with excellence in relevant liberal arts has been nothing short of remarkable,” Kaufman said, “especially during what has been generally a difficult environment for private higher education.”
That achievement is a direct result of working toward a collaborative vision, said VWU Trustee Gary Bonnewell ’79, H’16, senior vice president with Morgan Stanley.
“No great institution can attain ongoing success by luck.
A prophet once said, ‘Where there is no vision, there is no hope.’ The Transformation Now! campaign was the collective vision of President Miller and our great supporters, and it gives us great hope for the future.”
GARY BONNEWELL ’79, H’16For faculty members, the campaign secured a future full of promise thanks to the new facilities and equipment it funded, said Dr. Victor Townsend, professor of biology and
the Kenneth R. Perry Dean of the Joan P. Brock School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences. He credits the Greer Environmental Sciences Center with transforming the Environmental Science and Environmental Studies programs at VWU.
“It allowed us to expand and diversify undergraduate research in current issues involving the local environment,” Dr. Townsend said. “And it enabled the development of novel and exciting natural-science education partnerships and summer programming.”
Retired PAPCO chairman and CEO John Malbon H’22 is a past chair and current member of the VWU Board of Trustees. He, too, is optimistic about the University’s future.
“My financial and board contributions are investments in a Virginia Wesleyan I believe in,” Malbon said. “My willingness to support the University’s students, faculty and administration is because of the quality of learning and leadership that is so evident there.”
Nancy DeFord, vice president of DeFord, Ltd., is also a VWU trustee. She explained that her late husband, Bob DeFord, served as a trustee from the creation of the campus out of farmland, and they’ve both seen numerous changes over their years of board service.
“Watching the flurry of improvements and additions during the campaign has been remarkable,” she said. “Investing time and money in the University made sense to us over many years. We’ve donated in the past to various building projects and scholarships, but more recently the opportunity to help create a President’s home for the campus seemed important as a way to elevate hospitality on the campus and to welcome friends and supporters. We were honored to be part of the continued development of the University as a center for learning the arts and sciences and beyond.”
The Transformation Now! campaign lived up to its billing in every way, explained current Board of Trustees Chair Jon Pruden, CEO of the TASTE family of businesses.
“One need not look far to see VWU’s rapid evolution over the past seven-plus years,” Pruden said. “Our once sleepy campus
has been energized through investments in our buildings, grounds, educational programs and community partnerships. Our endowment has ballooned as a down payment on a more secure and sustainable future. For the larger community, our change from college to university status underscores this metamorphosis.
“None of this would be possible,” Pruden continued, “without the visionary leadership and drive of Dr. Miller and the Advancement team as well as the support of our Board of Trustees. Most importantly, we owe a debt of gratitude to the unwavering commitment of our incredible donors and their enduring legacy, which is unfolding before our eyes.”
That enduring legacy spans 12 new campus facilities and renovations to seven existing structures. Dr. Antje Schwennicke, associate professor of political science and dean of the Birdsong School of Social Science, hasn’t failed to notice.
“I am always so proud of the amazing resources at VWU,” Dr. Schwennicke said, “especially when I walk into the Susan S. Goode Fine and Performing Arts Center. This beautiful building has become so integral to campus events such as Founders Day, plays and musicals, and concert performances. We are very lucky to have such an impressive event space on campus.”
Former Board of Trustees Chair Kaufman has more good things to say. “With Transformation Now!, VWU was able to harness the most generous philanthropy of Hampton Roads leaders due to the strategic clarity and execution by Dr. Miller and his outstanding team of faculty and staff. VWU’s mission to provide exceptional liberal arts education in our community and beyond is a challenging one for a small private university, but the support for VWU from the community has always been stellar.”
Theatre professor Dr. Travis Malone, the Anne B. Shumadine Dean of Batten Honors College, is quick to point out that the campaign expanded VWU’s learning options well beyond its students.
“These new facilities have given VWU greater opportunities to welcome the community to campus,” Dr. Malone said. “Now, the campus has become a place where the community can come together to explore the creative and intellectual ways that connect humans and the world.”
Photo: YUZHU ZHENG
FUNDED BY TRANSFORMATION NOW!
Greer Environmental Sciences Center. Organized thematically around the earth’s four spheres—atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere and biosphere—this Gold-certified LEED building opened in 2017, featuring sophisticated indoor and outdoor learning spaces that embody “science on display” and promote hands-on experiences, interactive learning and interdisciplinary research.
Greenhouse. Since 2017, VWU’s greenhouse has served as a laboratory for courses in botany and contains an extensive and diverse collection of plants, supporting courses that investigate the diversity of life on our planet. The Greenhouse also supports student and faculty research and provides work opportunities for students interested in botany.
Betty S. Rogers Track and Field Center. This 400-meter facility, featuring an eight-lane track, discus and hammer throw, high jump, long jump/triple jump, pole vault, shot put, steeplechase and digital scoreboard, opened in 2017.
Frank Blocker, Jr. Youth Center at YMCA Camp Red Feather. Built in 2017, Blocker Youth Center is used during the academic year by Tidewater Collegiate Academy—the University’s laboratory school and early enrollment partner—and in the summer months by YMCA Camp Red Feather.
Tom and Betty Broyles Field at TowneBank Park. Broyles Field features seating for 400, a climate-controlled press box, modern dugouts, bullpen and an auxiliary building. It’s been home to the three-time NCAA National Championship softball team since 2019.
Susan S. Goode Fine and Performing Arts Center. This facility features the impressive glass-enclosed Eleanor and Henry Watts Grand Lobby and Gallery and the Joan and Macon Brock Theatre. Support spaces ring the stage, including a scene shop, dressing rooms, green room and costume, prop and equipment storage. A plaza for outdoor programming overlooks the Susan Beverly Grand Terrace and Pond. The grand opening was held in 2019.
The Beacon. Since 2019, the Beacon has symbolized Virginia Wesleyan’s United Methodist heritage and represented the passion of those who laid the University’s foundation. The structure lights up with school colors after Marlin athletics wins and plays the VWU fight song “On, Virginia Wesleyan!” at noon, followed by the alma mater at 5 p.m. Symbolizing Virginia Wesleyan’s bright future, the Beacon invokes a strong sense of belonging for all who visit campus.
Coastal 61. This nine-building, 244 luxury-apartment community opened in 2020 on the north side of Wesleyan Drive. A publicprivate partnership between Virginia Wesleyan and The Franklin Johnston Group, the community is open to the public and is available to provide living space for upper-level and graduate students, faculty and staff.
Malbon Center for Technology. Located in Pruden Hall, the Malbon Center is named for Trustee John Malbon H’22 to honor his strategic leadership of technology initiatives at Virginia Wesleyan. Since 2020, the Malbon Center has been home to campus Information Technology Services.
DeFord Manor. A private on-campus residence of the University’s president, DeFord Manor opened in 2021 and was named in honor of longtime Trustees and benefactors Bob and Nancy DeFord. It features extensive indoor and outdoor entertainment areas on the ground level and the president’s private residence on the second floor. It is fronted by The Shelhorse Lawn and Ponds, named in honor of Trustee Emeritus Bill Shelhorse ’70. The home’s garden and pool area is named the Virginia Oveda Williams DeFord Terrace in honor of Bob DeFord’s mother. Just outside the terrace is a Japanese Garden named in honor of David R. Black H’21, a university president for nearly 30 years and executive-in-residence at VWU.
Tassos Paphites Soccer Complex. This multifaceted complex, which pulled together the existing Foster Field and Trinder Center, was completed in 2022. It not only serves men’s and women’s soccer but men’s and women’s lacrosse and field hockey programs as well.
Brock Commons. When it opened in 2022, Brock Commons completed the renovation and expansion of VWU’s dining facilities. The project includes the addition of the outdoor dining area facing the University Quad, main serving area and Joan P. Brock Room for groups of up to 135 guests.
FUNDED BY TRANSFORMATION NOW!
S. Frank and Wilma Williamson Blocker Hall. Blocker Hall was modified in 2017 to incorporate the administrative office for VWU’s Batten Honors College.
Kenneth R. Perry Field at TowneBank Park. This baseball facility, updated in 2017, includes a 370-seat grandstand; a climate-controlled press box; and modern dugouts and bullpens.
Robert F. and Sara M. Boyd Dining Center. Renovated in 2019, the Boyd Dining Center and related facilities house the student dining hall, President’s Dining Room, Founders’ Foyer and Shafer Room. The Board of Trustees Suite, the setting for Board meetings and other campus events, is also in this facility.
Monumental Chapel and Beazley Recital Hall. Host to both campus ministries and musical events, the space was renovated in 2020 to include a choral music library and instrument storage. It also has sound-diffusing panels for outstanding acoustics and is home to one of the campus Steinway pianos.
Susan T. Beverly Hall and Edward D. Hofheimer Theatre This fine arts complex, renovated in 2020, features the Robert G. Cabell III and Maude Morgan Cabell Foundation Visual Arts Studios, The Mary Morton Parsons Foundation Ensemble Rehearsal Room, Alison J. and Ella W. Parsons Fund Fine Arts Entrance & Lobby and the James A. Hixon Music Studios. The Hofheimer Theatre serves as a setting for theatrical instruction as well as performance.
TowneBank Arena in the Jane P. Batten Student Center. This 2,000-seat arena is the home of Marlin volleyball and basketball, along with hosting a wide range of other events for both the campus community and Coastal Virginia. Renovated in 2020, the arena includes Champions Foyer, the Hall of Fame, locker rooms, hospitality suite and athletics offices.
Lambuth M. Clarke Hall. Clarke Hall exemplifies the University’s commitment to providing state-of-the-art teaching technologies. The building was renovated in 2021 with new technology, classrooms and office space to support Workforce Development partnerships and Business and Computer Science and Information Systems programs.
One evening last spring, before dinner was served in VWU’s Brock Commons, seniors from Batten Honors College stationed themselves at their research posters. As arriving dinner guests strolled through the displays, the students took turns dazzling them with their work.
The event was the inaugural Louis and Prudence Ryan Environmental Research Symposium. And the poster presentations on display described innovative solutions to challenges facing the environment and sustainability.
Prior to the event, the students’ work had been evaluated and finalists chosen by a distinguished panel of judges: Christy Everett, Hampton Roads director of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation; Marjorie Mayfield Jackson, founding executive director of the Elizabeth River Project; and Joel Rubin, founder and president of Rubin Communications Group. The judges assessed the research on four criteria: the project’s potential impact; how it addressed environmental complexities; its strength of evidence; and its clear communication.
After dinner, the three finalists made oral presentations: Abby Mahoney presented “Reducing Campus Food Waste”; Brooke Morris presented “Combating Fraudulent Pharmaceuticals in Kenya”; and Abby Peterson presented “Urban-Tree Planting: Outlining How to Diminish Urban Stormwater Runoff Utilizing Community Partnerships.”
Before the awards were announced, VWU President Scott D. Miller reminded the seniors of guidance he offered when they were accepted into the Batten Honors College.
“I knew that their education and experience here,” he said, “would prepare them to solve problems creatively, think globally, make connections and work toward a better world.”
To that end, he explained that the evening’s symposium and prize helped realize the vision of philanthropist Jane Batten for an honors college with a global mission.
“We are so grateful that the Ryans believed in Mrs. Batten's vision and generously created an endowment to fund
this symposium and the Ryan Prize.”
President Miller was referring to longtime Virginia Wesleyan friends and benefactors Prudence and Louis Ryan. Along with being a member of the VWU Board of Trustees since 2007, Louis Ryan has served since 2006 on the board of directors of the Elizabeth River Project, an important partner of VWU and Batten Honors College. In his opening remarks, Ryan explained why he and his wife, who share the philanthropic passions of education and the environment, chose to create a $150,000 endowment to support the research symposium and fund its prizes.
“What a good education does,” Ryan said, “is teach you how to think. And what I mean is thinking critically, creatively and holistically. Doing that is really necessary to guarantee the survival and thriving of humanity.” Environmental research, he said, is the perfect place to both learn those skills and practice them.
“This symposium creates a natural opportunity for students—and faculty, for that matter—to engage in this kind of thinking and to hopefully do meaningful research that will add to our knowledge of the issues we face with our environment and how we should deal with those issues.”
As the event came to a close, the winner of the Ryan Environmental Prize for Excellence in Research was announced: Abby Peterson for her research on the benefits of urban tree planting. She received a $750 cash prize and a $750 donation in her name to the nonprofit environmental organization of her choosing.
Peterson’s research involved working with Virginia Beach’s Chimney Hill community on the steps involved in a tree-planting project, including applying for a grant to fund it.
“When I came to Virginia Wesleyan four years ago,” she said, “I wasn't even sure climate change was a real thing. Now I'm so thankful to be part of this symposium's history. And I'm grateful to my professors and everyone involved in the Batten Honors College for helping me learn how to conduct this research and utilize community partnerships.”
Traditional students enter Virginia Wesleyan through the front door,” said Dr. Deirdre Gonsalves-Jackson, professor of biology and dean of VWU Global Campus. “But there’s a huge community around us that also needs affordable learning options. So we put out the welcome mat for non-traditional students at our back door.”
Today, anyone who wants to learn can walk through whatever door to VWU fits their needs and schedule. Dr. Gonsalves-Jackson explained that the VWU Global Campus, which is fully integrated with Virginia Wesleyan’s academic program, serves the full spectrum of learners: online, evening, weekend, international, early enrollment and non-credit.
“We meet students wherever they are,” Dr. Gonsalves-Jackson said. “We want to be welcoming to everyone.”
Maybe the right VWU door is a career-related certificate program or a nocost professional development workshop. It might be attending VWU programs at the Westminster-Canterbury retirement community or completing University-level classes while in high school.
For working professionals, it could be earning an MBA online—choosing from 10 different concentrations—as Emily Amland did.
“When I started to research my further education options,” Amland said, “I was completely intimidated and worried I wouldn’t be able to manage school expectations on top of my full-time job.”
In exploring online MBA programs, she landed on the one at VWU. “I was excited to find a school that had detailed information online and clear expectations. I felt like the program was designed with me in mind: a full-time worker who’s been in her career for nearly 10 years and was ready to take her professional journey to the next level.”
VWU is also helping law enforcement professionals reach the next level through a unique partnership launched last year with the Virginia Beach Police Department. After University leaders evaluated the police academy’s rigorous curriculum, they determined its coursework equates to 28 credit hours at VWU. As a result, Virginia Beach police officers who enroll in VWU receive credit for what they’ve learned in the academy—and get a head start on their associate’s or bachelor’s degree.
“My job as a police officer has unique challenges with schedules and responsibilities that make it almost impossible to complete my degree in a conventional setting,” said Officer Matt Thompson, who has served with Virginia Beach
EVERYONE IN BETWEEN, VWU IS THE GATEWAY TO LEARNING AT ANY STAGE OF LIFE
“If the people of Coastal Virginia would benefit from a specific program or educational partnership, I believe it’s our duty to find a way to provide it. That’s why I always encourage corporate and municipal leaders to reach out to us.”
SCOTT D. MILLER VWU President
Police for six years. “This partnership enables me to continue my educational endeavors at my own pace and customize a schedule, allowing me to balance my work and school responsibilities.”
The same holds true for Officer T.X. Hughes, who also has six years’ experience with Virginia Beach Police. “Being able to take all my classes online,” Hughes said, “receiving credits for criminal justice classes completed at the police academy and accepting my prior credits earned from Tidewater Community College showed that I could finish in a reasonable amount of time and finally earn my bachelor’s degree. There’s no doubt that this opportunity will provide advancement in my career.”
Through VWU’s Institute of Professional Practice, similar programs are in development with other Coastal Virginia police and fire departments.
Traditional VWU students benefit from innovative partnerships, too. For matriculating students, the University has 10 agreements in place that offer early decisions, early admissions or priority admissions for students pursuing medical school, law school, divinity school and other graduate degrees not yet offered at VWU.
In May, a creative international partnership produced its first four Virginia Wesleyan graduates from Japan. VWU and Lakeland University in Wisconsin agreed in 2020 to jointly operate a campus in Tokyo with the name “Lakeland University Japan and Virginia Wesleyan University Global.” Before traveling to Virginia Beach to complete their bachelor’s degrees, the four students graduated from Lakeland University/VWU Global’s two-year program on the Tokyo campus.
Tackling Coastal Virginia’s shortage of K-12 teachers is another focus of VWU’s Institute of Professional Practice. Through a partnership with Virginia Beach City Public Schools, a new program will enable VWU education majors to complete internships in Virginia Beach public schools and work as paid substitutes. Another program will help working teachers complete the coursework needed to gain licensed status.
VWU President Scott D. Miller said he feels strongly that the University—which depends upon community support—has a responsibility to return that support in ways that are specific to the needs of Coastal Virginia residents and organizations.
“The people of this region created Virginia Wesleyan,” President Miller said, “and we are dedicated to being a good community partner.”
“If the people of Coastal Virginia would benefit from a specific program or educational partnership,” he added, “I believe it’s our duty to find a way to provide it. That’s why I always encourage corporate and municipal leaders to reach out to us.”
“I chose to become a police officer because after I left the Marine Corps, I wanted a job where I would have a clear purpose and the ability to have a positive impact on people’s lives. I wanted a career that gives me the opportunity to make a difference in my community.
“ Without the partnership with VWU, I don’t know if I would ever finish my degree. I was nervous about returning to school after so many years out of the classroom. After meeting and speaking with the VWU staff facilitating this partnership, who seemed just as excited about this partnership as I was, my concerns were alleviated.
“ This partnership gave me the push and motivation I needed to step out of my comfort zone and work toward a goal I’ve had my entire adult life. I have enjoyed going back to school so much that I now have aspirations of immediately starting a graduate program once I finish my undergraduate degree. This would have never been a possibility without this partnership.
“I’ve been in this program for a year, and I have already seen the positive impact education has on my job as a police officer. The courses have opened my mind to a new way of thinking and allowed me to consider and approach situations from different perspectives.
“ This partnership also facilitates the advancement of my career in the police department as there are educational requirements for career progression. I look forward to seeing how this partnership will positively influence my career and how it will assist me in making a true difference within the community I serve.”
BARCLAY SHEAKS GALLERY
Featuring exhibits of the work of Barclay Sheaks, renowned local painter and founder of the Art Department at Virginia Wesleyan University.
NEIL BRITTON GALLERY
Choral Invitational
October 6 | 6:00 pm
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 7 4:00 pm
The Wesleyan Choirs, Orchestra, and Theatre Department join together for a collaborative production Free
Virginia Wesleyan Orchestra in Concert
April 23 | 7:30 pm
The Virginia Wesleyan Orchestra, under the direction of Justin Stanley, presents a variety of classic and new works.
Virginia Wesleyan Camerata and area high school choirs join together for a celebration performance under the direction of Dr. Jamie Hillman after a day of workshops and festivals together.
$15, limited free tickets for VWU students/faculty/staff
Virginia Wesleyan Orchestra in Concert
November 16 | 7:30 pm
The Virginia Wesleyan Orchestra, under the direction of Justin Stanley, presents a variety of classic and new works.
A Wesleyan Christmas
December 2 | 7:30 pm
Virginia Wesleyan Vox Vera and Jazz Ensemble
May 3 | 7:30 pm
Wesleyan Vox Vera and the Wesleyan Jazz Ensemble combine for a concert, presenting a variety of contemporary a capella and jazz music.
Eurydice by Sarah Ruhl
October 26-28 | 7:30 pm
October 29 | 2:00 pm
“Moss Mind” by Alison Coutu Through Sept. 17 Coutu's carefully crafted ceramic artwork beats with palpable energy, serving as a visual account of her resilient passage through the maze of mental health and her profound journey as a disabled veteran. Witness the merging of vulnerability and strength, woven together as delicate strands of moss.
Marlin Mural Festival
Oct. 2– March 8
The Marlin Mural Festival will transform the Neil Britton Art Gallery into a venue for experimental mural and installation artworks by students and members of the VWU community. Creation of works will unfold over an extended period, and the exhibition will pay tribute to the creative process of individuals and collaborations that culminate in finished artworks
Marlin Mural Festival Artists Reception
March 7 | 6:00 – 7:30 pm
Art Majors Portfolio Review March 27–28
Student Juried Exhibition April 1–7
Senior Exhibition April 15–May18
Senior Exhibition Reception
May 3 | 12–1:00 pm
December 3 | 4:00 pm
Virginia Wesleyan Bravura, Camerata and Vox Vera join with the Virginia Wesleyan Orchestra to present a concert of holiday carols and classics.
$10, free to VWU students/faculty/staff
Deke Sharon A Cappella Festival Closing Concert
March 1 | 6:00 pm
Virginia Wesleyan Vox Vera and high school choirs from across Virginia join to collaborate on a cappella music under the mentorship of Deke Sharon, music director for Pitch Perfect and DCappella.
Tickets $10
Duruflé Requiem
April 20 | 4:00 pm
Virginia Wesleyan Camerata joins with the Virginia Choral Society to present Maurice Duruflé’s Requiem accompanied by an orchestra made up of members of the Virginia Wesleyan Orchestra and professional musicians playing side by side.
$25, free to VWU students/faculty/staff
Contemporary playwright Sarah Ruhl’s lyrical, poetic retelling of the classic Orpheus myth centering on Eurydice’s reunion with her father in an “Alice in Wonderland”-style underworld. Written by Ruhl in response to the loss of her own father, "Eurydice" is a mystical depiction of the bittersweet yet joyful conversations we continue to have with people and places we have loved and lost. . . and a testament to the unbreakable ties that bind us.
“Eurydice” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. www. concordtheatricals.com
$15 Adult, $10 Senior/Student/Military/Teacher/ First Responder, free to VWU students/faculty/staff
Spring Musical
April 4-6 | 7:30 pm
April 7 | 2:00 pm
Goode Center Anniversary & Alumni Weekend
Celebrate Spring Alumni weekend and the 5th anniversary of the opening of the Goode Center! The Fine and Performing Arts department will present its spring musical that is sure to delight audiences of all ages.
Unless otherwise noted, events are free and open to the public. For more information visit vwu.edu/arts
THE VIRGINIA WESLEYAN COMMUNITY GATHERED IN MAY TO HONOR FOUR RETIRING FACULTY MEMBERS AND ONE RETIRING STAFF MEMBER.
“People are any organization’s greatest asset,” said VWU President Scott D. Miller during his remarks at the event. “We are incredibly fortunate to have great people at Virginia Wesleyan—people who are wholeheartedly committed to our institution and students and who are dedicated to our shared mission.”
Retirees included Dr. Elaine Dessouki, Assistant Professor of Management, Business, and Economics; Lois Ford, Harbor Grill Supervisor, Sodexo Dining Services; Dr. Joyce Howell, Professor of Art History; Dr. George Jackson, Professor of Management, Business, and Economics; and Dr. Phil Rock, Professor of Biology.
“ Together,” President Miller added, “they contributed an astonishing 136 years of experience and knowledge to Virginia Wesleyan.”
Four distinguished Virginia Wesleyan faculty members received awards during the 2023 VWU Commencement ceremonies.
Samuel Nelson Gray Distinguished Teaching Award
Dr. Terry Lindvall, C.S. Lewis Endowed Chair in Communication and Christian Thought, Professor of Communication (top left)
Birdsong Service and Community Engagement Award
Dr. Jennifer Slivka, Associate Professor of English (top right)
United Methodist Church General Board of Higher Education and Ministry Exemplary Teacher Award
Dr. Craig Jackson, Associate Professor of Psychology (bottom left)
Jane P. Batten Distinguished Scholar Award
Dr. Joyce Howell, Professor of Art History (bottom right)
VWU President Scott D. Miller presented Dr. Joyce Howell with the traditional VWU captain's chair, in recognition of her 39 years of service on the VWU faculty.
From the silent films of Charlie Chaplin to the “Talladega Nights” prayer directed to the “8-pound, 6-ounce, newborn infant Jesus,” Hollywood has inadvertently taught moviegoers how to pray. A recent documentary film made by two VWU professors shows how—and why.
For “Hollywood, Teach us to Pray,” Dr. Terry Lindvall and Dr. Stu Minnis combed the last century of Hollywood movies to identify those with scenes of characters praying. Their film, released in early 2023, investigates what the prayers are about, what they say about society, and how they may even teach viewers to pray.
The documentary included prayer scenes from “Little Miss Marker” with Shirley Temple; “Easy A” with Emma Stone; “Dead Man Walking” with Sean Penn; “Hacksaw Ridge” with Andrew Garfield; and many other films.
Communication professor Dr. Lindvall is VWU’s C.S. Lewis Endowed Chair in Communication and Christian Thought. The idea for the documentary evolved out of his curriculum research. While teaching “Theology and Film,” Dr. Lindvall compiled a brief visual lecture on a history of prayers in Hollywood films. In 2006, he presented his first workshop on the subject at the Virginia Film Festival. Then he wrote the book “God on the Big Screen: A History of Hollywood Prayers from the Silent Era to Today,” published in 2019.
After receiving a grant from the Newington-Cropsey Foundation to produce the documentary, he enlisted the help of former students, friends and colleagues, including VWU colleague Dr. Stu Minnis, chair and professor of communication. Dr. Minnis agreed to serve as the documentary’s editor.
“Editing a feature is a massive undertaking,” Dr. Minnis said. This project was the first time he had ever done a clip-and-interview style documentary. And he
learned quickly that getting the puzzle pieces to fit together was often challenging but ultimately satisfying.
“It's worth noting that moments of prayer are often some of the most emotionally powerful moments in these films,” Dr. Minnis said, “which meant that I was frequently watching emotionally wrenching clips over and over again. Sometimes it just plain wore me out. Two scenes in particular, the death of the infant in ‘Sparrows’ and the prayer before battle in ‘Glory,’ literally had me tearing up every time I watched them, and I had to watch them a lot.”
The film’s topic and title may seem to imply that only religious people will be interested, Dr. Minnis said. But it is just as much about the way filmmakers use prayer in their storytelling, including in irreverent ways.
“ The topic is interesting regardless of your beliefs,” Dr. Minnis explained, “and just about anyone of any faith, or of no faith at all, would enjoy this film.”
The water-quality investigations started at 9 a.m. Outdoors on a sunny spring day, about two dozen students performed a macroinvertebrate study and chemical analysis of water quality—checking pH, dissolved oxygen and nutrient levels—of Norfolk’s Broad Creek and Lafayette River. Later, they would compare their results with those of students in Pennsylvania conducting the same tests.
But these weren’t university or even high school students. They were fourth-graders at Norfolk Collegiate School. And they were guided by Dr. Bill McConnell, associate professor of education at VWU, three VWU student volunteers and several Norfolk Collegiate teachers, all thanks to a grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) called Shared Waters: An Upstream-Downstream Collaborative.
The $400,000, three-year NOAA grant, awarded to Millersville University, is funding a collaboration with VWU and Norfolk Collegiate School at one end of the Chesapeake Bay and with Millersville and Penn Manor School District, both in Pennsylvania, at the bay’s other end.
VWU students Alison Pollack, Carey Seay and Micayla Waters, all from the education class “Classroom Management and Teaching Strategies,” worked with Norfolk Collegiate teachers to help fourthgrade students conduct the water-quality tests. Their results will be compared with results obtained by elementary students in Penn Manor School District.
“This project,” Dr. McConnell said, “allows preservice teachers at VWU and MU the opportunity to work and learn alongside master teachers early in their education program—something that most education programs don’t provide. Our students apply the management theory and strategies they learn in class to navigate common and not-so-common management issues: maintaining the attention of young students, monitoring student’s use of sharp garden tools and managing the excitement of students who have discovered an oddlooking macroinvertebrate.”
The curriculum developed by Dr. McConnell, who also serves as VWU’s director of teacher education, and his partners at Millersville has been adopted by several Pennsylvania schools and promoted by the state. The collaboration is also providing professional development training to 30 elementary teachers, creating field experiences for 500 teacher candidates, educating more than 1,000 students on the impact of their local actions on watersheds, creating shared educational resources and establishing a formalized partnership between schools that will institutionalize instruction in Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences in undergraduate teacher education.
This material is based upon work supported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) under Grant No. NA21NMF4570498. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of NOAA.
A16-member delegation recently shone a spotlight on VWU in New York City at the National Model United Nations conference. The role of representing Venezuela in the model UN was one the students had prepared for all semester.
“ The students were particularly proud of the progress they made on the basis of relationships they formed within the small-group settings,” said VWU Lecturer James Moskowitz. “For their role in the conference and simulation, the Marlins delegation earned an honorable mention. This was announced to applause at the closing ceremonies in the General Assembly Hall at UN headquarters.”
The Marlin Chronicle, VWU’s student newspaper, earned 19 awards from the Society for Collegiate Journalists (SCJ) 2023 National Contest. The SCJ announced that staff members of the Chronicle won first place in the feature page, news stories, editorial cartoon and infographics categories.
“I am very proud of the Marlin Chronicle team and its achievements this year,” Editor-in-Chief Connor Merk ’23 said.
“This media enterprise, which comprises nearly 30 students, is extremely talented and provides an excellent voice for our campus community.”
The Marlin Chronicle is a student-led publication that has served the campus since 1982. The Society for Collegiate Journalists is the nation’s oldest honor society for student media leaders and has about 100 active chapters nationwide and 1,200 members.
In May, Connor Merk ’23 received his VWU bachelor’s degree in Business and Political Science, with a minor in Communications. But it was how he achieved his degree that made him stand out.
Merk’s academic performance earned him an impressive four awards during the spring convocation for Batten Honors College: President’s Leadership Award, Journalism Award, Political Science Award and Management, Business and Economics Robert
H. Cass Outstanding Senior Award.
If that wasn’t enough, during his junior and senior years, Merk served as editor-in-chief of VWU's awardwinning student newspaper “The Marlin Chronicle.” He also showcased his leadership skills as the founder and chairman of the Virginia Wesleyan University Republicans, fostering a vibrant political discourse on campus. Merk is now off to Pepperdine University to pursue a master’s degree in public policy.
On the heels of a recent report that Norfolk has the highest rate of sea level rise on the East Coast, Earth Week at VWU demonstrated the University’s leadership role in Coastal Virginia’s environmental issues.
During the week-long slate of events, presented in partnership with the City of Virginia Beach and the Gunn Group, students, experts and business leaders discussed multiple aspects of the climate crisis, including its evolution, impacts and potential solutions.
Incorporated into Earth Week was the spring 2023 Marlin Business Conference “A Greener Tomorrow,” which focused on environmentally friendly career opportunities and sustainable business practices. The student-led conference featured guest lectures from professionals at the Port of Virginia, Elizabeth River Project and other organizations.
Earth Week events also included “Protein Wars” presented by Dr. Sid Dobrin ’89 and “Greasy Rider: Two Dudes, One Fry-Oil-Powered Car, and a CrossCountry Search for a Greener Future”
presented by author Greg Melville through VWU’s Robert Nusbaum Center.
“I'm a huge fan of Virginia Wesleyan's commitment to sustainability,” Melville said, “and I'm excited that I could contribute to the conversation on campus.”
Earth Week’s hallmark event, “Generations Uniting to Address Climate Change,” featured a panel of experts from science, policy and communication backgrounds: Capt. David Dees, chief of staff, Navy Region Mid-Atlantic; Jamie Margolin, student activist and author of “Youth To Power: Your Voice and How To Use It”; Bob Ryan, former “Today Show” meteorologist; Marcus Smaltz, VWU senior who conducted research on extreme heat in Virginia Beach; and Skip Stiles, executive director of Wetlands Watch. Lee Gunn, VADM (RET) USN, moderated the discussion.
VWU closed out the week by celebrating the 2022 Tree Campus Higher Education recognition bestowed by the Arbor Day Foundation. Only 411 campuses across the United States have been honored with this recognition.
Planting a tree at an event celebrating the University’s recent honor from the Arbor Day Foundation.
“My future goals include working in the public policy realm, being a voice for my community and bettering the lives of others. One of my passions is the achievement of mutual understanding among diverse groups of people."
Thanks to an extensive roster of high-demand internships, VWU students have recently tackled complex and fascinating projects at those workplaces and many others.
As a senior, Shaun Guernsey ’23 completed a NASA internship at its Wallops Flight Facility. An engineering intern with Launch Vehicle Engineering, Guernsey helped develop the launch vehicles for each payload that launched both domestically and internationally, along with performing postflight performance analysis of rocket boosters for each mission flown.
“Overall,” Guernsey said of his NASA experience, “I have a better understanding of the difficult but highly valued job an aerospace engineer plays in our society’s quest to further our scientific knowledge.”
In 2022, Josh Spicer ’24 interned for the Virginia Beach Department of Economic Development, which oversees the zoning and planning for the city.
“The biggest project that I was able to work on,” Spicer said, “was the Spanish scrap metal company that we hosted for a visit, as it was looking to move to Virginia Beach. It was interesting to follow this project from the start and work on it so closely. I was able to better understand what my coworkers do on a daily basis with various companies.”
An internship with the NATO Innovation Hub led Ryleigh Taylor ’24 to gain new skills and connections. Taylor collaborated with professors from around the world and
provided them with content important for teaching others to think critically. She also cohosted and moderated the plenary and closing sessions of the NATO Innovation Conference.
“As a political science and international studies double major,” Taylor said, “I am extremely interested in learning more about how different countries work together to create and maintain peaceful relationships with one another. During the internship, I was able to collaborate with many people from different countries and learn about their viewpoints of domestic and international issues.”
Not many students have the opportunity to work on a U.S. military base with some of the brightest scientists in America. But as an intern, VWU student June Richardson ’24 collaborated with a group of physicists at Dahlgren Naval Base on a long unsolved problem regarding gravitational disturbances in Earth’s field.
At the end of the internship, Richardson produced the paper, “On Gravitational Disturbance,” which was published in a controlled Navy research journal. Moreover, hard copies of the paper were distributed within several government buildings on the base.
“I was offered a number of job opportunities from various government agencies,” Richardson said. “All it takes is an internship to come up with an exciting new idea.”
“Geni Roberts completed his Marlin athletic career as one of the most decorated student-athletes in VWU history. We wish him all the best as he leaves our University and moves into his future.”
ANDREA HOOVER-ERBIG Executive Director of Intercollegiate AthleticsHe’ll forever be hailed as one of the most exceptional track-and-field athletes to grace the VWU campus. During his remarkable tenure, he garnered an astonishing collection of accolades: an eight-time All-American, three-time National Runner-Up, four-time Old Dominion Athletic Conference Field Athlete of the Meet and 11-time ODAC Champion. With unwavering determination, he repeatedly shattered both ODAC and VWU records, etching his name in the annals of athletic greatness. Who is this extraordinary athlete? He's Geni Roberts, and his name will long be remembered by his colleagues and coaches.
With a thrilling 4-3 penalty shootout, the team triumphed over its rivals, Christopher Newport University. It was the first appearance in the NCAA Championship Semifinals round for the VWU Women’s Soccer team since 2006, propelled there by an exceptional performance in the NCAA Championship Semifinals round. Notably, junior goalkeeper Rachel Quigley was recognized with a well-deserved third-team All-American honor by the United Soccer Coaches.
The Virginia Wesleyan University
softball team hosted the 13th annual Strike Out Cancer event during Alumni Weekend this past spring. The team and its fans rose to the occasion to help beat cancer, setting an all-time record of donations: $42,067. All of the funds raised go toward the American Cancer Society’s cancer research. The event’s previous record was $30,339, set in 2022.
Softball Head Coach Brandon Elliot ’03 thanks fans and supporters for their generous donations.
The momentous victory was the culmination of the team’s outstanding fall 2022 season, which concluded with a remarkable overall record of 18-3-4 and a conference record of 8-1-1.
In addition to the team’s success, Shyenne Diaz, a talented first-year player, was honored with the prestigious Rookie of the Year accolade, while Head Coach Jeff Bowers earned the esteemed Coach of the Year recognition from the Virginia Sports Information Directors.
Exciting additions are coming to VWU Athletics, expanding opportunities for both men and women. Starting in spring 2024, men’s volleyball will join the university’s roster of 23 NCAA intercollegiate sports, following the success of the women's volleyball program. Joining the Old Dominion Athletic Conference, the University embraces the growing trend of men’s volleyball in NCAA Division III.
This fall, the University will introduce a co-ed cheer program, led by Virginia Wesleyan alum Head Coach Cherrelle Artis ’10, assisted by coach Elise Fabregas. Tapping into the vibrant Marlin spirit, the program will initially support the men’s and women’s basketball teams during the 2023-24 season. Cheerleading will expand to other sports as the program develops and the team will set its sights on participating in cheer competitions by 2024.
THEY’RE SOME OF THE BEST OF VIRGINIA WESLEYAN'S ATHLETIC HISTORY: THE INDUCTEES TO THE 2023 CLASS OF VWU’S ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME
This year’s class includes former Marlin athletic greats Marissa Coombs ’18 (women’s track & field and women’s cross country), Evan Cox (men’s golf), Kala Guy Herman ’12 (women’s volleyball), Cassetty Howerin ’18 (softball), the 2018 NCAA Division III National Championship Softball Team and VWU benefactor William S. Shelhorse ’70, who will be honored for his decades of support for the University’s intercollegiate athletics program.
These new members will be inducted in a special ceremony Saturday, October 7, during VWU’s Homecoming and Family Weekend.
The Virginia Wesleyan University Athletic Hall of Fame was established in 2007 to honor those who, by outstanding achievement in athletics, by service to athletics or through significant contributions to athletics, have made lasting contributions to Virginia Wesleyan University's intercollegiate athletic program. READ MORE AT vwu.edu/hof.
VWU’s 2018 NCAA Division III National Championship Softball Team will be inducted into the VWU Athletic Hall of Fame in October.
Ademonstration of a high-tech virtual dissection tool. A gathering at Shorebreak Pizza and Taphouse. A JukeVox concert by Vox Vera. A family picnic and sporting competitions.
These are some of the ways Marlins from near and far enjoyed each other’s company during VWU’s 2023 Spring Alumni Weekend.
Friday’s spring business meeting of the Parents Council kicked off the weekend. There, VWU President Scott D. Miller shared an update on University projects and initiatives. Senior members of the Parents Council Cecil and Julie Chapman (Joseph ’23), presented a check on behalf of the group to President Miller and Director of Alumni and Parent Engagement Tina Milligan. Collectively, the Council raised $22,022 for VWU’s Excellence Fund.
Following the Council meeting, Professor of Biology Vic Townsend provided a demonstration of the University’s Anatomage Table, a high-tech virtual dissection tool that enables students to examine the human body using digital cadavers. Parents Council members then attended a reception at the president’s home, DeFord Manor.
The fun continued Friday night with an alumni gathering at Virginia Beach’s Shorebreak Pizza and Taphouse, followed by VWU’s JukeVox Concert in the Susan S. Goode Fine and Performing Arts Center.
Saturday, alumni reconvened at the Marlin Family Picnic on Birdsong Field. Several friendly alumni competitions also took place, including games for women’s soccer, field hockey, volleyball and men’s soccer. VWU intercollegiate athletics were also in action on campus, with conference games for men’s lacrosse and softball. Save the date for the 2024 Spring Alumni Weekend April 5-6, 2024
A highlight of the 2023 Spring Alumni Weekend was the return of alumni from the first five graduating classes at Virginia Wesleyan: 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973 and 1974. The “First Five Pioneers” gathered in a reunion tent and took part in a Scroll Signing Celebration.
The celebration for the “First Five Pioneers” continued Saturday evening at a reception in Brock Commons sponsored by VWU Trustee Bill Shelhorse ’70. A First Five chapel service was held Sunday morning in Monumental Chapel.
