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VIRGINIA BEACH, VIRGINIA
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March 2020
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As we continue to embrace 2020, our points of pride and our partnerships continue to grow. A few of the many highlights from this past month are pictured above and include winning a championship, welcoming special guests to campus, and signing an agreement to expand our academic offerings. More information can be found below.
Congratulations to our VWU Ethics Bowl team (pictured in the first photo), who finished as the champions of the 2020 Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges' (VFIC) Ethics Bowl. The VWU team competed against other highly qualified student teams from Virginia's 15 leading independent colleges and universities in early February. We are so proud of their hard work and deliberation on a variety of cases surrounding "Ethics and Higher Education." Our team was undefeated in the four preliminary rounds and edged out Hampden-Sydney College in the final round to win the Batten Trophy for the second time in the event's history. The Batten Trophy, named for VWU Trustee Emerita Jane P. Batten and her late husband Frank Batten, Sr., both strong Ethics Bowl supporters, is proudly displayed on our campus. This is an impressive and fitting achievement as our Ethics Bowl team--Alex Powers, Anitra Howard, and Criofan Shaw--are all Batten Honors College students. Read more about this exciting feat here.
We welcomed Dr. Janice Underwood (pictured center with SGA President Taylor "Tip" Major), the Commonwealth and the nation's first cabinet-level chief diversity officer, to Virginia Wesleyan recently. She led an inspiring discussion as part of the University's Black History Month recognition: "Black history is American history," she told guests. "The complicated parts are our history too. We can't always stand up for what is exciting and celebratory, and then denounce or turn our backs on the hard, problematic parts of it." She urged attendees to remember this point all year long, not just during the month of February. Dr. Underwood strongly believes in servant leadership and culturally relevant reform and is committed to addressing racial, ethnic, disability, gender-based, and other cultural inequities in formal and informal policies and practices in Virginia state government. She is working tirelessly to build a statewide strategic plan for diversity and inclusive excellence across 186 state agencies and with other public and private sectors. Her goal is to make Virginia a national exemplar for the nation regarding diversity, equity, and inclusive excellence. Read more here.
We hosted leadership from Sentara College of Health Sciences (pictured in the third photo) for the signing of an agreement formalizing our institutions' commitment to pursue a joint Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree program. Together we will now participate in an application process with Virginia Wesleyan's accrediting body, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), and Sentara College of Health Science's accrediting body, Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). Once approved, the BSN would be offered as a joint degree and would involve coursework at both institutions. At least 10 slots would be guaranteed on a competitive basis to students who meet defined admission standards, and additional applicants would be considered. This is an exciting step for Virginia Wesleyan. Read more here.
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DR. SCOTT D. MILLER
Dr. Scott D. Miller is president of Virginia Wesleyan University. Respected as one of the most entrepreneurial higher education executives in America, he is in his 30th year as a university president. Dr. Miller has dedicated his career to the opportunities available through education. He especially values the small, classical, liberal arts college environment that offers students personalized pathways to life and career success. Previously, he was president of Bethany College (2007-2015), Wesley College (1997-2007), and Lincoln Memorial University (1991-1997). He was also Executive Vice President (1988-1991) and Vice President for Development (1984-1988) at Lincoln Memorial University and Director of College Relations and Alumni Affairs at Rio Grande College (now University) in Ohio. More
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 A daily blog by Dr. Miller |
 President Miller travels the country sharing his vision for the University and greeting Virginia Wesleyan alumni, friends, and partners of the institution. For additional details, visit the Presidential Events webpage. |
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President's Letter
A monthly communique from Dr. Scott D. Miller
Virginia Wesleyan University has been selected to receive the Carnegie Foundation's prestigious Community Engagement Classification. VWU is among 119 U.S. colleges and universities to earn the elective designation, which indicates institutional commitment to community engagement. Read more here.
Virginia Wesleyan president shares how leadership at a small institution took a series of bold actions to steer the campus toward greater relevancy and long-term viability.
In the supercharged, highly competitive arena of higher education, Virginia Wesleyan leadership has taken bold actions to steer the campus toward long-term viability. Read more in Dr. Miller's article "Position for Strength," published in Business Officer magazine.
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Virginia Wesleyan University Undergoes Transformation Thanks to Bold Leadership & Experienced Partner
Evolving profile: University status isn't the sole new feature at Virginia Wesleyan
2019 Inside Business Power List
VWU President Scott Miller and Trustee Howard Kern have been named to Inside Business' 2019 Power List. The list recognizes "movers and shakers" who are important to the future of our region.
The Virginian-Pilot and HuffPost
Column by Dr. Scott D. Miller
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Enrollment Manager
By Dr. Scott D. Miller & Dr. Marylouise Fennell
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College Planning & Management
By Dr. Scott D. Miller & Dr. Marylouise Fennell
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President to President: "The Next Big Thing"
Edited by Dr. Scott D. Miller & Dr. Marylouise Fennell
The seventh chapter is now available in the 2019-2020 series of President to President, a thought leadership publication. This year's series, "The Next Big Thing," explores how higher education institutions are responding to ever-evolving student and parent expectations, learning needs, shifting demographics, and more.
In this seventh chapter, "Leveraging Our Assets: Adult Education as a Tool for Transformation," Muskingum University President Dr. Susan S. Hasseler describes how her institution applies the key elements of adult education programs to better serve degree-seeking students from diverse backgrounds. By leveraging the benefits of adult education programs, such as responsiveness to learners' needs and connections with experts who work in fields beyond academics, institutions can pursue new educational practices that align with the needs of today's college students.
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