鶹ýrtb
Dear friends,

As our Batten Honors College develops and enhances the reputation of 鶹ýrtb, I am delighted to share the Louis and Prudence Ryan Research Symposium and the Louis and Prudence Ryan Prize for Excellence in Research for scholars in the Batten Honors College beginning in Spring 2023. These new developments are gratefully named for our longtime friends and benefactors, and we thank the Ryans for their continued commitment to support education and the environment.

I offer my congratulations, once again, to members of the Class of 2021 who graduated during the VWU Global Campus Commencement Ceremony on December 18. It was a wonderful event that celebrated our mid-year graduates with all the pomp and circumstance they deserve. My special thanks to Mavis McKenley, a member of the Board of Trustees and 2011 graduate of VWU's adult studies program, for providing the keynote speech. During our ceremony, Mavis was honored with The Wesley Award for her outstanding service to her alma mater. 

As we finished the Fall 2021 Semester, the Marlins stayed busy. We welcomed the return of our in-person Port Day which brings the campus community together to celebrate the academic achievement of students in research, internships, performance, and global engagement. We also hosted a reception to celebrate the first five students who will begin the remainder of their coursework for our joint degree of Bachelor of Science in Nursing at the Sentara College of Health Sciences this January. Among the faculty achievements, Dr. Deirdre Gonsalves-Jackson, Dean of VWU Global Campus and Associate Professor of Biology, was honored with the inaugural Barbara A. Holland Scholar-Administrator Award from the .

Lastly, I remain extremely grateful and humbled by the humanitarian award from the . I thank the entire Marlin family - trustees, faculty, staff, students, alumni, parents, and friends - for their efforts in making VWU a truly inclusive and welcoming community to all.

Let's hope 2022 brings us all health, happiness, and the ongoing safe return of our traditions.

Sincerely,
Over the years I have enjoyed writing regular columns and contributing to articles.
Included below are links to several recent publications. Visit vwu.edu/president for more.
This is my 18th year serving as Executive Editor (along with Dr. Marylouise Fennell) of the presidential thought-leadership series . The fifth chapter is now available online. In “,” University of La Verne President Devorah Lieberman, Ph.D., describes an approach to strategic planning and decision-making that focuses on both the short- and long-term impacts of actions and policies. She describes how the abrupt changes brought by the pandemic drove her campus to view challenges through two lenses: one focused on immediate needs and impacts, and one focused on future outcomes.

This year’s series, titled “,” will explore how colleges and universities are approaching their missions with new vigor and re-examining their role in the community as the world continues working through the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the course of 10 chapters, these experts will provide unique insights into how recent and ongoing events are shaping the college experience.

鶹ýrtb is a Vaccine Champion University. The VWU Emergency Response Team continues to monitor COVID-19 guidance and conditions. The University is conducting as normal of an academic year as possible. 
Dr. Scott D. Miller is president of 鶹ýrtb. Respected as one of the most entrepreneurial higher education executives in America, he is in his 32nd 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. Read more.