Â鶹´«Ă˝rtb

This time of the year is always a flurry of activity as we recognize student accomplishments. Scholars in our Batten Honors College program took first place in the undergraduate division at Intentional Endowments Network’s Student Corporate Engagement Competition. Our Marlins Softball program won its sixth consecutive Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) title. Students from all academic areas were celebrated during annual events like Spring Honors Convocation and Academic Symposium (formerly known as PORT Day). We sent a delegation (representing Chad) to the National Model UN in New York where our 13 participating students were honored as a . We celebrated Earth Day and our students' continued efforts in preserving and saving our planet.

Our no-cost professional development courses continue to garner vast interest from the Coastal Virginia community. The Phase I upgrades to Clarke Hall help the University to provide state-of-the-art facilities to support VWU Global Campus's flourishing workforce development and job training programs as well as our growing Management, Business and Economics department, a division of the D. Henry Watts School of Professional Studies.

We are proud of the outpouring of support from the Marlin community during our fourth annual Day of Giving. This year's campaign set new records for giving and donor participation. We sincerely thank all who participated by making a gift or sharing the campaign with others.

We look forward to celebrating the Class of 2022 next week and wish our graduating Marlins the best as they embark on the next steps of their journey. We can't wait to hear what the future brings for each of them as they stay engaged as the newest VWU alumni.

This is my 18th year serving as Executive Editor (along with Dr. Marylouise Fennell) of the presidential thought-leadership series . In the ninth chapter of the 2021-2022 series, “,” Portland Community College President Mark Mitsui, M.Ed., examines the critical role that higher education will play in the post-pandemic world. He describes how colleges can promote greater equity and help address social issues, and he offers examples of programs his campus has implemented to actively work towards these goals while preparing students for the jobs of the future.

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.