Dear Campus and Coastal Virginia Community:
Whoever you are, and wherever you come from, we welcome you warmly to our campus.
College years need to be times of growth, when we are exposed to new ideas, in conversation with different perspectives, and learning to understand, appreciate, and value others. That doesn't happen unless we celebrate diversity. We grow in important ways through the many viewpoints that come from our differences from each other, whether those differences relate to race, gender, age, and language, or to other differences that may be more subtle, like socioeconomic status, religion, sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity, political affiliation, or geographical background.
Virginia Wesleyan does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, creed, gender, national or ethnic origin, age, marital status, covered veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, or any other legally protected status in administration of its educational policies, admission policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other University-administered programs.
Critical to the identity we embrace is our going beyond mere legal expectations. VWU's Strategic Plan lays out the importance of diversity on the campus by advocating for a more diverse undergraduate population and a more diverse faculty and staff. We try to be leaders in the area of diversity and inclusion for Coastal Virginia. In 2018, for instance, Virginia Wesleyan became the first higher education institution in the region to expand our statement on non-discrimination to include gender identity and gender expression.
Finally, we believe that we must always work and strive to deepen our understanding and sensitivity regarding all perspectives surrounding diversity. As a residential campus, we provide our students the ability to practice living, learning, and collaborating with others in an environment that is both challenging and supportive in all aspects.
With you, I look forward to advancing Virginia Wesleyan University's commitment to building a more diverse, equitable and inclusive community. The differences of each community member are what make Virginia Wesleyan even stronger.
Sincerely,
Scott D. Miller, Ph.D.
President of the University