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Marlins Gather for 2025 Spring Alumni Weekend
Alumni, parents, and friends returned to campus April 4 - 6 for a weekend of fun, fellowship, and festivities
University News | April 5, 2025
It was a weekend to remember! Campus was bustling with activity and energy during Spring 2025 Alumni Weekend, April 4 – 6. Marlins from near and far gathered for the Marlin Family Picnic, alumni games, class reunions, Strike Out Cancer, intercollegiate athletics, faculty retirement celebrations, and more.
The weekend got off to a great start on Friday evening with an alumni gathering at Shorebreak Pizza and Taphouse hosted by the Alumni Council. The Class of 1975 and Class of 2000 were celebrated for reaching milestone reunion years: 50th and 25th!
VWU Theatre and Music presented "A Midsummer Night’s Dream" in the Susan S. Goode Fine and Performing Arts Center on campus. Performances of this unique retelling of Shakespeare’s classic were scheduled throughout the weekend. Prior to the Saturday performance, VWU Arts hosted a gathering for alumni, faculty, staff, and students in the Watts Lobby to view student art work and listen to student musicians before the show.
Alumni games began on Saturday morning at 9:30 a.m. Friendly competitions ensued for women’s and men’s soccer, field hockey, and women’s volleyball.
VFMA on the Road, a much-beloved art mobile, was open on Saturday for all attendees. This mobile interactive art space offered a dynamic, educational space that featured hands-on activities and immersive digital experiences.
The Marlin Family Picnic took place near Birdsong Field on Saturday from 12 – 3 p.m. with a picnic-style lunch provided by Sodexo, live entertainment from Astro DJ; drinks from the Hoffman beverage tent; as well as special delights such as complimentary cotton candy and face painting, inflatibles, and more. Marlins gathered in the Reunion Tent, sponsored by Shorebreak Pizza and Taphouse, to celebrate the Class of 1975 and the Class of 2000, who returned to campus to add their signatures to the University Scroll, commemorating their milestone commencement anniversaries. A special toast was offered to retiring faculty members Kathy Ames, Linda Ferguson, and Doug Kennedy, honoring their years of dedication and service to Virginia Wesleyan.
VWU Softball hosted its 15th annual Strike Out Cancer, a fundraising event held in memory of head coach Brandon Elliott's mother, Elaine F. Sears, featuring a doubleheader between the Marlins and Shenandoah University.
Saturday afternoon also included intercollegiate competitions for Marlin’s Baseball, as the team hosted Averett University in a doubleheader that began at noon. Men’s (1:30 p.m.) and women’s (4 p.m.) lacrosse also competed, hosting Guilford College on Birdsong Field.
The VWU Earth and Environmental Sciences (EES) Faculty hosted an EES Spring Social that included kayaking, paddleboarding, fishing, etc. on Lake Christopher.
Saturday was also Admitted Student Day at VWU. From student-designed activities and campus tours to an academic and resource fair, prospective Marlins had a chance to mingle with alumni and to experience campus first hand while connecting with future classmates and getting all their questions answered before making final decisions.
On Sunday at Everett Tennis Center, Men’s tennis hosts Hardin-Simmons University at noon; and Women’s tennis hosts Bridgewater College at 3 p.m.
The weekend concludes with a student-led worship service at the Monumental Chapel at 4 p.m.
It was a great day to be a Marlin! The University community is grateful for the opportunity to visit with old friends and new, and invites all graduates and friends to return to campus often and stay up to date with alumni news.