How Do We Stop This? Alumni Rise Up

The decision to erase the Virginia Wesleyan University name in favor of "Batten University" has sparked a wave of disbelief across the Marlin community. Among those leading the charge is Devin Cowhey, a standout athlete from the historic 2006 Final Four soccer team and a former faculty member. For Cowhey, the 2026 rebrand is more than a clerical change—it is a disruption of a deeply rooted identity.

"How do we stop this? How do we make sure our voices—and the voices of current students—are heard?" Cowhey asked, echoing the frustrations of thousands. "You're changing something so meaningful to people. The 'Wesleyan' name connects us to a prestigious network of institutions; it defined where we were and what we stood for."

"You're changing something so meaningful to people. That name, when you think of Wesleyan, you think of Ohio Wesleyan, North Carolina Wesleyan. It was part of a network, we knew it was in Virginia and we understood it," she told News 3.

Cowhey describes the announcement as a shock to the system, emphasizing that the Wesleyan name represents a legacy shared by a national network of sister colleges. "There is a group of us exploring the best path forward to ensure this meaningful identity isn't discarded," Cowhey stated. "We are fighting to ensure that the stakeholders who actually built this school have a seat at the table."

A video report from WTKR is available through their website.