Virginia Wesleyan: A Liquidation of History

Tradition Over Ego: Why the name Virginia Wesleyan should not be for sale

For over six decades, the name Virginia Wesleyan has stood for more than just a collection of brick-and-mortar buildings in Virginia Beach. It has represented a promise. It has been the "heart of the 757," a sanctuary for scholars, an underdog that punched above its weight, and a home for thousands of alumni who carry that name with a fierce, quiet pride.

But today, that identity is under siege.

The recent proposal to scrap the Virginia Wesleyan brand in favor of "Batten University" isn't just a marketing shift—it is a total liquidation of our history. It is an attempt to trade sixty years of "Marlin" heart and heritage for a new, unknown brand.

The Batten Legacy: Appreciation vs. Erasure

Let’s be clear: The Batten family’s contributions to this institution are legendary. From the Batten Honors College to the Jane P. Batten Student Center, their generosity has paved our walkways and funded our dreams. For that, the Virginia Wesleyan community is—and always will be—profoundly grateful.

However, there is a fundamental difference between honoring a donor and erasing an identity.

True philanthropy is about sustaining the "soul" of an institution, not replacing it. When a gift comes with the requirement that the institution’s very name be discarded, it moves from an act of selfless giving to an act of brand acquisition. We must ask ourselves: Is the "ego stroke" of a name change worth the permanent loss of our established reputation?

The Value of a 60-Year Brand

In the world of higher education, a brand is built on the backs of its alumni.

• It’s in the diplomas hanging on the walls of graduates, from local CEOs to teachers.

• It’s in the "Virginia Wesleyan" headers on thousands of resumes in the Hampton Roads workforce.

• It’s in the shared traditions, the athletic rivalries, and the "Marlin" spirit that bonds a graduate from 1976 with a student in 2026.

  
  

By rebranding to "Batten University," the administration is effectively making every existing diploma a relic of a defunct school. We are trading a name with sixty years of equity for a name that, in the higher-ed marketplace, currently has zero recognition outside of our donor list.

Prosperity vs. The Almighty Dollar

The argument for the name change is almost certainly financial. We are told this is a move toward "future prosperity." But true prosperity isn't just a line on a balance sheet; it’s the strength of your community.

If we cast aside our traditions for the "almighty dollar," we signal to the world that our history is for sale to the highest bidder. What happens when the next large donor arrives? Do we change the name again? Tradition is the anchor that keeps a college steady during economic storms. Without it, we are just another nameless institution drifting in a sea of generic universities.

Virginia Wesleyan University belongs to its students, its faculty, and its alumni—the people who have bled blue and silver for sixty years. Jane Batten and her family deserve our thanks, our respect, and many buildings named in their honor.

But they should not own our name.

We are calling on the Board of Trustees and the administration to reconsider. Keep the Batten name where it belongs—honored across our campus—but keep Virginia Wesleyan on our diplomas, our jerseys, and our hearts.

Tradition is not a luxury. It is who we are.