VWU Alumni Protest With A Gathering At The Gate
- Staff
- Oct 3, 2025
- 2 min read
The gates of Virginia Wesleyan University saw a different kind of gathering this weekend as the advocacy group "We Are Virginia Wesleyan" launched its "No Home Homecoming"—a powerful alternative celebration designed to unite decades of graduates in a singular mission: stopping the transition to Batten University.
As the administration moved forward with official campus festivities, hundreds of alumni chose to stand at the perimeter, signaling that their loyalty lies with the institution's 60-year identity rather than its projected 2026 rebrand.
A Battle for Institutional Identity
The movement represents a growing resistance to the Board of Trustees' decision to rename the school in honor of the Batten family. While the university frames the change as a necessary step for the future, the alumni leading the pushback see it as a fundamental betrayal of the school’s core.
“Our name is our soul, our story, and our bond,” a spokesperson for We Are Virginia Wesleyan stated in a recent news release. “We aren’t against change, but erasing our identity erases decades of history and community. This is about ensuring Virginia Wesleyan remains Virginia Wesleyan.”
Why "No Home Homecoming"?
The "No Home Homecoming" initiative was born out of a sense of displacement. Many alumni expressed that the campus they love no longer feels like "home" under an administration that they feel has sidelined their voices. By organizing off-campus events and rallies at the university gates, the group aims to:
Demonstrate Solidarity: Proving that the "Wesleyan" name is the common thread that binds the global alumni network.
Demand Transparency: Highlighting the lack of community input prior to the rebranding announcement.
Protect the Legacy: Ensuring that the "brick-by-brick" history of the Methodist-founded institution isn't replaced by a corporate identity.
The Message to the Administration
The rally at the gate served as a visual reminder that the people who built the university’s reputation—the athletes, scholars, and donors—are not willing to watch their heritage be dismantled. For those standing outside the gates this weekend, the message was simple: You cannot buy a legacy, and you cannot sell a soul.
Act now. Learn the truth. Share our cause. Stand up for Virginia Wesleyan—before it’s too late.
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