VWU Volunteer Removed From Alumni Council After Talking To The Media About Name Change
- Staff
- Oct 19, 2025
- 2 min read
For Kim Mayo, her graduation in 1998 from Virginia Wesleyan was a defining, "magical" moment in her life. But today, the deep bond she once shared with her alma mater has fractured into what she describes as a painful, high-stakes "divorce."
Mayo is one of the hundreds of alumni standing in firm opposition to the administration’s plan to discard the Virginia Wesleyan University name in favor of Batten University on July 1, 2026. However, for Mayo, the cost of speaking out was more than just a disagreement—it resulted in her immediate removal from the university’s Alumni Council.
Representation vs. Retaliation
As a member of the Alumni Council, Mayo felt a responsibility to speak for the thousands of
graduates who felt blindsided by the rebranding. In a recent interview with the Virginian-Pilot, she made her stance clear:
“I feel as an Alumni Council member, my role is not to be a mouthpiece for the current administration, but to represent alumni from near and far.”
The university administration responded swiftly. On Wednesday, Kelly Cordova, Chief of Staff and Vice President for Strategic Initiatives, sent Mayo a message effectively terminating her position. The note claimed the university had accepted Mayo’s "de facto resignation" based on her public comments and thanked her for her "past service."
"Unprofessional and Retaliatory"
Mayo was stunned by the school’s refusal to tolerate a dissenting voice within its leadership circles. "I was flabbergasted," Mayo said. "It just seemed very unprofessional and retaliatory. There’s a history of that [at the university] not involving me, so I was disappointed to see this type of messaging."
The ousting of a sitting Alumni Council member has sent shockwaves through the Saving Virginia Wesleyan movement, serving as a stark example of what many alumni describe as an "autocratic" approach to the name change.
The Heart of the Conflict
For Mayo and the growing coalition of "Marlins for Life," this fight is about more than just a name on a building—it’s about the integrity of the institution and the value of an alumni voice. By silencing those who were elected to represent the student body's history, the administration has only deepened the resolve of the protest.
"For many of us alumni, it’s very disappointing and really sad on many levels," Mayo noted, reflecting on the institutional shift from a community-focused college to one that many feel is prioritizing donor optics over its own graduates.
Standing With Kim Mayo
The Saving Virginia Wesleyan team believes that no alumnus should be silenced for defending the name on their diploma. Kim Mayo stood up for us; now, it's time to stand up for the truth.
Act now. Learn the truth. Share our cause. Stand up for Virginia Wesleyan—before it’s too late.
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