The Marlin Chronicle THURSDAY 9.14.23 || MARLINCHRONICLE.VWU.EDU
VIRGINIA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY
President Greer: a legacy in a life BY RHIAN TRAMONTANA rjtramontana@vwu.edu
Former Virginia Wesleyan President William Thomas “Billy” Greer, Jr. passed away peacefully on Aug. 30, while at his home in Asheville, N.C. He was 81 years old. In the words of Dr. Terry Lindvall, the C.S. Lewis endowed chair in Communication and Christian Thought, Greer was a “storyteller,” who always “brought people into his world.” Now, it is our turn to remember VWU’s former president through telling his story and bringing the community back into his world. In 1992, Greer became president of Virginia Wesleyan College, and he served the community for 23 years. Greer, his wife Fann Dewar and their three children, William, Robert
and David, became part of the campus community. According to the obituary published by Groce Funeral Home, Greer loved using backyard grilling events as a fundraising opportunity, which contributed to his image as a president connected to the people. Dr. Craig Wansink, professor of Religious Studies and director of the Robert Nusbaum Center, reflected on his pig roasting events and his use of “colloquial” language. “He loved using backwoods expressions, like referring to something as being ‘smooth as a gravy sandwich,’” Wansink said. Greer also made a legacy for himself through his ability to grow the school and its opportunities. Wansink remembers Greer’s presidency as “a fruitful time,” especially in his initial years.
VWU’s campus will always hold memories of the fruitfulness of Greer’s actions. The name Greer will forever be engraved in the Greer Environmental Sciences building on campus, which was built after Greer’s retirement in 2015. In addition, Greer was integral in building the Batten Student Center in 2002 and creating the Robert Nusbaum Center. “President Greer embraced Bob Nusbaum’s ideas for a ‘Center for the Study of Religious Freedom,’” Wansink said, “that would come to result in an endowed directorship for the Center, an endowed professorship in Judaic studies and another in communication and Christian thought.”
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Aoifa Branco|Marlin Chronicle Dr. Greer stands with his wife, Fann Dewar, during a campus event in 2014.
Climate change induces recordbreaking heat
First-year enrollment numbers jump, students find new home
BY KARA HOPKINS
BY LILY RESLINK
Temperatures in 2023 have hit some of the highest levels recorded in the world’s history. According to the Washington Post, June 2023 was the hottest June ever recorded. Additionally, July has been the hottest month of 2023 so far, and possibly the hottest month recorded in 174 years. It reached over 1.7 degrees Fahrenheit higher than the average, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) and while 1.7 degrees does not seem like much, many places really took the heat. Arizona, a state that normally experiences hot weather, was 110 degrees for 31 consecutive days, CBS News reported. This is the highest continuous hot episode the state had reached since 1974. Additionally, according to the Washington Post;
With an enrollment of 445 first-years, according to enrollment figures, this year’s incoming class of new Marlins broke the university record for enrollment into VWU’s traditional College of Arts and Sciences. Heather Campbell, vice president of VWU Enrollment, said that the office “made some significant changes to our recruitment processes this year, which I believe played a major role in the success of this class.” Campbell said the two primary changes included “becoming a member of the Common Application and creating and implementing an extensive digital marketing plan.”
knhopkins@vwu.edu
See CLIMATE Page 2
lbreslink@vwu.edu
Regarding the people who worked alongside her, Campbell said, “This team worked extremely hard to enroll in this class. Many members of the Enrollment Team were in their first recruitment cycle and blew me away with the results. Each member of this team went above and beyond during this cycle.” Indeed, the broken record indicates that Campbell and her team saw the fruits of their labor. “Enrollment is extremely fast paced, and we have to constantly adapt and pivot. I believe our willingness to embrace that led to our success this year,” Campbell said. Aside from the work of the enrollment team, an array of factors led first-years down their individual paths to VWU.
Hultgren enters 55th, final year as professor Travel the globe with fellow Marlins Students reminisce on study abroad
and share in their experiences. Page 5
Aaron Oman|Courtesy Summer study abroad group to Japan poses for a group photo.
Men’s Soccer kicks off with 4-0 win streak at home The next home game will take place on Saturday, Sept. 16 at 3 p.m. against William Pearce University. Page 8
Elly Condit|Courtesy Everett McClosky heads the ball.
Dr. Lawrence “Larry” Hultgren has been a professor of Philosophy and the chair of Philosophy at Virginia Wesleyan University since 1969. This school year, Hultgren will be completing his 55th and final year here at VWU. Prior to coming to VWU, Hultgren received his master’s and PhD at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn. He has taught many different classes over the past 55 years and has always strived to be an active part of the campus community. Elizabeth Malcolm|Courtesy “I teach philosophy and Hultgren courts a tree during environmental ethics courses,” a 2017 trip to Alaska with a Hultgren said. “I try to stay study abroad group. BY ELLIOT FYLSTRA egfylstra@vwu.edu
Kayleigh Poggioli|Courtesy Left: Kristian Ramkvist, first-year Elias Paulino, first-year Declan Keener and assistant coach Cassondre Wilburn; right: orientation staff pose for a photo on move-in day. Among these factors are program that will be making its the university’s new athletic official first season debut this programs. First-year Tyler winter. Younger landed at VirginIn terms of his adjustment to ia Wesleyan because of the pioneering Men’s Volleyball See ENROLLMENT Page 3
involved in the campus—for example, I’m a faculty athletic representative for the NCAA, so I do a lot of work with the athletic department and students.” Hultgren practically built the Philosophy department as Virginia Wesleyan began expanding. He introduced various classes, most dealing with the philosophical questions that rise in any discipline. “Philosophy is a very unique discipline. It’s a kind of discipline that really involves so many kinds of facets of our life,” Hultgren said. “[Philosophy] tries to work with those questions that emerge, not just in philosophy but emerge in life and emerge in so many other disciplines as well.” While Hultgren has made a
huge contribution to the field of philosophy, he has also touched the lives of thousands of students during his time here at VWU. Hultgren has the reputation of a steady, companionable role model, impacting many fellow faculty members as well. “Over a 55-year career, he has proven to be a steadfast and supportive presence and a role model for many,” Professor of Media and Communication Kathy Merlock Jackson said. “He was especially helpful to me when I began advising the Ethics Bowl team, coming in to talk to the students each fall and giving them new ways of thinking. Everyone loves Dr.
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Women’s Lacrosse embraces new coach BY SYDNEE WASHINGTON sawashington2@vwu.edu
The Women’s Lacrosse team returns for another year after 5 wins and 12 losses this past spring season. This year, however, the future has never looked brighter, and the girls have been blessed with a new head coach, Madison Heck. Although the lacrosse program has seen worse days, they decided to part ways with the old coach and recruit a younger force. Heck played for both Georgian Court University and
East Strousburg University. She excelled in her collegiate lacrosse program, earning multiple awards, including conference tournament MVP. Heck led her team to an undefeated season her senior year. This is Heck’s second year of coaching and first year of coaching a collegiate team. “It’s what I was meant to do,” Heck said. Her infectious energy and evident passion for lacrosse is a breath of fresh air to the program. She intends to wipe clean the program’s past and
focus on creating a successful future. “Players play differently depending on their coach, so it wouldn’t be fair of me to watch and critique their old games,” Heck said. “I want to start with a blank slate, make my own opinions, and give the girls an opportunity to prove themselves.” Her strategy this year is to maintain a flexible coaching style. “I want to see where people fit and what skills they bring,” Heck said. She also intends to cultivate a high pressure
Damien Kelly|Courtesy Coach Madison Heck smiles.
See LAX Page 7