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Naming of Campus Villages
VWC Village II and Village IV to be named Allen Village and Honors Village respectively; construction on new village to begin in 2017-18
News Release | February 27, 2017
President Scott D. Miller announced the naming of Virginia Wesleyan’s two campus villages. With the start of the 2017-18 Academic Year, Village II will become Allen Village, named for the late Dennie Allen ’70, and Village IV will become the Honors Village.
By virtue of his place in the alphabet, Dennie Allen received Virginia Wesleyan's first diploma at the College’s first Commencement in 1970. Allen passed away on September 1, 2016, just one week before the College’s first Founders Day. His obituary described the day he graduated as “the happiest of his life,” and said that he “loved to tell people that he was the very first person to receive a diploma from the College.” On his death, Dennie left his estate to Virginia Wesleyan. His generosity and unique place in VWC history make this a fitting tribute.
This fall, the College will welcome its first cohort of the Batten Honors College. Over time, the Honors Village will begin housing these students. It will be a living-learning community, serving to expand the student experience beyond the classroom, strengthen engagement in campus life, and help develop meaningful social connections. This inclusive community-centered environment will support the personal and intellectual growth of Batten Fellows and Shumadine Scholars.
The College is currently separated into four villages over its nearly 300-acre campus. Bray Village and Village II feature residential space, classrooms, and faculty and staff offices. Brock Village and Village IV are solely residential complexes.
Construction is expected to begin in 2017-18 on a fifth village on College-owned land on the north side of Wesleyan Drive. Oxford Village will be named in honor of John Wesley, the founder of Methodism and the namesake of Virginia Wesleyan College, who attended and was laid to rest at Christ Church in Oxford, England. The facility will be designed to house faculty, staff, students—most likely upper-level, graduate, or international students—from Virginia Wesleyan or even other nearby organizations.
The naming of campus buildings tells the story of the Virginia Wesleyan campus, the College’s culture and the many people who helped build the institution and contributed to its rich history.