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Stop Batten University.
Keep Virginia Wesleyan.
Virginia Wesleyan is more than a name. For nearly 60 years, our Methodist roots and liberal arts values have guided students to lead lives of service, integrity, and purpose.
In August 2025, the Board of Trustees at Virginia Wesleyan University announced plans to rename our beloved institute to “Batten University” in 2026.
While we honor the Batten family’s extraordinary generosity, this decision erases our institutional identity and replaces it with branding tied to wealth—not to the values on which we were founded.
George DeLuca-Farrugia, '92
“As an alumnus, I find this to be utterly reprehensible. For 55 years students have attended Virginia Wesleyan. To allow a donor to buy and change the name of the school shows an utter disregard to EVERY graduate of the school."
Todd Evans, '07
"Virginia Wesleyan meant something. Its name carried weight. People knew it. Now, with absolutely no disrespect intended toward the Batten family, “Batten University” rings hollow—no different from a generic online diploma mill. Perhaps that was not your intent, but that is exactly how it sounds."
Anonymous Parent
As a parent of a high school senior who was very excited about applying to VWU, I'm concerned about how this will change the school going forward... I understand why so many of you are upset and it concerns me because I'm not sure I'd want to send my child somewhere that treats it's alumni this way."
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