Retiring VWC President Billy Greer gives final State of the College Address
By Stephanie Smaglo | August 29, 2014
“I wish I was 45 years old again,” a sentimental Billy Greer told guests at Virginia Wesleyan’s annual State of the College Address on August 22. The bittersweet occasion marked the first of many “lasts” for VWC’s third president, who will retire on June 30, 2015 after 23 years as the College’s leader.
With a theme of "Where the Sidewalk Ends...and Begins," President Greer focused his address on impromptu conversations he’s had with various VWC community members during recent campus strolls.
“I’ve always felt that being outside on the sidewalk,” he began. “Running into students, faculty, staff and Trustees, is a great way to find out what’s going on around here. Most of what I want to say today will be answers to some questions that I have gotten from you on the sidewalk.”
Here are some of the queries President Greer has received in his most recent sidewalk conversations:
What "Points of Pride" has Virginia Wesleyan received lately?
“Do you have two or three hours?” President Greer joked before telling guests that Virginia Wesleyan has once again been chosen as one of the nation's best institutions for undergraduate education, according to The Princeton Review. The education services company features the College in the new 2015 edition of its annual college guide, "The Best 379 Colleges." VWC has also been named among the top tier of National Liberal Arts Colleges in U.S. News & World Report’s 2014 Best Colleges guide. Greer also applauded the many partnerships and collaborative efforts the College has fostered with numerous community organizations, among them the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center; the Chrysler Museum of Art and its Glass Studio; and the College’s 25-year partnership with Habitat for Humanity of South Hampton Roads. Virginia Wesleyan’s biggest point of pride, however, in President Greer’s opinion, is its people: alumni, faculty, staff, students, Board of Trustees, friends and family.
What are some of the challenges VWC faces down the road?
President Greer stressed the importance of making the most of the College’s resources and urged wise and thoughtful decisions on technology: “We’re going to need the very best thinking from our faculty and from our staff. We need to listen to our students about their hopes from a technological viewpoint.”
What’s new at VWC this year?
Those returning to campus for the 2014-2015 academic year will find the newly renovated Floyd E. Kellam Jr. Social Science Lab in Village II, which includes more versatile classroom space, an upgraded computer lab and interview and observation rooms. Updates to Blocker Hall include a newly landscaped entryway, a renovated Blocker Auditorium, and a transformation of Blocker 103 and 230 (formerly office and storage space) into project labs that will provide resources for up to five undergraduate research projects per semester. In place for the fall semester is the new LiveSafe mobile safety app, which allows VWC students, faculty and staff to report safety-related information anonymously via text, picture and video to campus security. Virginia Wesleyan also recently unveiled its new long-term strategic plan, VWC2020: Pathway to Prominence, which provides a path for growth and positive change for the College.
What does the future of Virginia Wesleyan look like?
President Greer again referenced VWC’s new strategic plan, which will require focused attention to five key areas of growth and development for the College: increased attention to experiential learning, innovative teaching, student engagement, community connections and an inspiring sense of place on the VWC campus.
What will you remember most about your 23 years at VWC?
Some of President Greer’s greatest memories include saving jobs during the recession; winning the 2006 NCAA Division III Championship in men's basketball; building the Jane P. Batten Student Center; and assembling a strong, caring and engaged community of faculty, staff and Board of Trustees members.
What advice do you have for the College's next president?
She or he should listen to this community—a community that doesn’t want to be like any other, but one that wants to be original. Also, stay physically and mentally healthy: “The health of the College, to a real degree, depends on the president’s health,” he says. Lastly, keep a sense of humor.
President Greer ended his address with thoughts on his personal future, which he plans to fill with reading, writing, coaching Little League Baseball and perhaps serving on a corporate foundation board. He also expressed his gratitude for the privilege of leading this College for more than two decades.
“Part of leadership is knowing how to move out of the way and to make room for the excitement of the next person,” he concluded. “I’ve been the luckiest man in the world to be here, to be in this job, to know you all, to be a part of what we are all trying to do together here.”