Our History

Batten University officially adopted its current name on July 1, 2026. While the institution's name has evolved, its history, mission, and commitment to academic excellence remain unchanged. The story of Batten University began more than six decades earlier as Virginia Wesleyan College.

The concept for Virginia Wesleyan College began in 1959 when Methodist minister Joseph S. Johnston proposed a four-year, private college—the first of its kind in South Hampton Roads. Within two years of planning, the school had a name, a charter, and an expanding body of supporters from the Methodist Church (now the United Methodist Church) and the regional business community. Chartered in 1961, Virginia Wesleyan College first opened its doors to students in 1966.

Virginia Wesleyan College received full accreditation in its first year of eligibility, enjoyed steady enrollment gains, and attained membership in the selective Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges. The College held its first commencement in May 1970, graduating 41 pioneering students. Since then, the institution has grown to approximately 1,600 undergraduate students, serves more than 5,000 learners annually across all programs, and is home to a network of more than 10,000 alumni.

Rooted in the liberal arts tradition and its Methodist heritage, the college provided a broad academic foundation while cultivating productive and engaged citizens. An enhanced curricular model, implemented in 2011, expanded opportunities for experiential learning, connecting theory to practice and linking the classroom to the world.

In 2016, the institution reorganized its academic program into three schools—the Susan S. Goode School of Arts and Humanities, the Joan P. Brock School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, and the Birdsong School of Social Science. The Jane P. Batten Honors College was also established that year, followed by the D. Henry Watts School of Professional Studies in 2018, the Global Campus, and the Jane P. Batten & David R. Black School for International Studies at Lakeland Japan.

Effective with the 2017-18 academic year, the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia authorized Virginia Wesleyan College to become Virginia Wesleyan University. The transition reflected significant institutional achievements, including the restructuring of the academic program, creation of the Batten Honors College, completion of a comprehensive campus master plan, and advancement to Level III accreditation with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, allowing the University to expand its graduate and online offerings.

The next transformational chapter came in 2026, when the University became Batten University and welcomed Sentara College of Health Sciences (established 1892) into the institution. Together, these milestones expanded Batten's academic portfolio while reinforcing its longstanding commitment to innovation, environmental stewardship, workforce development, and preparing students for lives of purpose.

The institution's first 50 years are chronicled in Wisdom Lights the Way: Virginia Wesleyan College's First Half-Century (Donning Company Publishers), written by University Archivist and former Dean of the College Dr. Stephen Mansfield.

Throughout its history, the institution has been led by four presidents: Joseph S. Johnston (1965–1966), Lambuth M. Clarke (1966–1992), William T. "Billy" Greer Jr. (1992–2015), and Scott D. Miller (2015–present).