Susan S. Goode School of Arts and Humanities

Where creativity, expression, and critical thought converge.

The Susan S. Goode School of Arts and Humanities brings together the creative, literary, and humanistic disciplines that have defined a liberal arts education for centuries. Study in the arts and humanities develops critical thinkers, skilled communicators, and imaginative problem-solvers—graduates prepared to lead in fields as varied as the arts, law, media, education, and public service.

At Batten University, students in the Goode School engage with ideas across history, culture, language, performance, and expression—developing the depth of understanding that allows them to thrive in a complex, rapidly changing world.

Undergraduate Majors

Art Classics Comprehensive Liberal Studies English Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies Hispanic Studies Media and Communication Music Philosophy Religious Studies Theatre

Minors

Art Art History Classics English Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies Hispanic Studies Jewish Studies Media and Communication Music Philosophy Religious Studies Studio Art Theatre

Meet the Dean

Dr. Sally Shedd, Dean of the Susan S. Goode School of Arts and Humanities

Dr. Sally Shedd

Dean, Susan S. Goode School of Arts and Humanities · Batten Professor of Theatre

Dr. Shedd holds a Ph.D. in Theatre and Film from the University of Kansas, where she was a recipient of the Bill Kuhlke Humanitarian Award. A native of Arkansas, she also holds degrees from the University of Arkansas and Arkansas Tech University.

Previous administrative appointments at Batten University include service as Humanities Division Chair, Associate Dean of the College, Theatre Program Coordinator, Women’s and Gender Studies Coordinator, and Chair of the Department of Political Science. For more than a decade, Dr. Shedd served as College Marshall.

A Batten Professor of Theatre, Dr. Shedd has taught in the Batten Honors College each year since its inception and regularly teaches University Seminars. She is a member of the Gender, Women’s and Sexuality Studies faculty and submitted the original proposal to establish Women’s and Gender Studies as a major at Batten University in 2003.

In addition to her academic background, Dr. Shedd has trained at the National Shakespeare Conservatory and the American Conservatory Theatre. Productions she has directed at Batten University include A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Eurydice, Roe, The Waiting Room, Into the Woods, and Waiting for Godot. Her research and teaching interests include feminist critical analysis and gender performativity.

Dr. Shedd lives in Virginia Beach with her husband David. She remains connected to her alma mater by serving on the KU Department of Theatre and Dance’s Professional Advisory Board.

The Goode Legacy

Susan and David Goode are renowned throughout Coastal Virginia for their generosity to the arts and education. Their philanthropic philosophy extends far beyond the capital areas of their giving, embodying a commitment to growth, vitality, and service to the broader community to which Batten University is dedicated. They are deeply invested in cultivating the arts in Virginia and ensuring the future of the arts in America.

David Goode

David R. Goode is the retired Chairman, President, and CEO of Norfolk Southern Corporation. His directorships have included Caterpillar Inc., Delta Air Lines, Inc., Georgia-Pacific Corporation, Norfolk Southern Railway, and Texas Instruments Incorporated. David attended Duke University and Harvard Law School. He was named Railroader of the Year by Railway Age in 1998 and 2005, and holds two honorary degrees from Batten University: Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, and Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa.

Susan S. Goode

Susan S. Goode is a community leader and devoted advocate for education and the arts. She earned her undergraduate degree in liberal arts from Duke University. Since 2006, she has been an active member of the Batten University Board of Trustees, serving three years as vice chair, three years as secretary, and four years chairing the Academic Affairs Committee.

Susan supported the founding of The Truist Lighthouse: Center for Exploration & Discovery, assisted in the University’s successful 10-year SACSCOC reaffirmation, and continues to encourage growth in graduate and online degree programs. She holds a Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, from Batten University.

Philanthropic Impact

Susan and David were the major benefactors for the construction of the Susan S. Goode Fine and Performing Arts Center in 2017. In 2023, they joined Jane Batten and Joan Brock in providing funds for the construction of the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art at Batten University, scheduled for completion in late 2025.

The Goodes have also invested in Batten University’s science programs through the renovation of Blocker Hall, facilitating renovated science labs, student access to a research vessel, and STEM scholarships. Additionally, they have supported endowed scholarships and campus beautification programs. The Susan S. Goode School of Arts and Humanities stands as a testament to Susan’s visionary leadership and the Goodes’ generosity.

Beyond her leadership at Batten University, Susan serves on the boards of the Virginia Symphony, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Norfolk Commission on the Arts and Humanities, and the Virginia Historical Society, and is actively involved with the Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk. Susan and David reside in Norfolk and have two daughters, Christina and Martha.