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Congratulations, December 2024 Graduates!
VWU celebrated the Class of 2024 during the Winter Commencement Ceremony; Two community leaders honored for their service
University News | December 20, 2024
December graduates crossed the stage to receive their diplomas during the Â鶹´«Ã½rtb Winter Commencement Ceremony in the Brock Theatre of the Susan S. Goode Fine and Performing Arts Center on December 20.
President Scott D. Miller welcomed the graduates, and their families and friends, encouraging them to savor this important accomplishment and significant milestone.
“We are delighted that you’ve joined us for this most special occasion in the life of this institution and in the lives of our graduates. To the Class of 2024, we are mindful of everything it took to get here today. But, you made it! And now you join our 10,000 Marlin alumni whose experiences at Coastal Virginia’s premier university of the liberal arts and sciences continue to inform careers and contributions in this region and around the world.”
President Miller referenced a keynote speech delivered in a commencement address at Virginia Wesleyan in 1971 by G. William Whitehurst, former U.S. Congressman (1969 – 1987), as “its message resonates as powerfully today as it did then.” Congressman Whitehurst spoke about turbulent times and the importance of thoughtful dissent and the dangers of societal indifference or hostility toward progressive change.
“To the Class of 2024, my message is this: Be problem solvers,” said President Miller. “Your Virginia Wesleyan liberal arts education has prepared you to make connections, consider diverse perspectives, and engage with the complexities of our world. The knowledge and skills you have gained equip you to approach challenges with creativity, empathy, and purpose. So I urge you: step forward. Engage fully with the world and the issues that matter most. Approach the next chapter of your life in a problem-solving mood, ready to create solutions in your own lives and in the lives of others that make a difference.”
Following President Miller’s remarks, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Susan Larkin presented awards to two distinguished Virginia Wesleyan faculty members. The 2024 Faculty Award for Distinguished Scholarship was presented to Professor of Religious Studies Dr. Eric Mazur. Professor of Mathematics Dr. Margaret Reese was named the recipient of the 2024 Faculty Award for Campus Service.
President Miller introduced Commencement keynote speaker, Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates, The Honorable Don L. Scott Jr. The Speaker opened his remarks stressing the importance of support from family and acknowledging gratitude for their efforts.
“Nothing is more important than family,” he told the graduates. He then encouraged them to stand up and acknowledge the family members who have supported them in their journeys.
His message to the Class of 2024 was one of determination, discipline, and resilience—even in the face of adversity.
“There is nothing more powerful on this planet than a made-up mind. Nothing. And I want you to understand – keep your mind made up on where you want to go in your life and what you want to achieve, and there is nothing that will stand in your way. There are people who are going to try to get you to look this way and look that way and get you off your path. Stay focused, stay disciplined, and you can achieve anything. That’s what an education is. It’s the ability to achieve things despite adversity.”
He told the graduates that tough times are not an enemy; they are a teacher that shows you what you are made of and pushes you to become the person you are meant to be.
He encouraged them to relish this important achievement. “I really want you to stop and also soak up this moment, and reflect on what you’ve done. Take moment to really reflect on how far you’ve come and what you’ve been able to do, because you won’t get this moment back. You did the work. You supported you. You lifted yourself up. You got the work done. You showed that you were tough during the toughest of times. You are made for this moment right now. 2025 is your year!”
Following his address, President Miller presented Speaker Scott with an honorary Doctor of Laws (honoris causa).
President Miller then presented the Wesley Award, given to community leaders and friends of the University, to Virginia Beach City Council Member Dr. Amelia Ross-Hammond, founder and chair of the Virginia African American Cultural Center, for her leadership and service to the community.
President Miller and Dr. Larkin conferred degrees to the Class of 2024—students earning a Master of Arts, Master of Education, Master of Business Administration, Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Musical Arts, Bachelor of Science, or Bachelor of Social Work. Graduates of each academic school proudly crossed the stage to receive their diplomas, as family and friends applauded their accomplishments.
The ceremony concluded with the University’s Alma Mater led by Dr. Bryson Mortensen and Virginia Wesleyan Vox Vera, and a benediction from the Pastor of Haygood United Methodist Church, Rev. Doug Sasser.
View the full ceremony: The VWU Winter Commencement Ceremony was livestreamed and will be archived on the VWU Digital Broadcasting Network.
GradImages captured photographs of each graduate who crossed the stage during Commencement. Photos may be purchased at . Questions can be addressed to 800.261.2576, online at www.gradimages.com, or email ecc.giservice@gradimages.net. There is no obligation to purchase photos.