Virginia Wesleyan’s Alma Mater
With so many negative topics being discussed around campus, such as vandalism and parking, students finally have something positive to talk about. The school’s newly adopted Alma Mater is a great addition to the tradition of our college. Forty years in the making, the new Alma Mater is a first for the college. Now with the annual events held here and such dominant symbols as the John Wesley statue and the bell tower, students have something they can carry with them long after their campus days. The elegantly crafted words by Sandra Billy and score by Dr. Clayton provide a symbol of what Wesleyan stands for, both on campus and the community. Truth, honor, and service is what the faculty tries to instill in the student body while co-existing with the sights and sounds of the nearby landscape. This alma mater will stand as a symbol for students beginning their life at Wesleyan as well as those who have left. It will allow us to remember the meaning of our school and what it tries to preserve in the hearts of students, faculty, and staff.
The sense of tradition will be evident as singing it grows more popular in the coming years. This is something freshmen classes to come will embrace as a unifying spirit that co-exists within the culture of our campus and the hearts of students. It is important to note that this song encourages taking what we have learned while at Wesleyan and applying it to the outside world, without forgetting the essence of your college years. Our only question is where has the alma mater been for the past 40 years? Nonetheless it has arrived at a time of rejuvenation of the campus physically (the coming of the Batten Center) and spiritually, when people are looking for guidance. The alma mater may not be loved by all, yet, it is something we as a community, can call our own, as well as those embarking on their college years. Virginia Wesleyan is unlike other colleges. We are not rich in history but we are rich in our values and our drive to start traditions. Symbols such as the statue, bell tower and now the alma mater are signs of good things to come at VWC.
"What is your opinion on the media coverage of America’s “War on Terrorism” and the Anthrax scare?"
"I think the media has used their power of manipulating how people think of things." --Sean Donohue, Freshman
"I think that there is way too much coverage. To be perfectly honest, I’m at the point where I really don’t care anymore, and I joke about it." --Allison Chan, Sophomore
"I think it’s being overexposed. There are other things that are going on. There’s been too much media coverage." --Ryan Fairweather, Junior
"I think they are covering it all well; however, it is repetitive. The media feeds off of it." --Molly Phillips, Senior
"I think that we as a people have a right to know, but there are some things that we don’t need to know, like where our troops are. Too much information can be scary for people." --Lina Cottingham, Associate Dean of Students
Photos by Amylynn Coddington
Interviews by Sara Steil