Marketing campaign aimed at inquiring students By JEN VALENCIA      The Virginia Wesleyan Communications Council is promoting awareness of the college through an innovative marketing campaign.      The Council is in the process of informing the surrounding communities of the college, by promoting visibility and recognition.      “We are trying to raise awareness in the local community,” said Communications Council member Dr. Linda Ferguson, professor of business. “We are a community resource and use the community as our classroom.”  Members of the Council include: Vice President of Academic Affairs Stephen Mansfield, Vice President of Enrollment Management Rick Hinshaw, Vice President of Student Affairs David Buckingham, Director of Development Agnes Edgerton, Director of Alumni Relations Kevin Clary, Business Professor Linda Ferguson, Director of Volunteer Services Diane Hotaling, Director of News and Media Relations Mary Bruner, Director of Athletics Sonny Travis, and Director of the Adult Studies Program Kate Loring. The college has used several marketing mediums in order to get the name of VWC out and into the public.  There are two billboards on Interstate 64, magazine advertisements, television spots, radio spots, a new VWC web site and the PORTfolio program.      ‘The Liberal Arts at Work in Hampton Roads’ is the theme used to promote the location of Virginia Wesleyan.      The billboards focus on the importance of liberal arts along with ‘knowledge and know-how.’      This idea is a combination of academic knowledge and practical know-how to serve well in the workplace.      “We want to present our product to the general public in a smart way,” said Steve Bruce, associate dean of admissions.  “Word of mouth has worked well, but people pay a lot of attention to print.  Virginia Wesleyan  graduates do a little of everything, are trainable, and can adapt with changing society.”      Magazine advertisements were placed in U.S. News and World Report and Time on October 19, 1998; Newsweek and Sports Illustrated printed the advertisements on October 26, 1998. Continued to next column.

On Thursday, February 4, a tree uprooted itself during a winter storm and crashed into the parking lot behind Village I. Security worked diligently to notify the owners of the vehicles damaged in the accident.  A crew from Arbor Tree Experts was called in to remove the scattered debris. In addition, they removed a second tree endangering the safety of the parking lot. Marketing Campaign Cont.      These issues went to subscribers mostly in the Hampton Roads area.“Efforts were made to promote the school location in the major metro areas,” said Buckingham.“The primary focus is to market prospective students during times of registration, open house and VWC Days.”Advertisements in radio and cable television were placed locally and also run at planned times.“The radio and television advertisements are targeted to prospective students and visitors of the college and the idea is to bring people in during registration,” Ferguson said.  “We tried to be realistic with money and agreed to a package deal with the radio stations.”      The new VWC Web site was redesigned in order to become more user friendly and is geared toward people, not subjects.      “The new site appeals to different people such as visitors, business and community members, students, alumni, faculty and staff, and prospective students,” said Nathan Giordano, Webmaster and systems analyst. “Since the update there have been 19,389 visits to the Web site, including campus use.”      The image portrayed by the site is a combination of experience and learning, which resembles the college viewbook. “The construction of the site began in mid December and is almost complete,” Giordano said.      “We are the only school of our kind in southeast Virginia and we want to dispel the myths of a small, private, four-year liberal arts college,” Bruce said.      Bruce explained the myths of a small, private, four-year liberal arts college are high costs with no financial aid, difficult admission requirements, such as an extremely high grade point average, and concern of the school not having certain majors.      “Inquiring prospective students have more than doubled since the expanded efforts of promoting the college,” Buckingham said.  “Inquiries have increased from 8,000 to 17,000 students.”

Suspect arrested in campus flasher incidents. “Peeping Tom” awaits March 5 court trial on two felony counts of indecent exposure; considered threat to society. By BECKY GILBERT      The man suspected of being the flasher that stalked the Virginia Wesleyan College campus was arrested on Thursday, February 18 at approximately 5 p.m. Officer K.J. Whalen of the Virginia Beach Police Departments (VBPD) third precinct, arrested Bryan Raynard Hunt, 29.      “It is the same suspect that we have been after for months,” said Whalen. The flasher first appeared on  campus during the fall 1998 semester.  In September there were three reported incidents of the flasher. Campus security notified the VBPD of the situation and worked closely on the case since, to identify and capture the perpetrator.  Whalen stated that the suspect’s modus operandi (behavior pattern), had been consistent at VWC and the Lake Edward area.      “Two witnesses have made  definite ID’s from the photo lineup,” said Whalen on Friday, February 12, prior to the arrest.      The two witnesses were Wesleyan students.  The identifications made it possible for the police to locate and arrest the flasher.      Helicopters hovered over the woods at VWC on Thursday, February 11, between 1 and 2 a.m., in attempt to catch the trespasser.      “This subject was flushed out of the woods by the Virginia Beach  K-9 squad and Air Special Operations, but managed to evade the police net set-up in Lake Edward,” said Director of Security Dick Safford.      Whalen confirmed that the suspect had been in the surrounding woods and that it was the third report at Wesleyan this month.  Channel 13 News carried the story on Friday, February 12. Safford noted in a press release to campus faculty that the suspect is being held in the Virginia Beach City jail without bond.      “This is due to the fact that as a repeat offender now charged with two felony counts of exposure, the court rules him as a threat to society and withholds bond rights,” said Safford.      Officer Whalen confirmed that three arrests had been issued for the suspect: one for “peeping tom offenses,” and two for indecent exposure.  Police files show that he was arrested for at least one charge of indecent exposure, indicating the offense date of September 15, 1998. Through the steadfast efforts of the VBPD and Virginia Wesleyan campus security, Hunt was identified and arrested.      “Campus security, working with the Virginia Beach Police Department, third precinct, hope this arrest will put an end to the disruption created by this criminal,” said Safford.  “We will continue to provide diligent patrols to prevent this from happening again.”  The court hearing for Hunt is scheduled for Friday, March 5 at 8:30 a.m. in the Virginia Beach Criminal Court Building.

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