VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Hundreds of students, city leaders and administrators gathered on campus at Virginia Wesleyan University last week to hear about the latest developments in the university’s 10-year plan.

At the State of the University event, school leaders announced a big change in the school’s branding — its name is being changed to Batten University to honor Jane Batten, a longtime supporter.

While school officials said the change would usher in a new era for the Virginia Beach institution, many alumni aren’t happy about it. As word of the name change spread, so did anger and frustration toward how the announcement was handled.

A petition protesting the change had garnered more than 5,000 signatures as of Friday morning. That afternoon, about two dozen alumni gathered outside the school to protest the change.

“A name is more than a label,” the organizers of the petition wrote online. “It is an embodiment of values, traditions and the pioneering spirit of its founders and students alike. Removing ‘Virginia Wesleyan’ from our institution disregards this proud legacy. The name of the university is more than a reflection of financial partnerships; it reflects the soul of a community dedicated to enriching lives through education.”

The new name goes into effect July 1, 2026. Only a small number of people knew of the change before the public announcement on Aug. 20.

Sheila Hightower, a 1975 graduate from the university who signed the petition, said she wished there had been some outreach to alumni before the change was announced. She and other graduates of the school told The Virginian-Pilot they found out through media reports instead of directly from the school.

“They’ve built up a reputation in sports, in academics and everything with the name of Virginia Wesleyan University,” Hightower said. “The attachment to the Methodist religion is something else that I think has always impressed people, and there’s the audacity of someone like (VWU president Scott Miller) to come in and just say, ‘Oh, it’s a done deal.’ There’s nothing anybody can do about it.”

Like Hightower, 1998 graduate Kim Mayo echoed concerns about the process. Mayo, who is on the school’s Alumni Council, said she has received calls from other alums expressing concerns about the new name. She said while all of the former graduates have commended the Batten legacy and are thankful for the contributions, they believe renaming the school feels like a step too far.

“I kind of feel powerless, like my voice doesn’t matter,” Mayo said. “I know a lot of our alumni feel disrespected throughout the process, so I share those concerns as well. I feel, as an Alumni Council member, my role is not to be a mouthpiece for the current administration, but to represent alumni from near and far, because we have a lot of alumni in this local region where I am (in) Virginia Beach, but also all over the world.”

Friday’s protest had graduates from across decades. Protesters carried signs that focused on the legacy of the VWU name, and many drivers traveling on Wesleyan Drive honked in support of the demonstration.

The university, which first opened its doors to students in 1966, was founded by the Virginia Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church. VWU now has about 2,100 students in undergraduate and graduate programs.

The university did not respond to a request for comment before publication. Virginia Wesleyan University leaders said at last week’s event that the school’s commitment to Methodist values will continue after the name is changed next year. In a statement included on its website after the name change was announced, VWU said that “keeping (its) alumni connected during this important transition is a priority.”

“Above all, we want every graduate to know that their story does not change — they are, and always will be, proud graduates of Virginia Wesleyan,” the statement reads. “The Virginia Wesleyan name will always be honored, and our history will remain central to the identity of Batten University. At the same time, we want alumni to share in the excitement of what this new chapter brings.”

In a statement, the Virginia Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church said the change “reflects the support and visionary embrace” of the Battens, and in recent years, the partnership between the school and the conference has strengthened at a conference, district, and local church level.

Jane Batten, a VWU board member, is the widow of media mogul and former publisher of The Virginian-Pilot Frank Batten Sr. Over the years, the Batten family has contributed millions of dollars toward various programs and initiatives at the school.

VWU graduate Erica Tachoir said she knows how important the Battens’ contributions to the school have been. She initially attended the school in the 1990s, but had to end her enrollment. Then in the early 2000s, she came back thanks to financial help provided through the university. She said she hopes going forward, the school leadership will be more transparent.

“I think they need to approach the situation from a different standpoint — besides, ‘our minds are made up and there’s nothing you can do about it,’ because that’s not getting them anywhere,” Tachoir said. “(Administrators) need to start being open and honest as much as (they) can be. Now I’m not saying that you can make me privy to every piece of the decision making process … but approach us with what you can approach us with. Give us a timeline, answer our questions, open your door to us, sit down and have that constructive conversation that you want to have.”

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