Virginia Wesleyan University
Former names | Virginia Wesleyan College (1961–2017) |
|---|---|
| Motto | Sapientia Illuminat Viam |
Motto in English | Wisdom lights the way |
| Type | Private |
| Established | 1961 |
Religious affiliation | United Methodist Church |
Academic affiliations | |
| Endowment | $123.5 million (2021) |
| President | Scott D. Miller |
| Students | 1,676 (Main Campus), 355 LUJ/VWU Global (Japan), 2,601 VWU Global Campus (Online and Continuing Education) |
| Location | , Virginia , United States 36°52′4.8″N 76°11′15.4″W / 36.868000°N 76.187611°W |
| Campus | Urban, 300 acres (1.21 km2) |
| Colors | Dark Blue, Grey/Silver, and Coastal Blue |
| Nickname | Marlins |
Sporting affiliations | NCAA Division III – ODAC |
| Mascot | Bob Marlin |
| Website | vwu.edu |
Virginia Wesleyan University (VWU) is a private university in Virginia Beach, Virginia, United States. The university is nonsectarian but historically affiliated with The United Methodist Church. It enrolls 4,632 learners in all locations: 1,676 students annually in undergraduate and graduate programs, 2,601 in VWU Global Campus (online and continuing education), and 355 students at LUJ/VWU Global (Japan). Virginia Wesleyan transitioned from a college to a university in 2017.
The Virginia Wesleyan University campus is also home to the Chesapeake Bay Academy, an educational institution that educates and guides students with learning disabilities, including attention disorders (ADHD), dyslexia, and dysgraphia, and the Tidewater Collegiate Academy, a teaching laboratory that extends from the primary grades through high school.
Through academic collaboration with local arts and sciences partners, on-site learning experiences are also provided at the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center and Brock Environmental Center in Virginia Beach; The Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk; Sentara College of Health Sciences in Chesapeake; and the Norfolk Botanical Garden.
VWU collaborates with Virginia Beach Economic Development for a work development center, The Hive, in Virginia Beach. Approximately 3,000 continuing education learners benefit from joint programs at The Hive. In 2025, the University opened VWU-Chesapeake, a comprehensive program for those incarcerated at St. Brides Correctional Center and Indian Creek Correctional Center.