VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Frustration over Virginia Wesleyan University's planned name change didn’t dampen the mood Friday night at Shorebreak in Virginia Beach as Virginia Wesleyan alumni gathered for a homecoming celebration boycott.
“We are just staying away from college-sponsored events the weekend, not going on campus. We don’t feel like it’s a home right now," said Devin Cowhey, an alum participating in the boycott.
Watch previous coverage: 'How do we stop this?" Virginia Wesleyan University alum starts petition to stop school's renaming
The boycott was held at Shorebreak because that’s where the university’s homecoming celebration is held each year. For 2025, though, the university decided to hold the official celebration at a golf course, so alumni organized their own event to protest the planned university name change.
“We need our absence to be felt by the university," Cowhey said.
As News 3 has reported, the university announced over the summer it will be renamed Batten University in 2026 in honor of a family that has donated a lot of money to the school.
In August, alumni held a protest outside the university.
Watch related: Virginia Wesleyan, despite protests, says Batten name change 'is final'
Cowhey said they don’t have anything against the Batten family. They’re frustrated with what they feel is a lack of transparency and the precedent they feel is being set.
“This sets a precedent of the dollars are what matter, and that’s kind of a scary precedent," Cowhey explained.
Brian Kirwin, another alum News talked with, feels the university’s identity will be lost when the name changes.
Watch related: Virginia Wesleyan students find ways to address heat in Portsmouth, Virginia's 2nd-hottest city
“I feel like it’s an erasure of our heritage. Virginia Wesleyan is over 50 years old. It has an established brand. I think it’s wrong to throw that all away," Kirwin said. "With all respect to a donor, this school isn’t important because of a donor. It’s important because of the professors and students who build lives because of Virginia Wesleyan’s existence.”
In a statement to News 3 Friday, the university provided a lengthy response from the university president.
This decision was not made on a whim. When I arrived in 2015, I learned the idea had been discussed informally for years. Over the past decade, Jane Batten and her family have made extraordinary commitments to this institution, and as their support grew, the discussion became more serious. Mrs. Batten is a humble person. She initially thought the change should only come after her lifetime, but we wanted her to see firsthand how deeply her generosity has transformed the University. With the integration of Sentara College of Health Sciences on the horizon, the near-completion of the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art on our campus, and the addition of the Batten & Black School for International Studies in Tokyo, Japan, the timing felt right. Alumni should know that this decision was made thoughtfully and deliberately, always with the University’s long-term future in mind. While not everyone could be directly part of the process, our commitment is to preserve Virginia Wesleyan’s legacy while ensuring its strength for generations to come.
As for whether the name change could be delayed or canceled, the university pointed to a statement the president previously issued.
It says, in part, "The Board of Trustees of Virginia Wesleyan University is united in its commitment to ensuring a strong and vibrant future for our institution. After months of thoughtful analysis and broad engagement, the Board decided to embrace a new chapter with gratitude for our legacy, awareness of the need to find clarity and distinction in the competitive higher education landscape, and momentum based on expanding programs and partners."
As of Friday, the name change was expected to take effect July 1, 2026.
