Award Recipients 2011

On Friday, October 7, the Virginia Wesleyan College Alumni Association hosted the annual Alumni Awards Ceremony in the Hofheimer Library. The ceremony was emceed by Dr. Stephen S. Mansfield, College Archivist. The awards ceremony honors three alumni each year who have achieved distinction in their fields. This year's award recipients all reflect Virginia Wesleyan College's commitment to service and dedication: Earle C. Mobley '82, Commonwealth's Attorney of the City of Portsmouth; Jesse H. Fanshaw III '72; and our honorary alumni, the Women of Wesleyan.

Earle C. Mobley '82, Commonwealth's Attorney of the City of Portsmouth

Distinguished Alumni Award

Earle was born and raised in the Parkview section of Portsmouth, Virginia. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Virginia Wesleyan College in 1982 and worked as an admissions counselor for Virginia Wesleyan College before attending law school. After graduation from Regent University School of Law in 1989, he served as an Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney in Portsmouth. In 1993, he left the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office and joined the law firm of Ferrell, Backus, Sayer and Nicolo, P.C., becoming a partner in 1996. In 1998, he joined the law firm of Marcus, Santoro, Kozak & Melvin, P.C. as a partner. Prior to his election as Commonwealth's Attorney, he was practicing law as a sole practitioner. Earle C. Mobley was sworn in as Commonwealth's Attorney for the City of Portsmouth in 2002. He was the first Republican elected to a Constitutional Office in Portsmouth, Virginia since Reconstruction. He was re-elected in 2006 and 2010. Earle is a member of the Virginia State Bar, American Bar Association, Virginia Association of Commonwealth's Attorneys, Virginia Trial Lawyers Association and the Tidewater Association of Commonwealth's Attorneys. He also serves on the President's Advisory Council of Virginia Wesleyan College and the Board of the YMCA of Portsmouth.

Jesse H. Fanshaw III '72

Alumni Service Award

Jesse Fanshaw grew up in Norfolk, Virginia, where he attended Maury High School. Jesse graduated from Virginia Wesleyan College in 1972 with a bachelor's degree in history and political science. He was a member of the College's third graduating class. He began working for the Virginia Beach Chamber of Commerce before retuning to his alma mater as an employee. In 1978, Jesse began working as Director of Alumni Affairsat Virginia Wesleyan College. He went on to various roles as the Director of Summer Conferences, Director of Church and Community Relations, and the Director of the Elderhostel Program. In 1994, Jesse moved to the Office for College Advancement at the beginning of our "Consider the Harvest" capital campaign. During his years at the Advancement Office, Jesse was critical in the development of the College, securing critical support for scholarships and other opportunities that made campus life possible for so many students. Jesse and his wife Mary have been generous to the College for many years. After 26 years of service, Jesse retired in his last position as the Associate Director of Development for Planned Giving. But what was his position was not his last role at the College; he has continued to provide guidance, support, and service to marlins throughout his retirement.

Women of Wesleyan

Honorary Alumni Award

 

In the spring of 1967, Helen Hoffman, an original member of the Virginia Wesleyan Board of Trustees, invited nine friends to lunch. It was there that the Women of Wesleyan began. In Helen's words, the purpose of the Women of Wesleyan was to become "more or less honorary alumna and to assure the role of alumni exists until Virginia Wesleyan was able to graduate its own." These original Women of Wesleyan assumed the role of supporting, guiding and advocating for the College as the pioneering class of alumni until our first class graduated in 1970.

But their generosity did not stop there. For 44 years, the 110 Women of Wesleyan have continued to thrive as a pillar of support for our College. They have served us through volunteerism, advocacy and continued generosity. The Alumni Association extends our gratitude to the Women of Wesleyan for their guidance and for the sense of dedication that they have fostered within us all. It is our hope that, as graduates, we may live up to the outstanding reputation that you have set forth as our original—and from this point on—our honorary alumnae.