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This is the first of four features as Virginia Wesleyan bids farewell to this year's retirees.
by Jason Nemcosky '07
Dr. Stephen Mansfield, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Kenneth R. Perry Dean of the College, will step down from his position effective July 1, 2006. He will then assume a new role as Director of Archives, where he will help protect materials that trace Virginia Wesleyan's history.
"The opportunity to archive is something that I have been looking forward to for a long time, " Mansfield said.
Mansfield first arrived at Virginia Wesleyan in the fall of 1968 as a member of the history faculty. He taught history for two years and in 1970 he became academic dean for a year. He went back to teaching until 1995. On Christmas day in 1994, the then-dean, William M. Wilson, was killed in an automobile accident. Mansfield was contacted in January, asking if he would be willing to replace Wilson. He was selected in spring of 1996 to become Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College, which is the position he holds today.
A big part of his job is "dealing with the individual concerns of students," Mansfield said. His office is also responsible for overseeing faculty recruitment and hiring potential faculty. There are also support services that report to his office, some of which include the Registrar, Adult Studies Program (ASP), Learning Center, Career Services and the library. He also oversees many of the academic programs the College offers, such as Winter Session, PORTfolio and freshman seminar.
Mansfield also cites his responsibility of making the call about bad weather and "trying to decide at 5 a.m. whether to close campus" as a difficult one. The decision is not easy due to the pressure of making a decision at 5 a.m. that will affect people's entire day.
Mansfield is stepping down for several reasons, one of which is the fact that the school has worked its way through its recent 10-year accreditation reaffirmation. He has been involved with that process through the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and now the 2000s, and describes it as "a daunting task.
Since Mansfield arrived at Virginia Wesleyan in the 1960s, he has seen the College go through many changes, including the establishment of the ASP in the 1980s and the Honor Code in the early 1990s.
"We've always served a healthy mix of residential and commuter students," Mansfield said. "There is more of a shift on being residential now."
"There is more desire on students to be able to link their college experience with career opportunities," Mansfield said. "Virginia Wesleyan preserved elements of what goes into long-term employment." Mansfield also noted that many Virginia Wesleyan students are now going on to graduate school and doing well when they get there.
The general studies program has always been part of the Virginia Wesleyan curriculum, though not in the form that it is in today. The general studies were modified in the 1980s to reflect the frames of reference, which is the system used today. Although the College has modified the requirements for new students, they still are designed to give students a diverse education.
Mansfield stayed with Wesleyan for so long because it is "a good place to develop a career because of the relationships and quality of workers." He also likes the setting.
"The natural setting is so refreshing in many ways," Mansfield said. He also has enjoyed being able to watch people's careers unfold, and he is pleased by the number of children of alumni who have become Virginia Wesleyan students.
Looking back, Mansfield says his time spent at the College has given him a clear understanding on the operation of a college and how to prioritize goals. He has also enjoyed the opportunity to support new programs and to be in the position to move them forward.
"I will miss watching and participating in the growth of academic programs," Mansfield said. "It's an exciting process. The school is still young and has the potential for growth and development."
Since Mansfield has been at Virginia Wesleyan for almost four decades, he has a large number of memories built up. Some of them are quite noteworthy, especially dating his future wife as a faculty member and taking part in Virginia Wesleyan's first commencement.
Mansfield will still be on campus while serving as Director of Archives and will still be able to watch the campus grow, although he says he will miss being able to work on a closer basis with the people he has known for so long.
"Over time, we get to know a fair number of students quite well," Mansfield said. He is glad that he can have a positive impact on their lives.
Mansfield says it is a good thing to be able to change positions within the College.
"It's good to periodically have new blood come into leadership positions, " he said.
The Virginia Wesleyan community wishes Dr. Stephen Mansfield the best of luck in his new endeavor.