The Decree
since 1960 “of, by, andfor the Wesleyan community.
October 6, 2017
NORTH CAROLINA WESLEYAN COLLEGE, ROCKY MOUNT, NORTH CAROLINA 27804
Enrollment Rises above 1,000 for First Time at Wesleyan
With a freshman class of 350,
Wesleyan’s day-time enrollment has
exceeded 1,000 students for the first
time in school history.
By hitting the 1,000-student
milestone. President Dewey Clark said,
the college is on its way to fulfilling a
goal set by its founders.
“Our founders were very clear in
their desires for the college,” he said.
“I’ve read over the early documents
many times and their dream was a
college of 2,000 students. They had
the insight to know that the economics
would work better and that it would be
a more vibrant college environment."
Clark said he’s gratified that Wesleyan
has gone over the 1,000 mark, a little
more than three years after enrollment
languished at 575. The improvement
represents an 80 percent growth rate, he
noted. “To finally reach 1,000 students
after 60 years is monumental,” he said.
The president praised the “awesome
team" the college has assembled as it
embarked on its effort to raise enrollment.
The recent growth will continue for the
next eight or nine years, he said. “At 2,000
students, our college is a much different
place than it was at 575 students,” he said.
As of September 30, traditional-day
program enrollment stood at 1,027.
according to college officials. Of that
total. 99 are internationals, or close
Rebekah Cain Returns to Head Alumni Relations
Rebekah Cain, a 2013 Wesleyan gradu
ate, said a love for the college and a desire
to help Wesleyan students, past and present,
brought her back to campus as director of
the college’s Alumni Relations Department.
The Maryland native was an exercise
science major, a member of the college's
honors program, a member of the
women’s hoops team, and president of the
Student Government Association, among
many other activities, while a student.
President Dewey Clark feels confident
that Cain will excel her new job. "Rebekah
will perform well in her new role because
she loves Wesleyan.” he said. "Her passion
and enthusiasm are contagious.”
The Decree conducted a recent
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Starr Mitchell, a member of the
Wesleyan dance team, earned
All-American honors during a
recent event held by the National
Dance Alliance in Myrtle Beach.
Coach Kayla Wygal called it
a "huge accomplishment,"
noting that Mitchell competed
against dancers from Division I
and II programs as well as Dill
ones. The Wesleyan cheer and
dance teams, winners in several
national competitions, will be
featured in an upcoming issue of
The Decree. Photo courtesy of K. Wygal
to 10 percent of the population. The
largest contingent continues to be from
Nepal, with 23, followed by Argentina
(17) and Venezuela (13).
Enrollment Services Vice President
Judy Rollins noted that the number of
Argentine students has been on the rise
in recent years, attributing the increase
to effective recruiting and “word of
mouth.” “We hired a new agent about a
year ago and we’ve established a good
relationship,” she explained. “And
current Argentine students are very
satisfied and are sending the message
back to friends and family.”
There has been a recent increase
in Venezuelan students as well, as
political turmoil back home has made
American colleges an attractive option.
Freshman Dyia Ampley traveled a
much shorter distance in her journey to
Wesleyan. The Robersville native plans
to major in biomedical science. "I really
love the family atmosphere I’ve seen so
far,” she said. "I was drawn by the small
and unified campus and the opportuni
ties to take part in a lot of activities.”
Dimon Roberson echoed Ampley
in explaining her reasons for coming
to Wesleyan. “It’s similar to my high
school, close-knit and family like.” the
Washington, D.C. native said, adding
that Wesleyan provided the most finan
cial aid of all the colleges on her list.
interview with Cain about her new post.
Q. What have you been doing since
graduation?
A. I was blessed to study abroad
in Rome. It was a leadership program
for individuals from around the world.
We studied leadership, philosophy and
religion. After returning. I moved to
Oklahoma City to work for a nonprofit in
the recreational therapy department, serv
ing older individuals. I loved that sweet
chapter of my life and I’m so grateful to
have spent a few years building skills in
the areas of volunteer management, grant
writing, social engagement, event planning
and promotion. I enjoyed cultivating
relationships. I then decided to take
another step toward professional develop
ment and joined the Paycom Corporation.
During this time, I further developed skills
in client relations, corporate relations
and project management. I served on the
board for Wings, a nonprofit organization
that serves adults with special needs in
the Oklahoma City area. While serving at
Wings, I gained experience in fundrais
ing, nonprofit marketing, and nonprofit
strategic planning.
Q. Describe your responsibilities as
Alumni Relations Director.
A. The director plans and implements
programs and projects that engage
alumni with the college while providing
tangible benefits to alumni and current
students. This includes events planning,
fundraising, cultivating relationships and
developing programs that benefit our cur
rent alumni, future alumni and the college.
Q. Discuss your decision to move from
the field of exercise science to alumni affairs?
A. I really grew as a professional during
my time at Paycom and enjoyed working with
other kuge corporations, but my heart was in
the nonprofit sector. I found that the direction
God was leading me was toward nonprofits.
Then the opportunity came to serve at my
alma mater. I was thrilled to learn about the
transformation and new vision of the college,
and I wanted to join the team. I know great
things are happening here and I want to help.
Q. You were on the NCWC hoops
team. You were involved in SGA as
president and you participated in other
activities such as Refuge while on campus.
Why do you think your involvement in
extra-curricular activities was important
to your development and your preparation
for a career and life in general?
A. It allowed me to see the college
from multiple angles. I interacted with
so many wonderful individuals, a broad
spectrum of administrators, coaches, and
teachers. Through my involvement. I fell
Freshman Jeremy Agosto came from
the Orlando, Florida area. “During my visit
I fell in love with the campus and school
and decided to come here to play defensive
line for the football team,” he said.
Here's a profile of the 350 first-year
students, based on data generated by
the college earlier in September, when
total enrollment stood at 1,030.
Class of 2021: The new class consists of 350 students as traditional program
enrollment went over the 1,000 mark for the first time. Shown, l-r: Jeremy Agosto
of St. Cloud, Florida; Dimon Roberson, Washington, D.C.; Dyia Ampley, Roberson-
ville; Kevin Teague, Bailey; and Enzo Villafuerte, Lima, Peru.
A. Stern photo
in love with Wesleyan and saw first-hand
individuals who want to make NCWC the
best it can be. That attitude is infectious,
and it helped me grow as a leader and
a Battling Bishop. I wouldn't trade that
experience for anything.
Q. How has the college changed since
you were a student here?
A. It’s amazing! I’m thankful to see
how the college has improved, with a
new vision and greater resources and
facilities. Even the student body’s expec
tations have risen. When I came back for
a recent visit, I could feel a difference
on the campus. It feels alive, healthy and
really headed for wonderful things.
In my new position, it’s my goal to
enhance the student’s experience. The
Wesleyan experience extends throughout
the life cycle of the student—from
prospective students to current students
and to all of our alumni. They’re all
connected; when one gives, supports and
participates in the great things happening
around campus, we all benefit. I know from
speaking with alumni that they're excited
to hear of what’s been taking place on our
campus. I always quote C.S. Lewis, “You
can’t go back and change the beginning,
but you can start where you are and change
the ending.” I have this on my desk as a
reminder, to cherish yesterday and really
believe in Wesleyan by celebrating today
and believing in tomorrow.
Q. You and your brother Joshua have
demonstrated a strong commitment to
Wesleyan. Talk about what makes the
college special to your family.
A. Wesleyan has and will always have a
special place in the heart of the Cain family.
I can't speak directly for Josh, but I know
that we both love our alma mater. Wesleyan
changed our lives and molded us into who
we are today. The supportive faculty and
staff made a tremendous impact on our
experience as students. We've both said
how thankful we are to have the opportu
nity to serve NC Wesleyan. We’re excited
to see where God is leading this campus, its
administration, staff, faculty and students.
Q. What message does it send that
President Clark is an alum of the college?
A. I think it says a lot when you walk
around campus and see so many alumni
working here. We have alumni serving in
almost every capacity—the administration,
admissions, athletics, academics, the Dunn
Center, the bookstore and advancement.
It's a healthy sign when your alumni stay
and lead. Alumni have witnessed the
changes, seen the needs. They cherish the
vision and can talk about their apprecia
tion of NC Wesleyan, as individuals who
• Gender: Male-217, Female-133 (or
62 percent male, 38 percent female)
• Athletes: 233, or 67 percent
• Football players: 111, or 51
percent of all first-year males, and
32 percent of all first-years
• Other leading sports by number of
athletes: men’s soccer (25), baseball
(15), softball (13) and volleyball (11)
have been on both sides of the story.
Q. How would you characterize the level
of involvement by NCWC alumni today?
A. I'm so thankful for our alumni board
and their dedication. They’re leaders in their
professions and communities who believe
in Wesleyan; they're committed to being a
catalyst for change. We have alumni who
have faithfully given to and volunteered for
Wesleyan over the years, and without their
support we wouldn't be where we are today.
See ALUMNI pg. 2
Hurricanes, Earthquake Cause
Alarm for Wesleyan Students
Wesleyan and North Carolina were spared
from the ravages of September’s severe
weather, but it still spread heartache among
some members of the Wesleyan community.
On the heels of Hurricane Harvey came
Hurricanes Irma and Maria, which swept
through the Caribbean, causing extensive
damage in Florida and U.S. territories like
Puerto Rico. Amid the hurricane activity,
there was a 7.1-magnitude earthquake that
flattened areas of Mexico City and killed
more than 300 around the country.
Freshman Joel Figueroa has experi
enced many anxious moments while at
Wesleyan. The Puerto Rico native said it
was difficult to be in the States when he
knew his family was in danger as Maria
hit the island on September 20.
Figueroa is from the town of Yabucoa, a
one-hour drive from the capital San Juan.
"That day was the worst day of my life,”
he said.
He awoke early on the 20th and tried
to contact his family, but there was no
phone signal. He then turned to videos on
Facebook and saw the devastation that
Maria had inflicted on the island. “I started
crying,” he said as he worried about the
well-being of his parents and siblings.
It was three days after the hurricane that
his brother reached him by phone. Figueroa
was relieved to find that his immediate
family was safe, but learned that his town
had suffered substantial damage. According
to a government estimate, Yabucoa is “98
percent destroyed.”
As of September 30, Figueroa said, his
hometown was still without power, phone
service was limited and water and food were
in short supply. He's concerned about the next
few weeks. Communication continues to be
a problem, with Figueroa frantically trying to
reach his parents in recent days.
"This hurricane passed through PR, but
for all the Puerto Ricans in the U.S. it passed
through our hearts," he said.
• First-year students who came to
play for the college’s reconstituted
lacrosse program: 5
• First-year cheerleaders: 3
• First-year internationals: 37.
Wesleyan reported its first students
from the following nations: Colombia,
Czech Republic, Hungary. India, the
Netherlands, Peru. Portugal, Rwanda
and South Korea.
For all first-year students, high
school grade-point averages and aver
age SAT scores saw a slight dip over
last year. According to college data, the
average GPA declined to 3.21 from 3.24
in 2016. College officials pointed out
that it was 2.52 for freshmen in 2013.
After steady increases, average SAT
scores dropped to 909 from 913 last
year. In 2013, the average SAT score was
869. (The Decree requested median GPA
and SAT scores as well, but the numbers
were not available by deadline.)
This fall 50 transfer students joined 350
freshmen for a total of 400 new students
in the traditional-day program. The 400
figure includes 235 males, or almost 59
percent; and 165 females (41 percent).
Among other notable enrollment
facts, the college reported that:
• Army ROTC participation is at 18 cadets
• It has seen the number of Floridians
nearly triple in the past four years, to
54. Nineteen Floridians are counted in
the freshman class, a drop from 32 in
2016. In 2013, the number was 20 for
all students in the traditional program.
• 8 new students and transfers have
joined the pep band and Wesleyan's new
music production program, while 14 have
become members of Wesleyan Singers.
While traditional-day program
enrollment has climbed in recent years,
ASPIRE experienced a setback in
2017. Its enrollment is now at 1,001,
down 213 students from fall 2016,
according to Provost Evan Duff, who
explained that the decline reflects a
national trend in adult education.
Ana Diaz, a Mexico City native, was happy
to report that her family was safe and that their
home was not damaged by the earthquake.
After hearing of the quake. Diaz said, “I
reached out to family and close friends right
away. It was a big relief to know they were
all okay, just very scared.”
She noted that a local university sustained
extensive damage and that at least five students
there died. Other local residents lost their
homes and all of their belongings, Diaz said.
Diaz said she became emotional in the
aftermath of the quake as she watched videos
that showed the destruction in her country. “My
eyes became watery and I was so sad because of
the tragedy,” she said. “I felt impotent knowing
that I could not be there to help my country.”
Diaz said that she's been proud of the
way her countrymen have responded to the
tragedy. “Mexicans have shown great solidar
ity,” she said, noting that, with the help of
other countries, there has been an outpouring
of aid and support provided to the victims.
As a native Floridian, Ashley Dunn is
familiar with hurricanes. Reporting that her
family was safe after Irma swept through south
Florida, she said preparations had been made
in advance to minimize property damage at
their Broward County home.
Cars were put in the garage and windows
were boarded in anticipation of the storm
that slammed into the keys, moved up the
gulf coast and even caused flooding in the
northeast part of the state.
Dunn’s family—parents, twin brother, and
two pet dogs—was under a mandatory evacua
tion order and spent a long weekend at Dunn’s
grandparents in West Palm Beach. She said the
family was without power for a week, but that
their home experienced only limited damage
when a tree fell on the roof and a second tree
split and landed in their swimming pool.
"My family was lucky,” said Dunn. “The
worst thing was the wind. My mom said that
it sounded like a never-ending train coming
through the area.”