A June event honoring the retirement of Wilmington University President Dr. Jack P. Varsalona netted $150,000.
The money will fund the newly-created Dr. Jack P. Varsalona scholarship. Held at the Chase Center on the Riverfront in Wilmington, the event commemorated Dr. Varsalona’s 30 years at the university. All proceeds will benefit Wilmington University students.
Varsalona’s successor, Dr. Laverne T. Harmon, unveiled a mural of Dr. Varsalona painted by former University of Delaware football coach Harold R. “Tubby” Raymond, who was present at the event.
Harmon later announced the new scholarship.
Varsalona thanked the nearly 400-member audience for their dedication to students. He praised Harmon, calling her “incredibly caring, highly skilled, and wholly dedicated to students.”
Under Varsalona’s leadership, university enrollment grew from 10,222 in 2005, when Varsalona became president, to more than 21,000 in 2017. University locations increased from four to 11, expanding to New Jersey and Maryland.
Wilmington University now has of 118 online programs, making it a regional pioneer in distance learning.
Under Varsalona, Wilmington College became Wilmington University in 2007. It was named the second fastest growing private, nonprofit institution in the nation (2003-2013 and 2004-2014) by The Almanac of The Chronicle of Higher Education.