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Baccalaureate Service Celebrates Faith, Calling, and the Journey Ahead
Alumnus Rev. Brian Boettcher, Class of 2012, delivered the sermon and was presented with the Wesley Award
University News | May 15, 2026
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Members of the Class of 2026 gathered in the Brock Theatre of the Susan S. Goode Fine and Performing Arts Center on May 15, for Virginia Wesleyan University’s annual Baccalaureate Service which offered graduates a moment of reflection, gratitude, and encouragement before the Commencement ceremony.
Following a preservice concert by Virginia Wesleyan’s Vox Vera under the direction of Dr. Bryson Mortensen, students, faculty, families, and friends joined together for the worship service to celebrate lives dedicated to learning, wisdom, and purpose.
President Scott D. Miller welcomed the Class of 2026 and their families and friends.
“This evening serves as a prelude to tomorrow’s Commencement Ceremony and invites us into a spirit of worship, reflection, and thanksgiving for lives dedicated to learning, growth, and the pursuit of wisdom,” said President Miller. “It reminds us that education is not simply the accumulation of knowledge, but also the shaping of character, purpose, and service to others.”
He shared the origins of the ceremony which began in the academic traditions of medieval European universities noting that the baccalaureate service has for centuries been an important part of commencement celebrations at institutions of higher learning. The word “baccalaureate” traces its origins to Latin terms associated with berries and laurel leaves, evoking the laurel wreath once presented to scholars as a timeless symbol of accomplishment, distinction, and intellectual achievement.
The Baccalaureate Sermon was delivered by Rev. Brian Boettcher, a 2012 Virginia Wesleyan alumnus whose own call to ministry began on campus more than two decades ago. Raised in Chesapeake, Virginia, Boettcher experienced his calling at a Virginia Conference youth event hosted at then-Virginia Wesleyan College in 2002. He later enrolled at the University, where he became deeply involved in campus life, developed as a student leader, and earned a bachelor’s degree in religious studies.
Boettcher went on to complete a Master of Divinity at Candler School of Theology at Emory University before entering ministry in the Virginia Annual Conference in 2015. Over the past decade, he has served congregations throughout the Commonwealth, including churches in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Burkeville, and Covington, and was ordained an Elder in Full Connection in 2024.
Opening his sermon with Matthew 10:5–14, Boettcher reflected on the significance of transitional moments and the uncertainty that often accompanies them.
“There is something sacred about a moment like this,” he said. “A moment when a chapter is closing—but not quite closed. A moment when you are not who you were—but not yet fully who you will become.”
Drawing from the Gospel passage, Boettcher emphasized that Jesus sent his disciples forward not when they were fully prepared, but while they were still growing into their calling.
“And he says, ‘as you go;’ not when you arrive; not once you’ve secured the perfect job; not after you’ve proven yourself. As you go…that phrase alone should catch our attention,” Boettcher said. “Because it tells us something about how God works. God does not wait for you to have life perfectly mapped out. God meets you in motion.”
He concluded with a message of reassurance and purpose for the graduating class.
“So hear this, not just as a command—but as a promise: As you go into new jobs; as you go into graduate programs; as you go into uncertainty; as you go into places that excite you and places that stretch you—God goes with you,” he said. “You are sent, but you are not sent alone.”
Following the sermon, President Miller presented Rev. Boettcher with the Wesley Award in tribute to his service and leadership.
Members of the Class of 2026 played an important role throughout the service. Madison Moore, Jake Hofstetter, Tyler Barnett, Stephanie Clark, Mary Brennan, Aviana Medina, Grace Harriman, and Ethan Mejzak served as student leaders, offered the invocation, read scripture, and shared reflections.
The service concluded with the presentation of graduation tassels, followed by a recessional hymn and a benediction delivered by Rev. Doug Sasser, pastor of Haygood United Methodist Church.
The annual Baccalaureate Service remains a meaningful Virginia Wesleyan tradition, providing graduates with an opportunity to pause, reflect, and embrace the journey ahead as they prepare to step into the next chapter of their lives.
The ceremony was livestreamed and will be archived on the VWU Digital Broadcasting Network.