75 Great Moments in ODU History

The Start of Something Big

On Sept. 12, 1930, the Norfolk Division of the College of William and Mary opens its doors in the old Larchmont School building, an abandoned elementary school, on Hampton Boulevard. In all, 206 students register for classes. The first to enroll are Albert E. Wilson, Ruth Wilson and Rufus Tonelson. H. Edgar Timmerman is the Division's first director. The following year, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, through an arrangement with W&M, offers the first two years of its standard engineering program at the Norfolk Division.

The Father of ODU

Lewis W. Webb Jr., fresh from earning a master of science degree at Virginia Polytechnic Institute, joins the faculty in fall 1932 as an instructor of engineering. His appointment would prove to be the most important in the history of the institution. Webb, who often has been called "the father of Old Dominion University," serves as director of the Norfolk Division from 1946-62 and as president of Old Dominion College from 1962-69. He is credited with laying the groundwork for the institution's ascension to university status.

David vs. Goliath on the Gridiron

Old Dominion's most legendary gridiron moment occurs on Oct. 14, 1932, when Tommy Scott's Norfolk Division Braves football team, taking advantage of a case of mistaken identity, plays the mighty University of Miami Hurricanes. The Braves lose the hard-fought contest, 6-2, a game that was meant to be played by parent institution William and Mary. Following a conference ruling that the two-year school can no longer play freshmen, coupled with a $10,000 debt, the football program hangs up its cleats in 1941. The Braves compile a 62-19-4 record over 11 years.

Bud’s Emporium

Audrey T. "Bud" Paul, who enrolls at the Norfolk Division as a business administration student in 1933, is hired a year later as manager of the school snack bar, an establishment that would soon bear his name. A popular figure on campus, the diminutive Bud becomes the Division's only resident after the Administration Building opens in 1936, occupying a small room in the facility. Bud's Emporium, the school's first student hangout, moves from the Larchmont School building to the Administration Building in 1945.

If You Build It ...

The Administration Building, complete with a library, offices, six classrooms, two gymnasiums and a swimming pool, opens in September 1936. Funded by a loan and grant from the federal Public Works Administration, the cost is $123,000. In continuous use ever since, this Federal Revival-style facility is named for Old Dominion's third president, Alfred B. Rollins Jr., in 1996.

A History of Military Ties

The Aircraft Instruments Institute is established in 1938, eventually leading to the Engineering Science Management War Training program. Through its defense and training classes, the Norfolk Division makes an invaluable contribution to the war effort. The program also allows the school to remain open during a period when most young men were serving their country. The program attracts many women, who learn aircraft repair, drafting and other war-related subjects.

Educational Messages Via a New Medium

In April 1952, the Norfolk Division offers its first noncredit television class, Science Is Simple, through the Technical Institute and several science departments. Six years later, World Geography and Music Appreciation become the first credit courses taught over open-circuit television on WVEC-TV. The Norfolk Division is the first higher education institution in Virginia to realize the major role television can play beyond entertainment and news.

A Matter of Degrees

On Aug. 29, 1953, the William and Mary Board of Visitors approves the Norfolk Division's first four-year programs - in nursing, teacher education and business administration. By the end of the decade, a dozen more four-year programs are added. The school awards its first four-year bachelor's degrees to 15 students on June 6, 1956.

60-Point Games

The 1960-61 basketball season ends with an amazing 60-point performance by senior Leo Anthony against Lynch-burg College. The 128-61 score still stands as a school record for widest margin of victory. Anthony, Old Dominion's first All-American, finishes his career with 2,181 points, still second best in Monarch history. His single-game mark, however, is broken Feb. 14, 1968, when Bob Pritchett scorches the nets for 67 points against RPI.

The Monarchs Are Crowned

In August 1961, a special faculty committee chaired by Professor John Foster West chooses Monarchs as the new name for the school's athletic teams. They select Monarchs as a name that would "link the traditions of the past to the realities of the present." The following year, the newly independent college becomes the 16th member of the Mason-Dixon Conference.

Independence Day

On Feb. 16, 1962, Gov. Albertis S. Harrison signs General Assembly legislation dissolving the Colleges of William and Mary system, in effect granting independence to the Norfolk Division. Six months later, the board chooses the name Old Dominion College over such possibilities as College of the Atlantic, Thomas Jefferson College and College of Hampton Roads. Some 33 years later, ODU bestows an honorary degree on W&M President Tim Sullivan.

The Batten Legacy Begins

Frank Batten, publisher of The Virginian-Pilot and The Ledger-Star and a member of the Norfolk Division's advisory board, is chosen on May 27, 1962, to serve as the first rector of Old Dominion College. Batten, who would become one of the most influential figures in school history, serves until 1970 and plays a leadership role in Old Dominion's evolution from college to university. The Batten Arts and Letters Building is dedicated in his honor in 1972, and the College of Engineering and Technology is named for him in 2004.

Distinguished Alumni

Old Dominion presents its first Distinguished Alumni Award to Forrest D. Murden Jr. '40 in 1962. Since then, more than 100 alumni are accorded the honor. Among them are Mills E. Godwin Jr. '32, George Dragas '57, Alf J. Mapp Jr. '61, Robert M. Stanton '61, Meyera Oberndorf '64, Col. Mary Maniscalco-Theberge '78, Adm. William J. Fallon (M.A. '82), Anne Donovan '83, Mark West '83, Peter Yngwe '83 (M.B.A. '84), Joanna Lau (M.S. '85), Jay Harris '87, Michael Bloomfield (M.E.M. '93) and Nancy Lieberman-Cline '00.

Sisterhood

The first two Greek organizations on campus - both sororities - attain national affiliation with Alpha Xi Delta and Chi Omega on Feb. 28, 1964. Both continue to have active chapters on campus today. Actually, the forerunners of Greek fraternities and sororities get their start on campus during the 1930s with the formation of social clubs: Tri-K and Cotillion clubs for women and Imps and Tigas for men. Today, the university has 10 social sororities and 12 social fraternities.

ODC’s First Resident Students

In September 1964, students move into Old Dominion's first dormitory, Rogers Hall, which houses 304 residents. It is named for Crawford S. Rogers, a former president of Norfolk Shipbuilding and Drydock Corp. and a member of Lewis Webb's advisory board. Construction soon follows on Gresham Hall, named in honor of Norfolk contractor E.T. Gresham, another member of the advisory board.

A Master Stroke

Old Dominion College takes a major step toward university status when it offers its first graduate programs - master's degree programs in elementary education, English, history and business administration - in fall 1964. The school awards its first master's degrees on June 5, 1966. The offering of graduate education would prove to be one of the most significant developments of the 1960s.

Oceanography Makes Its Splash

The ever-expanding Oceanography Laboratory becomes the Institute of Oceanography in 1965, with Netherlands native Jacques Zaneveld as its first director. Focusing on graduate studies, the institute is authorized in 1968 to offer a master of science degree with a concentration in oceanography. It is the forerunner of Old Dominion's nationally distinguished Center for Coastal Physical Oceanography.

The Beginnings of Diversity

In 1966, Margaret Simmons becomes the first African American student to earn a degree - a master's in English - from Old Dominion. A year later the school hires its first full-time black faculty member, art professor A.B. "Alex" Jackson, and in 1969, senior class president Ronald Horne becomes the first African American student to earn a bachelor's degree. Arthur "Buttons" Speakes, the first black athlete recruited by a predominantly white college in Virginia, joins the Monarch basketball team in 1965.

The Transition from College to University

With the dream of university status realized, Lewis Webb steps down and James L. Bugg Jr. takes over as president of Old Dominion in July 1969. During Bugg's tenure, the university offers its first doctoral programs in engineering and oceanography. He establishes the Office of Information Services to keep the community, as well as the legislature, apprised of university progress and successes. During his tenure, the school articulates its mission to be known as an urban university.

Army ROTC Unit Established

Army ROTC is reestablished on campus in 1969. (The first unit was organized in 1948 but discontinued two years later when the Korean War sapped the number of young men enrolled at the Norfolk Division.) A Naval ROTC unit would be established in 1982.

The Beginnings of Governmental Advocacy

The Faculty Senate forms the Committee to Save the University during the 1970 spring semester, after Gov. Mills Godwin's proposed allocation falls $8 million short of the $23 million requested. Students join the protest, even changing the homecoming theme from "A Time for Love" to "A Time for a Fair Appropriation." Under the guidance of Professor Robert Stern, 23 students trek to Richmond to talk with legislators. The "Save ODU" campaign is successful in gaining an additional $1.6 million.

GE “College Bowl” Winners

Four Old Dominion students - Gail Culver, Clydett Powell, Tom Sheeran and Kay Webb - defeat the defending champion Albright College team June 14, 1970, on the nationally televised "GE College Bowl," and in the process earn $3,000 in scholarship money. Unfortunately, the ODU team has no chance at repeating this success due to the show's cancellation.

First Undergraduate in Virginia Appointed to Board of Visitors

Student body President Bruce Bishop is appointed by Gov. Linwood Holton to the university's Board of Visitors in September 1972, making him the first undergraduate to be seated on the Board of Visitors of any Virginia college or university. A senior and political science major, Bishop had been an advocate for student representation.

The Start of a Holiday Tradition

Istvan and Ana Ament arrive on campus in 1973 to direct the Old Dominion University Ballet. For nearly three decades, until their retirement in 2000, they stage the ODU Ballet's annual production of "The Nutcracker," which becomes a popular holiday tradition in Hampton Roads.

A Major Boost for Women's Sports

In 1974, under the leadership of athletic director Jim Jarrett, Old Dominion becomes the first university in Virginia to award women's athletic scholarships, and is among the first in the nation to do so. ODU holds the inaugural Donna Doyle Smith Scholarship basketball game in February 1975, the school's first event to emphasize raising money for women's athletic scholarships.

"Teach Your Children"

Five years after Woodstock, an estimated 35,000 music fans fill Foreman Field to overflowing on a hot day in August 1974 for a concert featuring Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. Despite the turnout, it will be another 24 years before Foreman Field hosts another major concert.

Monarchs Win National Title

Coach Sonny Allen's Runnin' Monarchs win the NCAA Division II national championship in men's basketball in 1975, defeating New Orleans 76-74 in Evansville, Ind. The ODU team is led by 6-9 sophomore center Wilson Washing-ton, who scores 21 points and earns Most Outstanding Player honors, senior co-captain Oliver Purnell and sophomore guard Joey Caruthers.

Women's Center, Women's Studies Added in 1976, 1977

The Women's Center opens in 1976. Among the first of its kind in the country, it focuses primarily on serving older women returning to school. A year later, the first Women's Studies Program in Virginia debuts. Carolyn Rhodes coordinates the program in its pilot year and its early success leads to a permanent program in 1978.

Al Rollins Assumes the Presidency

Alfred B. Rollins Jr. succeeds James Bugg as president on July 1, 1976. During his nearly 10 years at the helm, Rollins expands the university's state and private funding, enhances student services, and adds an honors program and a new general education program for undergraduates. He plays a major role in forging partnerships within the community, including those with NASA, the U.S. Navy and Norfolk State University, and becomes known for his commitment to affirmative action.

The Greatest Women's Basketball Team Ever?

Under the guidance of coach Marianne Stanley and led by superstar Nancy Lieberman, the Lady Monarchs capture back-to-back AIAW national basketball championships in 1979 and 1980, amassing an astounding 72-2 record over the two-year campaign. The flashy Lieberman would later be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. Stanley's stellar cast also features All-American Inge Nissen and Anne Donovan, who was a freshman during the 1979-80 season. A three-time All-American and 1983 Naismith National Player of the Year, Donovan would become the first player from ODU inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Firsts in Women and Minority Appointments

Dorothy Doumar is appointed as Old Dominion's first female rector in 1978. A member of the Board of Visitors since 1972, she continues to serve until 1983. Her history-making year as rector is followed in 1979 by the appointment of Ulysses V. Spiva as the university's first African American dean (Education) and the appointment of Betty Diener as the first female dean (Business).

An ODU-EVMS Partnership

In the fall of 1979, Old Dominion establishes an interdisciplinary doctoral program in biomedical sciences with Eastern Virginia Medical School. A decade later, the two schools establish a joint program whereby select students can earn their bachelor of science degree from Old Dominion and be guaranteed entry into EVMS' M.D. program.

ODU Upsets Rock the Basketball World

On Jan. 10, 1981, ODU's Billy Mann deflects a DePaul inbound pass, catches the ball and lays it in the basket with seven seconds to play, securing an amazing come-from-behind upset victory over the nation's top-ranked team. Fourteen years later, the Monarchs shock third-seeded and Big East champion Villanova, 89-81, in a triple overtime thriller in NCAA Regional play. ODU is led by Petey Sessoms' brilliant 35-point performance.

Sailing Program Captures Its First National Trophy

The women's sailing squad captures the school's first ICYRA national championship in June 1982. Through 2004-05, the ODU sailing program had won 15 national titles and produced 50 All-Americans.

A Field Hockey Dynasty is Born

In November 1982, the field hockey team wins the first of three straight national championships. Yogi Hightower, a member of the '82 championship team, later receives the Honda Award and is chosen for the Olympic team. Through 2004 the field hockey program, under the direction of Beth Anders, the winningest field hockey coach in NCAA history, amasses an amazing nine national titles, the most of any school in the country.

Lady Monarchs Win NCAA Championship

The Lady Monarch basketball team defeats Georgia in March 1985 to win the NCAA championship, the program's third national title under coach Marianne Stanley. The victory is followed by a trip to the White House for personal congratulations from President Ronald Reagan. ODU's program continues to achieve at a high level under coach Wendy Larry '77, who succeeds Stanley in 1987. During her first 18 years at the helm, Larry's teams win an astounding 14 consecutive conference titles from 1992 to 2005 and play in 17 NCAA tournaments.

Joseph Marchello Selected as Fourth President

Joseph M. Marchello succeeds Al Rollins as Old Dominion's fourth president in July 1985. Marchello, who serves until 1988, develops higher education centers on the Peninsula and in Virginia Beach, and pushes for the university to build a fine arts center and to expand Webb Center and the Child Study Center. ODU's Technology Applications Center and Bank of America Entrepre-neurial Center also are established during his presidency.

Getting Centered

Old Dominion's first off-campus site, the Peninsula Graduate Center, opens in August 1986, offering graduate engineering courses to students in Newport News and Hampton. It is followed two years later by the opening of the original Virginia Beach Center and the debut of the Tri-Cities Center in Portsmouth. Old Dominion's fourth regional center, the Northern Virginia Center, opens its doors in fall 2000.

Hail to the Cheif

President George H.W. Bush, at the invitation of the ODU student group College Republicans, visits the campus on Nov. 3, 1989, to speak on behalf of gubernatorial nominee J. Marshall Coleman. Bush returns to the campus on Jan. 28, 2000, to stump for his son, George W., during the Republican presidential primaries.

Dr. Koch Comes to Norfolk

James V. Koch assumes the ODU presidency in July 1990, following the 1 1/2-year interim presidency of William B. Spong Jr., a former U.S. senator. Koch leads the university for 11 years through a period of remarkable transformation. Under his guidance, Old Dominion becomes a national leader in distance education, successfully completes its first capital campaign, undergoes an extensive campus beautification project, and doubles the number of African American and international students. He is credited with initiating the President's Lecture Series and Diehn Concert Series, and developing plans for the University Village.

African American Cultural Center Opens

Old Dominion's African American Cultural Center, which is later named for the university's first African American rector, Hugo A. Owens, opens in 1991. Further responding to the ever-increasing diversity on campus, in 1994 ODU debuts International Hall in the Rogers Hall Annex, where American and international students room together. The Filipino American Student Cultural Center opens in 1998.

First (of Many) SCHEV Outstanding Faculty Awards

On May 1, 1991, sociologist Karen Polonko is honored as the first Old Dominion faculty member to receive an Outstanding Faculty Award from the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV). Two years later, Polonko is named Virginia Professor of the Year by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, an award also won by scientist Cynthia Jones in 2004. Since the SCHEV awards program was established in 1990, 16 other faculty members have joined Polonko in receiving the prestigious honor: Gregory Selby (1992), Michele Darby (1993), Nancy Bazin (1994), Helen Rountree (1995), William Stanley (1996), Dana Heller (1997), Daniel Dauer and Christine Drake (1999), John Toomey (2000), Dwight Allen and Sushil Chaturvedi (2001), Janet Peery (2002), Sheri Reynolds (2003), Charles Wilson (2004), and Katharine Kersey and Cynthia Jones (2005).

Diehn Gift Elevates Music Program

Composer F. Ludwig Diehn makes a multimillion-dollar gift to the university in 1993, making possible the Diehn Concert Series and Residency Program, the Diehn Composers Room and the Diehn Chair in Music. The gift is the largest ever received by the university up to that time. Old Dominion's new Fine and Performing Arts Center, which opens in 1991, is named for Diehn.

Virginia Outstanding Scientists

Biologist Daniel E. Sonenshine, one of the world's leading experts in the study of ticks, is selected for the 1994 Virginia Outstanding Scientist award, the first time in university history that an ODU faculty member has been so recognized. Nine years later, Cynthia Jones, from the ocean, earth and atmospheric sciences department, also receives one of the two awards for her pioneering work in fisheries ecology. Nuclear physicist Anatoly Radyushkin is honored as an Outstanding Scientist in 2004.

Charles Burgess Retires After 40 Years

Charles O. Burgess, dean of the College of Arts and Letters since 1985, retires effective July 1, 1995, after 40 years at the university. A popular professor of English and one of Old Dominion's longest-serving faculty, Burgess also holds a variety of administrative posts that include stints as director of freshman English, graduate program director in English, dean of graduate studies and vice president for academic affairs.

TELETECHNET Revolutionizes Distance Learning

Old Dominion launches its pioneering TELETECHNET distance learning program in July 1994, under the direction of Anne Raymond Savage. Three years later, the university becomes the world's first institution to offer live classes via satellite to Navy ships at sea. ODU's distance learning operation moves into a new state-of-the-art facility, the Albert Brooks Gornto Jr. TELETECHNET Center, in 1999. Through 2004, Old Dominion operated 63 distance learning sites in five states. Since the program's inception, 3,000 students have earned baccalaureate and master's degrees via TELETECHNET.

First Rhodes Scholar

Field hockey All-American and civil and environmental engineering major Samantha Salvia becomes the university's first Rhodes Scholar on Dec. 10, 1995. One of only 32 U.S. students who receive the award that year, Salvia wins a two-year full scholarship to study at the University of Oxford in England.

Dragas International Center Opens

The Dragas International Center, named in honor of former rector and alumnus George Dragas Jr. and his brother, Marcus, has its grand opening on May 10, 1996. The facility is built to serve Old Dominion's growing international student population.

Lambert's Point Program Reaches Out to Neighborhood Children

In 1992, Old Dominion establishes the Lambert's Point Summer Programs, offering educational, recreational and employment opportunities to children from the nearby, low-income Lambert's Point neighborhood. Founded by Cecelia Tucker, ODU's director of community relations, the program has reached out to approximately 2,200 children since its inception.

Gaining a Career Advantage

In fall 1995, Old Dominion implements the Career Advantage Program, which guarantees an internship in their field of study to all undergraduate students. It is administered by the Career Management Center in partnership with the academic colleges. ODU is the only four-year, doctoral-granting institution in the United States to guarantee a practical, faculty-directed, for-credit experience related to a student's major.

ODU's Floating Classrooms

In September 1996, sailors aboard the USS George Washington are the first to take live, interactive M.B.A. courses via Old Dominion's "Ships at Sea" program. These special TELETECHNET classes are beamed from campus to the aircraft carrier via digital satellite connections, an initiative that ultimately expands to multiple-ship broadcasts worldwide.

The Write Stuff

In fall 1996, the English department's Janet Peery is named one of five finalists for the National Book Award and nominated for the Pulitzer Prize in literature for her first novel, "The River Beyond the World." Other well-known authors in Old Dominion's vibrant Creative Writing Program include Sheri Reynolds, whose second novel, "The Rapture of Canaan," is chosen for the Oprah Book Club in 1997, and Michael Pearson, who receives critical acclaim for his fourth book, "Dreaming of Columbus: A Boyhood in the Bronx" (1999).

Astronaut Alumnus

Michael Bloomfield, a 1993 graduate of Old Dominion's master's in engineering management program, participates in his first space shuttle mission in 1997, rendezvousing with the Mir Space Station to drop off one fellow astronaut and pick up another for the return trip to Earth. Since then, he has gone on two other NASA shuttles.

Lady Monarchs' Quest for Second NCAA Title Falls Short

After a brilliant regular season and an impressive performance in the postseason, March Madness comes to an end for the Lady Monarchs when they lose to Tennessee on March 30, 1997, in the national championship game, 68-59. Senior Clarisse Machanguana and juniors Ticha Penicheiro and Nyree Roberts are named to the Final Four All-Tournament Team. Coach Wendy Larry earns 1997 National Coach of the Year honors from The Sporting News.

Tunnel Vision

In July 1997, Old Dominion leases a full-scale wind tunnel at NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton. In addition to testing aircraft, including a reproduction of the 1903 Wright Flyer, the wind tunnel is regularly used by NASCAR. The historic facility, which tested the nation's first spacecraft, the Mercury capsule, was designated a National Historic Landmark and rated as the second-largest tunnel in the country in 1985.

VMASC Awarded $12.2 Million Contract

On Oct. 1, 1997, Old Dominion receives a five-year contract from the U.S. Atlantic Command worth $12.2 million - the largest single contract in the university's history up to that time - to provide USACOM with support services from ODU faculty. Managed by ODU's new Virginia Modeling, Analysis and Simulation Center, the contract funds engineers from the university and the private sector to work on short-term projects using modeling, simulation and other technology.

Lion King Acends Throne

A majestic lion statue is unveiled on Founders' Day, Oct. 17, 1997, in front of Webb Center. Commissioned by the university, the ODU Monarch is designed by 1985 alumnus and adjunct faculty member Kevin Gallup. The 1,000-pound, 6-foot-high bronze sculpture stands guard over Kaufman Mall from atop a platform in the university fountain.

Applied Research Center Opens

The Old Dominion-operated Applied Research Center at the Jefferson Lab technology complex in Newport News is dedicated on May 4, 1998. The $18.4 million business park exists to nurture, support and foster creativity among researchers, faculty and students from local colleges and universities. ODU nuclear physics professors continue to have a strong presence at the Jefferson Lab facility.

A Cosby Commencement

Comedian Bill Cosby delivers the commencement address at Foreman Field on May 9, 1998. Wearing an ODU ball cap instead of the traditional mortar board, Cosby peppers his remarks with anecdotes about his grandparents, and offers sage advice on benefiting from the wisdom and experience of those who have gone before.

Students Named to USA Today College Academic Team

Kristine Gonzalez, a senior biological sciences major, becomes the first Old Dominion student named to USA Today's All-USA College Academic Team in February 1999. Since then, two other students have been selected for the team: Rosemarie Liu, a pre-med student, in 2002; and Linda Wolfe, an interdisciplinary studies major, in 2003.

First Capital Campaign a Success/Boosts Endowment

During a ceremony in Webb Center, President Koch announces on June 17, 1999, that the university's first capital campaign has surpassed its goal of $47.85 million, two years ahead of schedule. The fund drive, which continues through May 2001, raises $58.28 million. ODU reaches another milestone in fall 2003 when its endowment tops the $100 million mark. The university launches the public phase of a second capital campaign in October 2004, and by the following June, $80 million of the $100 million goal has been raised.

Military Partnerships

Old Dominion, on July 1, 1999, formalizes its partnership with Norfolk's Armed Forces Staff College to collaborate on graduate internships, faculty exchanges and the joint sponsorship of symposia. This relationship builds upon the formal agreement ODU and NATO's Atlantic headquarters entered in 1995, which was designed to support geopolitical and technical symposia as well as research opportunities for faculty.

Roseanne Rute Selected as Seventh President

Roseann Runte becomes Old Dominion's first female president in July 2001. At her inauguration, she pledges to donate $20,000 each year of her presidency to the scholarship endowment, and later in the day announces that ODU will receive state funds for the Engineering and Computational Sciences Building, one of the first initiatives she had pursued with commonwealth officials. Runte, having consulted all sectors of the community, also promises to shine a spotlight on research, build upon the distance learning network, increase scholarship support, and make globalism an integral part of the curriculum and extracurricular activities.

New Lion Uncaged, New Motto Adopted

The university unveils a new athletic logo on April 18, 2002. Featuring a roaring lion with its right paw raised and ready to strike, the Monarch logo is fresh and contemporary, yet it incorporates a version of the crown from the previous identifier of a stylized, heraldic lion. It also ties in to Old Dominion's heritage through the use of a Columbia blue accent color, which until fall 1986 was the primary school color. At the same time, the university adopts a new motto, "Portal to New Worlds," and a slogan for its second capital campaign, "Changing Lives.

Constant Success

The newly renovated Constant Hall, the new home for the College of Business and Public Administration, is dedicated on May 21, 2002. The $12.5 million facility features 23 fully mediated classrooms. Ted Constant, whose gift made it possible, is on hand for the ceremony, as is the school's first business dean, John Tabb. Just a few months later, on Oct. 25, Constant returns to campus for the grand opening of another impressive facility that bears his name, the Ted Constant Convocation Center. This $42.2 million state-of-the-art venue seats 8,600.

Remembering Sept. 11

Hundreds of members of the university community gather on Kaufman Mall the morning of Sept. 11, 2002, to pay tribute to those who lost their lives in the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon a year earlier. Four members of the Old Dominion family died at the Pentagon: alumnus Navy Cmdr. Robert Schlegel (M.A. '92), and graduate students Army Spc. Craig Amundson, Navy Lt. Cmdr. Robert Elseth and Army Lt. Col. Karen Wagner. A special ceremony later commemorates their lives with a musical composition by Professor Adolphus Hailstork and poetry by ODU's Luisa Igloria, Sheri Reynolds, Tim Seibles and Roseann Runte.

ODU's Ship Comes In

ODU's new research vessel, the R/V Fay Slover, is christened on Oct. 1, 2002. Operated by the Department of Ocean, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, it is named for the original benefactor of the oceanography program and replaces the 48-year-old R/V Linwood Holton. The new, $1.3 million, 55-foot craft now serves as the keystone for research in marine observation in lower Chesapeake Bay and adjacent waters.

Frank Batten Announces $32 Million Gift

Old Dominion's first rector, Frank Batten, the founder of Landmark Communications Inc., announces a $32 million gift to the university on March 11, 2003. The largest gift in university history, it will endow chairs and support research in engineering and the sciences, primarily, though all six of the university's academic colleges will benefit. Batten's gift is made just as the university prepares to announce the start of a second, $100 million, capital campaign. Old Dominion names the College of Engineering and Technology in Batten's honor in September 2003.

First University Doctorate in Modeling and Simulation Award

The world's first doctorate in modeling and simulation awarded by a university is presented to John A. Sokolowski, a retired U.S. Navy submarine officer, at the May 10, 2003, commencement. The doctoral program, located within the Frank Batten College of Engineering and Technology, is one of only a handful in the world. Modeling and simulation is an engineering discipline that solves complex problems using computer simulation.

It Takes a Village

Anchored by the Ted Constant Convocation Center, ODU's University Village begins to take shape in August 2003 when students move in to the first units of the University Village Apart-ments. The Office of Public Safety also relocates to the new development, located across Hampton Boulevard from the main campus. By August 2005, the Village's tenants include three restaurants, a coffee shop and fitness center. Plans call for the addition of other retail shops, a hotel, parking garage and grocery store. In addition, the Village will be the site for an ODU research park, offering laboratory and office space where university researchers and business partners can collaborate on joint projects.

Center for Bioelectrics Opens

The Center for Bioelectrics, a collaboration between Old Dominion and Eastern Virginia Medical School, opens Nov. 24, 2003, in Norfolk's Public Health Building. One of its goals is to understand how intense, pulsed electromagnetic fields and cold ionized gases interact with biological cells and to apply this knowledge to the development of medical diagnostics and therapeutics. Leading the research is director Karl Schoenbach, an eminent scholar in ODU's Frank Batten College of Engineering and Technology.

Run for Freedom

Jason Redman, a senior business administration major and battalion commander of the Hampton Roads Naval ROTC Consortium, conceives and organizes the Run for Freedom on campus to honor military members killed in America's War on Terror. Hundreds of university and community members log more than 700 miles during the six-day, round-the-clock event, held April 3-8, 2004. The run raises more than $27,000 for charities that provide scholarships and support for the families of the fallen troops, and attracts national attention.

Kornblau Alumni Center Dedicated

Old Dominion's first alumni center is dedicated in May 2004 and named for Richmond businessman Barry M. Kornblau '71, whose significant gift made it possible. The facility, which originally housed the Public Safety Office, underwent a major renovation and now is home to ODU's Office of Alumni Relations. It is also the site of choice for many Alumni Association-sponsored activities.

Doing Something About the Global Environment

Stemming from her desire to create a unique learning experience for ODU students - and one that could ultimately lead to positive societal changes - President Roseann Runte sets the wheels in motion toward establishing a required course on the global environment for all freshmen. The three-credit, multidisciplinary course, which debuts at the start of the spring 2005 semester, asks students to examine critically some of the major environmental issues facing the world today. The previous fall, ODU opens its state-of-the-art Engineering and Computational Sciences Building, the first LEED-certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) higher education building in Virginia. The Norfolk Environmental Commission presents the university with the Most Outstanding Friend of Norfolk's Environment award in November 2004.

Men's Basketball Team Records Most Wins Ever

On March 5, 2005, the Monarchs defeat rival William and Mary, 64-51, in the quarterfinal round of the Colonial Athletic Association tournament to extend their record to 26-5. The 26 wins in a season is a new ODU school record, breaking the old mark of 25, which was attained four times, the last being in 1998-99. The 2004-05 Monarchs go on to win two more games in capturing the CAA crown and advance to the NCAA tournament, where they lose a close contest to eventual Final Four participant Michigan State.