Open House Event Highlighted Success of Virginia Beach Higher Education Center

March 17, 2016

President John R. Broderick poses with students from the University's graduate program in nursing anesthesia. Renee Olander

Emphasizing the University's academic footprint in Virginia Beach, Old Dominion held an Open House this month at its satellite campus in the heart of Princess Anne Commons.

Renee Olander, associate vice president for regional higher education centers, welcomed a packed audience to the largest branch campus of the region's only research-extensive, doctoral-granting university on March 3.

ODU President John R. Broderick, in addressing the audience, spoke of the ongoing partnerships between the University and Virginia Beach. Among those partnerships, he highlighted the graduate program in nursing anesthesia that has been headquartered at the Virginia Beach facility since 2012 and the College of Continuing Education and Professional Development that has resided there since 2014.

Nathaniel Apatov, director of the graduate program in nurse anesthesia, expounded on the success of his program, including the hard work by students, their commitment to helping others and the program's 100 percent job placement rates.

Virginia Beach City Manager David Hansen and James Shaeffer, ODU's dean of the College of Continuing Education and Professional Development, also spoke at the event.

Following the speakers, guests toured the educational facility.

Guests at the event included ODU Rector Ron Ripley; Virginia Beach City Council members Amelia Ross-Hammond, Rosemary Wilson, John Uhrin and Barbara Henley; former Virginia Beach City Manager Jim Spore; Virginia Beach Police Chief James A. (Jim) Cervera; ODU alumnus Lee Entsminger; and Virginia Beach Librarian Eva Poole.