The Board of Visitors’ Committee on the College at Wise met Thursday to discuss seven reappointments to the College at Wise Board — the only action item on the meeting agenda — projected enrollment for the Fall 2026 semester and a presentation on the Faculty Consulting Member Report. Dr. Drew Harris, assistant dean of continuing education at the University School of Medicine, received the 26th Samuel R. Crockett Award.
The Committee on the College at Wise oversees the College at Wise and serves as the Board’s dedicated committee for the University’s Wise, Va. campus. The Committee also assists the Chancellor in carrying out their responsibilities and advancing the goals of the College at Wise.
The meeting began with a vote to reappoint seven of the 24 members serving on the College at Wise Board, an advisory board for the College at Wise. The vote was unanimously passed, and the terms of the reappointed members will end June 30, 2030.
Donna Price Henry, chancellor of the College at Wise, then thanked the Board members who visited the Wise campus April 20 and invited them and other Board members to visit in the future. Henry also welcomed Jackson Sleadd, newly appointed student member of the Board and rising fourth-year College student. Henry said she appreciated Sleadd’s intentions to connect with the College at Wise and offered her support in maintaining the relationship between the University and the College at Wise student leaders.
“I’m happy to see [Sleadd] here, and I’m happy to hear that [he’s] already connected with our college student leadership,” Henry said. “[I’m] looking forward to keeping that momentum going.”
Henry proceeded by sharing the fall 2026 enrollment report, noting that the number of applications and admitted students “remains high.” However, she said the number of confirmed students — those who have indicated they plan to attend the College at Wise in the fall — is lower than it was in fall 2025. According to Henry’s presentation, there are currently 474 confirmed students for fall 2026, compared with 542 confirmed students at the fall 2025 census.
According to Henry, the decline in confirmed students is partly due to fewer international students choosing to enroll at the College at Wise. The College at Wise admitted a similar number of international students as last year, but fewer ultimately confirmed their attendance for the 2026-27 academic year.
Henry also said there are currently 85 students participating in the Year in Wise program — an option for waitlisted in-state and rising first-year students to spend a year at the College at Wise before coming to Grounds — a jump from the 67 students in the Year in Wise program from last year. According to Henry, the target and maximum number for this program is “always” 100 students.
Henry said the incoming student class totals 613 students — including 395 freshmen, 85 Year in Wise students and 133 transfer students — which is an increase from the 560 students in the fall 2025 incoming student class.
“Many of you know at Wise, my work over the past 13 years has really been focused on name recognition, getting applications [and] trying to grow the enrollment,” Henry said. “From three years ago to this year, our enrollment has grown by about 35 percent, which is pretty incredible.”
Henry said the College at Wise is also working on improving student retention and progress to graduation. According to Henry, on average, about half of College at Wise students graduate. This year, the six-year graduation rate is 65 percent, which Henry said is a “huge jump” for the College at Wise.
Henry also announced Harris as the 26th Samuel R. Crockett Award recipient. Henry said the Samuel R. Crockett Award, established in 1995, is presented to an individual who has “made significant advances in strengthening the relationship between the College at Wise and U.Va.” The award, according to Henry, is a stone from Crockett Hall — one of the two original buildings at the College at Wise.
According to Henry, Harris received the award due to his “extraordinary efforts” in connecting Wise and Charlottesville. Henry said Harris promoted undergraduate research and professional opportunities for Wise undergraduate students in Charlottesville and will be teaching a class at Wise in the fall.
Henry also said that Harris, who focuses on rural health pulmonology, visits Southwest Virginia regularly and works with patients suffering from occupational lung disease.
“[Harris] represents the important bridge between Charlottesville and [the] Virginia Central Appalachian region, embodying the commitment of the Commonwealth’s flagship institution to be a positive force throughout the state,” Henry said.
After the award was announced, Karen Carter, faculty consulting member for the College at Wise, presented the Faculty Consulting Member Report, which detailed notable faculty members and their recent accomplishments.
Carter shared that Donald Sorah, professor of music at the College at Wise, received the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia’s Outstanding Faculty Award — the “Commonwealth's highest honor for faculty at Virginia's public and private colleges and universities.” Sorah was one of 12 recipients of the award out of 81 nominations.
Thursday’s meeting marked Carter’s last, after serving as the faculty consulting member for the College at Wise for the past two years. A new faculty consulting member will replace her in the fall.
The meeting ended with a statement from University President Scott Beardsley, who praised Henry for her leadership at the College at Wise.
“I just want to congratulate you on building such a tight-knit, family feeling there,” Beardsley said. “I’ve just been very impressed by what you’ve done, so thank you for your leadership.”
The Committee on the College at Wise is scheduled to meet next during the meetings of the Board Sept. 16-19.
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