A New Path Forward
Update: June 16, 2025
Sentara Health and Virginia Wesleyan University
Expanding Academic Relationship
Establishing “Sentara College of Health Sciences of Virginia Wesleyan University”
HAMPTON ROADS, VA., June 16, 2025 - Sentara Health and Virginia Wesleyan University (VWU) have signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) to expand their academic relationship by establishing a new academic unit at VWU called the “Sentara College of Health Sciences of Virginia Wesleyan University.”
“This expanded relationship reflects our vision to prepare the healthcare workforce of the future while honoring our deep community ties and proud 130-year academic legacy,” said Dennis Matheis, president and chief executive officer of Sentara Health. “We look forward to working closely with Virginia Wesleyan University to create new opportunities for students, expand access to in-demand programs, and help meet the growing healthcare needs of the communities we serve.”
This builds upon a strong history of collaboration between Sentara College of Health Sciences (SCOHS) and VWU on health-related academic programs, student wellness services, and joint Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree offerings. The LOI with VWU comes following Sentara’s announcement to realign the SCOHS academic model to better meet current and emerging workforce needs.
“We are honored to expand our longstanding partnership with Sentara Health through the establishment of the Sentara College of Health Sciences of Virginia Wesleyan University,” said Dr. Scott D. Miller, president of Virginia Wesleyan University. “This bold step reflects our shared commitment to addressing critical healthcare workforce needs while advancing access to high-quality education. By uniting Sentara’s rich legacy of healthcare excellence with Virginia Wesleyan’s academic infrastructure and student-centered mission, we are creating a powerful model for the future of health sciences education in Coastal Virginia and beyond.”
The details of the proposed relationship are currently being developed, and updates will be shared as they become available. Both institutions are committed to minimizing disruption and ensuring continuity for students, faculty, and staff.
April 17, 2025
A Message from Dr. Angela Taylor
As Sentara continues to evolve to meet the future of healthcare, we are also shaping the future of our college. Sentara College of Health Sciences (SCOHS) has proudly educated healthcare professionals for more than 130 years. Now, we are taking steps to align our academic model with current and emerging workforce needs across the communities we serve.
We want to make you aware of two significant developments underway:
We want to make you aware of two significant developments underway:
- Degree Programs – We are working to establish strategic partnerships with state and regional universities to transition all nursing and non-nursing degree-granting programs.
- Certificate Programs – We are evaluating our certificate offerings, including the types of programs, structure, and delivery format that will best meet future needs.
At this time, we are pausing new admissions into degree-granting programs while final decisions are made. We will continue to accept new students into our medical assistant, patient care technician, cardiac electrophysiology, and monitor surveillance certificate programs at the Chesapeake campus.
Updates will be posted here as they become available. We know there will be a lot of questions, so we have put together a team to help provide answers. Please don’t hesitate to contact us at newpath@sentara.edu.
Updates will be posted here as they become available. We know there will be a lot of questions, so we have put together a team to help provide answers. Please don’t hesitate to contact us at newpath@sentara.edu.
1441 Crossways Blvd, Suite 105
Chesapeake, VA 23320
(757) 388-2900