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Rev. Brian Boettcher to Serve as 2026 Speaker for Baccalaureate
The service is scheduled for Friday, May 15, prior to the spring Commencement Ceremony
University News |October 27, 2025
The Rev. Brian Boettcher, Class of 2012 and Pastor of Granbery Memorial United Methodist Church in Covington, Virginia, will serve as VWU’s 2026 Baccalaureate speaker.
Rev. Boettcher grew up in Chesapeake, Virginia and was baptized and confirmed at West End (now Crossroads) UMC in Portsmouth. He experienced his call to ministry at a Virginia Conference youth event at Virginia Wesleyan College in 2002. Brian later attended Virginia Wesleyan, where he was actively involved in campus life, developed as a leader, and earned a bachelor’s degree in Religious Studies.
He went on to pursue a Master of Divinity at Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. After graduating in 2015, Brian was appointed as a pastor in the Virginia Annual Conference. He has become known for creative and effective ministry, particularly in helping congregations rebound from challenging seasons.
Over the past ten years, Brian has served churches throughout the Commonwealth, including Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Burkeville, and Covington. He was ordained an Elder in Full Connection in 2024.
Baccalaureate will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, May 15, 2026, in the Joan and Macon Brock Theatre of the Susan S. Goode Fine and Performing Arts Center as a part of the spring 2026 Commencement exercises. This prelude to Commencement is a service of worship in celebration of and thanksgiving for lives dedicated to learning and wisdom. All graduates and their families are encouraged to attend.