Graduate Student News

After completing her Ph.D., Milan Marsh hopes to begin a career in industry, applying mathematical modeling to real-word problems. (Contributed image)

VCU and math have long been part of the equation for systems modeling student Milan Marsh

June 16, 2026

A high school program on campus helped propel her Ph.D. studies, which touch on biology and disease.

Four new VCU Fulbright recipients will travel to Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Brazil. (File photo)

Two current VCU students, two recent alums receive prestigious Fulbright awards

June 2, 2026

The selections continue VCU’s upward trend of honorees in the federal cultural exchange program.

Recent VCU grad Stephen Tivenan aims to use systems modeling and analysis to advocate for the environment. (Jonathan Haff, Enterprise Marketing and Communications)

Class of 2026: Stephen Tivenan brings AI to climate forecasting

May 21, 2026

With his Ph.D. in systems modeling and analysis, he seeks greater precision and pattern identification in examining our evolving environment.

Samantha Castro Teixeira, who is pursuing a Ph.D. in psychology at VCU, is researching psychological interventions for chronic pain. (Dean Hoffmeyer, Enterprise Marketing and Communications)

World@VCU: Samantha Castro Teixeira from Brazil

April 29, 2026

‘I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how warm and welcoming people are, not only in Richmond but especially within the pain research community.’

(Photo by Dean Hoffmeyer, Enterprise Marketing and Communications)

Scenes from a (very) RVA Renaissance Faire

April 22, 2026

VCU students, faculty and alumni teamed with community members to help put on a new event that celebrated both the distant past and what makes the Richmond area so special today.

Pablo Lopez-Bustamante will earn a Ph.D. in integrative life sciences from VCU in May. (Dean Hoffmeyer, Enterprise Marketing and Communications)

Class of 2026: Pablo Lopez-Bustamante spreads seeds of knowledge

March 26, 2026

Earning his Ph.D., the tropical ecologist has worked with Catherine Hulshof’s Biodiversity Research Lab to enhance tree and forest data from the Americas and the Caribbean.

Abigail Adade, who is pursuing a Ph.D. in clinical psychology, said the mentorship and training she has received at VCU has deepened her commitment to culturally responsive mental health research and helped her grow as a scholar and a practitioner. (Dean Hoffmeyer, Enterprise Marketing and Communications)

World@VCU: Abigail Adade from Ghana

March 9, 2026

‘I was drawn to VCU’s commitment to community-engaged research and its support for diverse student populations.’

Five Questions with Department of English graduate student Cael Sinclair

March 4, 2026

Sinclair is obsessed with old books, a topic he plans to explore more fully in a doctoral program after graduation.

Shruti Shrivastava is pictured dressed in the Oxford Sub Fusc, the traditional academic attire required at Oxford University. Shrivastava is in front of Oxford's Sheldonian Theatre and Bodleian Library. (Contributed image)

How I found my research: Shruti Shrivastava’s interest in evolutionary biology takes her to Oxford

Jan. 5, 2026

Shrivastava is studying how biological diversity might change over time due to the effects of climate change.

The student team documenting the trees across VCU’s Monroe Park and MCV campuses include Margaret Pletcher, Declan O'Donnell, Daniella Asnicar and Kaleb Rezac. (Contributed image)

How many trees are on VCU’s campuses?

Oct. 2, 2025

Student interns with the Rice Rivers Center are counting trees, and the comprehensive inventory could highlight the environmental and financial impact of the urban forest.