Undergraduate Student News

Zora Weir-Gertzog, who graduated this month with majors in both biology and communication arts, is an accomplished medical illustrator. (Dean Hoffmeyer, Enterprise Marketing and Communications)

Class of 2026: Aspiring medical illustrator Zora Weir-Gertzog is drawn to art and science

May 10, 2026

At VCU, her two degrees, independent project and broad collaborations reflect longtime creativity and motivation.

Catori Griffin, a May 2026 graduate of the VCU School of Business, has built a presence on LinkedIn where she shares career insights, internship opportunities and lessons she has learned navigating early-career spaces. (Dean Hoffmeyer, Enterprise Marketing and Communications)

Class of 2026: Marketing major Catori Griffin has had a full plate – and jar

May 8, 2026

The soon-to-be analyst at JPMorganChase has embraced leadership development, undergraduate research and support for fellow minority students.

Jason Dresen will join the Peace Corps – and head to Sri Lanka – as a first step toward what he hopes will be a career through the U.S. Foreign Service, part of the State Department. (Dean Hoffmeyer, Enterprise Marketing and Communications)

Class of 2026: Jason Dresen readies for the Peace Corps and, hopefully, the Foreign Service

May 6, 2026

The double-major in economics and political science is forging a path with familiar, and familial, footsteps.

As the owner of the cleaning business Mop & Bucket, Savannah Setzer has put the PR skills she learned at VCU into practice. (Contributed image)

Class of 2026: Savannah Setzer applied the lessons of the classroom to build a business

May 6, 2026

The new Robertson School grad has a cleaning company that is thriving thanks to Setzer’s savvy approach to communications.

May graduates Tony and Wanda Reynolds, who are married, leaned on each other as they pursued matching undergraduate degrees from VCU. (Sian Wilkerson, Enterprise Marketing and Communications)

Class of 2026: Tony and Wanda Reynolds pursued their degrees side by side

April 30, 2026

The couple, who have been married for more than 30 years, entered school together. Now aged 65 and 58, they will graduate with their psychology degrees.

Tara Nikzad Joolhar said the culture of the lab where she conducts research is “uplifting.” “People are always teaching and learning from one another without any judgment.” (Dean Hoffmeyer, Enterprise Marketing and Communications)

How I found my research: Tara Nikzad Joolhar loves both the challenges and surprises she finds in the lab

April 27, 2026

Joolhar, a science and philosophy major at VCU, will graduate this spring at the age of 20. A career in medicine is in her sights next.

Five questions with philosophy and psychology double major Sterling DeMascio

April 22, 2026

The Colorado Summer Seminar in Philosophy is one of the top seminars in the country and only offers 20 spots each summer. Sterling DeMascio earned one of them.

Harrish Ganesh learned that he had been admitted to medical school at Cornell University while standing outside Cabell Library. (Dean Hoffmeyer, Enterprise Marketing and Communications)

Class of 2026: In hopes of sharing more good karma, Harrish Ganesh heads to medical school

April 22, 2026

Ganesh, a biology and bioinformatics major, worked as an EMT and founded a nonprofit during his time at VCU. Cornell University is next.

Five questions with GSWS and sociology double major Dani Schiff

April 21, 2026

Schiff is set to expand on their undergraduate education by pursuing a master’s degree in sociology after graduation

Five questions with GSWS and sociology double major Sara Steingruber

April 21, 2026

Five questions with GSWS and sociology double major Sara Steingruber