Undergraduate Student News

The coastline of Sorrento, Italy. (Courtesy of Stephanie Tignor)

Study abroad — from home

Oct. 8, 2021

When the pandemic suspended international travel — and student Erin McCoy’s study abroad trip to Italy — VCU’s Global Education Office helped her identify a virtual opportunity instead.

Meet the newest Rams

Sept. 17, 2021

Get to know eight new VCU students and their plans for making the most of their experience.

The Student Veterans Association at VCU has been accepting donations to help Afghan refugees being temporarily housed at Fort Lee and Fort Pickett. (Courtesy photo)

‘This is close to home for me’: Student veterans collect donations to aid Afghan refugees in Virginia

Sept. 8, 2021

Supplies from the ongoing campaign support refugees at Fort Lee and Fort Pickett.

Chuck Todd, left, interviews Sen. Bernie Sanders in June on “Meet the Press.” Questions during the interview — along with many others posed this summer on “Meet the Press” — were supported by research conducted by Josephine Walker, a rising VCU senior interning at NBC’s long-running public affairs program.

At ‘Meet the Press,’ a VCU journalism student provides key research behind the scenes

Aug. 18, 2021

Josephine Walker, a rising senior interning at the NBC program, spent her summer providing research for interviews, as well as drafting questions to ask political leaders appearing on the show.

Left, Savannah-Zhané Jolley. Top right: Jolley and her mother, Louise. Bottom right: Jolley's celebrates getting an "A" on a research paper. (Images courtesy of Savannah-Zhané Jolley)

Class of 2021: A mysterious illness couldn’t derail Savannah-Zhané Jolley’s journey to a VCU degree

May 7, 2021

Headaches and memory loss nearly derailed her final years of school. But thanks to her mother, the Department of Political Science and her own perseverance, Jolley will graduate this month.

Alexia Brown hopes to use her education to launch a career that will allow her to make a far-reaching impact on as many people as possible. “There’s so much work to do,” Brown said. “I have to do my part to leave this world a better place.” (Kevin Morley, University Marketing)

Class of 2021: Alexia Brown is on a mission to learn – and make the world a better place

May 6, 2021

“I want something that’s going to make me want to get up in the morning, no matter how exhausted I am, with an energy that says, ‘I gotta go. I gotta go do my work.’ … There’s so much work to do.”

Interviewing patients as part of her research has been particularly rewarding for Nayab Mughal, who wants to use her career to provide support to patients during some of their toughest moments. (Kevin Morley, University Marketing)

Real research: Future nurse finds rewards in research’s potential to better understand others

April 27, 2021

Nayab Mughal has been involved in three studies, giving her the chance to learn how the pandemic has affected the experiences of both pregnant and hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients.

Alex Trainham. Faculty in the Department of Statistical Sciences and Operations Research chose him as this year’s recipient of the Paul Minton Graduating Senior Award, which recognizes a student who has excelled both inside and outside the classroom. (Tom Kojcsich, University Marketing)

Class of 2021: Alex Trainham excels inside and outside the classroom

April 20, 2021

Long fascinated with computers and audio engineering, Trainham was introduced to coding at VCU and will graduate next month with degrees in computer science and mathematical sciences.

George Kahingo outside the Student Commons. He was born and raised in Kenya and the bracelet on his wrist is adorned with the colors of his native country's flag. (Kevin Morley, University Marketing)

Class of 2021: George Kahingo helps his fellow students grow as leaders

April 19, 2021

Kahingo, a biology major, is a leadership involvement ambassador in the Division of Student Affairs, a role that connects him with dozens of student organizations and hundreds of peers across campus.

VCU student Kevin Armas Rodas, seen here visiting the Casa Alitas Welcome Center in Tucson, Arizona, was one of several students who completed virtual service learning hours with the refugee center this past year. (Courtesy photo)

Helping the Hispanic community in the midst of the pandemic

April 5, 2021

Students in the VCU service-learning course Hispanic Immigrants in the U.S. are continuing to make a difference.