Alums and Donors
The College of Humanities and Sciences is not an ordinary educational enterprise. We are the foundation of educational and intellectual life at Virginia Commonwealth University.
Our goal is not just the education, but also the transformation of the students who move through their experiences here with our encouragement to explore opportunities they may have never imagined, and providing them the tools to pursue these opportunities.
Our students represent the world at large; many are the first in their families to attend college. From our humble beginnings we have advanced to a place of distinction in American education.
We are not an ivory tower, quiet and removed from our surroundings. We were born and bred in a city and we are immersed in its energy.
We transform lives in an urban environment that is both nurturing and challenging. We are the VCU College of Humanities and Sciences. Together, we make it real.
Get to know Ashley Jones: Fun facts and more
VCU Alumni expanded its team this past fall with the addition of a new role: the alumni engagement officer. With six AEOs onboard, they’re now busy planning and executing dynamic programming for VCU’s colleges and schools, all geared toward boosting alumni involvement and support.
Ashley Jones, director of alumni engagement for the College of Humanities and Sciences, gives us a glimpse into who she is beyond her CV.
Alum and Donor News
March 9, 2026
Meet ‘The Doctors Cecil’ – 1 family, 2 generations, 4 VCU doctoral degrees
40 years ago, Todd and Mary Cecil came to VCU, and kids Thomas and Colleen have made it a family affair.
March 5, 2026
Bryant Mangum devoted his career to literature and now he’s sharing his life’s work with VCU
Mangum, who taught for 51 years at VCU, is donating not only his personal papers but a collection of rare books, including highly sought-after first editions of the works of F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Feb. 24, 2026
As her VCU roots deepen, so does her fundraising for pediatric care
Payton Hardinge went from student to staff in 2011, and her work at Children’s Hospital Foundation is funding advances in muscular dystrophy research, family support and other areas.