Alum and Donor News

Josly Pierre-Louis is planning a career in research and education with the help of a national fellowship from the Ford Foundation and the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine. (Allen Jones, University Marketing)

‘It takes a village to succeed’: Student earns national scholarship to finish her Ph.D.

April 30, 2021

Josly Pierre-Louis’ parents immigrated to America from Haiti. Their daughter, a VCU grad, is the rising tide for all boats when it comes to her success in chemistry and health research.

puru and tripti jena on a sunny oceanfront

The Jenas give to honor VCU’s impact on their family

April 26, 2021

Tripti Jena, M.D., and Purusottam “Puru” Jena, Ph.D., credit much of their family’s well-being to the careers and community they found when they joined Virginia Commonwealth University in 1980.

Cast photo from "The Donna Reed Show." Standing: Shelley Fabares and Paul Petersen. Seated: Carl Betz and Donna Reed.

What would Donna Reed do?

March 26, 2021

VCU graduate Annie Newton discusses “The Donna Reed Show” and how Reed, a celebrated actress, shaped feminism in the 1950s and 60s.

Ana Edwards, who earned her master's degree in history from VCU in 2020, is the first recipient of the Department of History's Graduate Alumni Achievement Award. (Thomas Kojcsich, University Marketing)

Ana Edwards is preserving Black history — and sharing it with others

Feb. 23, 2021

The VCU alumna and chair of the Sacred Ground Historical Reclamation Project, will receive the VCU history department’s highest honor for graduate alumni March 18.

“More representative teams just perform better … ,” Elizabeth Paul, chief strategy officer at the Martin Agency, said at a VCU virtual event on how women are changing the advertising industry. “I want our workforce to reflect our audience because I know we’ll tell better, more representative stories.” (Getty Images)

Women are changing the advertising industry, and it’s leading to better, more authentic ads

Feb. 5, 2021

As another Super Bowl comes and goes, a VCU Robertson School panel says improving gender diversity in advertising is leading to better storytelling and more opportunities for underrepresented voices.