News

Six faculty members named 2025–26 Shift Labs Faculty Fellow Awardees

May 4, 2026

The Office of Innovation and Strategic Design initiative highlights creative and entrepreneurial educators who are shaping VCU and beyond.

VCU alum Alex Coyle before the Super Bowl LX halftime show. Coyle was assigned to one of the handheld camera operators responsible for filming the production. (Contributed Photo)

From Marvel to the Super Bowl, VCU alum has worked on the crews of some high-profile productions

May 1, 2026

Alex Coyle recently was on the field for Bad Bunny’s historic halftime show, and she also has been a part of the camera team on projects such as ‘The Gray Man’ and ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.’

More than 2,700 VCU and VCU Health employees celebrated their tenures at the 54th annual Service Recognition Celebration. (Dean Hoffmeyer, Enterprise Marketing and Communications)

2,700+ staffers, thousands more years of service – and one big VCU event

April 30, 2026

The annual Service Recognition Celebration highlights those who have forged VCU’s path, some for more than a half-century.

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.

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.’

Serpentine forests damaged by Hurricane Maria, like this one in Puerto Rico’s Isabela region, recovered faster than expected after the storm. (contributed photo)

Puerto Rico’s forests recovered in unexpected ways post-Hurricane Maria, VCU research finds

April 29, 2026

Biology professor Catherine Hulshof studies extreme environments, like Puerto Rico’s forests, to find out how they may react as the climate changes.

An analysis of 16 studies found that the scientific literature does not support claims that 60-90% of youth identifying as transgender ultimately desist from that identity. (Getty Images)

Common claim that most transgender youth renounce that identity is not supported by statistics, VCU research finds

April 27, 2026

The argument that studies show transgender youth desist from that identity on average has been used to support anti-gender-affirming care legislation nationwide.

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.

(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.

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.