News

David Coogan (bottom left) co-authors Stanley Craddock upper left), Ron Fountain (upper right), Naji Mujahid (middle left), Kelvin Belton (middle right), and Dean Turner (bottom right) wrote “After Jail, Before Freedom.” (Photo of jail by John Dooley. Photos of authors by Skip Rowland)

In ‘After Jail, Before Freedom,’ VCU author David Coogan revisits his co-authors

June 4, 2026

The English professor’s new sequel to ‘Writing Our Way Out’ continues exploring incarceration, and its aftermath, through storytelling.

Four new VCU Fulbright recipients will travel to Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Brazil. (File photo)

Two current VCU students, two recent alums receive prestigious Fulbright awards

June 2, 2026

The selections continue VCU’s upward trend of honorees in the federal cultural exchange program.

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.

(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.

VCU students shared their research with some of the thousands of attendees at this week’s National Conference on Undergraduate Research in Richmond. (Dean Hoffmeyer, Enterprise Marketing and Communications)

Meet seven of the nearly 500 VCU students who presented their research this week at a prestigious conference

April 16, 2026

Undergrads from a range of disciplines explain their research, what attracted them to it and what participating in the National Conference on Undergraduate Research meant to them.

VCU poet and assistant professor Edgar Kunz is the author of two books, with a new project in the works. (Photo by Ariana Mygatt)

VCU poet Edgar Kunz named a Guggenheim fellow

April 15, 2026

Kunz, an author of two books whose work has appeared in The New Yorker and The Atlantic, is pursuing a new project exploring his time in a medieval anachronist organization.

Tomika Ferguson, associate dean of student affairs and community engagement in the School of Education; Cristina Stanciu, director of the Humanities Research Center; Ashley Shoell-Gonzalez, program service coordinator for the Ryan White Program; John Jones, assistant professor in the School of Life Sciences and Sustainability; VCU President Michael Rao; Aarushi Khanna, a student in the School of Nursing; and Christopher Brooks, professor in the School of World Studies, at this week’s PACME ceremony. (Skip Rowland)

This year's PACME honorees are committed to the success of the VCU community

April 14, 2026

Tomika Ferguson of the School of Education earned the capstone award of the program, which recognizes contributions among students, faculty and staff that support cross-cultural relations and a welcoming environment.

A group of inmates wearing white uniforms with 'Alabama Dept. of Corrections' written on the back, walking across a prison yard towards a building

2026 Oscar Reviews: 'The Alabama Solution'

March 10, 2026

On March 15, the 98th Academy Awards will showcase the best – and most talked-about – films of the year. Ahead of Hollywood’s biggest night, some VCU professors shared their thoughts on films that aligned with their area of expertise and will be in contention in a variety of categories.

A woman in 19th Century dress looks up towards Frankenstein's monster

2026 Oscar Reviews: 'Frankenstein'

March 10, 2026

On March 15, the 98th Academy Awards will showcase the best – and most talked-about – films of the year. Ahead of Hollywood’s biggest night, some VCU professors shared their thoughts on films that aligned with their area of expertise and will be in contention in a variety of categories.

Patty Smith stands between two students wearing caps and gowns

Creative writing MFA and former VCU instructor leads Appomattox Regional Governor’s School English Department

March 9, 2026

Patty Smith (M.F.A.’01) incorporates what she learned and taught at VCU into her curriculum as Appomattox Regional Governor’s School’s Department of English Chair.