News

Dominic Ongwen, a former child soldier who became an extremist commander, was found guilty in 2021 by the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands. (Getty Images)

For war crimes defendants, media coverage can reflect how audiences see ‘local justice’ and ‘international justice’ differently

March 10, 2025

Exploring the court case of an abducted child soldier who became an extremist commander, VCU professors Jessica Trisko Darden and Amanda Wintersieck see a framework for understanding harsher perceptions at home.

VCU student Natasha Romero Moskala worked with Alex Keena, Ph.D., associate professor of political science, as a research assistant on the Guinier Project hosted by the Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race & Justice at Harvard Law School. (Contributed photo)

A natural progression: VCU senior joins professor for Harvard research project into elections

March 7, 2025

Political science student Natasha Romero Moskala fills the role of research assistant alongside mentor Alex Keena.

VCU alums who won Black History in the Making Awards when they were students. Clockwise from top left: Eloise Berry, Ph.D., Fadel Allassan, Jaz-Munn Johnson, M.D., Taylor Pattie, Tonecia Brothers-Sutton and Sasha Pierre-Louis.

Checking in with VCU’s Black history makers

Feb. 26, 2025

For more than four decades, VCU has honored students with Black History in the Making Awards – and here are updates on six accomplished recipients.

Black History in the Making Award alumni highlight: Catch up with 2018 Award Recipient, Fadel Allassan

Feb. 17, 2025

For Black History Month, we’re shining a spotlight on Black History in the Making Award recipients.

Iman Sikandar (left) and Samantha Mendoza-Hernandez (right) didn’t know each other when they became roommates freshman year, but now they are inseparable. (Thomas Kojcsich, Enterprise Marketing and Communications)

Unbreakable bonds: Just random roommates at first, Iman Sikandar and Samantha Mendoza-Hernandez are now united by ‘invisible string’

Feb. 14, 2025

An early falling-out helped the undergrads realize how much they’d miss without each other’s sisterhood.

Jatia Wrighten, Ph.D. and Alexandra Reckendorf, Ph.D., talked to students about political and social movements during their session in the U.S. Democracy United/Divided course. (Kevin Morley, Enterprise Marketing and Communications)

For the many layers of American democracy, new course taps into the many layers of VCU faculty expertise

Feb. 13, 2025

Nearly three dozen specialists in the College of Humanities and Sciences are collectively teaching U.S Democracy United/Divided this semester – and organizers think the concept will evolve.

Political science major Brianna Cobbs spent the fall semester traveling back-and-forth from Washington, D.C., for a communications internship with CNN. (Thomas Kojcsich, Enterprise Marketing and Communications)

VCU student Brianna Cobbs gets semester-long crash course in political reporting

Feb. 5, 2025

During CNN internship, the second-year political science major contributed to the newsroom and even helped out on Election Day.

VCU alums Vivian Shields and Carolyn Bishop both hold positions in the C-suite of Commonwealth Savers (formerly Virginia529). (Photos courtesy of Commonwealth Savers)

In the C-suite at Commonwealth Savers, Carolyn Bishop and Vivian Shields invest their Ram pride

Jan. 7, 2025

The two executives credit their VCU student experiences for laying the foundations of their success

A year-end review of students and alums who earned prestigious scholarships through the National Scholarship Office

Nov. 11, 2024

Recipients represent a variety of fields and backgrounds, and their scholarships will provide invaluable opportunities to deepen their studies, gain new perspectives and grow in their fields.

Bob Pryor, a Navy veteran and political science student, is vice president of the Student Veterans Association at VCU and works in the district office of U.S. Rep. Jennifer McClellan. (Thomas Kojcsich, Enterprise Marketing and Communications)

By sea and now land, Navy veteran expands his service mindset as a VCU student

Nov. 8, 2024

Bob Pryor is finishing his undergraduate degree, preparing for his master’s in public administration – and staying incredibly busy beyond the classroom.