Meet the MPI – Cassie Loper
Meet current MPI student, Cassie Loper! Cassie studied Mass Communications with a concentration in Journalism during her time as an undergraduate student. She is currently putting her journalism skills to use through her podcast, Campus Diaries. She is interviewing university community members about their experiences in college. She wants to create a supportive environment for […]
Meet the MPI – Shaira Khan
Meet current MPI student, Shaira Khan! Shaira is an international student from Bangladesh. She is an engineer and luxury fashion designer. She is currently working on developing her own luxury line specializing in leather accessories including handbags and belts. Shaira enjoys cooking, spending time with friends, and exploring luxury designer stores. Shaira is looking to […]
Meet the MPI – Michael Polhemus
Meet current MPI student, Michael Polhemus! Michael is one-half of the business duo of Stomping Grounds, a creative business that aims to develop brands of any age, through creative learning, networking, and community interaction. The aesthetic that Stomping Grounds channels is inspired by streetwear. Michael is developing a week-long creative collaboration event in SHIFT Retail […]
Meet the MPI – Barrett Peters
Meet current MPI student, Barrett Peters! Barrett is formally trained as a pediatric dentist and owned his own multi-location dental specialty practice for a decade. Outside of patient care, he has devoted much of his time advocating for children at the state and federal level and serving his professional organizations in various leadership capacities. Prior to […]
Meet the MPI – Jerica Simmons
Meet current MPI student, Jerica Simmons! Jerica has an bachelor’s degree in Sociology. She is currently working on developing her physical prototyping skills by creating a product for locs, Cultivated Coil: Loc Detox Tool. Jerica has a background in creating impactful change through non-profit work. Jerica enjoys spending time with friends and exploring local Virginia […]
Meet the MPI – Luke Florio
Meet current MPI student, Luke Florio! Luke has a dual bachelor’s degree in Visual Art and Architecture. He is currently working on developing his business, Creative Correspondence, which focuses on making meaningful communication more common and easier than ever before. Luke enjoys spending his free time with friends. You will often find him riding his […]
Meet the MPI – Mason Miles
Meet current MPI student, Mason Miles! Mason has an bachelor’s degree in Marketing. He owns his own clothing line, Dress For Yourself, focused on promotion self love and the fight against insecurities. Mason is also a talented cartoonist and has written and illustrated comics for Dress For Yourself. Mason enjoys taking walks and reading in […]
Meet the MPI – Cael Parker
Meet current MPI student, Cael Parker! Cael has a bachelor’s degree in Sculpture and Extended Media. She facilitates the Shelfie Program and leads daily operations in SHIFT Retail Lab. Cael was the primary instructor for an 8-week Figma class and co-instructor for an 8-week Adobe class. She is skilled in project management, physical prototyping, and […]
Meet the MPI – Dane Nielson
Meet current MPI student, Dane Nielson! Dane has an undergraduate degree in Biomedical Engineering. He is well-versed in coding and is skilled in prototyping, building, and crafting using a variety of tools and machinery. You can often find him in the da Vinci Center South Maker Space providing training on the equipment including the 3D […]
Demo Day 2024
This past Friday, April 19, was VCU da Vinci Center’s Demo Day. VCU students, alumni, and community members all joined the stage to pitch their ideas, projects, prototypes, and businesses. There was a wide range of businesses and products including, board games, water bottle advertisements, organic and sustainable pet treats, and more! After the engaging […]
