DEI recognition for alumni programs
The Office of Development and Alumni Relations has been recognized for its diversity and inclusion efforts, with several programs receiving awards.
Black Alumni Owned Business Directory
2021 CASE District III Awards
Bronze
2021 Virginia Public Relations Awards
Award of Excellence
Before June 2020, the VCU Office of Alumni Relations had long-term plans to develop a directory of alumni-owned businesses. But as the nation began to focus on social injustices, the team was inspired to move quickly to champion and promote businesses owned by Black alumni. Within a week, the team had established an online directory for these businesses, created a process for Black alumni to submit their business information to the directory and developed a plan to promote the initiative on social media. The directory went live 10 days after inception, and more than 250 Black alumni-owned businesses self-identified in eight weeks. The directory is now a growing resource for alumni and the larger community.
AAAC Mentoring Circle
2023 CASE Circle of Excellence Awards
Gold – Student Engagement
Silver – Volunteer Engagement
2022 CASE Circle of Excellence Awards
Gold – Volunteer Engagement
Bronze – Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Initiatives
2021 CASE District III Awards
Bronze
In 2012, VCU African American Alumni Council members Gail Coles Johnson and Jeffrey O. Roberts sought to explore a vision to create an intergenerational, virtual program for the AAAC to support its missions of promoting and contributing to the recruitment and retention of Black students at VCU.
In 2015, the VCU Office of Alumni Relations worked with the alumni volunteers to create the Mentoring Circle, designed to provide students with the opportunity to seek guidance and support from alumni who look like them and have relatable shared experiences. Initiated, sponsored, and supported by AAAC members, the Mentoring Circle provides a platform to connect Black undergraduate students with alumni who are interested in helping Black students gain the skills needed to enter today’s workforce and provide them with an opportunity to learn from a VCU graduate. The Mentoring Circle’s goal is to pair an alumni mentor with every Black VCU student who expresses a desire to participate in the program.
Since the inception of the program, nearly 600 Black students have been paired with alumni mentors. Program participants have provided an estimated 10,000+ volunteer hours to the program since 2015, including 30 alumni serving on various leadership committees.
State of Underrepresented Alumni Business Owners
2019 CASE District III Awards
Bronze
Addressing the many hurdles that underrepresented identities face, especially in the entrepreneurial space, the VCU Office of Alumni Relations’ State of Underrepresented Alumni Business Owners program created an opportunity for 43 alumni business owners, entrepreneurs, students and alumni interested in starting their own businesses to engage in a discussion with panelists who identified as LGBTQ+ and/or women and men of color. The event, which was part of an ongoing series for alumni entrepreneurs and business owners, was moderated and held in a venue owned by an alumna of color. Conversations and questions included: how identity shapes their business and business operations; what programs and resources exist for minorities looking to start or sustain their business; the challenges of seeking — even unsuccessfully — a loan while trying to start a minority-owned business; and the importance of advocating for and hiring diverse individuals to help support their mission.
Categories Alumni