Historically VCU: A Legacy Still in the Making
VCU Alumni is recognizing Black alumni who have made their mark on VCU and the Richmond community at large. Meet some of our trailblazing alumni.
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Lucy Hudson, Ed.D.
Lucy Hudson, Ed.D. (B.S.’04, B.A.’08, M.Ed.’11, Ed.D.’22) has more than 20 years of experience in higher education. She holds undergraduate degrees in urban planning and religious studies, and a master’s and doctorate in education.
Hudson is director of academic operations for the VCU Department of Psychology at VCU, lead instructor for the Leadership development for Women of Color course, co-program manager for the VCU Black Alumni Council Mentoring Circle and an adjunct instructor for the School of Social Work. She is passionate about increasing equity and inclusion efforts to ensure that Black, brown students and low-income students and communities are developed and supported.
Outside the academic setting, she is an author and the owner of Child Hush Up and Write, LLC. She serves as an associate minister at Seventh Street Memorial Baptist Church, coordinating and leading outreach and engagement. Her passion for community shines through her work with the Lighthouse Literacy Project, a nonprofit that provides books to children in rural and low-income communities. Hudson uses her years of experience in higher education to conduct workshops on leadership, research and writing, career development, and vision planning.
Nick Williams, Ed.D.
Nick Williams, Ed.D. (Ed.D.’24) is an educator, speaker, author, entrepreneur and mentor. A Washington, D.C., native, he is the assistant director of student engagement at VCU’s School of Business and an adjunct professor, teaching the freshman course Principles of Professional Development: Men of Color. Williams graduated from the University of Virginia with a bachelor’s degree in English and foreign affairs and master’s degree in student affairs. He received his doctorate in educational leadership from VCU.
Outside of his work at VCU, Williams is an entrepreneur, running four businesses: Culinaire Creations, Black Kings Connect Podcast, Williams Xperience Designs, and Legacy Leaf Publishing. Williams serves on various boards at his alma maters. He loves to eat and cook, travel the world, listen to music, play sports, spend time with family and friends, draw and play video games. He is passionate about creating spaces of belonging for historically underserved populations in higher education and the local community.
Stephanie Rizzi
Richmond native Stephanie Rizzi (B.S.’89, M.A.’93) grew up in Caroline County Virginia, and has served VCU in various roles for more than 30 years, most recently as the interim associate dean for the University College.
Rizzi has deep community service experience of more than 20 years, including as president of the Randolph Community Group and working with the Richmond Transparency and Accountability Project to advocate for community-based police reform.
Rizzi has contributed to VCU initiatives related to culture, climate and inclusivity, including her work with the University College’s Council for Diverse, Equitable and Inclusive Change and the VCU Inclusive Excellence Council. She has been a member of the Richmond School Board since 2020, representing the 5th District. She is enthusiastic about advancing reconciliation and healing efforts within the university community and beyond.
Faith Wilkerson, Ed.D.
Faith Wilkerson, Ed.D. (B.S.’03, M.Ed.’05, Ed.D.’15) has dedicated more than 20 years to VCU, where she has managed numerous annual traditions and led student-focused diversity and inclusion initiatives. She currently serves as the program director for the Minority Education Center in the VCU School of Education and as an adjunct professor at the University of Richmond.
As an entrepreneur, Wilkerson is the founder and owner of UnlockingRVA, an event production company, and Unlocking Richmond, a nonprofit organization designed to creatively engage and connect local communities.
A proud three-time graduate of VCU, Faith is an active member of the VCU Alumni Council and serves on the board of arts organization Studio Two Three. Among her many accolades, she has been named one of Style Weekly’s Top 40 Under 40 and a Richmond Times-Dispatch Women Who Drive Richmond and is a recipient of VCU’s Presidential Awards for Community Multicultural Enrichment.
Marilyn Day
Marilyn Day (B.S.’77, M.Ed.’80) touched the lives of many students during her 39-year tenure at VCU. Day began her career at VCU in 1979. Her job titles over the years included academic counselor, program coordinator of counseling and assistant director in the office of University Academic Advising. Some of her most impactful work was with the VCU Trio program, where she worked for more than 25 years. She retired in 2018. Day was always there to support our students and provide the guidance that impacted so many alumni, particularly those active in the Black Alumni Council (formerly the African American Alumni Council).
Now, as an educator with decades of experience, she has her own business, Day’s Educational Consultant, where she tutors and prepares students for standardized tests. Day is a life member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. and an adjunct professor at Virginia Union University. She is married and has two adult sons and three grandchildren. She loves to read and travel.
Carlton Goode, Ed.D.
Carlton Goode, Ed.D. (Ed.D.’22) is the director of intercultural success and initiatives and lead faculty member for the Men of Color Initiative at VCU. Goode’s research focuses on the retention of men of color at predominantly white institutions, with an emphasis on African American males. In 2014, he developed a class curriculum for men of color, which continues to be taught at VCU in six sections during the fall and one in the spring, as well as at Shaw University in North Carolina.
He is the author of “Melanin Mind: Creating a Path of Excellence in College for Men of Color” and has published scholarly articles. He serves as the faculty adviser for VCU’s Developing Men of Color, an organization, with membership of more than 780, which has received numerous grants and is nationally recognized for promoting a sense of belonging for men of color in higher education.
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