Class of 2021: Jordan Howard Thomas’ degree is a tribute to his grandfather 27 years in the making
In 1994, Howard Belton had just retired as an engineer at Chrysler in Michigan when his grandson, Jordan Howard Thomas, was born. The two became inseparable.
Class of 2021: Computer science student Max Safo immerses himself in technical topics
Max Safo used computers from a young age and always liked cars, so he initially thought he would study mechanical engineering in college, but he ended up veering away from that field because he was apprehensive about the math requirements.
Class of 2021: How the impossibility of college became a reality for Ashley Lawrence
In 2009, going to college seemed like a complete impossibility to Ashley Lawrence, who had just graduated from high school and was living on her own — with a puppy — and working full time in Fredericksburg, Virginia.
Two VCU Engineering alums and one student researcher receive NSF Graduate Research Fellowships
Two VCU Engineering alums, and one three-year undergraduate member of a VCU Engineering lab, have received recognition in the highly prestigious National Science Foundation’s (NSF’s) Graduate Research Fellowship Program. The program recognizes outstanding students pursuing research-based graduate degrees in the U.S. in disciplines supported by the NSF.
Class of 2021: Alex Trainham excels inside and outside the classroom
Before coming to Virginia Commonwealth University, Alex Trainham hadn’t really programmed before. In high school in Fredericksburg, Virginia, he was into computers and loved audio engineering — experimenting with beats, synthesizers and other music production tools — but it wasn’t until his mom mentioned a friend who codes that he began considering programming as a possible career.
Pitching for a new future: Entrepreneurial alumnus’s climate-friendly business wins VCU Alumni Pitch Competition
Within a year of graduating from Virginia Commonwealth University, Elliot Roth (B.S.’15/En; Cert.’15/DVC) founded Spira Inc., a food technology company that creates replacements for artificial colorants and animal proteins in food, cosmetic and textile products using spirulina algae.
Meet Lisa Patton (’20), VCU’s first E. Eugene Carter Opportunity Award recipient
Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering alumna Lisa Patton (B.S.’20) is VCU’s first recipient of the E. Eugene Carter Opportunity Award, which provides female Hispanic students up to $20,000 to repay subsidized federal loans upon graduation from an engineering program.
VCU grads organize to help in Beirut relief efforts
Three Virginia Commonwealth University graduates watched in horror on social media as a powerful explosion hit Beirut, Lebanon, in August. They knew they had to help.
Wendy Jiang Scelia (B.S.’11) Wins 10 Under 10 Award
The awards program honors alumni who earned their first VCU degree within the past 10 years and have enjoyed remarkable professional success, made important contributions to their community and loyally supported the university.
Alumnus’ VCU journey leads to new corporation — and a chance to fix America’s drug shortage problem
Earlier this year, the federal Department of Health and Human Services announced a four-year contract worth $354 million for Richmond-based Phlow Corp. to manufacture medication components and drugs in the United States that could treat COVID-19 and other diseases.
