President’s Posts

Many thanks to the numerous people at VCU who are advancing the values of the Quest for Distinction strategic plan.
I am proud that excellence occurs all over the university, in so many ways. Here are a few examples:

Academic excellence

• Three VCU students have received scholarships through the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program for study abroad during spring 2013.
  • Jeffrey Caesar, a political science senior in the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs, will study at the School for International Training in Nepal.
  • Joseph Morina, a biology senior, will conduct biological research at Curtin University in Australia.
  • Sean Ruecroft, a kinetic imaging junior, will study at the University of the West of England.
  • Toni-Leslie James, assistant professor in the Department of Theatre, will be costume designer for the upcoming Broadway play “Lucky Guy,” which was written by the late Nora Ephron and is actor Tom Hanks’ Broadway debut. Also among James’ design team will be graduate student Joshua Quinn and senior Virginia Varland. “Lucky Guy” opens on Broadway on April 1.

Pre-eminence in research

• Shiv Khanna, Ph.D., Commonwealth Professor in the Department of Physics, is one of 12 recipients of the State Council for Higher Education for Virginia’s 2013 Outstanding Faculty Awards. This is the highest honor the commonwealth bestows upon faculty members for excellence in teaching, research, knowledge integration and public service. To celebrate the excellence in research, creativity and innovation that is so pervasive at VCU, we have launched a new research-related blog called “Across the Spectrum.” Developed by the Division of University Relations and managed by University Public Affairs, “Across the Spectrum” offers a chance to explore emerging trends in research in the fields of medicine, technology, engineering, humanities, life sciences, social sciences, business and the arts. For more information and for free subscription to the blog, visit www.spectrum.vcu.edu.

Commitment to human health

• VCU Massey Cancer Center and Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU have jointly earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for their palliative care programs, making them the only certified palliative care programs in Virginia. Palliative care provides specialized, multidisciplinary care for patients with serious illnesses by addressing physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs.
• Kenneth Ellenbogen, M.D., chairman of the Division of Cardiology at the VCU Pauley Heart Center; Richard Shepard, M.D., associate professor in the Department of Internal Medicine; and Jay Koneru, M.D., assistant professor of internal medicine, are leaders in a groundbreaking approach to reduce stroke risks in patients. They are the first surgeons in the region to treat blood clots in the heart using the cutting-edge LARIAT Suture Delivery Device, which uses a minimally invasive, non-surgical approach and eliminates the need for major surgery in many patients.

Community engagement

• Children from the Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind recently visited the VCU Rice Center for a weekend of experiential science. The visit — organized by biology graduate student Jaimie Gillespie and supported by 12 other students and three members of the faculty and staff — allowed 13- to 18-year-old visually and hearing-impaired children to engage in scientific field work using atmospheric equipment, conduct experiments on photosynthesis and other natural processes and assist VCU researchers with tracking fish and birds, among other projects.
• For the second consecutive year — and eighth time overall — VCU Medical Center has received a Consumer Choice Award for providing quality health care services. The award is based on a survey of more than 450,000 Virginia residents, who recognized the medical center’s quality of patient care, quality of doctors and nurses, and overall image and reputation among more than 3,000 hospitals across the commonwealth.