[{"id":1651,"date":"2026-10-22T12:55:16","date_gmt":"2026-10-22T16:55:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/?p=1651"},"modified":"2026-10-22T12:55:18","modified_gmt":"2026-10-22T16:55:18","slug":"office-of-the-provost-prospectus-newsletter-october","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/2026\/10\/22\/office-of-the-provost-prospectus-newsletter-october\/","title":{"rendered":"Office of the Provost Prospectus Newsletter (October)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Reflecting on a legacy of community engagement<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

In 2028, VCU will celebrate its 60th anniversary. Established as an urban-serving institution, VCU was intentionally designed to engage with and meet community needs. As we reflect on this mission, our purpose is clear: to amplify impacts and demonstrate value for the public good. <\/p>\n\n\n\n


A helpful framework for thinking about our community engagement is to hold partnership, alignment and impact at the front and center. At VCU, we are uniquely positioned to work across disciplines, with intention in the relationships we build and the outcomes we want to sustain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


We know that community is an essential, connected part of all that we do. VCU\u2019s success is intimately connected to community well-being and to making a meaningful difference across the region, from urban neighborhoods to rural communities. Our communities are essential partners in learning and research, bringing knowledge, experience, and perspectives that strengthen our work and the impact we can have together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


As we do this work, we especially value opportunities to connect with one another. The Connect Community Engagement Conference draws together faculty, staff, students, and community partners to learn from one another and strengthen our partnerships toward greater impact. I invite you to join us on November 13 as we consider how we can \u2014 together \u2014 strengthen community engagement at VCU.

Warm regards,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maghboeba Mosavel, Ph.D.<\/strong>
Vice Provost, Community Engagement<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn more and register for the Connect Conference<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Research and Impacts<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n
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VCU earns national and global recognition in fall rankings<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In this year\u2019s rankings, VCU is tied for No. 79 among public universities in U.S. News & World Report\u2019s 2027 Best Colleges rankings and placed No. 92 in a new category for best value schools for in-state students. The School of Nursing\u2019s B.S.N. program climbed 13 spots to tie for No. 27 nationally. Globally, the 2026 Academic Ranking of World Universities placed VCU among the top 16 percent of 2,500 institutions evaluated. Read more about VCU\u2019s U.S. News rankings<\/a><\/strong> and the Academic Ranking of World Universities.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Convergence for the common good \u2013 youth mental health<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Office of the Provost team sat down with two leading experts at Virginia Commonwealth University to discuss social media and its impact on youth mental health in Virginia. Robert L. Findling, M.D., M.B.A.<\/a><\/strong>, Professor & Department Chair in the VCU School of Medicine<\/a><\/strong>, Psychiatry, and Patrick R. Mullen, Ph.D.<\/a><\/strong>, Professor & Chair, Department of Counseling and Special Education, discussed convergence at VCU and how researchers are teaming up to address this timely and pressing issue.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Project AWARE Virginia announces VCU SOE’s $7.2 million federal grant to strengthen student mental health support in three Virginia school divisions<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

VCU\u2019s Partnership for People with Disabilities, part of the School of Education<\/a><\/strong>, received a five-year, $7.2 million Project AWARE grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration<\/a><\/strong> to strengthen student mental health in Amelia, New Kent and Pulaski counties. Led by director and principal investigator Kim Dupre, Ed.D.<\/a><\/strong>, and project manager Kris Herakovich-Curtis, Ed.D.<\/a><\/strong>, the team will map each division\u2019s existing resources, build individualized plans to expand access to behavioral health services, then share an implementation framework and toolkit with school divisions across Virginia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Division of Student Affairs to host Family Day on October 17<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Division of Student Affairs is thrilled to welcome our Ramily of students, families, and friends to campus for a day filled with connection, learning, and fun. Family Day at VCU offers countless ways to experience the vibrant spirit of our campus together. This annual tradition is designed to strengthen the bond between families and the VCU community while highlighting the incredible opportunities our students enjoy both on and off campus. We can\u2019t wait to see you again for another exciting day of Ramily pride, discovery and celebration!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Garret Westlake, Ph.D, visits Google HQ<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At a recent visit to Google HQ, Westlake shared a capstone project that he worked on using Google AI tools in partnership with VCU Health Sciences<\/a><\/strong>, including a pilot program with the School of Nursing during fall orientation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Faculty-focused policy open comment period<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Faculty Grievance policy is up for open comment through October 16. Faculty are encouraged to review the proposed policy and submit public comments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interest form<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Transformative Learning Week: Host a Program or Event<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Want to host an event during Transformative Learning Week<\/a><\/strong>? Complete this short form to get started, and we’ll follow up. This will take place Oct. 26-30.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interest form<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Events<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Convergence Caf\u00e9 on the shifting opioid epidemic<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

October 27, 4 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Join researchers, health care providers, program leaders and policy experts for a cross-disciplinary conversation about new opioids, new delivery systems and the future of prevention and recovery. New to the series? Read about the first Convergence Caf\u00e9,<\/a><\/strong> where VCU scholars asked what AI means for our planet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Register here<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strategic Plan 2032 town halls<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

October 16, 19, 27<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To further encourage university community engagement, these three in-person sessions will be avenues for shaping VCU’s next strategic plan<\/strong><\/a> by sharing ideas, breakthrough concepts and transformation initiatives. The sign-up form includes a pull-down field that lists the time and location for each 90-minute session.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Register here<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Connecting with Students in the Age of AI: Practical Strategies for Higher Education<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

October 23, 11 a.m.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In this interactive LEDstudio<\/strong><\/a> workshop, participants will explore practical ways to use AI to support student connection in higher education classrooms. Faculty will experiment with simple AI activities that generate questions, simulate student perspectives, and create active learning exercises.  By the end of the workshop, faculty will leave with ready-to-use prompts, classroom activities, and ideas for integrating AI in ways that enhance, rather than replace, human teaching and learning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Register here<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vertically Integrated Project (VIP) Showcase<\/strong>
\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200bOctober 30, 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Join us on Friday, October 30th, for the second-annual VIP Showcase. Stop by the Commons Ballroom (VCU Student Commons, 2nd floor) any time between 11:30am – 2pm to meet the students and faculty engaged in Vertically Integrated Projects<\/a><\/strong> (VIPs), learn about their ongoing research and design projects, and find out how to get involved. VIP teams work on projects focused on topics from robotics and machine learning to applied arts and anthropology — and everything in between. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Reflecting on a legacy of community engagement In 2028, VCU will celebrate its 60th anniversary. Established as an urban-serving institution, VCU was intentionally designed to engage with and meet community needs. As we reflect on this mission, our purpose is clear: to amplify impacts and demonstrate value for the public good.  A helpful framework for […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2240,"featured_media":1436,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1651","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1651","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2240"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1651"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1651\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1662,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1651\/revisions\/1662"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1436"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1651"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1651"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1651"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":1641,"date":"2026-10-07T11:35:08","date_gmt":"2026-10-07T15:35:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/?p=1641"},"modified":"2026-10-07T11:42:35","modified_gmt":"2026-10-07T15:42:35","slug":"faculty-grievance-policy-updates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/2026\/10\/07\/faculty-grievance-policy-updates\/","title":{"rendered":"Your Voice Matters: Faculty Grievance Policy Updates"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

VCU is seeking faculty feedback on updates to the Faculty Grievance Policy and Procedures. Please visit the grievance policy survey to submit <\/a>feedback and learn more.

Submitting feedback is a critical part of the revision process, which will help VCU continue to ensure that \u201cfaculty can raise issues of concern, openly discuss them with their leadership without fear of intimidation or retaliation, and achieve timely resolution of issues.\u201d

The deadline to submit responses is Friday, October 16<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

VCU is seeking faculty feedback on updates to our Faculty Grievance Policy and Procedures. Everyone is encouraged to take part in the open comment period, which is currently underway. The deadline to submit responses is October 16.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1874,"featured_media":308,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1641","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-faculty-affairs","category-provost"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1641","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1874"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1641"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1641\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1645,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1641\/revisions\/1645"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/308"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1641"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1641"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1641"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":1631,"date":"2026-10-06T14:30:54","date_gmt":"2026-10-06T18:30:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/?p=1631"},"modified":"2026-10-07T09:20:15","modified_gmt":"2026-10-07T13:20:15","slug":"convergence-for-the-common-good-youth-mental-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/2026\/10\/06\/convergence-for-the-common-good-youth-mental-health\/","title":{"rendered":"Convergence for the common good – youth mental health"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Office of the Provost team sat down with two leading experts at Virginia Commonwealth University to discuss social media and its impact on youth mental health in Virginia. Robert L. Findling, M.D., M.B.A., Professor & Department Chair in the VCU School of Medicine, Psychiatry, and Patrick R. Mullen, Ph.D., Professor & Chair, Department of Counseling and Special Education, discussed convergence at VCU and how researchers are teaming up to address this timely and pressing issue. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can you briefly discuss the impact that social media platforms can have on children?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Findling: Social media platforms’ impact on youths can be really variable. Both the amount of time spent on social media and the content of those platforms can really matter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mullen: Social media can play a good or bad role in youth mental health. Some youth will find connections with peers who share experiences similar to their own. However, any engagement in social media increases the chances that they will be exposed to inappropriate, violent or hate-based content. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Social media can also adversely affect their well-being. In a 2019 study by Riehm and colleagues<\/a>, youth who spend three hours per day on social media may have a heightened risk for mental health concerns. Social media use may also adversely impact sleep quality and duration<\/a>, which may also contribute to poor mental health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What role do scholars and researchers play in helping address the mental health impact on young people? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Findling: Understanding the impacts and their determinants can matter. And the questions are not simple \u2014 that is why research of methodological rigor can help inform parents and policies. It is essential to recall that association is not the same as causation \u2014 and disentangling the two, particularly with social media, holds the promise of being most informative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mullen: Researchers play a role in understanding the prevalence and impact of social media use and can partner with community members and practitioners in development efforts to intervene and support youth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The rate at which young people engage in social media is increasing. According to a recent Pew Research Center Survey<\/a>, 73 percent of teens go on YouTube daily. The same survey noted that a little less than half the teens surveyed, 46 percent, report being online \u201calmost constantly,\u201d compared with 24 percent reported \u201calmost constant usage\u201d in 2014-2015. Younger age groups are also using social media, with 38 percent of 8- to 12-year-olds having accounts<\/a>. This rate of social media usage may result in addictive behaviors related to social media usage, with teens admitting it would be difficult to give up the habit<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are you doing through the Convergence Mental Health initiative to examine the effects of social media on children?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Findling: Convergence Mental Health has initiated a school Mental Health initiative. Its goal is to come up with means to address challenges that can impact children in schools. An interdisciplinary approach that can consider the issue from multiple perspectives can really help disentangle this complicated and important issue. Convergence Mental Health is a framework for fostering this kind of work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mullen: The school-based mental health convergence initiative is in its early stages, but through this work, we can cultivate innovative opportunities, create systems of support and prepare current and future mental health professionals to address the negative effects of social media on youth. We are bringing together<\/a> experts from diverse disciplines alongside practitioners to cultivate new ideas and approaches to support students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How can a transdisciplinary approach help solve problems like this? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Findling: Transdisciplinary approaches are really the best way to go. Mental Health is a \u201cteam sport,\u201d and bringing different perspectives and approaches to complex problems holds the promise of innovative solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mullen: Youth mental health, in general, is a \u201cwicked problem\u201d of our time. It\u2019s a problem that takes assembling scholars from diverse fields, paired with mental health practitioners, families, and youth themselves, to move toward a solution. We can approach social media use among youth through diverse professional lenses that integrate counseling with public health, social work, and family systems, and, in doing so, help examine the issue and ways to address it through a transdisciplinary focus. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What responsibility do universities such as VCU have in helping address such a large societal problem? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mullen: Across our campus, we have leading scholars in their respective mental health fields, as well as highly touted training programs and responsive community engagement initiatives. Taken together, we are well-positioned to serve as an incubator for challenges like this one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Office of the Provost team sat down with two leading experts at Virginia Commonwealth University to discuss social media and its impact on youth mental health in Virginia. Robert L. Findling, M.D., M.B.A., Professor & Department Chair in the VCU School of Medicine, Psychiatry, and Patrick R. Mullen, Ph.D., Professor & Chair, Department of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2255,"featured_media":1632,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[346],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1631","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-convergence"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1631","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2255"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1631"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1631\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1640,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1631\/revisions\/1640"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1632"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1631"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1631"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1631"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":1628,"date":"2026-10-06T11:48:45","date_gmt":"2026-10-06T15:48:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/?p=1628"},"modified":"2026-10-21T15:21:40","modified_gmt":"2026-10-21T19:21:40","slug":"at-the-first-convergence-cafe-vcu-scholars-ask-what-ai-means-for-our-planet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/2026\/10\/06\/at-the-first-convergence-cafe-vcu-scholars-ask-what-ai-means-for-our-planet\/","title":{"rendered":"At the first Convergence Cafe, VCU scholars ask what AI means for our planet"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Can we tap into the power of AI without Earth paying the price?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Artificial intelligence can help scientists make sense of massive datasets, drive new innovations and predict how ecosystems will change. Yet its benefits are heavily dependent on data centers that rely on local water and power resources, affecting the environment and public perception. These topics anchored the dialogue  the first Convergence Cafe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hosted by the VCU Office of Convergence Initiatives<\/strong><\/a>, a transdisciplinary collaboration connector across VCU. The event drew together faculty, staff, and researchers for an informal conversation about AI, the environment, and their intersections. Panelists included Chris Gough, Ph.D.<\/strong><\/a> <\/strong>executive director, VCU Rice Rivers Center, Preetam Ghosh, Ph.D.<\/strong><\/a>, professor of computer science and James Fritz, Ph.D.<\/strong><\/a> associate professor of philosophy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The conversation shifted from promise to tradeoffs. Panelists spoke candidly about the limits of technology, including AI hallucination, citations to nonexistent studies, and generated images filled with errors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Much of the discussion orbited the skyrocketing costs of AI. As data centers use increasingly enormous amounts of water and power, the communities they occupy\u00a0feel those effects. They explored how much strain a community’s water supply or the grid can handle before it’s too much.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The group also drew comparisons to climate change, with unknown tipping points and the lack of incentive to slow down on their own. Meaningful limits, some suggested, will likely take coordinated, global action. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other participants voiced concerns on AI governance and AI regulations, citing little transparency about where the technology is headed and whether it can be controlled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Questions like these deserve the combined expertise of people from many fields. Stepping outside our individual silos, which can be hard to avoid, opens up perspectives that are critical to finding solutions. VCU\u2019s Office of Convergence Initiatives aspires to do just that by connecting for the common good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 Interested in joining the next cafe? Join the VCU Office of Convergence Initiatives on Tuesday, Oct. 27, from 4 to 5:30 p.m., as they ask “What does it take to stay ahead of the opioid epidemic?” <\/strong>Learn more.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Can we tap into the power of AI without Earth paying the price? Artificial intelligence can help scientists make sense of massive datasets, drive new innovations and predict how ecosystems will change. Yet its benefits are heavily dependent on data centers that rely on local water and power resources, affecting the environment and public perception. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2240,"featured_media":1637,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[346],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1628","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-convergence"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1628","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2240"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1628"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1628\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1650,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1628\/revisions\/1650"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1637"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1628"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1628"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1628"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":1621,"date":"2026-10-02T15:24:15","date_gmt":"2026-10-02T19:24:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/?p=1621"},"modified":"2026-10-08T10:08:25","modified_gmt":"2026-10-08T14:08:25","slug":"two-vcu-students-honored-by-the-colonial-heights-city-council-for-internship-contributions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/2026\/10\/02\/two-vcu-students-honored-by-the-colonial-heights-city-council-for-internship-contributions\/","title":{"rendered":"Two VCU students honored by the Colonial Heights City Council for internship contributions"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through collaboration with multiple VCU units and the City of Colonial Heights, two VCU students left their mark while gaining real-world experience, college credit, and a paid internship.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

VCU undergraduate students Patrice Mazyck<\/strong> and Camila Ballesteros<\/strong> spent the summer interning with the City of Colonial Heights.<\/strong> They made impactful contributions by supporting the city’s HR department, as well as opioid outreach and harm reduction education. At a recent council meeting, both students were recognized by city leaders for their contributions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their internship experience is brought together by VCU and state partners. TRIO Student Support Services<\/a>, a federally funded program serving first-generation and income-eligible students as well as students with disabilities, the newly formed Academic Internships Office<\/a> and Virginia Career Works \u2013 Crater Region<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Connecting first-generation students with work-based learning opportunities in the community ensures that both the participating students and current employers and business partners get a real view of what the future workforce will look like,” said Tabitha Taylor<\/strong>, executive director of the Crater Regional Workforce Development Board.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For many students, choosing between a paid job and an unpaid internship is a real barrier. This model removes that choice. Students are paid for their work and earn academic credit for it at the same time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“For us, it is not simply about placing students in internships; it is about creating pathways that make those opportunities more accessible,” said Kameo Parks<\/strong>, VCU academic internship site development specialist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The summer pilot is the first step in a larger partnership. This fall, at least ten TRIO SSS and Richmond Talent Pathways students will take part in paid, credit-bearing internships at sites across the Richmond region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We are thrilled to see the meaningful learning and skill development that students experienced through their internship settings this summer and are excited to expand the program this fall to more students.” <\/em><\/strong>
<\/em><\/strong>\u2013 Cameron Carter, VCU Academic Internships Office director<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

To learn more about credit-bearing internships at VCU, visit the Academic Internships Office<\/a>. Students interested in TRIO support can learn more at trio.vcu.edu<\/a>.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Through collaboration with multiple VCU units and the City of Colonial Heights, two VCU students left their mark while gaining real-world experience, college credit, and a paid internship. VCU undergraduate students Patrice Mazyck and Camila Ballesteros spent the summer interning with the City of Colonial Heights. They made impactful contributions by supporting the city’s HR […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2240,"featured_media":1622,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1621","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-academic-affairs","category-student-success"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1621","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2240"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1621"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1621\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1648,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1621\/revisions\/1648"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1622"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1621"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1621"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1621"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":1575,"date":"2026-09-24T11:20:06","date_gmt":"2026-09-24T15:20:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/?p=1575"},"modified":"2026-09-24T11:32:18","modified_gmt":"2026-09-24T15:32:18","slug":"office-of-the-provost-prospectus-newsletter-september-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/2026\/09\/24\/office-of-the-provost-prospectus-newsletter-september-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Office of the Provost Prospectus Newsletter (September 2026)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Convergence for the common good<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is something uniquely powerful about a university: artists and engineers, scientists and philosophers, physicians and economists working just a few streets apart. Each brings different ways of seeing the world and imagining what comes next. VCU Convergence is about creating more opportunities for those perspectives to come together, ask new questions and turn shared curiosity into action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At its heart, VCU Convergence is also about taking on the \u201cwicked problems\u201d that resist easy answers. Challenges like mental health, neurodegeneration and the responsible use of AI are interconnected and constantly evolving; progress in one area can reveal new challenges in another. No single discipline can address that complexity alone. Convergence brings together different forms of expertise \u2014 including community members \u2014 to better understand these problems, adapt as they change and build solutions that reflect the full complexity of the world around us. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ve recently awarded 15 planning grants<\/strong><\/a> <\/strong>connecting 70 faculty members across disciplines. And we are just getting started. Our new VCU Convergence website highlights the work underway, the people making it possible and new opportunities to get involved as we continue building what comes next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sincerely,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daniel Gutierrez, Ph.D., LPC, CSAC<\/strong>
<\/strong>Assistant Vice Provost, Office for University Convergence Initiatives<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Explore the new VCU Convergence website<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Research and impacts<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

VIDEO: Life Design at VCU<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

VCU\u2019s Life Design program encourages students to explore their interests, experiment and learn along the way. In this video, undergraduate Emma Miskelly shares her journey of discovering how to turn her love of music into action as an artist. It\u2019s a great example of how curiosity, trial and error and deep dives can lead somewhere meaningful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Watch>><\/strong><\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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VCU Strategic Plan<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

VCU has introduced Uncommon Future, its new strategic plan through 2032, centered on graduating “Uncommon Heroes” by revolutionizing the student experience and igniting discovery. President Michael Rao is calling on the community to help shape the plan by sharing bold ideas and identifying barriers to its goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn more>><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/h1>\n\n\n\n


VCU honors seven with 2026 Distinguished Faculty Awards<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seven faculty members were recognized for excellence in teaching, scholarship and service at this year’s Distinguished Faculty Awards<\/strong>, one of the university’s highest honors for its educators and researchers.

Learn more>><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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VCU Convergence awards nearly 70 faculty members $150,000 in seed grants<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

15 transdisciplinary faculty teams received seed funding for projects that bring different perspectives together to tackle complex \u2018wicked problems\u2019 that no single discipline can solve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn more>><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Faculty Fellows Program brings together educators and administrators<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now in its ninth year, the Office of the Provost’s Faculty Fellows Program<\/strong> has produced more than 35 fellows, giving faculty part-time administrative experience alongside their teaching load and a direct line into university-wide initiatives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read more>><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

VCUarts Dean Carmenita Higginbotham to step down<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Carmenita Higginbotham, Ph.D<\/strong>., will step down as dean of the School of the Arts at the end of the academic year, capping a tenure that saw VCUarts rise to No. 2 nationally and secure funding for the CoStar Center for Arts and Innovation. Executive Vice President and Provost Arturo Saavedra said Higginbotham “has established transformative initiatives that will positively impact this university for many years to come.” A national search for her successor will launch this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read more>><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n


<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Weeks of Welcome 2026: Early Assessment Highlights<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Student Affairs<\/strong> shares early data and highlights from this year’s Weeks of Welcome, offering a first look at how the fall kickoff programming landed with students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn more>><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Nearly 50 VCU faculty honored for their research and teaching<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Nearly 50 faculty members were recognized through the NIRA and PEIA<\/strong> awards, celebrating research impact and teaching excellence across the university.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn more>><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

VCU’s Daniel Gutierrez receives $3 million grant to train mental health professionals worldwide on spiritually competent care<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Gutierrez will use the funding to train mental health professionals worldwide in spiritually competent care, expanding a research focus he has built over the years at VCU.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn more>><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

VCU Global Education Offices partners with the Universidad Esp\u00edritu Santo (UEES), Ecuador<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The two universities are working on a \u201c2+2\u201d agreement with the VCU School of Business<\/strong>, which will allow students to study for two years at UEES, and then two years at VCU for their bachelor’s program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn more>><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

New Saxbys Cafe Blends Lattes with Learning<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

VCU’s new Saxbys cafe in Snead Hall is more than a coffee stop. Located in the School of Business, the student-run location gives students hands-on experience managing a cafe from the ground up, hiring their own team and building real-world business skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read more>><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Open Science Framework to end Open Data repository service<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

VCU Libraries <\/strong>flags an upcoming change: the Open Science Framework is discontinuing its Open Data repository service. Researchers using OSF for data storage should take note.

Learn more>><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Call for applications: Faculty Learning Community “Reimagining the Classroom with Service-Learning”<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

VCU Libraries <\/strong>flags an upcoming change: the Open Science Framework is discontinuing its Open Data repository service. Researchers using OSF for data storage should take note.

Learn more>><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

How VCU and the community work together to bring about positive change<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Community engagement is core to VCU’s mission. This story spotlights the Division of Community Engagement’s<\/strong> Health Hub<\/strong> and Mary and Frances Youth Center<\/strong>, along with partnerships across Richmond and Petersburg that earned VCU a 2026 Carnegie Community Engagement Classification.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn more>><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Join VCU LINK<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

VCU LINK<\/strong> connects faculty, staff and students with campus resources, opportunities and services in one central hub. Faculty and staff can help grow this resource in two ways: encourage your students to create a VCU Link profile and connect with alumni in their field of interest, and consider joining the platform yourself as a mentor for students navigating their career paths. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn more>><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Events<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2026 Associate Professor Conference<\/strong>
<\/strong><\/a>Friday, September 18, 2026 | 8:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Undergraduate Education Course (Re)Design Workshop & Expo\u00a0<\/strong><\/a>
Friday, October 9, 2026 | 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

National Conflict Resolution Day 2026<\/strong>
<\/strong><\/a>Thursday, October 15, | 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Transformative Learning Week: Host a Program or Event<\/strong><\/a>
October 26\u201330, 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Convergence for the common good There is something uniquely powerful about a university: artists and engineers, scientists and philosophers, physicians and economists working just a few streets apart. Each brings different ways of seeing the world and imagining what comes next. VCU Convergence is about creating more opportunities for those perspectives to come together, ask […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1874,"featured_media":1460,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[373],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1575","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-newsletter"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1575","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1874"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1575"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1575\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1619,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1575\/revisions\/1619"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1460"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1575"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1575"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1575"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":1562,"date":"2026-09-16T14:41:37","date_gmt":"2026-09-16T18:41:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/?p=1562"},"modified":"2026-09-16T16:58:36","modified_gmt":"2026-09-16T20:58:36","slug":"vcu-space-camp-2026-vcu-brandcenter-students-pitch-patent-refresh-to-nasa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/2026\/09\/16\/vcu-space-camp-2026-vcu-brandcenter-students-pitch-patent-refresh-to-nasa\/","title":{"rendered":"VCU Space Camp 2026: VCU Brandcenter students pitch patent refresh to NASA with the da Vinci Center"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The da Vinci Center for Innovation<\/strong><\/a> and the VCU Brandcenter<\/strong><\/a> kicked off the fall semester with a first-of-its-kind collaboration with NASA Langley Research Center’s Tech Transfer Program<\/strong><\/a>. In a single day, teams of students were handed real NASA-patented technologies and asked to imagine what these inventions could become right here on Earth. The result was a fast and high-pressure creative sprint that asked aspiring art-directors, strategists and copywriters to work side by side, translate complex NASA hardware into ideas everyday consumers could use and then pitch those ideas to NASA representatives in the room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The workshop was the product of months of coordination between the da Vinci Center and NASA Langley, and organizers said the payoff was watching students from very different disciplines find common ground fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I’m so grateful for the collaboration across VCU and with NASA that made this experience possible,” said <\/strong>Lloyd Young<\/strong><\/a>, executive director of the VCU da Vinci Center for Innovation<\/strong><\/a>. “Bringing people together to give students opportunities to work on real-world challenges, collaborate across disciplines and have some fun along the way is what this work is all about.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jess Collins<\/strong>,<\/a> director of curriculum and instruction and strategy chair at the VCU Brandcenter, said the design jam was intentionally built around ambiguity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We wanted students to know what it’s like to get handed something totally new and have to figure out the human side of it, no roadmap, no context, just dig in,” Collins said. “But honestly, that’s most of what creative problem-solving really is out in the world: staring at something unfamiliar and finding the human angle anyway. And to do this with NASA technology? That’s so interesting and different and fun. What could be a better first project for our students?”
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The technologies on the table ranged widely and were organized into three groups. Multiple student teams were assigned to each group, tasked with dreaming up different solutions for the same technology. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One group focused on a flexible radiation-shielding material. Another was built around a tiny optical sensor originally designed to monitor fluid quality in the International Space Station’s wastewater system. The third focused on a non-conductive composite joint connector engineered to hold modular structures together on the Martian surface. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In each case, students were told to set aside the original space application entirely and imagine something new for it on Earth. Four teams were awarded prizes for their ingenuity and pitching skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Launching into grad school<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For these new students, the workshop landed during their very first week of graduate school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“A bit of a fever dream,” said Anika Gorham<\/strong>, a first-year strategy student on Team Daedalus. “I kept looking over at them sitting in the audience, thinking they were professors or other school-affiliated personnel. Then my brain would recalibrate and say, oh wait no, no that’s NASA. You’re presenting to NASA right now.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gorham’s team leaned into open brainstorming before narrowing their focus, starting with a simple prompt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We immediately started brainstorming some pretty out there stuff with our NASA technology, just to get the creative juices flowing,” Gorham said. “We then went around, in a circle, sharing answers to the question ‘What breaks often?’ After some time and dialogue, we landed on our idea and went with it. We were able to all lean into each other’s focuses, and it was a great blend of strategy and creativity.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Teammate Brad Weddington<\/strong>, a first-year copywriter, said the win was made even sweeter by his lifelong love of space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Honestly, it couldn’t have been a better start! I am obsessed with Space and all things related!” Weddington said. “I was a bit surprised and so very honored when our group was selected. I called my mom immediately after and was like, ‘Mom! We won NASA!’ even though it was just a mock pitch.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Team-based collaboration <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Team Daedalus worked with a NASA-patented bolt, and their pitch came together once the group agreed to aim it at everyday consumers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

“One of our members mentioned they were into rock climbing and felt it could apply, and after that, it just clicked,” Weddington said. “We decided to really hone in on the scientific capabilities when designing our product, as we felt they were the selling point.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The experience also reshaped how Weddington thinks about presenting ideas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Sometimes less is more,” he said. “I was personally worried that our presentation was lacking in detail and information compared to others. So when it was so well received, it forced me to reevaluate my assumptions.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n


Across the room, Team Mother Knows was working through its own version of the same challenge. Bettye Tish<\/strong>, a first-year copywriting student, said the format pushed her out of her comfort zone from day one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

“The idea of being ‘thrown to the wolves’ was daunting at first, but everyone was so encouraging and supportive,” Tish said. “It was an invigorating way to kick off these 60 weeks at Brandcenter.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tish said her team spent nearly the entire session refining its pitch before time ran out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Our team’s idea came to life with lots of brainstorming. We talked until the last hour of working in order to get our concept as strong as possible first,” she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The pressure of a hard deadline also taught her something she plans to carry through the program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“This experience taught me that there are two types of projects: ‘perfect’ and ‘done,'” Tish said. “The pursuit of the first makes the latter impossible. Get something as good as you can be, then let it go.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Tish’s teammate Sam Amparan,<\/strong> a first-year strategy student, the workshop was the perfect, if nerve-wracking, close to orientation week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“It was surreal and stressful in the most exciting way,” Amparan said. “I felt equally proud and nervous to do a cool activity to end week one. Hearing from incredible professionals and my classmates made it feel like I was where I belong.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Innovating to save the world<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Team Mother Knows reframed its early ideas around a single guiding question.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We started off brainstorming random ideas and then reframed a couple by asking, ‘How can we use this to save the world?'” Amparan said. “We started looking at who could be affected and how our idea can help.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Amparan said stepping up to present alongside her team proved she could handle more pressure than she expected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“The experience taught me that I handle pressure a lot better than I imagined,” she said. “I thought I would be too nervous to help my team, or even to present in front of a crowd with amazing people. Turns out it was just the push and reassurance I needed to start my Brandcenter journey.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The da Vinci Center for Innovation and the VCU Brandcenter kicked off the fall semester with a first-of-its-kind collaboration with NASA Langley Research Center’s Tech Transfer Program. In a single day, teams of students were handed real NASA-patented technologies and asked to imagine what these inventions could become right here on Earth. The result was […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2240,"featured_media":1571,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[408],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1562","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-office-of-innovation-and-strategic-design"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1562","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2240"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1562"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1562\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1573,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1562\/revisions\/1573"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1571"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1562"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1562"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1562"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":1546,"date":"2026-09-09T14:05:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-09T18:05:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/?p=1546"},"modified":"2026-09-09T12:23:43","modified_gmt":"2026-09-09T16:23:43","slug":"join-us-in-shaping-our-uncommon-future","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/2026\/09\/09\/join-us-in-shaping-our-uncommon-future\/","title":{"rendered":"Join us in shaping our Uncommon Future!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Dear VCU community,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

VCU is driven by a singular purpose: to help Uncommon Heroes<\/em> build a better future for all. To accomplish this, we need your help. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

President Rao has charged us to develop our next strategic plan, and we are calling upon every member of our community to help shape the path toward an Uncommon Future<\/em> at VCU.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a modern public research university, innovation is part of who we are. Here, success is not measured by where you begin, but by how far you go, what you discover and who you become. Our mission is to make life better\u2026 not just for some of us, but for all of us. We do that by graduating and inspiring Uncommon Heroes<\/em> who create, discover, lead and serve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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