As we begin this new chapter together, I challenge each of you to embrace the spirit of service that defines our community:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- For our students: service is where learning meets purpose. Whether through volunteering, civic engagement or simply lifting up a classmate, your service to our Richmond community bridges classroom knowledge with real-world impact.
<\/li>\n\n\n\n - For our faculty and staff: your service to our university \u2014 mentoring students, guiding shared governance and supporting campus life \u2014 is the foundation upon which VCU thrives. Your dedicated stewardship shapes the environment where our students can successfully learn and grow.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
I am reminded of the line penned by Charles Dickens in Our Mutual Friend: “No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of it for another.” In a period of history marked by harsh class divides, poverty and institutional indifference, Dickens believed that society improves through acts of service, personal kindness and mutual support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are many ways in which you can be of service this semester. In addition to the second annual VCU Day of Service<\/a>, the Division of Community Engagement<\/a> offers numerous opportunities to serve our broader community. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This semester, we are also embarking on an exciting reimagining of our strategic plan. Through focus groups, town halls and digital engagement, I strongly encourage you to make your voice heard. Our collective vision will only be as bold and inspiring as the diverse voices who shape it. Be on the lookout for official announcements in the coming weeks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thank you for your energy, your passion and your dedication to VCU. I am honored to serve as your provost and I look forward to all that we will accomplish together this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Art Saavedra, M.D., Ph.D., MBA
Executive vice president and provost<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Dear VCU students, faculty and staff, Welcome to the 2026-27 academic year! To those of you who have just arrived back on campus or are joining us for the first time: welcome \u2014 we are so glad you are here. To those who have worked and taken classes over the summer: thank you for your continued […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2410,"featured_media":1519,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,339],"tags":[411,160],"class_list":["post-1516","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-provost","category-provost-messages","tag-academic-year-2026-27","tag-welcome-message"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1516","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\/2410"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1516"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1516\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1521,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1516\/revisions\/1521"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1519"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1516"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1516"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1516"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":1507,"date":"2026-08-20T10:30:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-20T14:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/?p=1507"},"modified":"2026-08-20T12:12:03","modified_gmt":"2026-08-20T16:12:03","slug":"recognizing-the-vcu-faculty-who-elevate-possibilities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/2026\/08\/20\/recognizing-the-vcu-faculty-who-elevate-possibilities\/","title":{"rendered":"Nearly 50 VCU faculty honored for their research and teaching"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
The 2026 NIRA and PEIA awardees elevate VCU\u2019s reputation and the student learning experience.<\/em><\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
At Virginia Commonwealth University, excellence is not only measured by achievement; it is defined by the ambition to reach for what others might call the impossible. Every day, our faculty challenge conventions, open pathways to discovery and transform student potential. Their endeavors extend beyond the lab and classroom, creating lasting impacts that contribute to a better world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The recipients of this year\u2019s National\/International Recognition Awards (NIRA)<\/a> and Pedagogical Excellence and Innovation Awards (PEIA)<\/a> exemplify possibility in action. They push the boundaries of their disciplines, forge collaboration and catalyze new ways of thinking and learning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Collectively, these honorees embody the convergence of talent, rigor and purpose. From discovery that changes how we see the world to education that changes how students see themselves, they represent VCU at its best \u2014 and the future of what a university can make possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here are the NIRA and PEIA honorees for 2026, who will be recognized at the VCU Faculty Recognition Gala on Tuesday, Oct. 27, at the Jefferson Hotel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2026 NIRA Recipients<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEvery day, our NIRA faculty recipients are pushing boundaries in the creation of new knowledge and helping us understand the world in different ways,\u201d said Arturo P. Saavedra, M.D., Ph.D., executive vice president and provost for VCU. \u201cThese world-class faculty members perform at the very top of their discipline, serving as internationally acclaimed academic leaders and contributing to VCU\u2019s continued global prominence and record-breaking growth of our research enterprise.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
College of Humanities and Sciences<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Kai Bosworth<\/strong>, associate professor, School of World Studies<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Andrew Crislip<\/strong>, professor, Department of History<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Matt Hartman<\/strong>, professor, Department of Chemistry<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Heather Jones<\/strong>, associate professor, Department of Psychology<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Daeha Joung<\/strong>, associate professor, Department of Physics<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Danielle Kirkman<\/strong>, associate professor, Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Olivia Landry<\/strong>, associate professor, Department of Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Fantasy Lozada<\/strong>, associate professor, Department of Psychology<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Amy Rector<\/strong>, professor, School of World Studies<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Michael Reshchikov<\/strong>, professor, Department of Physics<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
School of the Arts<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Sasha Waters Freyer<\/strong>, professor, Photography and Film<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Yiwen Wei<\/strong>, assistant professor, Art Education<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
School of Business<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Carrie LeCrom<\/strong>, professor, Center for Sport Leadership<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- C\u00e9sar Zamudio<\/strong>, associate professor, Marketing<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- One-ki Daniel Lee<\/strong>, associate professor, Information Systems<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
School of Dentistry<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Shillpa Naavaal<\/strong>, associate professor, Department of Pediatric Dentistry<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
School of Education<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Luciana de Oliveira<\/strong>, professor, Teaching and Learning<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Jennifer LoCasale-Crouch<\/strong>, associate professor, Foundations of Education<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Kamden Strunk<\/strong>, professor, Foundations of Education<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
School of Nursing<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Lisa Shah<\/strong>, assistant professor, Adult Health and Nursing Systems<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
School of Pharmacy<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Dr. Karolina Aberg<\/strong>, professor, Pharmaceutics<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
School of Public Health<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Dipankar Bandyopadhyay<\/strong>, professor, Biostatistics<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Hayley Cleary<\/strong>, professor, Criminal Justice<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Christopher Whyte<\/strong>, associate professor, Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
2026 PEIA Recipients <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\u201cShaping the leaders and visionaries of the next generation starts in the classroom,\u201d Saavedra said. \u201cOur PEIA winners ignite curiosity, foster deep learning and transform the lives of students every single semester. Through classroom creativity and care, they elevate the excellence of our entire university and demonstrate how teaching is both an art and a craft.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
College of Engineering<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Reza Mohammadi,<\/strong> associate professor, Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
College of Health Professions<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Jenny Inker,<\/strong> associate professor, Gerontology<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
College of Humanities and Sciences<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Jessica Brown,<\/strong> associate professor, Department of Psychology<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Ellen Carpenter,<\/strong> associate professor, Department of Psychology<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Allison Tharp,<\/strong> assistant professor, Focused Inquiry<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Stephen Vesely,<\/strong> assistant professor, Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Jonathan Waybright,<\/strong> associate professor, School of World Studies<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Susan Zacharia, <\/strong>associate professor, Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Honors College<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Christy Tyndall,<\/strong> associate professor, Honors College<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
School of the Arts<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Sara Reed,<\/strong> assistant professor, Interior Design<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Eric Rivera,<\/strong> associate professor, Dance and Choreography<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Hilary Wilder,<\/strong> associate professor, Painting and Printmaking<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
School of Business<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Katie Gilstrap,<\/strong> associate professor, Marketing<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
School of Dentistry<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Alexandra Howell,<\/strong> assistant professor, Oral Diagnostic Sciences<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
School of Education<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Beth Bukoski,<\/strong> professor, Educational Leadership<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Serra De Arment,<\/strong> associate professor, Counseling and Special Education<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Katherine Dabney,<\/strong> associate professor, Teaching and Learning<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Kaitlin Hinchey,<\/strong> assistant professor, Counseling and Special Education<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Carol Schall,<\/strong> associate professor, Counseling and Special Education<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
School of Nursing<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Cate Matzke,<\/strong> assistant professor, Adult Health and Nursing Systems<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
School of Pharmacy<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Cait Gibson,<\/strong> associate professor, Pharmacotherapy & Outcomes Science<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Chernoh Wurie,<\/strong> associate professor, Criminal Justice<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The recipients of this year\u2019s National\/International Recognition Awards (NIRA) and Pedagogical Excellence and Innovation Awards (PEIA) exemplify possibility in action. They push the boundaries of their disciplines, forge collaboration and catalyze new ways of thinking and learning.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2392,"featured_media":1512,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[185,66,410,182],"class_list":["post-1507","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-faculty-affairs","tag-national-international-recognition-awards","tag-nira","tag-pedagogical-excellence-and-innovation-awards","tag-peia"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1507","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\/2392"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1507"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1507\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1523,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1507\/revisions\/1523"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1512"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1507"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1507"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1507"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":1485,"date":"2026-08-12T10:38:32","date_gmt":"2026-08-12T14:38:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/?p=1485"},"modified":"2026-08-12T10:43:43","modified_gmt":"2026-08-12T14:43:43","slug":"vcu-convergence-brings-central-virginias-school-based-mental-health-leaders-to-campus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/2026\/08\/12\/vcu-convergence-brings-central-virginias-school-based-mental-health-leaders-to-campus\/","title":{"rendered":"VCU Convergence brings central Virginia\u2019s school-based mental health leaders to campus"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The convening, organized under the <\/em>VCU Convergence<\/em><\/strong><\/a> mental health theme, produced a working list of projects on professional development, youth clinical services and community partnerships.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
What do you do with a problem that changes shape every time you try to solve it?
The VCU Convergence Mental Health group, with the help of the VCU da Vinci Center<\/strong><\/a>, recently met to tackle this big question. Coined the School-Based Mental Health Think Tank, this workshop brought scholars from several disciplines together with school divisions, community organizations and state agency staff. <\/p>\n\n\n\n“School-based mental health is not a challenge that any one discipline can solve. It sits at the intersection of education, health care, family systems, public policy, technology and community life, making it both urgent and inherently complex,\u201d said Daniel Gutierrez<\/strong><\/a>, Ph.D., assistant vice provost, VCU Convergence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to Gutierrez, meaningful progress requires experts and communities to define problems together, challenge disciplinary assumptions, and develop solutions grounded in real-world conditions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
“VCU’s Convergence methodology is well-suited for this work because it does not attempt to eliminate complexity, but rather provides a structured way to integrate diverse forms of knowledge, generate actionable projects, and address wicked problems with greater rigor, relevance, and equity.” <\/strong>\u2013 Daniel Gutierrez, assistant vice provost, VCU Convergence<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Gathering together<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Bringing the spirit of VCU Convergence to life, the room was filled with a multidisciplinary group of thought leaders from across VCU and the greater Richmond community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Along with Gutierrez and other faculty and staff members, some of the VCU representatives present included Robert Findling, M.D.<\/strong><\/a>, chair of psychiatry in the School of Medicine<\/strong><\/a>; Patrick R. Mullen,<\/strong> Ph.D.<\/strong><\/a>, professor and chair of counseling and special education and interim chair of foundations of education in the School of Education<\/strong><\/a>; Lloyd Young<\/strong><\/a>,<\/strong> executive director of the VCU da Vinci Center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“It was an honor to be part of convening such a diverse group of experts committed to improving school-based mental health, and it reinforced my belief that our greatest innovations emerge when we intentionally connect people, perspectives and purpose.” – Lloyd Young, executive director, VCU da Vinci Center for Innovation.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Community partners included a mix of social workers, counseling professionals and child mental health experts from public schools in Charles City, Hanover County, Richmond and Fredericksburg. Other key participants included St. Joseph’s Villa, the Hanover County Community Services Board, the Armstrong Leadership Program and the Virginia Department of Education, among other notable collaborators.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n![\"\"](\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\u201cThe workshop was an outstanding expression of the mission of VCU Convergence.\u201d said Findling. \u201cThere was a palpable sense of enthusiasm, open communication, and collaboration throughout the entire workshop.\u201d\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Starting with what already works<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The first exercise asked a simple question: what’s already working, and what can the group build on? Participants pointed to more entry points into support than schools usually get credit for, including therapeutic classrooms, group counseling, restorative circles and life skills curriculum. They also described a fuller safety net, running from screening and risk assessment to crisis response and stabilization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On staffing, schools rely on counselors, social workers, psychologists, nurses and family support specialists. Participants also talked about growing that pool, through training and bringing on new staff over time. They pointed to systems like tiered interventions, referral pathways and social-emotional curriculum as what makes the support work. They named the conditions that help it stick, like funding, strong leadership support and dedicated time in the school day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe school-based mental health think tank sought to bring together a diverse sample of partners to discuss the current state of the field and develop a roadmap for building collaborations and making a positive impact in this area.\u201d <\/strong>
– Patrick Mullen, Ph.D., Professor and Chair, Counseling and Special Education; Interim Chair, Foundations of Education<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Chernoh Wurie,<\/strong> associate professor, Criminal Justice<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Cait Gibson,<\/strong> associate professor, Pharmacotherapy & Outcomes Science<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Serra De Arment,<\/strong> associate professor, Counseling and Special Education<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Beth Bukoski,<\/strong> professor, Educational Leadership<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Alexandra Howell,<\/strong> assistant professor, Oral Diagnostic Sciences<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Eric Rivera,<\/strong> associate professor, Dance and Choreography<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Sara Reed,<\/strong> assistant professor, Interior Design<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Ellen Carpenter,<\/strong> associate professor, Department of Psychology<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Jessica Brown,<\/strong> associate professor, Department of Psychology<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Jenny Inker,<\/strong> associate professor, Gerontology<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Christopher Whyte<\/strong>, associate professor, Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Hayley Cleary<\/strong>, professor, Criminal Justice<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Dipankar Bandyopadhyay<\/strong>, professor, Biostatistics<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Dr. Karolina Aberg<\/strong>, professor, Pharmaceutics<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Jennifer LoCasale-Crouch<\/strong>, associate professor, Foundations of Education<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Luciana de Oliveira<\/strong>, professor, Teaching and Learning<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- C\u00e9sar Zamudio<\/strong>, associate professor, Marketing<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Yiwen Wei<\/strong>, assistant professor, Art Education<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Andrew Crislip<\/strong>, professor, Department of History<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Kai Bosworth<\/strong>, associate professor, School of World Studies<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/provost\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1060\/2026\/08\/A08A2008-scaled-e1786476756556-1024x626.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n