Strategic partnerships
Unprecedented innovations
Student & faculty enrichment
Transformative care Elevated environments The Make It Real Campaign for VCU finished strong, with record donations that will transform and enrich lives for years to come
MAKING MEDICINE AFFORDABLE FOR ALL During the Make It Real Campaign for VCU, the VCU College of Engineering received a $25 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to establish the Medicines for All Institute. Turn to Page 24 to see how B. Frank Gupton, Ph.D. (Ph.D.’00/H&S), the Floyd D. Gottwald, Jr. Chair in Pharmaceutical Engineering and chair of the Department of Chemical and Life Science Engineering, and his research team are increasing access worldwide to lifesaving medications for those who need them most.
IMPACT MAGAZINE Volume 21
FEATURES
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22
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LEFT PHOTO DAN WAGNER, VCU COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING; RIGHT PHOTOS ALLEN JONES AND TOM KOJCSICH, UNIVERSITY MARKETING
SUPPORTING PEOPLE
FOSTERING INNOVATIONS
ENHANCING ENVIRONMENTS
Donor support is transforming the experience for students, faculty, caregivers and patients across the university and health system.
Philanthropy has expanded the university’s research capacity, cementing VCU’s role as a thought partner and problem-solver.
A number of new and improved world-class facilities are changing how the VCU community interacts, learns and completes research.
ALSO INSIDE 2
A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
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CAMPAIGN BY THE NUMBERS
40 LEADERSHIP
VICE PRESIDENT FOR DEVELOPMENT AND ALUMNI RELATIONS Jay E. Davenport, CFRE
ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT, STRATEGIC MARKETING AND ENGAGEMENT
Melanie Irvin (B.S.’96/MC), irvinms@vcu.edu
DEVELOPMENT AND ALUMNI COMMUNICATIONS
Kristen Caldwell (B.S.’94/MC), kcaldwell2@vcu.edu; Mitchell Moore (B.S.’07/MC; M.S.’08/E), mooreml3@vcu.edu; Brelyn Powell, blpowell@vcu.edu; Jud Froelich, ajfroelich@vcu.edu; Judy Arginteanu, arginteanj@vcu.edu CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Paul Brockwell, Caitlin Hanbury (M.A.’12/A), Geoff LoCicero, Kyra Molinaro, Greg Weatherford (B.S.’95/MC; M.F.A.’12/A) Impact is published by the Virginia Commonwealth University Office of Development and Alumni Relations. The views and opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent those of the editorial staff or the university. © 2020, Virginia Commonwealth University. VCU is an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution.
support.vcu.edu campaign.vcu.edu • 1• 1
A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
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s the Make It Real Campaign for VCU comes to an end, I cannot tell you how much your generosity is appreciated. It is clear that VCU’s alumni and friends are committed to our success as a nationally recognized premier public research institution. Now, because of each and every one of you, our future is brighter than ever before. The most ambitious fundraising effort in VCU’s history, the Make It Real Campaign, which spanned July 1, 2012, to June 30, 2020, was created to fund the critical initiatives that will distinguish our university far into the future. The campaign touched every aspect of VCU and VCU Health: students, alumni, faculty and staff, patients, caregivers, researchers, schools, libraries, centers and institutes, athletics and the Richmond, Virginia, community and beyond. Specifically, the campaign focused on fueling growth in three major areas: people, innovations and environments. Through your generosity, we aimed to attract, support and retain the finest students and faculty members through scholarships, professorships and endowed chairs. We wanted to create new interdisciplinary partnerships and centers of excellence to offer students and faculty the best environments for meaningful research and learning experiences. And we sought to provide world-class facilities, equipment and materials to expand the university’s research capacity and to increase the impact of VCU’s community partnerships. I am proud to say that you have helped us accomplish all of this and more. We have surpassed our goal of $750 million, raising more than $841.6 million. Your generosity made this unprecedented feat possible. Your support has transformed this institution in ways we never imagined. This final issue of Impact features just a few examples of the long-lasting changes your generosity has spurred across VCU. And remember, every student, patient, faculty member and community member who was impacted by your giving then goes on to touch so many others. The ripple effects of your philanthropy are endless. Thank you, again, for your dedication to VCU and your support of the Make It Real Campaign for VCU. You are the reason for our success, and your generosity will never be forgotten. Sincerely,
Michael Rao, Ph.D. President, VCU and VCU Health System
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Because of the generosity of the Virginia Commonwealth University community of alumni, friends, employees, corporations and foundations, the Make It Real Campaign for VCU will forever change VCU. The impact of your gifts is tremendous and will transform and enrich lives for years to come.
$841,606,604 total donated during the Make It Real Campaign for VCU 73,100 first-time donors
113,203 donors
138
new endowed chairs, professorships, faculty support and research funds
394
new endowed scholarships and student support funds
$190.2M
donated for research
250,620 gifts
$109.5M
donated for scholarships and student support
Visit campaign.vcu.edu to learn more about how your generosity has made an impact.
support.vcu.edu campaign.vcu.edu • 3• 3
PEOPLE
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he Make It Real Campaign for VCU set out to transform the VCU experience
for all who learn, work and heal at Virginia Commonwealth University. Campaign gifts totaling $109.5 million created 394 new scholarships and student support funds to help our students pursue purposeful, hands-on learning experiences and graduate on time with minimal debt. Campaign donations are also at work across our health system, helping caregivers serve patients who depend on VCU and VCU Health for their lifesaving care. Donors established 138 faculty-focused funds during the campaign, enabling the university to attract, retain and support the work of distinguished and talented faculty members.
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support.vcu.edu campaign.vcu.edu • 5• 5
Altria Scholar Anawat Laohakanchanasiri
PHOTO JUD FROELICH
connects them academically and socially to the university community and to related resources. Anawat Laohakanchanasiri (B.S.’19/B) was a member of the first cohort of Altria Scholars in 2015-16. He received a $3,500 Altria scholarship before his junior and senior years based on his high GPA and financial need. “The scholarship went toward my tuition and the cost of living, books and school supplies,” he said. “It alleviated the need for my parents to fund a majority of my expenses as a student.” His parents emigrated to the U.S. from Thailand with high school diplomas. That meant they couldn’t help him figure out financial aid, college applications or the unique language and culture of higher education. The Altria Scholars program, he said, gave him access to the guidance, support and networking he needed to succeed. “I met a lot of similar individuals who are in the same position as I am, and we were able to bond over that,” he said. “This cohort of students allowed me to understand that I am not the only one who doesn’t know how to navigate college as a first-generation student.” SEMSS is working to broaden its support for first-generation students, an effort that received a boost in 2017 when Warren Karesh, D.D.S. (D.D.S.’70/D; H.S.’72/D), gave $10,000 to establish the VCU First Generation Fund, which helps fund the division’s programs, scholarships and academic opportunities for all first-generation VCU students. “We know from the data that, generally, firstgeneration students’ retention rates are lower and their graduation rates are lower,” said Daphne Rankin, Ph.D. (M.S.’88/H&S; Ph.D.’04/H&S), associate vice president for Summer Studies and Special Programs. “Giving them this support just helps to put them on a more level playing field. I don’t want any students to feel like they’re an imposter; I don’t want them to feel like they’re at a disadvantage. I want to help them be connected and have community within the university.”
FIRST-GENERATION STUDENTS’ PATH EASED BY SUPPORT
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third of VCU’s students are the first in their family to attend a four-year college. These firstgeneration students generally face more obstacles than their second- and third-generation peers. They often have to work more and borrow more than their peers. Those factors, in turn, can make it harder to finish college and earn a degree. VCU’s Division of Strategic Enrollment Management and Student Success administers several programs, including the Altria Scholars program, to provide first-generation students with the academic, financial and social resources to help keep them on track and reach their goals. The scholars program was established in 2015 with a $500,000 gift from the Altria Group to provide scholarships and mentorship opportunities to help high-achieving, first-generation business and engineering students graduate on time with minimal debt. Altria Group renewed the program with a gift of $600,000 in 2017. Since 2015, 159 juniors and seniors have received scholarships, and 267 freshmen and sophomores have benefited from working with a progress coach, who
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LUCK FAMILY’S PHILANTHROPY UNLOCKS HUMAN POTENTIAL ACROSS DISCIPLINES
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generosity of the Luck Companies and Luck Companies Foundation also have extended to other areas of VCU, including supporting research efforts at Massey Cancer Center and the Rice Rivers Center. A gift from Terrell and Elliott Harrigan in 2019 established the Dr. Mary Helen Hackney Fund for Cancer Research, supporting immuno-oncology and translational research at Massey Cancer Center. Thanks to the Harrigans’ philanthropy, Massey’s talented physician-scientists are furthering their work to advance treatment options using the body’s immune system to fight cancer. Thanks to the philanthropy of Lisa and Charles Luck, VCU patients with spinal cord injuries now have access to the most advanced technology and an unsurpassed environment for healing and recovery at the Sheltering Arms Institute’s Dallas Disbro Ability Center, which opened in 2020. The spinal cord injury and complex care unit is one of four specialty units within the Sheltering Arms Institute, a joint venture between Sheltering
PHOTO CLEMENT BRITT
family-owned business built on traditional values including personal accountability, honesty and mutual support, Luck Companies has made an immeasurable impact on the university’s mission to develop creative problem-solvers and future leaders; to promote the arts in Richmond, Virginia; and to strengthen the health of the community and beyond through research and innovation. “The Lucks’ mission to ignite human potential aligns clearly with the values and goals we cherish at VCU,” said Michael Rao, Ph.D., president of VCU and VCU Health. “Words cannot express how grateful we are to have them as partners in so many different areas of the university.” With True Farr Luck and Charles S. Luck III having led both business and family, the Lucks — including Terrell (B.F.A.’87/A) and Elliott Harrigan, Lisa and Charles Luck IV, and Cynthia and Shep Haw — have spread their generosity and service far and wide. As a member of the VCU Institute for Contemporary Art’s campaign committee, True Luck, who died in 2019, provided inspiration for others to follow suit in supporting a key university priority. Today, the ICA’s True Farr Luck Gallery serves as a muse for artists to create large-scale works in response to the space’s specific architecture and atmosphere. The couple’s generosity and the
Arms and VCU Health. With input from experts, patients and their families, the hospital has blended advanced technology, research and evidence-based clinical treatment to create an innovative inpatient hospital that’s unique in the midAtlantic region. Cynthia and Shep Haw made a gift in 2020 in support of the M. Theresa and Harold F. Young Neurosurgery Chair, which provides funding for the work of a faculty member who embodies compassion and excellence in patient care and a commitment to the highest standards of surgical education. Their gift, made in honor of the Youngs, provides support for a faculty member to pursue work in neurosurgical research, clinical care and oversight of the training of junior neurosurgeons. They also have supported the G. Watson James Professorship in honor of Ghulam D. Qureshi, M.D. (H.S.’71/M), and the Hellams Residents Fund in honor of Scott Graham, M.D. (M.D.’92/M; H.S.’98/M), professor and director of VCU’s Neurosurgery Residency Program.
Artist Lee Mingwei with True Farr Luck at the 2017 installation of his exhibit, “The Mending Project,” at the ICA
support.vcu.edu campaign.vcu.edu • 7• 7
ELLIS LECTURE SPOTLIGHTS WOMEN’S HEALTH, CAREERS FOR WOMEN IN MEDICINE
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system that supports women in health care, both as patients and as practitioners: That’s what Lisa Ellis, M.D. (M.D.’01/M; H.S.’04/M), wants to foster at VCU. Since 2014, the annual Ellis Women’s Health Lecture has brought renowned speakers to VCU to share their expertise and experience. The focus is on residents in the VCU School of Medicine’s Department of Internal Medicine, but the lectures are open to everyone. Ellis, an associate clinical professor of internal medicine affiliated with VCU’s obstetrics and gynecology department, with her husband, Zach Ellis, M.D. (H.S.’04/M), created the endowed lecture series with a $100,000 gift. “We want to have an impact on the community of our academic center and our medical center,” she explained, “and to realize and recognize the opportunity of caring for women.” Susan G. Kornstein, M.D. (H.S.’87/M), has already seen the impact. “The Ellis lectures make an important contribution to the education of our faculty and trainees,” said Kornstein, a professor of psychiatry in the VCU School of Medicine and executive director of the VCU Institute for Women’s Health, a National Center of Excellence in Women’s Health. “Each speaker has been
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a national leader in the field. Their lectures have brought needed attention to the special considerations in the evaluation and treatment of women patients.” The 2020 lecturer was Reshma Jagsi, M.D., D.Phil., deputy chair of radiation oncology at the University of Michigan. Jagsi’s talk, “Standing Up Against Bias and Harassment: A matter of professional ethics,” held Nov. 11, focused on gender-based disparities in medical careers. To Ellis, the lecture series is one aspect of a wider aim — to promote and nurture women in medical careers and to spur interest in the field of women’s health. The series also fulfills educational requirements to qualify the VCU Health Women’s Health Center at Stony Point as a Center of Excellence for Women’s Health. Just as she sees the lecture series as part of a larger effort to create networks of support around issues affecting women in medicine, Ellis participates in local discussion groups as well as a virtual mentoring program of American College of Physicians that brings together small groups of female physicians, residents and medical students from as far as Dubai. As women work together to expand understanding of their health care, “it kind of feeds on itself,” Ellis said. “We’re learning more and more.”
N PHOTO ALLEN JONES, UNIVERSITY MARKETING
early $100,000 in scholarship awards, 24 students, three conference presentations, four research studies and travel to 17 countries. The Baldacci Student Experiential Learning Endowed Fund has given promising students in the VCU College of Humanities and Sciences the financial support to pursue internships, conferences, research, domestic study or study abroad programs, and social entrepreneurship opportunities. Since 2018, recipients have developed findings on pelvic binding protocols, learned alongside journalists from the world’s top news organizations, contributed to the documentation of the breeding habits of the prothonotary warbler and conducted research on carbon dioxide levels occurring under insecticide-treated mosquito netting. VCU students often forgo unpaid or cost-prohibitive experiences in favor of paid work. The Baldacci Student Experiential Learning Fund has removed that financial barrier for participation in these transformative opportunities and gives students the space to focus on their goals. “As a student who excels in both academic and extracurricular involvement, there would not have been time to continue my research had I been forced to work a part-time job. Thankfully, through the graciousness of the Baldacci family, I was given an award that provided enough funding to continue dedicating myself to my research project without having to worry about working during the school year,” said Tarek Haggy (B.S.’20/H&S),
who turned his EMT experience into research, receiving funding for the 201920 academic year to study pelvic binding protocols in emergency medicine. Recipients of the Baldacci Student Experiential Learning Fund have taken learning well beyond the bounds of the classroom, affording them new perspectives. Jordan Rasure (B.S.’20 /H&S; B.A.’20/H&S) received funding in 2019 to work as a field research assistant in VCU’s Bulluck Avian Ecology Lab, where she contributed to a long-term data set documenting the breeding ecology of prothonotary warblers along the James River. “I felt like something in between a graduate and undergraduate student: not quite totally independent but also not smothered by a rubric and syllabus. I was doing research under the careful supervision of others and was able to make mistakes in a safe environment that fostered growth and learning,” she said. Bestselling author David Baldacci (B.A.’83/H&S; H.L.D.’01) and his wife, Michelle, have given these and countless future students a chance to achieve their potential. “Sometimes, as students, you get into these routines where you go to class and you study material and you take your tests and you move on,” said David Baldacci in a May 2019 campus visit with student recipients. “It’s a narrow box. So we wanted to give an opportunity to get outside of that narrow box and go to a place that maybe you never thought you’d be able to go.”
PHOTO COURTESY MARYUM ELNASSEH
FUND TURNS LEARNING INTO EXPERIENTIAL OPPORTUNITIES
Baldacci Scholar Maryum Elnasseh (B.S.‘20/MC; B.A.‘20/H&S) in Prague for a study abroad experience with international journalists
support.vcu.edu campaign.vcu.edu • 9• 9
AT-RISK PATIENTS FIND ANTI-VIOLENCE RESOURCES RIGHT BY THEIR BEDSIDE
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he Richmond City Health District cites homicide as the leading cause of death among residents 15 to 24 years old. Furthermore, national studies indicate that many youths who are hospitalized with an intentional injury are at significant risk for reinjury. Estimates place the fiveyear reinjury rate for those youths at 44%; of that, 20% of them are estimated to die as a result of subsequent violence. As a Level I trauma center verified in adult, pediatric and burn trauma care, VCU Medical Center is the front line for treating victims of violent injury in Richmond,
Virginia, and surrounding areas. These designations also give the trauma center’s clinicians a unique opportunity to intervene, said Amy Vincent, assistant director of the VCU Trauma Center’s Injury and Violence Prevention Program. While these trauma patients are in the hospital, the program provides ongoing services such as case management, mentoring, career advising and leadership development to build a support network and help them develop skills to avoid reinjury. “We see patients come in with gunshot wounds, stab wounds and other injuries, and it’s clear that we
PHOTO ALLEN JONES, UNIVERSITY MARKETING
10 10 • Impact • Impact
have a role to play,” Vincent said. “We have the tools, resources and expertise to go beyond care for the patient at the bedside.” VCU Health has partnered with the Richmond Police Department, Richmond Public Schools and the Richmond City Health District to establish RVA Alternative Pathways, which brings preventive resources to youth trapped in a cycle of violence. Launched in 2017 with a $250,000 Robins Foundation Community Innovation Grant, RVA Alternative Pathways connects the dots among violence prevention programs at VCU Health, the police department and other community partners to build a communitywide network of diversion resources to help at-risk youth before they enter the juvenile justice system or need trauma care. At VCU Health, the Community Innovation Grant supports the injury and violence prevention programs Bridging the Gap and Emerging Leaders, both of which provide case management, mentoring and other services to help youth steer their lives toward success. “These programs can be life-changing and lifesaving,” Vincent said. “We are doing so much more than just responding to the medical needs of our patients. We are able to help them become better versions of themselves and live healthy and safe lives in their communities.”
FINANCIAL LITERACY, WELLNESS CENTER HELPS STUDENTS STAY FISCALLY FIT hether it’s assistance with planning — and sticking to — a personal budget, guidance on how to build credit or advice on paying off student loan debt, VCU students, as well as alumni, faculty and staff, can access a range of free financial education services at the Virginia Credit Union Financial Success Center in VCU’s Snead Hall and at “pop-up” events across campus. The center, which opened in 2019, is funded by the Virginia Credit Union Endowment for Financial Wellness, created with a $5 million gift from Virginia Credit Union as part of its commitment to financial education. “Having a strong financial education is critical, especially for students,” said Dorian Philpot, a secondyear economics major in the School of Business. Philpot is a peer coach at The Money Spot, the center’s student-focused arm. Her position is paid, thanks to the endowment. “At The Money Spot, I get to help others and show them that it doesn’t have to be hard to learn about money. Everyone has to start somewhere.” Open to all VCU students, The Money Spot’s offerings include one-on-one peer coaching sessions, financial literacy workshops and financial education presentations for student organizations, classes and events. One of its main goals is to increase financial literacy to help students manage educational loan debt, which has become a national crisis. “College is such a big financial stressor for so many students,” said Philpot, who is also in the Honors College and VCU’s LEAD living-learning program. “There’s so much variation in what students come to college knowing about money; then they’re faced with the huge investment of paying for college. Initiatives like The Money Spot help get them on the right path.” Carolyn McCrea, director of financial wellness (another VACU-funded position), said that the effects of Virginia Credit Union’s support extend across campus.
PHOTO COURTESY CAROLYN MCCREA
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“We have built our flagship program, The Money Spot, into a robust peer-to-peer financial education tool that reached over 1,800 VCU undergraduate students in our inaugural year,” she said. “We have also partnered with the VCU Office of Alumni Relations to offer financial webinars for our alumni and with VCU and VCU Health Human Resources to support and expand financial wellness initiatives to the university’s faculty and staff.” For Philpot, the most rewarding part of the job remains connecting with other students and giving them the tools they need to feel confident about their finances. “Talking about money takes a lot of courage for some people because it makes them feel vulnerable,” she said. “A number of students I’ve coached were timid talking about money, but I was able to help them understand that it doesn’t have to be uncomfortable. There are people here to support them so they don’t have to figure everything out on their own.” support.vcu.edu campaign.vcu.edu • 11• 11
NEW ENDOWED CHAIRS, PROFESSORSHIPS ATTRACT TOP TALENT TO THE UNIVERSITY
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ndowed faculty positions are among the highest forms of recognition in higher education. These prestigious chairs and professorships are critical to recruiting, retaining and supporting the work of distinguished faculty and were a top priority of the Make It Real Campaign for VCU. During the campaign, donors gave more than $65 million to create 62 new endowed chairs and professorships. Here, some of VCU’s recent endowed faculty members share how the funding has allowed them to take their work to the next level.
ADRIA HOFFMAN, PH.D.
Anna Lou Schaberg Professor of Practice in Education, VCU School of Education As the Anna Lou Schaberg Professor of Practice in Education, Adria Hoffman, Ph.D., has the ability to take her research a step further by implementing it in the community, supporting educators in central Virginia schools. The professorship, established in 2017 with a $1.2 million gift to support the VCU School of Education from the Bob and Anna Lou Schaberg Fund at the Virginia Nonprofit Housing Coalition, supports Hoffman’s exploration of processes and systems that support — or hinder — educators’ work.
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For example, she advises a group of educator leaders from local school divisions on effective ways to recruit and onboard new teachers. “A goal of that is to help new teachers be as successful as possible when they support students in our public schools and to help retain those teachers over long periods of time,” she said. Thanks to the professorship, Hoffman can focus on her role as a sounding board, thought partner and facilitator to help educators apply the latest research to their work. “Teaching is one of the only professions where we expect someone in their first year to demonstrate the same skills as someone with 10 or 20 years of experience. Yet we all know that new employees in any field require greater support as they gain experience,” Hoffman said. “In this role, I can spend my time translating research to practice so VCU School of Education alumni and other new teachers have
stronger systems of support in a challenging but rewarding career.”
SAÏD SEBTI, PH.D.
Lacy Family Chair in Cancer Research and Associate Director for Basic Research, VCU Massey Cancer Center; Professor, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, VCU School of Medicine Saïd Sebti, Ph.D., spent more than 20 years at the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute in Tampa, Florida, building and directing its first drug discovery program. His research team there identified several drugs that inhibit the growth of aggressive pancreatic cancer tumors, including a novel drug that targets cancer-causing
protein KRAS. In 2019, he joined Massey Cancer Center, where he has continued developing the drug, called FGTI-2734, as associate director for basic research and Lacy Family Chair in Cancer Research. The chair was created in 2012 with a $1 million gift from Connie and Chip Lacy. In 2016, the endowment doubled, with $1 million in matching funds from a $45 million bequest from a 1950s trust created by Arthur Graham Glasgow and Margaret Branch Glasgow. “Receiving the Lacy Family Chair was a major factor in my decision to join VCU Massey Cancer Center,” he said. “The funding allows my lab to take on high-risk, high-reward projects that are more likely to have a great impact on our ability to find therapies for cancer.” Private funding is flexible and reliable in ways that government funding is not, Sebti said, which keeps research projects moving. Federal research grants are subject to budget cuts and, in recent years, have struggled to keep pace with the increasing complexity and cost of medical research. “The funding has helped us buy critical, expensive laboratory equipment that would not have been possible to purchase with traditional federal grants,” he said. “Grant agencies’ budgets continue
to shrink, so without donor support, much less could be done and progress toward combating cancer would be much slower.”
BRENT SMITH, PH.D.
Professor, CoStar Group Endowed Chair in Real Estate Analytics and Kornblau Scholar, VCU School of Business Brent Smith, Ph.D., joined the VCU School of Business in 2004, certain the environment was precisely what he needed to expand his work in real estate data analytics. “VCU had a vibrant academic community, and the School of Business had forward-looking visions that I knew would work well with what I hoped to accomplish,” said Smith, who teaches and researches real estate finance and urban economics. In 2019, he became the inaugural CoStar Group Endowed Chair in Real Estate Analytics, funded through a $2.5 million gift from Richmond, Virginia-based real estate data firm CoStar Group. In this role, Smith leads data analytics
research and teaching, collaborating with faculty members from other business disciplines to increase their collective expertise. What makes the CoStar chair unique, Smith said, is that he has access to a repository of proprietary real estate data collected by the firm. This data aids his research, which has recently focused on issues of risk and valuation related to commercial property markets, mortgage performance, investment finance, public policy and tax influences. “I’m fortunate to be the CoStar chair and have access to that data,” he said. “My students also have access to it, which facilitates additional learning opportunities that they would not otherwise have.” Smith also appreciates that, as the holder of an endowed chair, he can focus on his research. The endowment also funds opportunities for promoting VCU abroad, Smith said. In October 2019, he presented his research in a symposium at the University of Cambridge, England, where many leading real estate academics were in attendance. “It’s essential for a chair to stay involved in research that keeps you up to date with the topic you teach,” he said. “As an academic actively engaged in research, I am able to bring new information to the classroom.”
support.vcu.edu campaign.vcu.edu • 13 • 13
SCHOLARSHIPS SEEK TO EASE NATIONAL NURSING SHORTAGE
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s baby boomers age, increasing the demand for health care, the U.S. is projected to face a shortage of registered nurses. By increasing nursing school enrollment, colleges and universities can help ease what could be a significant health care crisis. To address this problem, philanthropist William E. Conway Jr., co-founder and co-executive chairman of The Carlyle Group, and his wife, Joanne, committed $5.5 million through their private foundation, the Bedford Falls Foundation, to fund need-based scholarships for undergraduate students at the VCU School of Nursing. In 2019, 84 undergraduate students received a scholarship from the Conways’ initial gift of $2.5 million. With an additional gift of $3 million from the Conways in January 2020, the school can offer partial and full scholarships to more than a third of its undergraduates over the next five years — about 150 students per year, nearly doubling the number of scholarships awarded in 2019. The first of these scholarships were awarded during the 2020-21 academic year.
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Recipients of the Conways’ scholarships are grateful for the opportunity to pursue their dreams. “I want to be a light in the lives of others so that during the most difficult time in their lives, they can have someone with a smile to comfort them,” said Yasmin Garcia, a Class of 2021 nursing student. “During my time at the School of Nursing, I aspire to become a knowledgeable and competent nurse so I can provide the best care possible to my community.” Ensuring that students like Garcia can pursue a career in nursing is even more crucial now. “There is a critical need for skilled nurses nationally, especially given the current COVID-19 pandemic,” William Conway said. “My wife, Joanne, and I were pleased to make this charitable contribution to VCU to make nursing education more accessible for deserving students so they can make a lasting difference in the medical community.” The Lettie Pate Whitehead Foundation has also provided invaluable support to nursing students at VCU. It selected the MCV Foundation to be among its first cohort of scholarship donations in 1954, awarding a $10,000 grant for nursing student scholarships. Since then, the Lettie Pate Whitehead Foundation has awarded a scholarship grant for nursing students every year, totaling more than $8.9 million in support.
SOCIAL WORK SCHOLARSHIP RECOGNIZES UNSUNG HEROES IN FOSTER CARE FIELD
PHOTO JULIA RENDLEMAN, UNIVERSITY MARKETING
PHOTO ENVATO ELEMENTS
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bony Mack (M.S.W.’18/SW) couldn’t help but exclaim. She had just received an email, in 2017, naming her the first recipient of the VCU School of Social Work’s Fostering Success Scholarship. “I think I was at work, and it came through. ‘Oh my, I got a scholarship!’ I yelled out loud.” The $500 scholarship helped in ways expected — books, school supplies — and unexpected. “I would drive to class and typically get on-street parking,” said Mack, now an adoption social worker at Henrico, Virginia-based C2Adopt. “But if I was running a little late, I could park in the garage and be a little closer. The scholarship gave me that flexibility.” The Fostering Success Scholarship supports students interested in working in the foster care system or with child/youth/ family development. It has been awarded to three others since Mack: Vicky Tidman (B.S.W.’18/SW), Sarah Kritzer (B.S.W.’19/SW) and Cindy Joyner (M.S.W.’20/SW). “Working in foster care is not terribly glamorous,” Mack said. “So it’s definitely worthwhile to have these ways to highlight work that often goes unthanked.” Marcia Harrigan, Ph.D. (M.S.W.’74/SW; Ph.D.’89/E), who spent 31 years at VCU as a faculty member and administrator in the School of Social Work, decided to fund a scholarship when she retired in 2011, seeding it initially with her
“I THINK I WAS AT WORK, AND IT CAME THROUGH. ‘OH MY, I GOT A SCHOLARSHIP!’ I YELLED OUT LOUD.” – EBONY MACK (M.S.W.’18/SW)
own money. Her goal was to support students working with children and families, the heart of her preacademic career as a social worker. “I looked back and realized foster care was a thread, and children and family research and services were a bigger thread,” she said. Fundraising events for the scholarship started in 2017, with assistance from Ann NicholsCasebolt, Ph.D., former social work faculty and administrator and VCU research administrator, and Suzanne Fountain, Ph.D. (Ph.D.’02/SW), a longtime practitioner and an admin-
istrator in Virginia’s social services system. “The students who have gotten the scholarship have been so thankful,” Harrigan said. “I’m sometimes embarrassed the awards aren’t more, but they’re so grateful, whatever the amount. And it isn’t just the money but the recognition of the importance of their career goals. They will be our leaders in social work.” Starting this year, two $500 scholarships will be awarded annually. This year’s recipients are M.S.W. students Angelica Gehlich (B.A.’13/WS) and Lindsay Pugh. support.vcu.edu campaign.vcu.edu • 15 • 15
DEANS GIVE BACK TO THEIR SCHOOLS
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CU and VCU Health’s faculty, staff and team members invest their time, energy and talent in the university, the medical center and their people every day. Those who take their dedication one step further with philanthropic support play an important role in demonstrating to the broader community that VCU is worthy of their financial support, too. The VCU Office of Annual Giving launched the Black & Gold & You employee and retiree giving campaign in 2015 to support the Make It Real Campaign for VCU. Deans across the university have supported the Black & Gold & You campaign by making gifts, often to establish new funds.
COLLEGE OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS: After retiring in 2019, Cecil B. Drain, Ph.D., former dean, gave $12,500 and issued a dollar-for-dollar match challenge to raise $25,000 to endow the Dr. and Mrs. Cecil B. Drain Scholarship in Nurse Anesthesia, which funds leadership and professional development opportunities for nurse anesthesia students. SCHOOL OF DENTISTRY: David C. Sarrett, D.M.D.,
dean and associate vice president for health sciences, pledged $10,000 in 2013 to create the David C. Sarrett, D.M.D, M.S., and Elizabeth G. Sarrett, M.Ed. Endowed Scholarship to support financially in-need
COUPLE’S GIFT ADDS UP TO HOMETOWN HELP
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eith T. Parker (B.A.’90/H&S; M.U.R.P.’93/GPA), president and CEO of Goodwill of North Georgia and rector of VCU, and his wife, Dawn Parker (M.Ed.’92/E), pledged $25,000 in 2017 to create the Keith T. Parker Scholarship at VCU. When fully endowed, the scholarship will be awarded to fulltime undergraduate students of any major who are Virginia residents, with preference to students from Petersburg High School, Parker’s alma mater. Once a vital center of industry and commerce, Petersburg, Virginia, has faced the same problems that have beset many cities, including a high poverty rate compared with the state average, an aging population and, until very recently, a shrinking population base. City government
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is slowly climbing out of a financial crisis, after it nearly collapsed in 2016. “Over the past decade, the city of Petersburg has undergone more serious challenges in the areas of economics, health care and social justice than perhaps any other city in Virginia,” Parker said. “As an alumnus of Petersburg High School, I’ve seen firsthand how VCU has helped underserved students from my hometown go on to achieve their dreams.” Parker’s scholarship was created so students who want to attend VCU have the opportunity to succeed academically and in their careers and, he hopes, help his hometown. “By providing tuition assistance, I’m hopeful that a whole series of young people can take
advantage of this opportunity and go to college, graduate with little debt, pursue meaningful careers and give back to help other Petersburg High graduates do the same thing,” he said. “This way, the city may be able to overcome its challenges and become a great place to live again.”
dental students interested in pursuing careers in academic dentistry or dental research. His giving to the school during the campaign totals more than $1.2 million, including a $1 million planned gift and a gift of $100,000 to name a space in the Adult Outpatient Pavilion, which will house nearly all of the VCU School of Dentistry clinics. SCHOOL OF EDUCATION: Dean Andrew P. Daire,
Ph.D., made a $25,000 planned gift in 2020 to create the Dr. Andrew P. Daire Diversity Scholarship in Education. In 2018, Daire and his wife, Darnett, made a gift to establish the Andrew and Darnett Daire Dissertation Scholarship Fund, which provides two annual scholarships to support impactful research that addresses a high-needs population.
SCHOOL OF MEDICINE: Dean Peter F. Buckley, M.D., established the Leonie and Peter Buckley Medical Student Research Awards in 2017 with a $10,000 gift. In 2018, he renewed his support with an additional $10,000. SCHOOL OF NURSING: Jean Giddens, Ph.D., RN,
FAAN, dean and the Doris B. Yingling Endowed Chair, pledged $25,000 to establish the Giddens-Corazza Endowment in 2014. She and her husband, Jay Corazza, have given $65,000 to the fund, which provides scholarships to graduate nursing students. SCHOOL OF PHARMACY: Joseph T. DiPiro, Pharm.D., dean and Archie O. McCalley Chair, has given more than $50,000 to the Joseph and Cecily DiPiro Scholarship since he established it in 2014.
INSPIRED GIFT AIDS FUTURE EDUCATORS
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n 2019, Elise Blankenship, Ed.D., retired associate professor in the VCU School of Education, pledged a $1.75 million estate gift to provide scholarships for full-time, upperlevel and graduate students in the school. The gift is the largest single donation in the school’s history.
PHOTO ALLEN JONES, UNIVERSITY MARKETING
Blankenship’s pledge supports the Jean E. Lokerson and M. Elise Blankenship Endowed Scholarship in Education, which Blankenship established in 2018 to honor the memory of her friend and colleague, Jean Lokerson, Ph.D., associate professor emerita. Robin Pelt, Ph.D. (M.Ed.’16/E; Ph.D.’20/E), was the inaugural recipient of the scholarship in 2019, followed in 2020 by Marquita Sea, who is pursuing a Ph.D. in educational psychology. “This scholarship helps relieve mental stress about financing my education while I work to support my family,” said Sea, who has been an assistant professor of mathematics at Reynolds Community College in Richmond, Virginia, since 2008.
Blankenship and Lokerson came to VCU in 1974, as the school was building its graduate program in learning disabilities. The pair were internationally known for their pioneering work educating teachers and parents about learning disabilities. In the early 1970s, they co-developed simulation modules, which provided hands-on experience to help understand cognitive function and dysfunction in child learning. They both retired in 1996. Lokerson passed away in 2016. “Philanthropy is a very personal thing,” Blankenship said. “A student will send you a picture, holding their [graduation cap] and smiling big, because they received a scholarship. That’s what is so rewarding — that you know our valuable students are going out and doing great jobs.” support.vcu.edu campaign.vcu.edu • 17 • 17
CANCER THERAPY HOLDS NEW HOPE FOR PATIENTS
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PHOTO ALLEN JONES, UNIVERSITY MARKETING
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he promise of immunotherapy as a cancer treatment has generated excitement in the research world. Using this innovative technique, doctors can strengthen and train a patient’s immune system to use the body’s natural defenses to attack cancer cells. Over the course of the Make It Real Campaign for VCU, the VCU Massey Cancer Center received more than $6.6 million in private philanthropy to support immuno-oncology research, clinical trials and recruitment and retention of physician-scientists in the field. The support will bolster early-stage research and help Massey expand access to clinical trials. George Emerson Jr. (B.S.’78/B), a longtime Massey advocate, and his wife, Darlene, created two endowed funds in 2019 to advance research and treatment of head and neck cancers. Emerson, a throat cancer survivor who was treated at Massey, hopes the research fund and the professorship they established will advance promising research on immunotherapy. Emerson did not have access to treatments such as immunotherapy, which is a less invasive treatment option for his type of cancer. He is committed to investing in new research that will give future patients a wider portfolio of treatment options. “Somebody helped fund the research that came up with the therapy that saved my life,” he said. “They’re doing research now right here at Massey that will move the needle on giving people options for treatment of head and neck cancers and giving them hope, and I want to be part of that.” Because immunotherapy is so promising, researchers and experts in the field are in high demand across the country. The Harry and Judy Wason Distinguished Professorship was established in 2017 at an opportune time for Massey, helping the cancer center retain a top immunotherapy researcher whom another institution was actively recruiting. “This was an opportunity to do something that would help address a need and solve a problem,” Judy Wason said. “We’re hoping that what we’ve done will make an impact on research and find a solution to the sorrow that so many families have to face.” Several gifts inspired additional support for Massey. In 2018, employees at East West Communities raised funds for Massey’s immunotherapy research that included generous commitments from senior leaders. “When you hear that your gifts could help researchers at Massey teach the body to fight cancer itself,” said Kathy Pearson, chief financial officer at East West Communities, “that’s amazing!”
PHOTO ALLEN JONES, UNIVERSITY MARKETING
SCHOLARSHIP HONORS MENTOR WITH FOCUS ON TRANSPORTATION PLANNING
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t took Ben Porter (B.S.’76/GPA) nearly four decades to reconnect with his alma mater. A meal at the Village Cafe helped seal the renewed relationship. Porter wanted to honor Peter Schulz, Ph.D., his mentor at VCU, by establishing the Schulz-Porter Endowed Scholarship to support graduate students in urban and regional studies and planning in the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at VCU. “I was closest to Dr. Peter Schulz, and he came immediately to mind,” said Porter, a transportation engineer and urban transportation consultant in Seattle. “I felt honored when he agreed. We met at the Village Cafe, which brought back pleasant memories.” In 2019, Lauren Fishbein (M.U.R.P.’20/GPA; Cert.’20/GPA) became the first scholarship recipient. “I am really passionate about transportation’s role in urban planning,” she said, so it was especially rewarding to receive a scholarship that focuses on that area. Fishbein’s graduate teaching assistantship took care of tuition but did not cover her fees. The scholarship covered almost all of those expenses, said Fishbein, now
a program manager for the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation. “That was a huge help. Donors like [Porter] make a huge difference in people’s educational journey and professional trajectory. It made a huge impact on my time at VCU and allowed me to enter my career with less financial stress.” Schulz died Aug. 20, 2020. A founding member of the Department of Urban Studies and Planning when it was created in 1974, he helped direct Porter to a graduate program at the University of Washington. Porter lost touch with Schulz after moving to Seattle, but “five or six years ago, I was contemplating to what and to whom I should be grateful, and I realized how pivotal my time was at VCU and the important role that Dr. Schulz played.” Porter has made a planned gift to supplement his original $25,000 endowment gift. “The initial endowment was something I could do now to get the ball rolling,” he said. “I wanted to do that while Dr. Schulz was living, so that he would know that a student was being financially supported in his honor. I knew that would please him.” support.vcu.edu campaign.vcu.edu • 19 • 19
FACULTY POSITION PUTS PATIENT SAFETY FRONT AND CENTER
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afety first. Or, in words often attributed to Hippocrates: “First, do no harm.” That’s the mission supported by the Gene N. Peterson, M.D., Professorship in Safety, Quality and Service. The professorship was established in October 2015 as the Professorship in Safety, Quality and Service for Resident Education, as a $500,000 collaborative contribution among the VCU School of Medicine, VCU Hospitals and VCU Health MCV Physicians. In 2017, it was renamed for Gene N. Peterson, M.D., Ph.D., the first person to hold the job. The professorship funds the position of associate dean for patient safety and quality in the School of Medicine and chief safety and quality officer for the VCU Health System. With dual roles in research and advocacy, the position furthers VCU’s mission of safety and quality. Peterson inaugurated the job of chief safety officer in 2013 but died two years later at the age of 61 after a short battle with cancer. “To have a professorship [like this] is unusual nationally and speaks to our commitment as a community to highlight safety and quality in health care,” said Peter Buckley, M.D., dean of the VCU School of Medicine and
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executive vice president for medical affairs for the VCU Health System. While Buckley did not work with Peterson, he was aware of his impact as an ambassador and advocate for patient safety. “He was a national leader in quality, and he was a quality person himself,” Buckley said. In 2017, Robin Hemphill, M.D., was named the first Peterson professor. Since then, VCU has documented dramatic improvements in infection control rates as well as in scores for patient-customer service and delivery of care. In summer 2020, Hemphill departed for a position as chief of staff at Cincinnati VA Medical Center. A national search will be launched, Buckley said. “There is a lot of work in research and discovery [in patient safety],” said Ron Clark, M.D., interim CEO, VCU Hospitals and Clinics, who recruited Peterson to VCU. “We have learned a lot about how to advance quality and safety in health care.” As an example, Clark cites enhanced recovery after surgery, using a series of protocols before, during and after the procedure that can reduce patient recovery times and improve outcomes. The underlying principle, Clark said, is simply recognizing that humans are prone to error. The professorship supports both theory and practice — discovering, instituting and teaching policies and practices that can reduce risks overall — to achieve the overarching goal: Catching errors before they cause harm. Hippocrates would be proud.
SUPPORT FOR REAL-WORLD PRACTICE HELPS GIVE MEDIA STUDENTS AN EXTRA EDGE
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allowed me to develop those extra skills that ended up giving me an edge so I could jump right into working for a production company or an agency. It would have been really tough without that extra help.” With help from the scholarships, Steck finished his student career strong, deepening his connections with his faculty mentors and
preparing for his postgraduation career as a freelance video content producer. “I’d like to thank my donors for believing in people. It’s not common nowadays,” he said. “It really makes a big difference, and I hope someday I can pass along the favor to the next generation of students.”
“I’D LIKE TO THANK MY DONORS FOR BELIEVING IN PEOPLE. IT’S NOT COMMON NOWADAYS. IT REALLY MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE, AND I HOPE SOMEDAY I CAN PASS ALONG THE FAVOR TO THE NEXT GENERATION OF STUDENTS.” – JUAN STECK (B.S.’19/MC)
Scholarship recipient Juan Steck
PHOTO COURTESY JUAN STECK
PHOTO ALLEN JONES, UNIVERSITY MARKETING
hen Juan Steck (B.S.’19 /MC) arrived at VCU as a first-generation student, he had a clear picture of the degree he would pursue. “I wanted to spend my life doing something significant that touches people’s lives: telling stories that make people feel something,” said the freelance videographer. In addition to classes in creative advertising in the Richard T. Robertson School of Media and Culture, Steck kept a rigorous extracurricular schedule that honed his videography and production skills and helped him network with local media professionals. By the time he completed his degree in 2019, Steck had interned with Richmond magazine, Endeavor Art Studio and Standard Motor Products, earned a Virginia Press Association award and produced a short documentary on farmworkers for Central Virginia Legal Aid Society. Support from the 21st Century Communications Scholarship, the Joseph S. Mason Scholarship, the Jane Dowrick and Michael Whitlow Scholarship and the Virginia Communications Hall of Fame Scholarship allowed Steck to participate in these valuable, but unpaid, real-world opportunities. “You need practice to develop your craft. And to practice, you need time,” Steck said. “Scholarships helped me have more time to worry about school and my career. They
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INNOVATIONS
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upport for the Make It Real Campaign for VCU has fostered innovation on
campus and enhanced the university’s ability to tackle complex local and global challenges through inquiry and discovery. New interdisciplinary partnerships and centers of excellence funded by the campaign have expanded the university’s research capacity, enabling students and faculty to solve real-world problems, such as finding new ways to treat debilitating illnesses and increasing access to affordable medications. Donors to the campaign gave $190.2 million for research, cementing VCU’s role as a thought partner and problem-solver in the greater Richmond, Virginia, community and far beyond.
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B. Frank Gupton, Ph.D. (center), CEO of the Medicines for All Institute
PHOTOS DAN WAGNER, VCU COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
$25 MILLION GRANT FUNDS MEDICINES FOR ALL INSTITUTE
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he Medicines for All Institute in the VCU College of Engineering was established in July 2017 with a $25 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The gift is the second-largest grant in VCU history and the largest from a private entity. Under the leadership of CEO B. Frank Gupton, Ph.D. (Ph.D.’00/H&S), Medicines for All is committed to improving global access to high-quality medications by driving down production costs. “The gift from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation provided us with the opportunity to create a comprehensive facility to house our work as we develop innovative manufacturing models,” said Gupton, who is also the Floyd D. Gottwald, Jr. Chair in Pharmaceutical Engineering and chair of the VCU Department of Chemical and Life Science Engineering. “As a result, we can respond quickly to pressing needs in the global health care realm. None of this would have been possible without the generosity of the foundation.” In 2020, Medicines for All partnered with Richmond, Virginia-based pharmaceutical manufacturing
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company Phlow Corp., co-founded by Gupton and Eric Edwards, Ph.D., M.D. (B.S.’02/H&S; Ph.D.’11/M; M.D.’13/M), to help build a strategic national reserve of essential medications and to make active ingredients for more than a dozen medicines used to treat patients with COVID-19. The ingredients will be manufactured at a pharmaceutical plant in Petersburg, Virginia, which could create about 350 jobs, according to a May 2020 article in the Richmond Times-Dispatch. “We believe this work can revolutionize America’s generic drug manufacturing model by enabling Phlow to produce affordable ingredients used to manufacture essential medicines in the U.S.,” Gupton said. “My colleagues and I are grateful for the opportunity to play a part in addressing this effort to fix the acute and chronic health care challenges that are facing us today.”
VCU CENTER BECOMES A LEADING FORCE TURNING RESEARCH INTO PATIENT CARE
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Wright Center Director F. Gerard Moeller, M.D. “Because of various cuts to the federal budget, the NIH wants to know that their funding will build on a foundation of support that is already there,” he said. The Wright gift seems to have had the desired ripple effect: In May 2018, the Wright Center received a five-year, $21.5 million Clinical and Translational Science Award from the NIH’s National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences. It’s not only the largest NIH grant the center has received so far, but it’s also the largest NIH grant ever awarded to VCU. The grant is funding the center’s wide-ranging research, including new informat-
ics methods to integrate electronic health record data with imaging and genetic data and cutting-edge treatments for cardiac disease, pulmonary disease and addiction. The funding also helps the center integrate special and underserved populations in clinical and translational research and to promote community-engaged research. Wright’s investments in the center’s work helped VCU obtain the historic grant, Moeller said. Philanthropy of this magnitude is rare among similar institutions, he said, and has helped secure VCU’s pioneering role advancing state-ofthe-art research from basic science to clinical practice to patientcentered care.
PHOTO ERIC PETERS, MCV FOUNDATION
he VCU C. Kenneth and Dianne Wright Center for Clinical and Translational Research opened in 2007 to promote interdisciplinary health research. The center offers a range of services, such as training for early-career investigators and consulting for planning, implementing, conducting and disseminating research — open to researchers from any department or school at VCU. The Wright Center provides a high level of support for its researchers, thanks in part to the $16 million gift from the late C. Kenneth Wright (H.L.D.’11), which named the center for Wright and his wife, Dianne. The 2015 gift from Wright’s foundation established six C. Kenneth and Dianne Wright Distinguished Chairs in Clinical and Translational Research, strengthening recruitment of eminent researchers from around the country. The gift also established the C. Kenneth and Dianne Wright Physician-Scientist Scholars Program to prepare top medical students for careers in research. In 2018, Wright renewed his support with a $5 million gift to help the center expand its biomedical informatics program. Support from researchers’ own institutions, such as that spurred by Wright’s gift, often has a multiplier effect: National Institutes of Health reviewers look for this kind of internal vote of confidence when they award federal grants, said
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INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAMS BOOST PATIENT OUTCOMES
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s health care evolves to better meet patient needs, integrated teams of practitioners from across the medical spectrum are collaborating on diagnoses and care. These novel collaborations have already yielded results. Even more revolutionary, at VCU, medical staff are
also working with professionals in the arts — disciplines traditionally considered completely unrelated to health. Doctors, nurses, technicians and caregivers are working in tandem with one another — and with dancers, media artists and sculptors — to craft the best care for every patient.
PHOTO ALLEN JONES, UNIVERSITY MARKETING
Since 2012, educators, researchers, practitioners, students and policymakers from throughout the mid-Atlantic region have gathered at VCU for the annual Jewell and Carl F. Emswiller Interprofessional Symposium, hosted by the VCU Center for Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Care, to share innovative interprofessional practices through panels, workshops, breakout sessions and lectures. “Teams that effectively communicate and collaborate have been shown to have a real and positive impact on patient outcomes by reducing medical error,” said VCU School of Medicine student James Dittman, who attended the February 2020 symposium. “As a clinical student aspiring to contribute more effectively as part of a health care team, I found
A CLOSER LOOK AT CARDIAC ISSUES MEANS BETTER PREVENTION, SAVING MORE LIVES
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he longstanding generosity of the Pauley Family Foundation, led by the late philanthropists Stanley and Dorothy (B.A.’74/H&S) Pauley, in support of the VCU Health Pauley Heart Center, has strengthened VCU’s efforts to advance cardiac disease research, treatment and care. In 2018, a $4 million gift from the Pauley family was used to build an 8,000-square-foot cardiovascular imaging suite with state-of-the-art echocardiography and MRI technology. In the suite’s first year, the number of cardiac MRIs performed at the Pauley Heart Center nearly doubled, preventing at least 87 heart attacks. Michele
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Williams-Poole, who works in the radiology department at VCU Medical Center, might not be alive today without the facilities. In summer 2019, Williams-Poole felt intense pressure and chest pain and made an appointment for a series of cardiac tests at the Pauley Heart Center. An MRI revealed a myocardial infarction, evidence that she had experienced a mild heart attack, and a cardiac catheterization showed a considerable blockage. Cardiac stents were inserted to improve blood flow to her heart. “It [would have been] only a matter of time before I had a massive heart attack,” Poole said. “If I hadn’t
School of the Arts faculty members, for example, have brought their creative perspective to interdisciplinary research projects, with support from members of the VCUarts’ Pollak Society. Annual giving from this donor group provides more than $100,000 each year in unrestricted financial support for all 16 departments and programs within VCUarts, as well as for the VCU Institute for Contemporary Art. Among the projects the society has supported is the work of Semi Ryu, associate professor in VCUarts’ Department of Kinetic Imaging. Ryu developed an interactive platform that helps users recall and engage with distant memories and emotions by speaking through virtual avatars to tell stories from their lives. So far, Ryu has worked with colleagues from the VCU
had the MRI, the blockage would have progressed, and I probably would not be here today. I am so thankful to the Pauley family for investing time and resources into the center to help patients like me.” In 2019, the Pauley family pledged $5 million to support research into new comprehensive treatments for patients with cardiac arrhythmia, a condition that manifests in harmful irregular heartbeats. The gift is funding the purchase of clinical and noninvasive blood pressure monitoring equipment as well as four handheld echo machines so clinicians can better image and effectively target the sources of cardiac damage. It funded an outpatient cardiac imaging facility at the Pauley Heart Center at Stony Point, which opened in fall 2020. An advanced CT scanner and a cardiac MRI scanner will expand the center’s nonionizing radiation imaging
College of Health Professions and VCU Massey Cancer Center to introduce the platform to older adults in assisted-living facilities and terminally ill cancer patients in palliative care. The project has earned international acclaim, tying for first place in the 2020 Hamilton International Arts in Health Awards. Ryu’s objective is to help patients communicate better with family, caregivers and friends; equally important is a focus on the patients themselves, helping them cope with their health situation by reframing that “story” in a larger context as they tell or retell stories of their life. “My ultimate goal is to explore this new form of mixed-reality performance art and use it to develop an alternative form of psychotherapy that improves mental health, psychosocial care and well-being,” Ryu said.
PHOTO COURTESY VCU HEALTH PAULEY HEART CENTER
topics such as strategies for building team skills, reducing burnout and structuring comprehensive patient care management to be particularly relevant to me.” The Emswiller symposium was endowed in 2012 with a gift to support the VCU School of Pharmacy from Jewell Emswiller to commemorate the accomplishments of her late husband, Carl Emswiller (B.S.’62/P), a VCU clinical faculty member and pioneer in collaborative pharmacy practice. When Jewell died in 2018, the endowment grew, thanks to several planned gifts from her estate, ensuring the Emswillers’ legacy and their commitment to interprofessional practice would continue. Collaboration with professionals outside of health care is another way private philanthropy is helping improve the patient experience.
capabilities. These innovations will allow researchers to see precisely where and why electrical issues in the heart are originating so they can be most accurately ablated or defibrillated. The gift will also eventually fund a new hybrid catheterization suite for research in the School of Medicine’s Sanger Hall.
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ENDOWED CHAIR EXPLORES PROMISING EXERCISE TREATMENT FOR PARKINSON’S
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hen Richmond, Virginia, resident Gary Rogliano was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2018, he immediately noticed a lack of resources for newly diagnosed patients to learn about their condition. “I figured out pretty quickly that there are not a lot of places to go for education about it,” said Rogliano, who has held C-suite positions in investment, finance, energy and transportation sectors. “But one thing I did learn is that exercise and physical activity are very good for reducing effects and slowing the progression of Parkinson’s.” He took up boxing and taekwondo to help with his symptoms. Shortly after his diagnosis, Rogliano and his family founded Power Over Parkinson’s, a nonprofit organization focused
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on providing resources to people with Parkinson’s in central Virginia. In 2019, the organization entered a strategic partnership with VCU Health to create and maintain an accessible, comprehensive exercise and wellness program within the VCU Parkinson’s and Movement Disorders Center, where Rogliano is a patient. As a result of that partnership, the Rogliano Family Endowed Chair was established. In this role, a faculty member will explore ways in which exercise can reduce the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. The Roglianos and Power Over Parkinson’s pledged $750,000, which was matched dollar for dollar by the VCU Glasgow Endowment, to establish the chair. In addition, the family intends to increase their support to help make exercise and
wellness programs more affordable for PMDC patients. “Many people with Parkinson’s have to retire earlier than they planned, so suddenly it is harder for them to afford their normal living expenses on top of their medical care. Copays, special medical equipment, exercise classes — it all adds up,” Rogliano said. Financial barriers are common obstacles for Parkinson’s patients, said Leslie Cloud, M.D., associate professor of neurology in the VCU School of Medicine and director of the VCU Parkinson’s and Movement Disorder Center. “There are a lot of disparities in the Parkinson’s disease community with regard to wellness resources,” Cloud said. “There’s also data to show that group exercise classes tend to improve people’s motivation and adherence to a longterm commitment to exercise, but not everyone can afford to seek out those resources. Through the Roglianos’ donation to create an endowed chair for wellness work in Parkinson’s disease, we hope to create a variety of innovative wellness programs that will benefit the local community and help even out some of those disparities so that everyone living in this region with Parkinson’s disease has access to the same quality care.”
“The financial burden of medical school can put pressure on a student to pick a high-paying specialty, not because they’re passionate about it but because they have debt to pay off. That takes away from the sacredness of the job. Whatever field I choose, I know that I’m going to give it my all.” With a gift to support scholarships at Virginia Commonwealth University, you can help a student pursue their true passion. Learn more about Shivam and the Invest in Me campaign at go.vcu.edu/invest. Shivam Gulhar (B.S.’17/H&S) School of Medicine Class of 2021
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unds donated during the Make It Real Campaign for VCU supported
the construction of a number of worldclass facilities that transform the ways our students, faculty, caregivers and patients interact, learn and complete research. Results of the $121.9 million donated for facilities during the campaign can be found throughout central Virginia, from the VCU Rice Rivers Center living laboratory in Charles City County to the game-changing Basketball Development Center on the Monroe Park Campus to the eight-story building on the MCV Campus that unites College of Health Professions’ 11 departments and administrative offices under one roof.
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COLLEGE OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS BUILDING A combined space for integrated health sciences education hen the College of Health Professions building opened in 2019, students and faculty moved into a collaborative learning space, allowing them to live the school’s motto: “Strength through diversity.” Previously, the school’s nine academic units, the dean’s office and the Virginia Center on Aging were scattered among five buildings on two ends of campus. In addition to providing space for increased collaboration, the 154,100-square-foot, eight-story building at 10th and
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Leigh streets allows for increased enrollment and faculty recruitment, provides dedicated lab and research space and adds more space for high-demand programs, such as physical therapy. While construction of the building was financed by state bonds and university debt, private philanthropy has enhanced the interior of the facility by funding equipment, technology and other resources that allow students to receive a top-quality education and prepare them for careers in health care.
TOP PHOTO KEVIN MORLEY, UNIVERSITY MARKETING; BOTTOM PHOTO TOM KOJCSICH, UNIVERSITY MARKETING
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BASKETBALL DEVELOPMENT CENTER
A game-changing space for practice and recruitment
pened in October 2015, this 60,000-square-foot, state-of-theart practice facility, adjacent to the Stuart C. Siegel Center, houses the VCU men’s and women’s basketball programs and centralizes all basketball activities. Though the practice courts for both teams sit at the heart of the venue, the center also features strength and conditioning areas, a sports medicine center with a hydrotherapy room, coaches’ offices, players’ lounges and a dining area. New technologies include microchipped vests that players wear during practice to monitor heart and perspiration rates as well as their movements, giving the medical team baseline statistics on each player’s health. VCU also upped its recruiting game with the new facility, attracting top players from across the nation and helping the Rams maintain a national presence.
PHOTOS SCOTT K. BROWN PHOTOGRAPHY
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INSTITUTE FOR CONTEMPORARY ART
A cultural cornerstone and collaborative forum for the city of Richmond
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PHOTOS IWAN BAAN
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pened in 2018, the Institute for Contemporary Art at the Markel Center serves as an iconic landmark and a symbolic gateway for Richmond, Virginia, with entrances to the VCU campus on one side and the city’s arts district on the other. The noncollecting art institution features the innovative design of Steven Holl Architects, hosts rotating exhibits, commissions works of art and brings internationally respected artists and scholars to Richmond. The ICA also fosters interdisciplinary learning through collaborations with the School of the Arts and with the greater VCU community to serve the scholarly needs and creative interests of audiences of all ages.
CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL OF RICHMOND AT VCU CHILDREN’S PAVILION
A new standard of care for kids
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PHOTOS TOM KOJCSICH, UNIVERSITY MARKETING
he outpatient Children’s Pavilion, located on Broad Street between 10th and 11th streets, is the largest, most advanced outpatient facility dedicated to children in the region. The 640,000-square-foot facility opened to children and families in 2016, bringing together nearly all pediatric outpatient services on the MCV Campus under one roof. Designed to provide families with the most advanced, coordinated care possible, the pavilion houses radiology, same-day surgery, lab testing, dialysis, infusions and more in an environment custom-made for kids. Exam rooms are divided into clinic pods organized for efficient multidisciplinary care. Each pod includes 12 exam rooms, a treatment room, support space and a centralized clinical team hub. To further enhance the experience for families, the pavilion also includes amenities such as a 600-space parking garage, the Ronald McDonald House Sibling Center, a sky terrace overlooking West Broad Street with trees and artificial grass, interactive displays and lactation rooms.
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RICE RIVERS CENTER EXPANSION
A nexus for leading environmental research and preserving natural resources
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their projects. Work begins next year to construct a research laboratory building, bringing all research and analysis needs on-site. The research building also means increased productivity, more staff and an influx of high-profile research programs that will boost Rice’s overall body of research. In addition, the lodge allows VCU to host top international ecologists conducting on-site research or multiday fieldwork excursions. PHOTO ALLEN JONES, UNIVERSITY MARKETING
ince its inception in 2000, the VCU Rice Rivers Center has excelled as a leader in environmental sustainability, serving as one of the most important wetland restoration and conservation sites on the East Coast. The 2017 addition of an overnight lodge on the 500-acre site in Charles City County, Virginia, changed the way that students and scientists work while at the center by allowing them to stay overnight to monitor
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CU’s Cabell Library is one of the busiest academic libraries in Virginia, welcoming more than 2 million visitors each year. The expansion project was completed in 2016, adding 93,000 square feet of new construction and 63,000 square feet of improvements to the existing Monroe Park Campus library, with 90% of the space designed specifically to meet students’ research and study needs. The library now has an additional 1,500 seats, doubling the number to about 3,000, as well as new study rooms and consultation pods, where students can have one-on-one conversations with staff. Cabell also boasts a reading porch, tons of natural light and a media studio, called The Workshop, with a makerspace featuring 3D printers, a laser cutter, sewing machines, a computerized tabletop router and more.
PHOTO TOM KOJCSICH, UNIVERSITY MARKETING
A transformational environment for students in the heart of campus
PHOTO ROBERT BENSON
JAMES BRANCH CABELL LIBRARY EXPANSION
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VIRGINIA TREATMENT CENTER FOR CHILDREN
Expanded access to children’s mental health care
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PHOTOS ALLEN JONES, UNIVERSITY MARKETING
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he Virginia Treatment Center for Children provides services for children and adolescents with mental health issues ranging from depression and ADD/ADHD to anxiety, autism spectrum disorder and behavioral problems at home and at school. In 2017, a new state-of-the-art VTCC opened on Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU’s Brook Road Campus, replacing a 50-year-old facility located downtown. The new facility allowed the VTCC to better meet the needs of Virginia’s families. The center includes 32 inpatient beds, with future expansion capacity to 48 beds in support of projected 2024 patient volume, and the inclusion of 20 outpatient consult/exam rooms more than triples previous outpatient capacity. Spanning nearly 120,000 square feet, the facility features technology and architectural designs tailored to creating a therapeutic environment and houses inpatient units, an outpatient behavioral health office, the Cameron K. Gallagher Mental Health Resource Center and the Commonwealth Institute for Child and Family Studies, the research arm of VTCC.
MCGLOTHLIN MEDICAL EDUCATION CENTER
A new design for teaching medicine in a new way
PHOTO LINDY RODMAN, UNIVERSITY MARKETING
he spring 2013 opening of the 12story, 200,000-square-foot McGlothlin Medical Education Center, located at the corner of 12th and Marshall streets, paved the way for the launch of the School of Medicine’s innovative curriculum redesign that incorporates team-based learning, clinical problem-solving and simulation training. Meticulously constructed to support future physicians and advances in medical care, two floors of the facility are home to the Center for Human Simulation and Patient Safety; another two floors are dedicated to cancer research. Like the Egyptian Building, the medical education center serves as a centerpiece on the MCV Campus. It was made possible by Fran and James McGlothlin, who donated $25 million to the VCU School of Medicine — one of the largest gifts in the school’s history — as well as by hundreds of alumni and friends who supported the project.
PHOTO TOM KOJCSICH, UNIVERSITY MARKETING
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THANK YOU TO THESE INDIVIDUALS WHO PROVIDED LEADERSHIP FOR THE CAMPAIGN. STEERING COMMITTEE
Lisa and Zach Ellis Darlene and George Emerson Marsha and Bill Ginther Terrell and Elliott Harrigan Kathleen and John Luke Kathie and Steve Markel Nancy and Ron McFarlane Elaine and Baxter Perkinson Vickie and Tom Snead Jackie Stone and B.K. Fulton Kathy and Rick Wagoner CAMPAIGN CABINET
Wilsie Bishop Trevor Cox Ron Davis Mary Doswell Pam Faggert Mike Gracik Stephanie Holt Freddie Jacobs Gail Johnson Dale Kalkofen Jerry Kluft
Bill Mattox Abby Moore Natalie Newfield Mark Newfield Sherry Peterson Tracy Kemp Stallings Katie Webb Bert Wellons Brian White Patty Wilkerson SENIOR ADVISORY COUNCIL
Margaret and Al Broaddus Lou Harris* Kay and Charles James Fran and Jim McGlothlin Ramona and Jim Neifeld Susan and Randy Reynolds Inger Rice Dawn and Stuart Siegel Carolyn and John Snow Lois and Eugene Trani Bobbie and Jim Ukrop Doug Wilder Ken Wright* *Members of the council before they passed
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ENRICHING RESEARCH EXPERIENCES
PHOTO ALLEN JONES, UNIVERSITY MARKETING
The VCU Rice Rivers Center’s ability to deliver real-world, hands-on education in the field is perfectly in line with the broader mission of the university to provide students with experiential learning opportunities. The addition in 2017 of an overnight lodge on the 494-acre site in Charles City County, Virginia, allows students and visiting scientists to further their research by offering accommodations that let them stay on site to monitor their projects. The lodge was made possible thanks to a $1.8 million gift from philanthropist Inger Rice during the Make It Real Campaign for VCU.
Virginia Commonwealth University Development and Alumni Relations Box 843042 Richmond, Virginia 23284-3042
We made it real. You made it possible. Because of your generous support, the Make It Real Campaign for VCU will forever change the university.
THANK YOU! Did you miss the Make It Real Campaign Experience? Watch it now at campaign.vcu.edu.
