News and events
2023 Spring Commencement Recap
On Saturday, the Wilder School welcomed more than 250 graduates to our alumni ranks of 12,000 and counting. Governor Wilder delivered the keynote speech which prompted graduates with the charge to take on leadership for the public good, no matter their professional roles. Undergraduate Abby Houchin and graduate student Alexia Brown delivered riveting speeches to their classmates.
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Celebrating a career of public service: Laurin L. Henry, Ph.D., professor emeritus, approaches 102nd birthday
Laurin L. Henry, Ph.D., turns 102 on May 23. He was the first dean of VCU's School of Community Services (now the Wilder School) and served as the president of NASPAA. Last month, Henry recounted his legacy of passion, dedication and service to administrators from NASPAA and the VCU Wilder School.
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Plan Off! 2023: Congratulations to our urban and regional planning graduate students
The Plan Off! 2023 competition was a huge success and celebration for students, faculty, alumni and friends to gather in support of urban planning. Each year, MURP students compete for a prize by pitching their solution to a real-world planning, public policy or management problem before a panel of expert judges. Students each receive five minutes to present their plans, which advance through a series of rounds until a champion is named.
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Wilder School criminal justice faculty Brad Lehmann selected for the 2023 Oxford University Summer Research Institute
While at Oxford, Dr. Lehmann will be designated as a Visiting Fellow of Harris Manchester College and intends to utilize the Bodleian Law Library for its unique insight for criminal justice and the law to access the materials that are not readily available to scholarship in the United States
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Wilder School Lunch and Learn - Community-Engaged Policing: A Discussion with VCU Chief of Police
In this virtual session, John Venuti, VCU police chief and associate vice president for public safety, will discuss how policing has changed since 2020 in the wake of the George Floyd murder. He will also dissect the significant differences between municipal law enforcement and campus law enforcement as well as discuss a model for the future of policing, “Policing with a Purpose.” The session will be moderated by Chernoh Wurie, Ph.D., assistant professor of criminal justice.
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Sesha Joi Moon, Ph.D., establishes landmark endowed scholarship to unlock the potential of the next generation of leaders
Sesha Joi Moon, Ph.D. (B.A.’05;M.S.’08; Cert’09) is building a lasting legacy in Richmond and beyond through her tireless commitment to fostering diversity, equity and inclusion. Inspired by her family’s past, she’s expanding critical learning opportunities for future generations through the new Dr. Sesha Joi Moon Endowed Scholarship.
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Wilder School Virginia Capitol Semester program: Laila Barnes unlocks future career opportunities
For Laila Barnes, pivoting to a new field of study allowed her to bring her career aspirations into view. The Wilder School Virginia Capitol Semester program offered her an experiential learning opportunity to help build a foundation for her future success. This internship program allowed Barnes to spend the semester with Minority Leader Delegate Don Scott’s office.
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Wilder School Virginia Capitol Semester program: Edvard Evans gains an inside perspective on Virginia government
This spring semester internship allows students to combine classroom experience with hands-on service in the office of Virginia State Legislature House Delegate or Senator during the General Assembly, and Evans was able to gain an inside perspective on the inner workings of state government.
Read more.JPG "Administrator Criswell shared her career journey and experiences leading FEMA. She first joined the emergency management field as a firefighter.")
Wilder School hosts FEMA administrator Deanne Criswell for fireside chat
Senior FEMA leadership delegation visited the Wilder School to share emergency management and preparedness career opportunities
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Support an endowed scholarship in honor of VCU alum Sesha Joi Moon, Ph.D.
VCU alumna Sesha Joi Moon, Ph.D., and her family members have established the Dr. Sesha Joi Moon Endowed Scholarship to support undergraduate and graduate students in the fields of African American studies, government, and public affairs. Moon, who serves as chief diversity officer at the U.S. House of Representatives and was one of the first graduates of VCU's Department of African American Studies, credits the university with launching her career.
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