Global Education Office

Fulbright U.S. Scholar Awards announced for 2023-2024

Cristina Stanciu, Ph.D., director of the Humanities Research Center and associate professor in the VCU Department of English, and Edmund Acevedo, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences, have received Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program awards for the 2023-2024 academic year from the U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.

VCU faculty awarded Oxford's Harris Manchester Summer Research Institute grant

Dr. Hyojin Im, associate professor in the School of Social Work, and Dr. Brad Lehmann, instructor in the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs, have each been awarded a grant to participate in Oxford’s Harris Manchester College Summer Research Institute (SRI) this summer.

From experience, two VCU staff psychologists help international and immigrant students navigate college

Mijin Kim and Abey Muthoni Wachira with University Counseling Services bring empathy and expertise to those dealing with culture shock.

English Language Program graduates cohort of proficient English speakers

GEO's English Language Program will graduate 28 international students as they complete the requirements of the three-level program. Students from 16 different countries have participated in varying levels of courses from beginner to advanced, completing the coursework depending upon their proficiency levels. Of the graduating students,16 will enroll in degree-seeking programs at VCU in the fall; two at other universities.

Global Achievement Celebration recognizes student achievement

The Global Education Office (GEO) recently recognized student achievement in various programs at its Global Achievement Celebration on Tuesday, April 25, 2023. The celebration honored more than 185 students who were involved in the programs during the 2022-23 academic year, celebrating outstanding achievement, participation and graduation. 

New GEO awards support global learning for VCU students

The Global Education Office (GEO) announces its inaugural 2023-24 Global Learning Program Development Awards intended to fund proposals from Virginia Commonwealth University academic units to develop new and innovative global learning programs, including education abroad, domestic study away with a global focus, or virtual exchange. 

Ukrainian delegation visits with VCU experts and others as part of effort to eliminate the threat of land mines

Six Ukrainian national security experts visited Richmond recently, and Virginia Commonwealth University facilitated their work to target land mines in their country. The delegates’ meetings with faculty, state lawmakers and officials, and members of the Ukrainian-American community in Virginia were made possible by Open World, a program sponsored by the Congressional Office for International Leadership.

Blondin elected as AIEA board member

Virginia Commonwealth University’s Jill Blondin, Ph.D., associate vice provost for global initiatives, was recently elected as a board member of the Association of International Education Administrators (AIEA) during the 2023 AIEA Annual Conference held in Washington, D.C. in February 2023.

Ukrainian leaders to examine national security and humanitarian demining with experts in Virginia

VCU will host a delegation of leaders from across the globe through the Congressional Office for International Leadership (COIL), formerly called the Open World Leadership Center. Six Ukrainian national security experts will spend March 24-April 1 in Richmond as they meet with VCU faculty, Virginia legislators, state agency representatives, and members of the Ukrainian-American community in Virginia to share experiences with the detection and elimination of land mines.

British Embassy visits VCU and the Richmond area

Virginia Commonwealth University will welcome to campus the British Ambassador to the United States, Her Excellency Dame Karen Pierce, DCMG, and other dignitaries from the UK Embassy on March 20-21, 2023. Several events and activities are planned, including a discussion with the ambassador, “Democracy and Diplomacy: Cultivating our Future,” which will explore US/UK relations, the challenges of global diplomacy and her extensive international career ranging from the United Nations to Afghanistan and beyond.

Students and staff from Turkey and Syria feel the impact of earthquake’s destruction

In response to devastating earthquake, members of the VCU community find ways to help, including efforts to raise funds and collect supplies.

Studying abroad provides eye-opening experiences for two Gilman Scholars

Donté Jackson and Sofia Simmons, both recipients of the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, were able to participate in study abroad experiences that they might not have normally chosen.

Love and Travel: A VCU Love Story

Two former exchange students travel from South Korea and Spain to VCU, meet, fall in love and build a life together. Read all about this sweet Valentine love story.

Support for our Turkish and Syrian communities

In light of the recent security emergency in Afghanistan and the earthquake in Turkey and Syria, the VCU Global Education Office and Division of Student Affairs are reaching out to our students and scholars with personal, geographic or cultural ties to these regions. 

Global Buddies Program forges international friendships

TheGlobal Buddies Program pairs international students with English-speaking volunteers and gives them the opportunity to learn about new cultures, improve language skills and make a friend in the process.

VCU’s Jill Blondin selected as Fellow for U.S.-ASEAN University Connections Initiative

Jill Blondin, Ph.D., associate vice provost for global initiatives, has been selected to participate as a Fellow in the U.S.-ASEAN University Connections Initiative (UCI), a White House initiative announced during the U.S.-ASEAN Special Summit in May 2022.

Three VCU students awarded Benjamin A. Gilman scholarships

Three VCU students have been awarded the U.S. Department of State Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship to study abroad during the winter and spring 2023 semesters. Joud Al Kallas, Donté Jackson and Nathan Rowan, all STEM majors, are recipients of the scholarship among 1,500 U.S. undergraduate students awarded across the country. 

Class of 2022: Dhruv Fomra thrived in rich research environment at VCU

Dhruv Fomra traveled to the U.S. from his native India to earn his doctorate in electrical and computer engineering.

Class of 2022: Simranjeet Kaur turned her love of numbers into a burgeoning accounting career

From doing calculations at her family’s bookstore in India to lining up a job at Deloitte, accounting student Simranjeet Kaur is excited for what her future holds.

Thanksgiving banquet brings together international students and community members

More than 100 people attended the Global Education Office’s Thanksgiving celebration for international students to connect with each other over classic holiday food.

IEW ‘22 showcases VCU’s internationalization with host of activities

International Education Week, held Nov. 14 - 18, 2022, is an opportunity to celebrate the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide. This joint initiative of the U.S. Departments of State and Education was first held in 2000, and today is celebrated in more than 100 countries worldwide.

Global Learning staff publishes brief in financial aid journal

Global Education Office staff members published a 'reflections in practice brief' in the September issue of the Journal of Student Financial Aid.  The brief, Strengthening the Bridge Between Financial Aid and Study Abroad, written in conjunction with staff of VCU's Student Financial Services, is about the successful collaboration between the two departments.

Supporting our Iranian community

In light of the tragic death of Iranian Mahsa Amini, VCU’s  Global Education Office and Division of Student Affairs are reaching out to our students and scholars with personal, geographic or cultural ties to the region.

Those wishing to show support and meet with others who may be affected by this event, a student-sponsored evening of remembrance for Mahsa will be held on September 23, at 6 p.m., in Monroe Park.

IIE and GEO fund passport initiative for TRIO Support students

VCU is one of 40 U.S. colleges and universities selected to receive the 2022 Institute for International Education’s (IIE) American Passport Project grant, which awards 25 Pell-eligible students their first U.S. passports. In partnership with VCU’s TRIO Support Services, the Global Education Office will identify eligible students and support them through the process of applying for their first-time passports during Passport Day, an on-campus passport application event to be held on October 28.