VCU College of Humanities and Sciences

10/19/2026

How did early Christians understand their emotions? What did they believe about joy, sadness, anger, envy, and disgust? And how did these feelings shape Christian spirituality and communal life in the ancient world?

Dr. Andrew Crislip joins the Center of Bible Study's podcast, "On The Way" to explore the fascinating world of emotions in early Christianity.

Watch the full episode on Youtube now.

How did early Christians understand their emotions? What did they b...

10/16/2026

What better way to get in the spooky spirit than ghost stories? 👻

We joined Ryan Smith, professor of history and historic preservation expert, inside the Scott House to hear about some of the spooky stories tied to this campus building.

Want to explore more of Richmond’s haunted history? Check out the latest VCU News article featuring Dr. Smith’s Richmond Haunts class. https://bit.ly/4zAZ3T0

10/16/2026

The College of Humanities and Sciences is so excited to celebrate our Alumni Stars! 🌟

The Alumni Stars Awards recognize outstanding Rams who are making a lasting impact in their professions and communities. We’re proud to celebrate this year’s CHS honorees:

✨ Ella Balasa (B.S. ’14) | VCU Life Sciences and Sustainability
✨ Allegra Newman (B.S. ’01) | The Robertson School of Communication
✨ Edward W. Dadez, Ph.D. (B.S. ’80) | VCU Life Sciences and Sustainability
Congratulations to these incredible alumni on this well-deserved recognition!

Click to learn more about our Alumni Stars and their achievements: https://bit.ly/4hMRrXA

10/15/2026

Political scientist and global health expert Judyth Twigg shares her insight on the questions surrounding a lab worker’s death in Siberia, including the public health response and concerns over transparency.

Read more in AP News and VCU News.

AP News: https://bit.ly/4hS7LoQ
VCU News: https://bit.ly/3VWWH2c

10/14/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us last night for a screening of Declarations: Black Americans and the Revolutionary War!

In partnership with the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government & Public Affairs and Virginia Public Media, we explored the overlooked stories of Black Americans who fought for freedom during the Revolutionary War, followed by a conversation with Sesha Joi Moon, PhD and Marcus Messner.

As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of American independence, these stories remind us that Black Americans are an essential part of our nation’s founding.

Missed this event? Click the link to learn more about our upcoming America at 250 events within the College. https://bit.ly/4edLwZf

10/14/2026

Associate professor of political science Alex Keena was recently featured in Reader’s Digest, sharing expert insight on a landmark court case that changed campaign spending and the role of money in politics.

Read more about the case and its lasting impact on elections:

Money in politics is out of control, and it all has to do with a particular Supreme Court ruling. Legal experts explain how we got here.

10/14/2026

This Monday we held our Pecha Kucha event! ✨

Our presenters shared exciting research opportunities for undergraduate students across the College in a fast-paced format featuring 20 slides, each displayed for 20 seconds.

A big thank you to our wonderful presenters for sharing their insights!

Missed the event? No worries. Shoot us a DM and we can send over the presentation slides!

10/14/2026

The recent death of a pathogen researcher working in Siberia has raised concerns worldwide about suspected pneumonic plague.

Darya Shipilova, a 28-year-old laboratory scientist who worked at Russia’s Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute, died Oct. 2 after being hospitalized four days earlier. Those basic facts aren’t in dispute – but just about everything else is, VCU’s Judyth Twigg said.

Twigg, Ph.D., is a professor in the Department of Political Science in the VCU College of Humanities and Sciences, and her research focuses on health, demography and health systems reform in Eurasia. She spoke to the Associated Press this week about the circumstances surrounding Shipilova’s death and its aftermath.

VCU News caught up with Twigg for the latest on the case – and how it continues a decadeslong pattern of mystery from Russia on the world stage.

Read more: https://news.vcu.edu/article/pneumatic-plague-scare-in-russia

10/12/2026

Last Friday, the College of Humanities and Sciences was excited to welcome Geoff Bennett, co-anchor and co-managing editor of PBS NewsHour, for a packed house conversation about his book, Black Out Loud: The Revolutionary History of Black Comedy from Vaudeville to '90s Sitcoms.

Joined by alumnus Jesse Vaughan, Bennett explored the history of Black comedy and its impact on American culture and social change.

We’re so grateful to Geoff for sharing his insights and to everyone who joined us for such a great turnout!

10/12/2026

In the latest VCU News article, Caddie Alford, associate professor of English, explores the seemingly conflicting perspectives on AI’s future and how today’s debate can be traced back to the 1940s.

Read now: https://bit.ly/4yAVmvT

VCU professor Caddie Alford clarifies the voices that seem to conflict but often overlap on the future of AI and explains how the discussion’s roots can be traced to the 1940s.