List of Virginia Commonwealth University alumni
This article lists notable alumni and students of the Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia.
Art
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a2/Trudy_Benson.jpg/220px-Trudy_Benson.jpg)
Notable artists who are alumni and students of VCU School of the Arts.
- Diana al-Hadid – sculptor and installation artist (MFA 2005)
- Hannah Altman – photographer (MFA 2020)
- Trudy Benson – abstract artist (BFA 2007)
- James Bumgardner – painter, multimedia artist, RPI, VCU art faculty (BFA 1955)
- Tony Cokes – video artist (MFA 1985)
- Rose Datoc Dall – painter (BFA 1990)
- Tara Donovan – sculptor (MFA 1999)
- Torkwase Dyson – painter (BFA 1999)
- Joseph Craig English – printmaker (BFA 1970)
- Donwan Harrell – fashion designer, founder of Prps and Akademiks (BFA 1989)
- Lisa Hoke – sculptor and installation artist (BFA 1978)
- Sterling Hundley – illustrator and painter (BFA 1998)
- Abby Kasonik – painter (BFA 1998)
- Nate Lewis – cut paper sculptor (BS 2009)
- Whitney Lynn – sculptor and performance artist (BFA 2004)
- Philip B. Meggs – graphic designer and historian of design (BFA 1964, MFA 1971)
- Eric Millikin – conceptual, internet, video and performance artist (MFA 2021)
- Janice Smith – furniture maker (BFA 1976)
- Carol Sutton – painter and sculptor (BFA 1967)
- Alice Tangerini – botanical illustrator (BFA 1972)
- Alessandra Torres – performance and installation artist (MFA 2006)
- Charles Vess – fantasy and comics illustrator (BFA 1974)
- Judith Godwin – Abstract painter
- Emmet Gowin – Photographer and portraitist
- Chino Amobi – Contemporary artist, musician and painter
Fahmida Azim – Pulitzer Prize winning illustratorMark Sloan, curator, author and painter - Sam Bass – Motorsports artist
- Nell Blaine – American landscape painter
- Noah Bradley – Fantasy artist known for Dungeons & Dragons
- Loryn Brazier – Painter, known for her portraits of Virginia politicians
- Lauren Clay – Sculptor known for her large fantasy inspired installations
- Daryl Cobb – Children's book illustrator
- Tony Cokes – Visual artist and educator
- Bonnie Collura – artist known for figurative multi-media sculptures, textiles and installations
- Assil Diab – Sudanese graphic designer
- Paul DiPasquale –Sculptor known for designing several public sculptures in Virginia, including the Arthur Ashe Monument on Richmond's Monument Avenue and King Neptune on Virginia Beach's boardwalk
- Tarfia Faizullah – Poet
- Anna Journey – Poet
- Jon Pineda – Poet
- Kevin Powers – Poet
- Ron Smith – Poet
- Allison Titus – Poet
- Colette Fu – photographer, book artist and paper engineer, known for her pop-up books
- Sylvia Harris – graphic designer known for designing the U.S. Census and as a pioneer in social impact design
- Sally Heller – Artist known for her large installations
- Lisa Hoke – Visual artist known for abstract sculptures
- Brian Hubble – American illustrator
- Katie Hudnall – Artist known for her woodworking
- Sterling Hundley – Illustrator and painter
- Michael Kaluta – Comic book artist
- Abby Kasonik – Painter
- Dawn Kasper – Interdisciplinary artist
Sylvia Harris, designer of the U.S. Census, and credited as a pioneer in social impact design. - Matt Kenyon – New media artist
- Ana Ines Barragan King – Founder of the Latin Ballet of Virginia
- Mia LaBerge – Oil painter
- Abigail Larson – Fantasy artist
- Philip B. Meggs – Graphic designer and historian who authored books on graphic design
- Wiley Miller – Cartoonist
- Ayanah Moor – Conceptual artist
- Lois Morrison – Book artist
- Charlotte Moss – interior designer, author and philanthropist
- Mel Odom – Book cover artist
- G. Byron Peck – Mural artist
- Alston Purvis – Graphic designer and author
- Beatrice Riese – Artist and art collector
- Rob G. – Comic book artist
- Anne Savedge – Photographic artist
- Steve Segal – Pixar animator
- Mark Sloan – Museum curator
- Janice Smith – Furniture maker
- Alice Tangerini – Botanical illustrator
- Kevin Tinsley – Comic book illustrator
- Phil Trumbo – Art director and graphic designer
- Betony Vernon – Jewelry designer
Business
- William Gifford – CEO of Altria (BBA)
4chan founder Christopher Poole - Christopher Poole – founder of 4chan
- Donwan Harrell – Creator of luxury denim line PRPS and designer at Nike,
- Norman Sisisky – founder of Petersburg Bottling Company, which became Pepsi (BBA)
- Kenneth Sullivan – CEO of Smithfield Foods
- Robert Graboyes – American economist and musician
- John Graham – Economist and Professor at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business
- Jeff Ray Clark – Economist specializing in public choice theory
- Edward N. Coffman – Accounting Scholar who specialized in its history
- Jerry Dipoto – Seattle Mariners baseball executive
- Catherine C. Eckel – Behavioral economist
- Jenny Hollowell – Music industry executive
- Mildred Callahan Jones – Known as the "Flag Lady," she pioneered the decorative flag industry
- Carole Ann Klonarides – Art consultant
- Angela Patton – CEO of Girls for a Chanbge
Government
- Watkins Abbitt, Jr. – member of the Virginia House of Delegates[1]
- Chris LaCivita – Senior Advisor to Donald Trump's 2024 campaign
U.S. Representative Rob Wittman - Marilyn Tavenner – Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services
- Lashrecse Aird – member of the Virginia State Senate[2]
- Lamont Bagby – member of the Virginia State Senate[3]
- Rosalyn Dance – former member of the Virginia State Senate[4]
- Yasonna Laoly – Minister of Law and Human Rights of Indonesia (2014–present)
- Nancy McFalane – Former Mayor of Raleigh, North Carolina (2011–2019)
- Todd Pillion – member of the Virginia State Senate[5]
- Will Sessoms – Mayor of Virginia Beach, VA (2008–2018)
- Kim Taylor – member of Virginia House of Delegates[6]
- Schuyler VanValkenburg – member of Virginia House of Delegates[7]
- Justin Wilson – Mayor of Alexandria, Virginia
- Rob Wittman – Republican member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Virginia's 1st congressional district[8]
- Todd Haymore, Virginia Secretary of Commerce (MBA)
Debra Gardner, member of the Virginia House of DelegatesYasonna Laoly, Minister of Law and Human Rights for Indonesia - Alan Gross – U.S. Government Contractor arrested in Cuba
- Clay Athey – Politician and jurist
- Lamont Bagby – State politician from Virginia
- Cynthia Ball – State politician from North Carolina
- Peter A. Blake – Virginia Secretary of Education
- Michael Chapman – Director of Homeland Security for Missouri
- Keyanna Conner – Virginia Secretary of Administration
- Nikuyah Walker – Mayor of Charlottesville, Virginia
- Rosalyn Dance – Virginia State Senator
- Natalie Edwards – Former senior official at the United States Department of the Treasury
- Megan Healy – Virginia Secretary of Labor
- Cynthia Eppes Hudson – Deputy Attorney General for Virginia
- Anita Josey-Herring – Chief Judge of the Superior Court of Washington D.C.
- John W. Marshall – Secretary of Public Safety for Virginia
- Adele McClure - Member of the Virginia House of Delegates
- Nancy McFarlane – Pharmacist and politician
- Delores McQuinn – Member of the Virginia House of Delegates
- Jackson Miller – Director of the Department of Criminal Justice Services of Virginia
- Todd Pillion – Dentist and State Senator
- Javaid Siddiqi – Virginia Secretary of Education
- Ronald L. Tillett – Virginia Secretary of Finance
- Dietra Trent – Virginia Secretary of Education
Media
- Mamé Adjei – runner-up of America's Next Top Model cycle 22
- David Baldacci – author, best known for his novel Absolute Power (1996)
- Rachel Beanland – author of Florence Adler Swims Forever
- Macon Blair – actor and Sundance Grand Jury Prize-winning filmmaker, known for his collaborations with Jeremy Saulnier
Reilly Brown – comic book illustrator and writer, known for his work on Cable & DeadpoolAuthor David Baldacci - Caressa Cameron – 2010 Miss America
- Daryl Cobb – author,[9] national children's educational presenter[10]
- Chad L. Coleman – actor
- Andrea Detwiler – 2006 Daytime Emmy winner
- Stephen Furst – actor and director, known as "Flounder" in the National Lampoon classic Animal House (1978) as well as TV series St. Elsewhere and Babylon 5
- Jason Butler Harner – Broadway, television, and film actor; performed in original production of Coast of Utopia; was in Clint Eastwood's Oscar-nominated film Changeling
- Bilal Khan – Pakistani singer and actor
- Zachary Knighton – actor, ABC series Happy Endings
- Boris Kodjoe – actor, model
- Robert Lanham – author, best known for his book The Hipster Handbook (2003)
- Valerie LaPointe – director and storyboard artist for Pixar Animation Studios
- Debbie Matenopoulos – TV host, known for co-hosting ABC's The View, The Daily 10, and TV Guide Channel's The Screening Room
- Wiley Miller – cartoonist and author of the comic strip Non Sequitur
- Caelynn Miller-Keyes – runner-up Miss USA 2018, Bachelor and Bachelor in Paradise contestant
- Trevor Moore – comedian and founding member of The Whitest Kids U' Know
Howard Owen – journalist, author of crime fiction and the novel LittlejohnActor Jason Butler Harner - Jay Pharoah – comedian and Saturday Night Live cast member
- Jon Pineda – award-winning poet and novelist
- Christopher Poole, aka moot – founder of 4chan[11]
- Kevin Powers – novelist and poet, known for The Yellow Birds (2013), a finalist for the National Book Award[12]
- Tom Robbins – author, best known for his novel Even Cowgirls Get the Blues (1976)
- Steve Segal – comic artist, animation director
- Robb Spewak – producer and radio personality for The Don and Mike Show and The Mike O'Meara Show
- Rose Szabo – author of What Big Teeth
- Steve Rasnic Tem – horror fiction writer, winner of the World Fantasy, British Fantasy and Bram Stoker Awards
- Phil Trumbo – film animator, artist
- Brandon Wardell – comedian and Twitter personality
- Mike Wieringo – comic book artist for Marvel and DC comics; co-creator of Image Comics series Tellos
- Greg Barrett – Journalist and public speaker
- Cocoa Brown – Actress
- Jason Butler Harner – Actor in Ozark
- Jennifer A. Johnson - Chief Editor of the journal Sexualization, Media, and Society
- Zachary Knighton – Actor in Happy Endings
- Rebekah McKendry – Film Director
Music
- Chino Amobi – experimental electronic musician
Anhayla – singer-songwriter, guitaristSeveral founding members of GWAR attended VCU. - Sam Beam – singer/songwriter known as Iron and Wine[13]
- Lucy Dacus – singer-songwriter
- Nickelus F – rapper, producer, videographer
- GWAR – several founding members of the band
- Gordy Haab – composer of the Star Wars video games music and multiple award winner in that genre
- Lamb of God – several founding members of the band
- Stefan Lessard – bassist for Dave Matthews Band
- Matthew Ramsey – songwriter, lead singer for Old Dominion
- Nate Smith – drummer, songwriter, producer, and three-time Grammy nominee
- Eric Stanley – violinist, composer
- Robbin Thompson – singer-songwriter
- Steve West – drummer of the indie rock band Pavement and front man for Marble Valley
- Chris Adler – Drummer for Lamb of God
- Anthony Anderson – Operatic baretone singer
- Bruce Bouton – American Country Music guitarist
- McKinley Dixon – Rapper and singer
- Loston Harris – Jazz pianist
- Darius Jones – Saxophonist
- Emre Kartari – Turkish jazz percussionist
- Matthew Ramsey – Country Music musician known for the band Old Dominion
Science
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/00/Baruj_Benacerraf_1969.jpg/220px-Baruj_Benacerraf_1969.jpg)
- Arpana Agrawal – psychiatric geneticist and professor of psychiatry, 2018 Theodore Reich Young Investigator Award
- Hunter "Patch" Adams – founder of the Gesundheit! Institute and subject of the movie Patch Adams
- Baruj Benacerraf – winner of the 1980 Nobel Prize in Medicine, class of 1945
- Georgia Chenevix-Trench – researcher who investigates genetic predispositions to cancer
- Ann S. Fulcher – abdominal radiologist and chair of the department of radiology at Virginia Commonwealth University/Medical College of Medicine
- Saul Krugman– medical researcher who discovered a vaccine against hepatitis B
- Jeffery Taubenberger, M.D. – virologist
- Arpad Vass – research scientist, forensic anthropologist and professor
- Patch Adams, M.D., class of 1971
- Georgia Chenevix-Trench class of 1985, Ph.D.
- Jean Harris, the first African-American student, class of 1955, became Virginia's Secretary of Health and Human Resources.
- Jeffery Taubenberger, M.D. class of 1986, Ph.D. class of 1987
Physician, actor, activist, author and clown Patch Adams - Percy Wootton, M.D., class of 1957, past president, American Medical Association
- William Chivous Bostic Sr. class of 1905
- Meike Bartels – Behavioral geneticist, known for research on the genetics of happiness
- Kathleen T. Brady – American psychiatrist
- Caroline Orr Bueno (PhD) – social and behavioral sciences researcher specializing in disinformation networks
- Brian D'Onofrio – psychologist who researches the causes of psychopathology in children and adolescents
- Eduardo D. Rodriguez – Cuban American plastic and reconstructive surgeon, and reconstructive transplant surgeon, who is known for his contribution to the field of facial transplantation and vascularized composite allotransplantation
- Dorothy Espelage – American psychologist and expert in teen violence
- Philip C. Kendall – Psychologist who produced the Coping Cat program
- Feng Liu – Material physicist
- Michael L. Madigan – Biomedical engineer
- Benjamin Neale – statistical geneticist with a specialty in psychiatric genetics
- Sudhir Srivastava – chief of the Cancer Biomarkers Research Group of the Division of Cancer Prevention at the United States NCI
Sports
- Mo Alie-Cox – current tight end for the Indianapolis Colts
Basketball and Football player Mo Alie-Cox - Yann Bonato – former European professional basketball player; former France National Team member; member of France's silver medal-winning men's basketball team at the 2000 Sydney Olympics; played one season (1990–91) at VCU[14][15]
- Troy Daniels – current shooting guard for Olimpia Milano
- Andrew Dykstra – MLS goalkeeper for D.C. United; also played with the Chicago Fire in MLS[citation needed]
- Treveon Graham – current forward in the G League
- Lanto Griffin – current professional golfer on the PGA Tour
- Sherman Hamilton – former member of Canadian National Men's Basketball Team; participated in 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia[16][citation needed]
- Gerald Henderson – played for the Boston Celtics, Detroit Pistons, Seattle SuperSonics, and San Antonio Spurs, winning four NBA championships[citation needed]
- Quanitra Hollingsworth – center for the Washington Mystics of the WNBA;[17] member of Turkey's 2012 Olympic women's basketball team[18]
Dave Van Horne, broadcaster honored at the Baseball Hall of Fame - Brandon Inge – MLB infielder, formerly with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Oakland Athletics and Detroit Tigers[19]
- Sean Marshall – relief pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds[20]
- Eric Maynor – played for the Washington Wizards and Philadelphia 76ers[21]
- Cla Meredith – former MLB relief pitcher; played for the Boston Red Sox, San Diego Padres and Baltimore Orioles[22]
- Hayley Moorwood – member of New Zealand women's Olympic Soccer Team in Beijing in 2008 and London in 2012[23]
- Dominic Oduro – current forward for the Columbus Crew in MLS[citation needed]
- Juvonte Reddic (born 1992) – basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League
- John Rollins – professional golfer and PGA pro[24]
- Larry Sanders – drafted #15 overall by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2010 NBA Draft[25]
- Gonzalo Segares – former defender for Apollon Limassol in Cyprus; former defender for the Chicago Fire in MLS[citation needed]
- Scott Sizemore – infielder for the Oakland Athletics[26]
- Justin Tillman (born 1996) – basketball player for Hapoel Tel Aviv in the Israeli Basketball Premier League
- Brianté Weber (born 1992) – basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League
- Dave Van Horne – Broadcaster honored at the Baseball Hall of Fame
Other
- Mirta Martin (Ph.D. 1996) – ninth president of Fort Hays State University
- Grace E. Harris, academic administrator and social worker
Frank E. Grizzard Jr., American HistorianSusan Higginbotham, historical fiction novelist and attorney - Leona S. Aiken – Psychology Professor
- William M. Anderson Jr. (BA) – President of the University of Mary Washington
- Nancy Wright Beasley - Author
- Errett Callahan - Archeologist
- Jack Hranicky - Archeologist
- Caressa Cameron - Miss Virginia
- Eric H. du Plessis - Author, translator and educator
- Susan Higginbotham - American historical fiction author and attorney
- Hendrée E. Jones - Researcher on women's substance abuse
- Eileen A. Joy - Old English literary specialist
- Margaret Ann Neale - Adams Distinguished Professor of Management, Emerita, at the Stanford Graduate School of Business
- Sheri Reynolds - Author of contemporary Southern fiction
- Howard Owen - Author and winner of the Hammett Prize
References
- ^ "Abbitt, Watkins Moorman (1908–1998)". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved November 4, 2012.
- ^ "Lashrecse Aird". Project Ballotpedia. Retrieved October 27, 2023.
- ^ "Lamont Bagby". Project Ballotpedia. Retrieved October 11, 2023.
- ^ "Roz Dance". Project Ballotpedia. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
- ^ "Todd Pillion". Project Ballotpedia. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
- ^ "Kim Taylor". Project Ballotpedia. Retrieved October 15, 2023.
- ^ "Schuyler VanValkenburg". Project Ballotpedia. Retrieved October 15, 2023.
- ^ "WITTMAN, Robert J., (1959–)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved November 4, 2012.
- ^ Bostwick, Joanne. "About Daryl Cobb". authorvisitsbydarylcobb.com/aboutme.html. Daryl Cobb Productions. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
- ^ Cobb, Daryl. "Author Visits by Daryl Cobb". Author Visits by Daryl Cobb. Daryl Cobb Productions. Retrieved June 24, 2015.
- ^ "A Virtual Unknown: Meet 'Moot,' the Secretive Internet Celeb Who Still Lives With Mom". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 2019-09-14.
- ^ Kevin Powers
- ^ Sims, Dave (25 Sep 2007). "Growing a Bard". Paste Magazine. Retrieved 7 July 2009.
- ^ "Yann Bonato Bio, Stats, and Results | Olympics at". Sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on 2020-04-17. Retrieved 2016-06-18.
- ^ "VCU". Vcuathletics.com. Retrieved 2016-06-18.
- ^ "Literature Study Guides – By Popularity". eNotes.com. Retrieved 2016-06-18.
- ^ "Quanitra Hollingsworth – WNBA.com – Official Site of the WNBA". WNBA.com. Retrieved 2016-06-18.
- ^ "Turkish women's basketball team reaching for the stars". Archived from the original on July 4, 2012. Retrieved July 3, 2012.
- ^ "Brandon Inge Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved December 10, 2012.
- ^ "Sean Marshall Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved December 10, 2012.
- ^ "Eric Demarqua Maynor". Basketball-Reference.Com. Retrieved December 10, 2012.
- ^ "Cla Meredith Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved December 10, 2012.
- ^ "FIFA Tournaments – Players & Coaches – Hayley MOORWOOD". Fifa.com. 2016-06-10. Archived from the original on July 13, 2008. Retrieved 2016-06-18.
- ^ "John Rollins". PGA Tour. Archived from the original on October 25, 2012. Retrieved December 10, 2012.
- ^ "Larry Sanders". Basketball-Reference.Com. Retrieved December 10, 2012.
- ^ "Scott Sizemore Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved December 10, 2012.
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