VCU news

By Elinor Frisa

It's graduation season, and the word “congratulations” will be used approximately a zillion times in the coming days at Virginia Commonwealth University. The universitywide commencement ceremony takes place May 10, but the festivities spill over into the days preceding and following the big event, with various school-level ceremonies, parties and celebrations.

As graduating students (literally) gear up for the big day, here’s a look at some of the more precise numbers that make this year’s ceremony, and the thousands of students being honored, special for graduates, their family and friends – and the entire VCU community cheering them on.

4,938

… students are crossing the finish line this May. This year’s graduates are collectively earning 3,119 baccalaureate degrees, 985 master’s degrees, 297 doctoral degrees and 365 first-professional degrees (such as the M.D.). And for some particularly driven students, one degree wasn’t enough: There are 317 with multiple majors or degrees.

4,000

… buttons that say “I’m proud of my VCU grad” are ready to be handed out at the main ceremony to family and friends. There are thousands of proud supporters rooting for our grads, and other black-and-gold props will be on hand to make the event festive, including 5,500 pom-poms and 4,500 balloons.

Top 4

…majors for the undergraduates finishing their degrees this month are (in order) psychology, biology, computer science and (tied at No. 4) business and mass communications.

33

…years old when he became the CEO of Kickstarter, commencement speaker Everette Taylor is a Richmond native who overcame homelessness in high school and started his first company at age 19. A successful entrepreneur and marketing executive, he has founded and helped lead numerous companies and startups. And Taylor will join VCU as an affiliate faculty fellow for the 2025-26 academic year.

20.9%

…of graduates are the first in their families to go to college – that’s more than 1,000 students marking a major milestone in their family history. And 6.3% of the undergraduates are Honors students.

1

…graduate who will be singing the national anthem during the ceremony. Lauren Maho is a music major with a passion for opera who will be heading to Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music this fall to begin graduate studies in voice and opera. This is the 2nd time the mezzo soprano has performed the anthem. She’ll be accompanied by 50 VCU Band musicians who lend their musical talents to the occasion.

217

…international students are graduating, and they represent 47 foreign countries. The rest of VCU’s graduates hail from 38 states, including D.C. Of all graduates, 30.6% are underrepresented minorities. The oldest student to graduate is 77, and the youngest is just 19.

1

…student, Abigail Akyea, will be honored with a VCU Board of Visitors Award at commencement. A rising junior majoring in information systems, Akyea is the founder of Abby’s Formula for Impact, a community service initiative dedicated to helping youth gain resources, mentorship and the confidence to become leaders. Passionate about helping others find their place in the community, Akyea is a community engagement researcher at VCU and is active in numerous mentorship and leadership programs, including Management Leadership for Tomorrow, a national nonprofit that supports economic mobility.

Editor’s note: Data accurate as of May 5, 2025. Photos by VCU Enterprise Marketing and Communications unless otherwise noted.