VCU news

By A. Nikki Ahmadi-Nabi
University News Services

Virginia Commonwealth University has announced two recipients of scholarships that reward academic excellence in the classroom and leadership in diversity efforts at VCU.

VCU Dining Services and ARAMARK, along with VCU's Office of Multicultural Student Affairs, announced in April that Jamie Bennett and Gabriel Williams will each receive the scholarships.

"This award reinforces the idea that diversity is everyone's business and that we can show diversity leadership while maintaining high academic standards," said Napoleon Peoples, Ph.D., director of VCU's Office of Multicultural Student Affairs.

In September 2004, Bennett organized the first annual VCU Arabic Film Festival with the interdisciplinary support of the Office of International Education, the School of World Studies, the VCU Honors Program and the Muslim Student Association. Originally from Mechanicsville, Bennett is expecting to graduate from the School of Social Work in May 2008.

Williams is the executive chief officer of the Alexandrian Society of the VCU Department of History. Williams, who is from Alexandria, is majoring in communications art and design and expects to graduate in December 2006.

"VCU's Department of Business Services embraces the importance of diversity in all aspects of our business operations and programs," said Diane Reynolds, director of VCU Business Services. "We are especially pleased to provide this scholarship to VCU students through our partnership with ARAMARK Educational Services Inc."

For more information, visit http://www.bsv.vcu.edu/.