Class of 2026: A Ram even in high school, Jessica Nguyen will carry VCU spirit into graduate school

By Anastasia Mineiro

By earning her undergraduate degree this spring, Jessica Nguyen completed her sixth year at Virginia Commonwealth University’s College of Engineering. But that lengthy time span reflects dedication, not delay.

Nguyen has been a Ram since her junior year of high school as a fellow of the Dean’s Early Research Initiative, which instilled her interest in biomedical engineering.

“I loved my time at VCU through that program and decided to stay at VCU for my undergraduate degree,” she said.

Now Nguyen will move on. She will pursue her Ph.D. in the field at Texas A&M University, with a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship supporting her graduate work.

But her path to doctoral studies was directly powered by her opportunities at VCU, which began in full in fall 2022 as she enrolled in the biomedical engineering program.

“I came into college planning to pursue a pre-medicine track, but as I became more involved in research, I found that I genuinely loved the process of asking questions, working through challenges and contributing to something larger than myself,” Nguyen said.

In her sophomore year, she joined VCU’s McNair Scholars Program. Offered through the Strategic Enrollment Management and Student Success division and its TRIO office of federal support programs, McNair prepares underrepresented students for doctoral programs.

Nguyen was grateful for the program’s guidance and preparation as she pursued undergraduate research and applied to graduate school, but she also cited a more personal benefit

“Beyond the professional development aspect, McNair also gave me a strong sense of community,” she said. “Being surrounded by mentors and peers who were all working toward similar goals created an environment that was both motivating and encouraging.”

Nguyen also found community through the Biomedical Engineering Society, and she has served as president of VCU’s student chapter. In 2024, she attended the national BMES annual meeting and cites it as one of her favorite memories at VCU.

“We were able to spend quality time with our faculty members and connect with students from BMES chapters across the country, which eventually led to multiple interchapter collaborations over the past two years!” Nguyen said. “It was the perfect mix of professional opportunities and genuinely fun memories with people who made my time at VCU so special.”

Nguyen has given back to the VCU community through the Teddy Bear Hospital project. The nonprofit focuses on alleviating children’s anxiety in medical environments by “treating” their stuffed animals.

“I was inspired to start a chapter at VCU because of my own interests in medicine, education and community outreach,” she said. “I wanted to create something that extended beyond campus and allowed us to connect directly with the local community in a meaningful way. There’s often a gap in early exposure to health care and STEM, especially in a way that feels accessible and engaging for younger students, and this felt like a small but impactful way to address that.”

With graduate studies and her research fellowship awaiting, Nguyen is grateful for her VCU experience – from her faculty mentors to the larger spirit of the university.

“VCU has such a vibrant and encouraging environment,” she said, “and I’ve been really lucky to be surrounded by people who genuinely want to see each other succeed.”