VCU School of Public Health

Exciting news from VCU Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences:

Savannah Reitzel, M.P.H., has successfully defended her dissertation titled “THRIVE: Transformative Health and Reproductive Information for Incarcerated Women’s Empowerment.”

Her committee included Larkin Francis, PH.D., Jessica LaRose, Ph.D., Shawn Jones, Ph.D., and Richard Brown, Ph.D.

🖤 Congratulations, Dr. Reitzel! 💛

Turning research into real-world action! 🤝✨

In its fourth year, the Virginia Public Health Summit on Cancer welcomed more than 230 experts, scientists, and public health leaders from around the commonwealth. Organized around the theme, “Community Priorities to Practical Action,” attendees gathered to help shape the conversation around advancing public health, understanding cancer-related needs in our state, and shaping policy based on research.

Many of our faculty and friends were in attendance to help drive this progress, including:
🔸 Katherine Tossas, Ph.D., M.S., assistant professor in the VCU Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences and director of Catchment Area Data Analytics at VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center
🔸 Marcie Wright, Ph.D., M.P.H., associate professor of Social and Behavioral Sciences and associate director of the VCU Center on Health Advancement (pictured here)
🔸 Meghan Tipre, Dr.P.H., M.S.P.H., assistant professor of assistant director of Catchment Area Data Analytics at Massey

Check out the full article in the link below to see a complete overview, key takeaways, and how our faculty contributed to the conversation.

Coming fall 2026: a brand new Minor in Public Health!

This new path into public health offers students a greater understanding of what impacts and improves health and well-being for all. It's ideal for students studying clinical radiation science, dental hygiene, pharmaceutical science, psychology, sociology, and urban and regional studies, but all are welcome!

If you're curious about how public health impacts the world around you, this is for you! Find more information at the link below.

We 💛 this impressive group of scholars!

Amidst the end-of-semester rush, Ph.D. students joined Jessica LaRose, Ph.D., professor and chair of the VCU Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, met over lunch to reflect on their experiences in the program and plan for the future.

We're already looking forward to a new year!

Happy 30th anniversary to the Bolashak International Scholarship Program! 🇰🇿 🎉

Dean Monica Swahn, Ph.D., and Askar Chukmaitov, Ph.D., director of the VCU-Bolashak program, had the honor of visiting Kazakhstan for the celebration last month.

Bolashak—run through Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Science and Higher Education and the Center for International Programs—has played a major role in supporting the education and professional growth of future leaders, clinicians, and public servants.

We’re proud that is part of this important work. Our faculty help coordinate advanced training for Kazakhstani clinicians at Virginia Commonwealth University, building clinical skills, strengthening international connections, and supporting the country’s healthcare workforce.

It was wonderful to celebrate this milestone together and look ahead to even more collaboration in the years to come.

Did you hear the news? and the VCUarts will offer a new interdisciplinary minor in the fall for undergrad students: Public Health and the Arts.

This is one of two new minors we'll offer starting this fall!

Students can choose from three new interdisciplinary minors with an arts emphasis this fall Creative technology instruction, public health and the arts, and screenwriting offer fresh options for students majoring in a variety of disciplines.

Congratulations, Dr. Shillpa Naavaal!

VCU Department of Health Policy VCU Dentistry

Huge congratulations to Dr. Shillpa Naavaal on earning her Ph.D. in Health Policy from the VCU School of Public Health. This achievement not only reflects her dedication to improving population health but also highlights the high caliber of scholarship fostered at VCU. We look forward to the continued impact she will make in improving the oral health of populations here and beyond.

Incredibly proud of Anabeel Sen, Ph.D. student in and scholarship recipient.

Anabeel Sen completed medical school in Bangladesh where he would see people from all walks of life and realized that social factors were a determinant of health. Inspired, he decided to pursue his Ph.D. in epidemiology. Now he is a VCU School of Public Health scholarship recipient.

"The scholarship gives you that academic encouragement, that inspiration. You can focus completely on your dissertation."

VCU Health

Next year, VCU Health Sciences Library will move into the Hunton Student Center!

Expect some changes to student learning and collaboration spaces as the VCU Health Sciences Library relocates during the 2026-2027 academic year, but know our liaison Samantha Gus will be available for reference and research consultations virtually and at OCS.

current | Health Sciences Library moves | VCU Libraries Health Sciences Library will move to Hunton Student Center May 12, 2026 The VCU Health Sciences Library, 509 N. 12th Street, will move to the Hunton Student Center at 1110 East Broad Street during the 2026-2027 academic year. There has been a health sciences library serving the academic medical camp...