‘Moms should not be dying’: Black maternal mortality rates remain high
Natalie Barr, Staff Writer Black maternal mortality rates have increased over the decades, according to the CDC’s Pregnancy Mortality Surveillance System reports. Non-Hispanic, Black pregnant people had the highest maternal mortality rate at about 70%, whereas the rate for non-hispanic white pregnant people was about 27%, according to 2021 CDC data from U.S. Maternal Mortality […]
‘A time for the community’: How students are celebrating Ramadan
Hollyann Purvis, Managing Editor Ramadan is a holy and significant month for Muslims worldwide, according to Samaneh Oladi Ghadikolaei, assistant professor in VCU’s School of World Studies. Throughout the entirety of the month, Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset. “Common practices include fasting, increased prayer and devotion, fostering community, engaging in religious education, and celebrating […]
VCU PD makes traffic safety improvements after student death on campus
Katie Farthing, Staff Writer VCU Police Department has increased traffic safety efforts on campus after the death of student Mahrokh Khan on Jan. 27, according to Corey Byers, public relations specialist for VCU PD. VCU PD officers issued 466 traffic summonses in 2022, according to Byers. From Feb. 1 to March 24 of this year, […]
‘I’m very humbled’: Librarian of the Year hopes to continue helping people
Natalie Barr, Staff Writer The Estelle Brodman award for Academic Health Science Librarian of the Year, given from the Medical Library Association, or MLA, was awarded to VCU’s own — Emily Hurst. The award recognizes the accomplishments of mid-level career librarians with less than 16 years in the field, according to Hurst. Hurst’s career spans […]
Students look for housing as spring semester reaches final stretch
Katie Farthing, Staff Writer VCU students have begun to look for housing for the 2023-2024 school year. Dorm prices tend to stay steady over the years, and if they do change it’s for a few reasons, according to Kevin Wade, senior associate director of administrative services with Residential Life and Housing. “A lot of it […]
Sickle cell fundraiser honors ‘shero’ for Women’s History Month
Katie Farthing, Staff Writer Unity Ride 4 Sickle Cell, an annual fundraiser to spread awareness about sickle cell disease and find a cure, honored Florence Cooper-Smith at the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia on Saturday for her work to find the cure, according to its Facebook. Unity Ride 4 Sickle Cell introduced […]
2023 exceeds 100 mass shootings nationally, studies show mass shooters’ psychological tendencies
Faith Redd, Contributing Writer Selna Shi, News Editor Researchers found key psychological tendencies that are frequently displayed in mass shooters, according to a VCU study. The research studying the behaviors of over 170 mass shooters was released in 2022, the same year over 640 mass shootings were recorded, according to the Gun Violence Archive. The […]
VCU students speak out against evangelical preachers on campus
Andrew Kerley, Audience Editor Sarah Hagen, Contributing Writer Groups of evangelists have been preaching to students around VCU’s Monroe Park campus for multiple years, according to Ky-Long Nguyen, a VCU senior and information systems student. “Frankly, no students agree with their thoughts. What they have been doing has been a waste of time. I recommend […]
Doctors discuss importance, benefits of diversity in health systems leadership
Natalie Barr, Staff Writer Just under 6% of doctors in the U.S. are Black, according to data from the Association of American Medical Colleges — yet, 2020 census data states 12% of the U.S. population is Black. The VCU Health webinar “Black in Excellence” hosted four panelists to highlight the importance of Black representation in […]
New Common Book highlights mental health, loneliness epidemic
Katie Farthing, Staff Writer VCU chose “Seek You: A Journey Through American Loneliness” by Kristen Radtke to be the 2023-2024 Common Book. The Common Book program aims to explore different social issues and bring VCU students and staff together to discuss these issues, according to the Common Book website. Previous Common Books focused on issues […]