Community Engagement
The Department of Chemistry supports the VCU and the Richmond chemistry communities through community-based courses and service learning, partnerships with local area schools, monthly networking events, support of our student organizations, lecture series and more.
Community-Based Courses and Service Learning
Students have the opportunity to explore the Richmond chemistry community through community-based and service learning courses. Chemistry students apply what they've learned in their studies to help grade school students master science learning goals through hands-on experiments.
Partnerships With Local Schools
The department engages with and assists local K-12 schools with instruments, lab space, experiments, events and fundraising. Programs and events like STEAM Day and Project SEED help connect our department with school administrations and the students that learn there.
Monthly Networking Events
The department organizes monthly Chemistry Connect events that connect VCU STEM students with the medical campus, other local universities, the American Chemical Society, alumni and industry partners. These events can range from research lab placement, career exploration, networking opportunities and social resources.
ACS Student Affiliates and CGSO
Our student organizations — the ACS Student Affiliates and the Chemistry Graduate Student Organization — host nationally sponsored events, hold fundraising drives and explore the Richmond chemistry community through group trips, tours of local businesses and other fun activities.
In the News
Hands-on learning – for fifth-graders and VCU students – is the natural reaction for Chemistry in the Community
Professor Mychal Smith is introducing a hands-on science lab that will be led largely by his college students: They are taking his Chemistry in the Community service-learning class, which brings undergraduate science majors into Richmond Public Schools.