RICHMOND, Virginia, Oct. 15 -- Virginia Commonwealth University issued the following news: * * * Oct. 14, 2026 U.S. Pacific Territories serve as a research station for VCU students Political science professor Andrea Simonelli leads a field project to Guam and Saipan to explore governance, disaster recovery and the environment. By Haley Tenore The two U.S. territories are far from the mainland - and far off the radar for most Americans - but Guam and Saipan provided direct insight this summer for a handful of Virginia Commonwealth Universi more PR

RICHMOND, Virginia, Oct. 15 -- Virginia Commonwealth University issued the following news: * * * Oct. 14, 2026 Physical therapy professor Michael Kiefer awarded NIH Career Development Award to advance pediatric muscle disease research Kiefer will use the funding to support vital work to advance clinical trials for children with congenital myotonic dystrophy, a disease characterized by low muscle tone and difficulty breathing. - Michael Kiefer, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Physical Therapy at Virginia Commonwealth Univer more PR

RICHMOND, Virginia, Oct. 15 -- Virginia Commonwealth University issued the following news: * * * Oct. 14, 2026 Rural roots power Kayla Spivey's route to social work The Chesapeake native is pursuing undergraduate research - with a focus on the state of rural mental health in Virginia - and gaining real-world experience through the VCU School of Social Work's Evaluation Lab. By Sian Wilkerson Growing up in a rural corner of Chesapeake in southeastern Virginia, Kayla Spivey discovered an early calling toward service. "I saw how substance a more PR