The Virginia State University College of Engineering and Technology was awarded a 
$100,000 Lockheed Martin Grant in partnership with the Thurgood Marshall College 
Fund (TMCF) for the 2025 academic year. The funding supported the launch of a new 
initiative, STEP UP – Strengthening Talent, Enrollment, and Persistence through 
Undergraduate Research and Pre-College Program.
Virginia State University received the gift of $100,000 from esteemed alumna, Board of Visitors member, and former Rector, 
Dr. Valerie K. Brown. Dr. Brown has been a proud Trojan since graduating from VSU in 1978 and continues to be a dedicated 
champion of the University's future.
The Virginia State University Board of Visitors extended President Dr. Makola M. Abdullah's contract through 2032, ensuring 
continued growth, student success, and momentum as one of the nation's leading Historically Black Colleges and Universities. 
Dr. Abdullah, who has served as VSU's 14th president since February 2016, continues to lead the University through a period of 
record achievement and transformation.
Assistant Professor and Chair of the Department of Languages & Literature, Dr. Latorial 
Faison, was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in Poetry for her book, Nursery Rhymes in 
Black. The Pulitzer Prize is regarded as one of the most prestigious awards in 
American literature. Winners of the 2026 Pulitzer Prizes are expected to be announced 
in early May 2026.
Virginia State University's Azurest South, also known as the Alumni House, was designated a National Historic Landmark 
(NHL). That designation is the highest federal recognition of a property's historical, architectural, or archeological 
significance. Azurest South was built in 1939 by VSU alumna Amaza Lee Meredith, one of the first documented African 
American female architects.
A team of four Virginia State University students competed in the 36th Honda Campus All-Star Challenge (HCASC) National 
Championship in Torrance, California. The year-round academic competition features HBCUs from across the nation in a 
fast-paced quiz format. VSU was one of 32 schools competing for the national championship.
Fifty-one Virginia State University Engineering and Technology students attended this year's National Society of Black 
Engineers (NSBE) Annual Convention in Chicago, an event that offers valuable networking and professional development 
opportunities. More than 80% of the VSU students who attended the convention secured post-convention interviews, 
internships, or full-time job offers.
A team of VSU students won first place in the 8th Annual Advancing Minorities' Interest in Engineering (AMIE) Design 
Challenge for developing an innovative AI-powered solution that helps small-scale farmers analyze soil conditions and 
maximize crop yields.
Virginia State University was the only HBCU among 38 institutions 
invited to compete in the 2025 NASA Lunabotics Challenge in Florida. 
The VSU Lunabotics Team designed and built a versatile robot 
capable of navigating and performing complex tasks on simulated 
lunar terrain, showcasing the University’s innovation, technical 
excellence, and leadership in STEM.
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