VCU news

By Brian McNeill

Napoleon Peoples, Ph.D., the associate dean of student affairs for Virginia Commonwealth University's MCV Campus, on Friday received one of VCU's highest awards and was recognized for his service by Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe.

Peoples, who has served VCU for 45 years, received the President's Award for Staff and Administrative & Professional Faculty, which recognizes and honors staff and administrative and professional faculty for outstanding performance, achievement and service excellence in support of VCU’s Code of Conduct; its strategic plan, Quest for Distinction; diversity initiatives; and the Great Place Initiative.

"I'm truly honored, truly humbled today," Peoples said Friday at a retirement reception at Larrick Student Center.

At the reception, Peoples was also presented with a certificate of recognition from Gov. McAuliffe, recognizing Peoples for his "outstanding leadership and a steadfast commitment to Virginia Commonwealth University and its students, faculty, staff and alumni."

Peoples was recognized for serving in a variety of leadership roles at VCU, including in his current position as associate dean, which he has been his post since 1997, and in previous positions as director of the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs, as director of the University Career Center and as senior staff counselor in University Counseling Services.

"Dr. Peoples," the proclamation added, "was a leading change agent and positive role model in the founding of the Black Education Association, the creation of the VCU Wellness Block Party, and the Intercultural Festival, all designed to further promote academic success and enhance the quality of life for all students."

VCU President Michael Rao, Ph.D., said that Peoples is a "tremendous mentor" who will do anything to help other people succeed.

"This man has made an incredible difference in lots of peoples' lives," Rao said. "I'm here today because I think he's made a difference in mine. He's reminded me how important it is for all of us to be happy. He has often reminded me in our conversations of what really matters — our students, and their success and their experiences. He has convinced students that they need to be leaders because they have the ability to be leaders."

Rao added that Peoples has "been a tremendous and very sincere champion for real diversity" at VCU, inspiring students to become leaders with the Intercultural Festival, the Black Awakening Choir and much more.

With his work to establish the Intercultural Festival, Peoples helped create one of VCU's most important student traditions. The annual spring event brings together people from across the university and Richmond to share their cultural backgrounds through dance, song, food, presentations and education.

A special award was established several years ago as the Dr. Napoleon Peoples Award to recognize leaders who contribute to the Intercultural Festival's success.

As associate dean, Peoples is the faculty adviser to the MCV Campus Student Government Association, represents the Division of Student Affairs on a number of universitywide committees and participates in general orientation sessions for each school on the MCV Campus.

Peoples has played a key part in the Community Health Fair, which is sponsored by the MCV Campus SGA and brings together undergraduate, graduate and professional health-related students to provide education and service at Armstrong High School to community members in need of health education.

He also has held the rank of affiliate assistant professor in the former Department of Preventive Medicine in the School of Medicine, as well as the rank of affiliate assistant research professor and assistant clinical professor in the Department of Psychology in the College of Humanities and Sciences.

"In his four-plus decades of service and excellence at VCU, Dr. Peoples has been an outstanding role model for thousands of past, current and future VCU students across the university and the health system," Reuban Rodriguez, Ed.D, associate vice provost and dean of student affairs, wrote as part of his nomination of Peoples for the award.

Peoples is the personification of VCU's Quest for Distinction, Rao said. "He is truly committed to Richmond as a community," he said. "He loves Richmond. He wants to help the people of Richmond. He is VCU. He is everything I love about VCU."

Peoples has served on a number of community organizations, including Richmond Public Schools' Black Male Initiative Taskforce, the Board of Directors for the Richmond Behavioral Health Authority, the Joint Commission on Healthcare's Minority Health Workgroup for the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the Board of Directors of Friends for African and African American Art at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.

As part of the nomination form for the President's Award, Rodriguez wrote that Peoples is a "larger-than-life exemplary member of the VCU community."

"He has inspired, developed, counseled, cajoled and mentored thousands of students at both the university and the health system for over forty years," he wrote. "He has a great laugh, great insight into human behavior, but more importantly, he is a great representative of humanity and VCU. His superior performance extends beyond his many interactions with students: He has expanded the minds and thoughts of faculty, staff, and community members with his insights, wit, intelligence and gentle humor."

At the retirement ceremony, Peoples said he is feeling both joy and sadness as his career at VCU winds down.

"I feel joy because I've had a wonderful career, developed long, lifelong relationships with people and, hopefully, was a change agent," he said. "There is sadness because on June 30, I will retire from the university, a place where I was able to grow and flourish. However, I look forward to a positive retirement experience."

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