VCU news

By Mike Porter and V. Renee Russell

Virginia Commonwealth University’s Global Education Office and Division of Student Affairs  will host a ribbon cutting and media tour of the new West Grace North Apartments residence hall, a $29.9-million, five-story residence hall that houses VCU Globe, a global education living-learning community, and also includes classroom and meeting space.

Reporters are invited to the new residence hall at 830 W. Grace St. on Wednesday, Aug. 21, at 1:30 p.m. President Michael Rao, Provost Beverly Warren, Vice Provost for Student Affairs Henry Rhone, Global Education Office Executive Director McKenna Brown and VCU Globe Director Jill Blondin will be available to answer questions about VCU Globe and the new residence hall. Following a ribbon cutting, media will be able to visit with selected students and have a guided tour of the building.

Some parking spaces have been reserved for media in front of 830 W. Grace St. Contact VCU’s Global Education Office at 828-3636 for more information.

VCU Globe is a six-semester, living-learning program that prepares VCU students to live and work in a 21^st-century global environment. Globe aims to enrich and deepen students' knowledge and impact as global citizens through the connection of coursework, co-curricular activities and a vibrant resident experience. Applications to the program are being accepted this fall with an introductory course for new students conducted in the spring of 2014.

VCU Globe students currently occupy the first two floors of the new residence hall.

The West Grace North Apartments residence hall includes 119 apartment-style rooms with washers, dryers and kitchens; 18 study and common lounges; two courtyards; and more than 6,000 square feet of program classroom, meeting and office space on the first floor.

The new residence hall joins the West Grace South Apartments residence hall, which opened across the street a year ago and houses VCU ASPiRE. These buildings, along with the Honors College, located on Grace and Laurel, form the Grace Street Village.