Friday, May 21, 2004
RICHMOND, Va. –
The Virginia Commonwealth University Board of Visitors today approved
naming the university's new School of Government and Public Affairs, a
division of the College of Humanities and Sciences, after L. Douglas
Wilder, former Virginia Governor and current VCU Distinguished
Professor.
The L. Douglas
Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs, as it now will be known,
offers programs in criminal justice, economics, nonprofit management,
political science, public administration and urban studies and planning.
It is nationally ranked and has more than 850 undergraduate majors and
more than 250 degree-seeking graduate students.
"This is a rare
opportunity to recognize the extraordinary contributions of Gov. Wilder
while at the same time increase the school's national and international
prominence," said Dr. Stephen Gottfredson, dean of the College of
Humanities and Sciences. "Gov. Wilder has a distinguished record of
accomplishment in Virginia and his name has meaning throughout the
country and the world. He also has a deep and close affinity for VCU,
where he has served as a superb teacher for 10 years."
Wilder
was the first, and remains the only, African-American elected governor
in U.S. history. While he was governor, Virginia was recognized
nationally as the best managed state in the nation for two consecutive
years. Dr. Robert D. Holsworth, director of the school, noted that
Gov. Wilder's commitment to the highest standards of governmental
practice, political inclusion and independence of thought are values at
the core of the school's mission.
A Richmond
attorney, Gov. Wilder served in the State Senate and as Lieutenant
Governor before becoming Virginia's 66th governor in 1990. He received
his undergraduate degree from Virginia Union University and his law
degree from Howard University.
"Gov. Wilder truly
is an icon inside and outside of Virginia," said VCU President Dr.
Eugene P. Trani. "Douglas Wilder's name embodies this university's
commitment to opportunity, responsibility, public service and
diversity."
The School of
Government and Public Affairs was established last year when several
traditionally separate departments were combined into a single unit
crossing disciplinary lines. The School is committed to providing
students with the skills that will enable them to become effective
contributors to both the science and the art of government.
About VCU and VCU Medical Center
Virginia Commonwealth University is a major, urban public research university with national and international rankings in sponsored research. Located in downtown Richmond, VCU enrolls more than 31,000 students in 226 degree and certificate programs in the arts, sciences and humanities. Sixty-seven of the programs are unique in Virginia, many of them crossing the disciplines of VCU’s 13 schools and one college. MCV Hospitals and the health sciences schools of Virginia Commonwealth University comprise VCU Medical Center, one of the nation’s leading academic medical centers. For more, see www.vcu.edu.