Founded in 1882, as the nation’s first state-supported institution of higher learning for blacks, Virginia State University has produced alumni who have left indelible marks on the nation in business, education, government, the military and music. Here are just a few:

• The late Reginald W. Lewis, one of the worlds’ most affluent business leaders
• Dr. Mary Hatwood-Futrell, former President of the National Education Association
• The Honorable Pamela E. Bridgewater, U.S. Ambassador to Ghana
• Lt. General (ret.) Alonzo E. Short, Jr., President & COO, Houston Associates, Inc.
• Dr. Billy Taylor, noted jazz musician and composer
• The Honorable Roger L. Gregory, U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth District

These alumni and thousands of other graduates, perhaps less nationally known, substantiate the quality of a Virginia State University education.

Though founded to provide high education to blacks, today, there is no typical Virginia State University student. As Founder Alfred W. Harris so eloquently stated, the University exists to serve all who wish “to drink from the fountain of knowledge.” Virginia State University students hail from 35 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, and from over 30 foreign countries. Our students’ diverse backgrounds and experiences add to the richness of campus culture and our ability to produce graduates well-suited to address the needs of the region, the nation, and the world.

Virginia State University Alumni Association (VSUAA)

The Virginia State University Alumni Association is one of Virginia State University’s greatest supporters. Organized in 1889 and incorporated in 1949, the Association has had a long and proud history of connecting alumni back to Virginia State University and to each other, and sharing its influence and resources in support of the University’s mission.

The purpose of the Virginia State University Alumni Association is to help promote and advance the interests of Virginia State University; to foster life-long relationships between the University and its alumni; and to promote the interaction of alumni with each other.