The B.S. in information systems degree program is accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET, under the commission's General Criteria and Program Criteria for Information Systems.
Information Systems Internship Class: Students can receive credit and mentoring while completing a relevant internship.
Advisory Board: The department advisory board provides input on the curriculum and facilitates communication with the regional technology community.
Mission
1) Produce well-rounded, ethical information systems graduates who blend business acumen, technology skills, and knowledge to meet the needs of our constituents and who are prepared for lifelong learning;
2) Nurture and sustain scholars who make major and distinctive contributions to the information systems discipline emphasizing design and qualitative research; and
3) Sustain and develop value-based information systems contributions to meaningful community engagement.
Student Departmental Awards
Student of the Year: The Student of the Year award is presented to a senior or graduate student who has demonstrated outstanding accomplishments in scholarship and leadership.
Distinguished Service Award: The Distinguished Service Award is presented to a student who has provided distinguished service to the department, university and community.
Aleena Milburn Student of the Year
Aleena began in nursing, driven by a passion for helping others. While working as an audiovisual assistant for the decision analytics program, she recognized technology’s power to change lives. Inspired, she changed her major to IS and committed herself to bridging technology and service. As TechConnect’s founding president, she built a community focused on technical consulting projects for nonprofits, exemplifying “inspirational leadership, leading by example”. She has served as an officer in multiple student organizations and on the Information Systems Advisory Board, engaging with industry leaders. After graduation, she will be a systems engineer at Lockheed Martin Space.
Stephen Kouevi Distinguished Service Award
Stephen is a past president of the Information Systems Organization (ISO), where he organized networking nights, field trips and workshops to support student growth. He also joined the Information Systems Advisory Board as a student member. Board members describe him a someone who “everyone knows and follows on social media,” with an “endless curiosity,” and a talent for engaging “his fellow students with the sole goal of helping everyone move forward.” Beyond ISO, Stephen served as historian for the VCU chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers, membership director for Developing Men of Color and supported Open Houses and Preview Days.
Ben Massie Student of the Year
Ben has consistently excelled in both the classroom and undergraduate research. Professors praise his exceptional intelligence, dedication and problem-solving abilities. He approaches challenging research tasks with confidence, delves into programming and user experience challenges and continually strives to learn and improve. His persistence and work ethic serve as an inspiration to those around him. In Dr. Elizabeth Baker’s undergraduate research lab, Ben led by example, embracing uncertainty and pushing his skill set to new levels, further inspiring his peers with his commitment and determination.
Thomas Chatman Distinguished Service Award
Thomas is a dedicated leader who excels both in the classroom and beyond. As the past president, secretary and current adviser for the Developing Men of Color (DMC) organization at VCU, he organized events and secured over $40,000 in grants. A VCU LEAD graduate, Thomas believes in leading by example and continues to pursue personal and professional growth. He founded Catalyst Gallery, an initiative empowering artists worldwide. Additionally, he volunteered with Pre-Collegiate Initiatives, delivering STEM workshops to middle school students. Guided by his core principles of discipline, accountability and open-mindedness, Thomas strives for excellence in education, work and life.
Mahnoor Imran Student of the Year
Mahnoor has shown an exceptional commitment to her studies, extracurricular activities and community. As webmaster for ISO and treasurer of Women in Business, she has demonstrated strong leadership skills and a steadfast dedication to enhancing the student experience on campus. As a transfer student, Mahnoor seamlessly integrated herself into the university community, consistently improving her academic performance as she advanced in her IS coursework. Selected for the accelerated B.S. to M.S. program, she balances her studies while volunteering as a technology associate at Bridging Tech and interning at Synergy Technical, all while completing her master’s degree.
Kahlil Banning Distinguished Service Award
Kahlil was elected as the first president of the Information Systems Organization (ISO), the newly revamped student organization at VCU. In this role, he led a team of officers to organize events aimed at advancing students' career opportunities. Under his leadership, the organization launched a webpage, an Instagram account and a podcast. Kahlil maintained regular contact with the department’s industry advisory board, leveraging their support to enhance the student experience. He also dedicated his time to promoting the major to prospective students at open houses. After graduating in Dec. 2022, Kahlil began his career as an associate consultant with IBM.
Neema Tahmasebi Student of the Year
Neema, a transfer student, has excelled in the information systems major with remarkable focus and dedication, maintaining a perfect 4.0 GPA. Since transferring to VCU two years ago, he has completed all his information systems courses at VCU, balancing full-time enrollment with summer classes to stay on track. Neema is currently interviewing for consulting and data analytics roles at top consulting firms and financial institutions, showcasing his commitment to academic and professional success.
Nana Owusu Distinguished Service Award
Nana serves as the professional development chair for the Information Systems Organization (ISO) and is an outstanding student with a 3.83 GPA. He was a resident assistant at VCU for two years and served as a career coach for seventh graders at Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School through the Supporting Tech Achievement for Richmond Students (STARS) program. After graduation, Nana plans to pursue a career in data analytics or IT consulting.
Leandro Torrico Student of the Year
Leandro has demonstrated exceptional accomplishments in both scholarship and leadership, maintaining a perfect 4.0 GPA in information systems. Beyond his academic achievements, he is an active member of AITP and has played a key role in organizing professional development events such as Networking Night, where students connect with local business professionals to explore internships and job opportunities, and the 2021 Ethics Alive Through Creative Communication Competition. Leandro also worked as an audiovisual assistant for the School of Business, supporting the transition to online education during the 2020-21 school year. After graduation, he plans to pursue a career in cybersecurity as a security engineer or data security analyst.
John Archie Distinguished Service Award
John is the current president of the VCU student chapter of the Association for Information Technology Professionals (AITP), where he provides essential project management and leadership to support the organization’s operations. He is also a graduate of VCU’s LEAD program, a two-year living-learning community designed to enhance leadership capabilities through experiential learning and volunteering. John is currently seeking a client-facing IT support role that involves solving complex problems. He is also pursuing certifications in AWS and Hyper-V to deepen his understanding of cloud computing and virtual machines.
Giovanni Knight Student of the Year
Giovanni is an outstanding student with an exceptional academic record and high praise from her instructors. Beyond her extraordinary classroom performance, she has actively engaged in professional development activities, including serving as president and secretary of the student chapter of the Association for Information Technology Professionals (AITP). As president, Giovanni organized workshops, invited guest speakers, hosted networking events and increased AITP membership through her enthusiastic leadership and engagement. She also serves as a mentoring coordinator for the Office of Student Engagement, where she has played a key role in gathering and analyzing data to enhance the mentoring program. After graduation, Giovanni looks forward to pursuing a full-time career as an IS/IT professional.
George Akpakli Jr. Distinguished Service Award
George is an exceptional student who has consistently earned a place on the Dean’s List while actively contributing to the VCU student chapter of the Association for Information Technology Professionals (AITP) as vice president of operations. He has played a key role in coordinating events like Networking Night, where students connect with business professionals in the Richmond area to explore internships and job opportunities. George has organized 10 professional events this academic year alone, helping members understand the importance of gaining IS/IT experience to stay competitive in the job market. He has maintained the AITP website through Squarespace, keeping it updated for community marketing and membership recruitment and managing the calendar of events. He also served as a network technician for the Department of Information Systems, where he maintained computer networks to enhance performance and user access, troubleshot Oracle Database issues to ensure security, configured and maintained 16 servers for student and faculty software needs and provided technical support to IS majors. Balancing his academic studies, service commitments to AITP and an internship with NewMarket Corporation as a user support intern, George has demonstrated an impressive ability to multitask and excel. After graduation, he plans to pursue a career in cybersecurity.
Aleena Milburn
Stephen Kouevi
Ben Massie
Thomas Chatman
Mahnoor Imran
Kahlil Banning
Neema Tahmasebi
Nana Owusu
Leandro Torrico
John Archie
Giovanni Knight
George Akpakli Jr.