2,700+ staffers, thousands more years of service – and one big VCU event

By Amelia Heymann

From five years to 55, more than 2,700 of Virginia Commonwealth University and VCU Health employees celebrated their tenure at the 54th annual Service Recognition Celebration this week.

Tuesday's event, held in the Stuart C. Siegel Center, featured record attendance, said VCU President Michael Rao, Ph.D. Among those reaching milestones in 2025, 1,128 were cited for completing five years of service, and more than 570 others reached the decade mark.

"You have made this an incredible institution," Rao said. "I'm so grateful to all of you. I just simply want to say whether it's five years, 55 years, seven years, eight years … thank you."

Eight people were celebrating 50 or more years with VCU. Veda M. Bellamy, the administrative and program assistant with the Office of Alumni Relations, noted that during her 50-year tenure with office, she has served under five university presidents, seven department heads and worked in four buildings.

"I've seen a lot of people come and go, a lot of buildings come down, go up - so it's been an ongoing adventure at VCU," Bellamy said. "Nothing has been the same. It's always been changing."

One of the biggest changes has been the size of her team. When Bellamy started in 1975, there were only five people in what was then called the Alumni Activities Office. Today, there are more than 20 people who are dedicated to collaboration.

"My office motto has always been, 'We can do it better together,'" Bellamy said.

Tuesday's event, held in the Stuart C. Siegel Center, featured record attendance. (Dean Hoffmeyer, Enterprise Marketing and Communications)

India Urbach, the staff and leave personnel manager for the College of Humanities and Sciences, has been with VCU for 45 years. She joined after attending Pan American Secretary School, landing a job at the Medical College of Virginia at age 18. She left VCU in the 1990s for other opportunities but returned for VCU's unique environment and deep friendships.

"I always told my kids, 'You have to do one of two things: You either need to really love what you do or love the people you work with. Preferably both," Urbach said, putting herself in that broad category.

During his welcome, Rao said "people" was a word he heard often during the day, which was fitting because "because VCU is so much about people."

"There's tremendous empathy everywhere I go." Rao said. "I see someone trying to help somebody else - and that's exactly what we all live for. But I also see enormous talent and dedication."

Puru Jena, Ph.D., a professor with the Department of Physics in the College of Humanities and Sciences and director of the Institute for Sustainable Energy and Environment, celebrated working at VCU for 45 years. He arrived to teach and because its hospital system was a chance for his wife, Tripti Jena, M.D., to teach as well, in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.

"VCU gave both myself and my wife a job at the same time, and they have treated us extremely nicely over the years," Puru said. "I couldn't have found a better environment to do what we enjoyed doing the most."

Puru Jena, Ph.D., a professor with the Department of Physics, (center) celebrated 45 years at VCU with his wife, Tripti Jena, M.D., (right) who used to teach in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and VCU President Michael Rao, Ph.D. (Dean Hoffmeyer, Enterprise Marketing and Communications)

The celebration also included special recognition of several VCU employees:

President's Award of Excellence

Cierra Sumter, Fraternity & Sorority Life

President's Outstanding Achievement Award

Carrie Boyd, School of Public Health

Rachael Tully, Division of Student Affairs

Dorris Douglas Budd Award

Christopher Belton, Peri-Op Educational Services

Danny Woodward President's Service Excellence Award

Muna Ali, Department of Epidemiology