IDS Program Confers 81 Degrees at Spring Commencement Ceremony
By William Lineberry
University College Senior Communications Specialist
lineberrywd@vcu.edu
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University College’s Interdisciplinary Studies program conferred 81 Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies (B.I.S.) degrees at the Spring 2022 IDS commencement ceremony, which took place Friday, May 13 in the Harris Hall Auditorium.
Students’ families and friends joined University College faculty and staff in celebrating IDS students and to wish them well as they proceed on to the next chapter in their personal and professional lives.
“You should be so proud of what you have accomplished,” said University College Dean Constance Relihan, Ph.D. “Your paths leading to this moment have been varied, but none have been easy. Some have been very complicated--marked maybe by changes of major, maybe by difficulty finding your place, maybe by academic uncertainty. Regardless of the particularities of your specific path to reaching this milestone, all of your paths have been marked by hard work, determination and perseverance-- by inquisitiveness, thoughtfulness and commitment to becoming a Virginia Commonwealth University alum.”
Relihan praised students for persevering through the stresses of shifting to online learning, health anxieties created by the pandemic, social and racial injustices and more. She also added that in a world that is becoming more interconnected and interdisciplinary, the education received from the IDS program should position IDS graduates well to become future leaders.
“The interdisciplinary education you have pursued has pushed you to explore the connections between disparate fields of study and to develop multiple ways of thinking so that you will be prepared to solve complex problems, address emerging issues and contribute to the betterment of your communities and businesses,” Relihan said. “Your intersectional and outside-the-box areas of knowledge and skills will make you uniquely prepared for wherever your life’s journey leads.”
The interdisciplinary education you have pursued has pushed you to explore the connections between disparate fields of study and to develop multiple ways of thinking so that you will be prepared to solve complex problems, address emerging issues and contribute to the betterment of your communities and businesses."
IDS graduates' areas of concentration, which every IDS student is required to have, demonstrated how each graduate combined their interdisciplinary interests into one cohesive concentration. Some concentration areas for fall graduates included:
- Leadership and Cognitive Science in Public Health
- Creative Technology in Health Care Management
- Social Enterprise: Working for the Common Good
- Information Technology in a Political Environment
- Health Psychology and Spanish Translation
“You will forever be part of us as alumni of University College,” Relihan said in her closing remarks. “We are so proud of you. Congratulations!”