Shawn Utsey, Ph.D.
Professor and chair
The Department of African American Studies at Virginia Commonwealth University provides an educationally rich environment in which students and scholars research, learn and teach about the past and present realities of people of African descent. Employing a wide range of theories, perspectives, methods and tools, departmental faculty explore social, political, economic and cultural realities and connections between the experiences of persons in Africa and throughout the African Diaspora. The department emphasizes experiential learning, offers study abroad opportunities and internships.