Cheatham is director of casework and constituent services, U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine; and founder, the Cheats Movement.

Cheatham is a former Marine, a veteran of state and federal government – and also the founder of an influential blog he started to cover Richmond’s hip-hop and creative community.

The Cheats Movement blog has grown to include a radio show and podcast, and has added coverage of brands and consumer products, current events and social justice. Somehow, Cheatham still finds time for his full-time job, where he oversees Kaine’s congressional casework team and works as a liaison between Virginians and federal agencies.

“I credit the School of Social Work for providing me with guidance in the planning of my future. I often refer back to the social work core values taught to me at VCU. I try to apply those core values in every significant decision I make in my life. The diversity of VCU helps students prepare for and adjust to various professional settings."

Jones is a 2022 B.S.W. graduate and an advanced standing M.S.W. student at VCU.

Jones started at VCU as a pre-nursing major, and after consulting with a friend majoring in social work, she made the switch in majors.

“After seeing nothing but good things about VCU’s program, I decided to take the plunge," she says. "Although I was a bit apprehensive, that decision has been the best change in my college career and will have heavy influences on the rest of my life.”

She graduated summa cum laude (highest honors) and praises the faculty and staff who supported her in the B.S.W. Program.

“I would just like to thank all my professors I have had over the years in addition to my wonderful field instructor, Dana Regusters. My professors have been some of the most helpful, understanding, caring and supportive people I have met while at VCU. And Dana has definitely helped me through some of my toughest moments in field. Without them and the support of my closest friends and family, I would definitely not be where I am today!”

• It takes two: Meet 2022 graduates Summer C. Jones (M.S.W.) and Summer D. Jones (B.S.W.).

Singleton is community outreach coordinator, Virginia Department of Corrections.

Singleton’s classmates forged a bond that helped her through the toughest of times.

She was driving to New York to care for her terminally ill brother every other weekend. She worked overnight at VCU Medical Center, with an 8 a.m. class right after. 

“I really wanted to quit school. My cohort, the friends I met during that journey, really helped me graduate. We still get together, all 10 of us, to check in on one another. The School of Social Work helped me in more ways than I thought. It actually gave me a family.”

She also credits Daryl Fraser, her field instructor and a former faculty member, and Alex Wagaman, a current faculty member. “Daryl was instrumental in my education and also introduced me to the Association of Black Social Workers. Let me tell you, Alex is the reason I’m in policy.”

Singleton has served as president of the Richmond chapter of the National Association of Black Social Workers, succeeding Fraser.

Stuckey is a 2017 B.S.W. graduate and 2019 M.S.W. graduate. He is a behavior support clinician and supervisee in social work, Compass Behavioral Solutions.

Stuckey earned two degrees in 3½ years, and says it was a time of self-discovery. 

“I knew by going to VCU, I would learn more than I ever imagined possible, and I was right. Learning wasn’t all about academics. I learned more about myself than I had learned in my 38 years before. It was the feeling of being exactly where I was supposed to be.” 

He had a seamless transfer from community college, where a counselor suggested social work. A visit from VCU faculty followed, providing more details. “I then attended a more in-depth conversation at VCU, which was student-led. That sealed the deal.”

After earning his M.S.W. through the accelerated, one-year advanced standing track, he has his dream job, providing applied behavior analysis services for children with autism spectrum disorder while working toward his LCSW. “My degrees from VCU led me to another place where I feel that I am exactly where I am supposed to be.”

Williams is director of RVA Thrives.

Williams has been an advocate around issues of homelessness and housing instability since high school, but one of her most valuable experiences was realizing that “directly impacted folks in our community are at the center of change.” 

In short, she says, “I do not see myself as a superhero or savior. I have witnessed the community be their own hero. Being a mirror helps communities see their power and their freedom to exercise it.”

Williams leads RVA Thrives, an organization that helps build community leadership around issues such as jobs, neighborhood beautification and safety, and housing.  

“My work lately is not doing for but doing with: How do we help communities see their own power and walk into that and cultivate spaces that eliminate barriers that prevent them from exercising their powers?  

“It was helpful for me to understand, and I want other prospective social workers to know they're equipped. The School of Social Work is a complement to what they have and social justice work they want to do.”

Dr. Bogenschutz is an associate professor

To understand Dr. Bogenschutz's work, you have to understand where he came from. 

Growing up, he lived at a summer camp for children with disabilities, run by his parents, where he learned from a very early age about the power of inclusion and the importance of belonging. Those lessons from his childhood have informed every aspect of his career, including his work at VCU.

Dr. Bogenschutz currently dedicates his research to helping make policies and services more responsive to the needs of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. Along with colleagues from VCU's Partnership for People with Disabilities, Dr. Bogenschutz works on federally funded research to understand how Medicaid expenditures predict health and social outcomes for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

He also serves as director of the Virgina Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities program (Va-LEND).

"Data-informed policymaking is critical if we want to help people with disabilities live fulfilling lives as full partners in their communities. I hope our research plays a role in creating inclusive communities for people with disabilities to live, work and play."

Dr. Bogenschutz brings his experience to the classroom, where he shares his passion for policy with students who want to make progress toward a more just and equitable society.

• Learn more about Dr. Bogenschutz

Jiggetts is a community-embedded (adjunct) faculty member.

Jiggetts, a two-time VCU social work alum, stays busy: She runs her own business, is a  licensed clinical social worker and certified play therapist, and still teaches B.S.W. classes each semester.

She even took a break from social work to earn a certificate in interior decorating. She stresses variety to students. “Some students are thinking they have to know exactly what they want to do, but it’s great to be a social worker and have a few different jobs over your career,” she says. “It’s still social work.” 

She uses real-life examples to engage students. “I draw on my everyday experience and bring in examples of cases and how to apply what I’m teaching,” she says. “Students are more engaged when I talk about cases rather than the textbook. It branches out to what’s really happening out in the world. They are able to draw on their experiences, too.”

Her B.S.W. students are eager to graduate and embrace the world. “They say, ‘I finally got my college degree, and I can finally get that job.’ There is opportunity to work with many different populations in the field of social work. Their world is open.”

Ryals is assistant director of the B.S.W. Program and an associate professor in teaching.

Ryals’ students have such varied interests, she never knows where they will wind up – only that many will stay in touch.

Some will pursue an M.S.W. Others will go to law school, seminary or directly into practice. Some will focus on policy issues like immigration reform.

“The B.S.W. sets up grads for so many different types of practice. It’s great to see students get to the end of the journey and see them in a place where they feel confident about what they want to do, or comfortable not knowing but ready to find out after graduation.”

She says it's a joy to hear from former students, who might connect to ask about a resource or tool she mentioned in class years before. “Some of my students are community-embedded faculty or field instructors at the school now. To be able to work with students as colleagues when they graduate, that’s really important.”

• Learn more about Ryals