Joan Tupponce

1 week ago | richmondfamilymagazine.com | Joan Tupponce

There used to be a time when actress Illeana “Illy” Kirven would get nervous when a show opened, but that time has passed. The seasoned actress has been working in the theater professionally for more than 25 years with over 300 shows under her belt. She is currently appearing as Matron “Mama” Morton — a role she’s had since 2023 — in the touring production of Chicago, which will opens at Altria Theater on Friday and runs through May 11.

1 week ago | richmondfamilymagazine.com | Joan Tupponce

Trying to solve a Rubik’s Cube is frustrating for most people. But, not for Burkley Robertson. He was in kindergarten when he first solved the cube. “It took a week or two to learn how to solve it, and then when I memorized everything, it took about two minutes,” says Burkley, now 13 and a seventh grader at Moody Middle School. Shannon Wakefield, gifted lead teacher with Henrico County’s Central Office, oversaw morning clubs, including the Rubik’s Cube Club, when she taught at Greenwood Elementary.

1 week ago | news.vcu.edu | Joan Tupponce

When Brooke Gore receives her doctoral degree from Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Nursing this spring, it will be the first time she actually walks down the aisle at graduation. “I have never officially graduated,” said Gore, who was winning a state tennis tournament on the day of her high school graduation and had to watch her James Madison University ceremony remotely due to the COVID pandemic.

1 week ago | news.vcu.edu | Joan Tupponce

“I am a young Black man from Richmond without a college degree. I am such an anomaly. Being able to take the helm of one of the most influential companies in the world at such a young age – 33 at the time – was a no-brainer for me,” Taylor said. Despite Taylor’s youth, Kickstarter, a global crowdfunding platform, is only the latest in a string of successful career stops for the entrepreneur.

2 weeks ago | news.vcu.edu | Joan Tupponce

It’s no coincidence that Jagpal “Jag” Chahal is a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner. He’s navigating a familiar – and familial – path. “I’ve always wanted to be a nurse because my brother, Gurpal, who is two years older, is also a nurse,” Chalal said. “I am following in his footsteps and in the footsteps of other nurses in my family.”Chahal, who hails from Vancouver, Canada, will earn his master’s degree this spring from Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Nursing.