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Many college basketball fans were introduced to the VCU Rams in 2011, when coach Shaka Smart led the team to its first Final Four appearance. Now, the Rams are a popular underdog pick whenever they are present on a tournament bracket.
However, many don't take the time to ask themselves what VCU stands for before picking or choosing against the Rams moving on.
Let's take a look at what the letters in VCU mean and the history behind the Virginia school.
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What does VCU stand for?
The letters in VCU stand for Virginia Commonwealth University. The term "commonwealth" means an organized political community, according to ThoughtCo, and the VCU name signifies that it is a public institution chartered by Virginia. Commonwealth is a 1700's term signifying that its government was based on the common good of the people.
Virginia is officially known as a commonwealth. There are three other states that can also be considered commonwealths: Kentucky, Virginia, and Massachusetts.
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When was VCU founded?
VCU was founded in 1968 after merging with Richmond Professional Institute, according to the Virginia Commonwealth University website.
However, the school originally started in 1838. The school originally was known as the Medical College of Hampden-Sydney, which later became the Medical College of Virginia.
According to VCU's website, the school currently has 29,288 students enrolled and has over 230,000 alumni.
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Where is VCU located?
VCU is located in the heart of Virginia's capital, Richmond. The school's neighborhood is directly south of the neighborhood of Carver.
The city of Richmond has a population of 226,610, per the 2020 census.
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