The Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) and the VCU chapter of the Association of Women in Mathematics (AWM) will host Sonya Kovalevsky Day on October 16, 2026. Sonya Kovalevsky Days have been organized around the country by AWM college chapters for over 20 years. The program will consist of hands-on activities, presentations, and problem-solving for Richmond area middle-school girls. Participants will spend the day on the VCU campus interacting with VCU students, faculty, and invited guests to explore the connection between mathematics, science, and our world.

The goal of the event is to provide enrichment in STEM for middle school girls hopefully encouraging them to consider future careers in STEM fields. Participants will be selected from middle school females who are enrolled in area public schools. The expectation is to have 10-20 students from area school divisions attend, for a total of 80 students. The day will begin with a short history of its namesake Sonya Kovalevsky, the first female professor in Europe and a pre-emanate mathematician. This will be followed by a plenary talk by a local professional who has dedicated their life to mathematics. The bulk of the day will consist of hands-on sessions that the participants choose according to their interests. Sessions topics will include biomathematics, statistics, science, engineering, and architecture. These sessions will be led by Richmond area female professionals and academics from VCU faculty, students and alumni as well as other VCU departments, area universities, and local organizations/companies.