7:30 p.m.

VCUarts will host an online screening of an experimental animation audio description project done by VCU faculties and students. The event will feature the works of Caibei Cai with audio description. The Zoom Link is https://vcu.zoom.us/j/88085660005 The Zoom meeting ID is 880 8566 0005

For more information, contact Leilei Xia at xial2@vcu.edu or (804) 263-8233.

Saturday, May 3, 2025 from noon to 4 p.m.

The 2025 VCUarts MFA Candidacy Exhibition, “Everything Must Go!” will be open to the public for a second viewing at the former JCPenney at 1420 N. Parham Road. This exhibition will feature the work of 27 first-year graduate students within the VCU School of the Arts departments of Craft/Material Studies, Graphic Design, Kinetic Imaging, Painting + Printmaking, Photography and Film and Sculpture and Extended Media.

For more information, contact Emmy Garcia at garciaem2@vcu.edu or visit https://arts.vcu.edu/event/2025-vcuarts-mfa-candidacy-exhibition-a-second-viewing/.

Saturday, May 3, 2025 from 2:50 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Want to help a graduate student with their thesis? Come see free theater at the Newdick Stage at Shafer Street Playhouse, 221 N. Shafer St. Throw dodgeballs at the actors onstage and watch as they try to improvise a musical. Be the hero. Be the monster. Be the dodgeball.

For more information, contact Timothy McPherson at mcphersont@vcu.edu or visit https://www.instagram.com/dodgeballsanddragons?igsh=MW12MWcwcG5udWppZg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr.

Tuesday, May 6, 2025 from 10 a.m. to noon

This workshop at the Mary and Frances Youth Center, 120 S. Linden St., will help equip youth development professionals with facilitative leadership skills to engage youth in co-creating program plans and engage youth in leadership roles. Participants will leave the workshop with a variety of ways to expand the opportunities for youth to be leaders in creating and experiencing the programs designed to support their development. Facilitator/Partner will be Tammy Hobson, Collective Learning and Leading. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Vaughn Garland at garlandvw@vcu.edu or visit https://tockify.com/iexcel/detail/184/1746540000000.

Tuesday, May 6, 2025 at noon

Join VCU HR and Anthem EAP and discover how to enhance your health, well-being and productivity by relieving stress with simple relaxation techniques. Explore ergonomics and learn how to prevent on-the-job injuries caused by lifting, repetitive stress (such as carpal tunnel syndrome) and computer-related injuries (headache, eyestrain and back pain). The virtual discussion will include work-life balance, how to establish priorities and the importance of healthy eating and regular exercise. Register in Talent@VCU or at: https://bit.ly/4iBZ1Be

For more information, contact Cindi Phares at cphares@vcu.edu or visit https://hr.vcu.edu/worklife-at-vcu/employee-events/.

Wednesday, May 7, 2025 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.

Join the VCU Division of Community Engagement and AI Ready RVA for an interactive webinar on how to responsibly harness AI to support community work, meet local needs and navigate tech challenges. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Shari Garmise at garmiseso@vcu.edu or visit https://forms.gle/WpSE7N2jvTTtpX4c7.

Wednesday, May 7, 2025 from noon to 1 p.m.

VCU's C. Kenneth and Dianne Wright Center for Clinical and Translational Research will continue its grant-writing series with a session via Zoom. Chris Lemmon, Ph.D., professor and associate chair, Biomedical Engineering, will discuss the application and review process of the National Science Foundation (NSF). Questions: https://cctr.vcu.edu/ Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Pamela Dillon, Pharm.D., research liaison, at pmdillon@vcu.edu or visit https://vcu.zoom.us/meeting/register/GbLF7R4WQVyglaRHTMAuhw.

Monday, May 12, 2025 at 10 a.m.

Join Fidelity and VCU HR to understand how Social Security fits into your overall retirement income plan, when to start claiming your benefit and how it contributes to your overall retirement paycheck. You will learn how Social Security fits into your retirement paycheck, identify Social Security claiming strategies and create your retirement income plan. Register for this virtual session in Talent@VCU or at: https://bit.ly/4iFK55s

For more information, contact Cindi Phares at cphares@vcu.edu or visit https://hr.vcu.edu/worklife-at-vcu/employee-events/.

The You First at VCU First-Generation Student Success and Research Center will host the 2025 Summer Faculty and Staff Institute for First-Generation and Asian American Pacific Islander Student Success. The institute will be held Tuesday, May 13 and Wednesday, May 14 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at West Grace North, Room 1030J, 830 W. Grace St., and will feature group activities, guest speakers, discussion topics and time for reflection. Participants will receive a $500 professional development award and an official Credly badge. Register at https://forms.gle/mKNmMwvF4aLfcfjq5

For more information, contact Elizabeth Bambacus at bambacuses@vcu.edu or visit https://youfirst.vcu.edu/faculty-and-staff/faculty-and-staff-development/faculty-programming-for-inclusive-teaching-for-faculty-and-staff/summer-faculty-institute-for-first-gen-and-aapi-student-success/.

On behalf of the board of directors for the Virginia Victim Assistance Network (VVAN https://vanetwork.org) and the VCU L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs, Criminal Justice Department, an invitation is extended to participate in a training session (space dependent) for the 2025 Victim Advocate Essentials Training Conference hosted in partnership with the Wilder School which will conclude today, Friday, May 2. Training will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the theater of the University Student Commons, University Student Commons SGA Senate Room and Academic Learning Commons (Room 2100) throughout the week. Register at the following URL

For more information, contact Brad Lehmann, Ph.D., at lehmannrb@vcu.edu or (804) 827-7312 or visit https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F4DA9AB28ABF4C25-56531677-vvan.

VCU Faculty/Staff can get $10 off on a 60-minute RecWell massage therapy appointment until Thursday, May 15. You do not have to book your appointment before May 15, just purchase the massage. The price for your massage is based on your current membership status, but you don't have to be a RecWell member to take advantage of this service. When you purchase a massage on the RecWell registration portal, enter May2025 in the promo code box at checkout and $10 will be deducted from your final price. 

For more information, contact Trisha Saunders at massage@vcu.edu or (804) 827-0323 or visit https://portal.recwell.vcu.edu/multivisitpass/getproducts?category=784b2973-8703-424d-8b9b-1ce6e6e9137f.

We’re seeking six tenure-track assistant professors to join the Community-Engaged Research Scholars Collaborative (CERSC) — a new opportunity to deepen your practice in community-engaged research (CEnR), connect across disciplines and receive community-engaged mentorship. The stipend is $500. Questions: https://community.vcu.edu/facultystaff/community-engaged-research/cersc/ Apply at the following URL by Sunday, June 15.

For more information, contact Lorielle Bouldin at bouldinln@vcu.edu or visit https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSecEyKjABgtZJ7w3f3RztxRqtSiYVPsD3mZEEUiWtWx4sZkhg/viewform .

The Equity in Cardiovascular Health Outcomes (EqCHO) Lab at VCU is conducting a study on the stress experiences of young Black women. We would like to use the information gained from this study to develop a stress reduction program to improve cardiovascular health among young African American women. Resources will be provided on stress and health management. The study will take place over two consecutive weeks. Compensation is available. To check your eligibility and to sign up, visit: https://redcap.vcu.edu/surveys/?s=KYP34XPP8J7A8JJX

For more information, contact Anika Hines at eqcholab@vcu.edu or (804) 828-5030 or visit https://eqcho.lab.vcu.edu/.

Individuals between the ages of 18 and 30 who identify as Black or African American are invited to participate in a research study examining the effect of acute and chronic stress on cardiovascular and inflammation responses to an acute mental challenge. Raffle drawings for financial compensation will be conducted. This study will take place at 500 Academic Centre on VCU’s Monroe Park Campus. Principal Investigator: Lee Franco, Ph.D., Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences. For more information, contact The KHS Healthy Heart Lab at healthyheart@vcu.edu.

For more information, contact Jeremy Via at healthyheart@vcu.edu.

This study is inviting individuals between the ages of 18 and 30 who identify as LGBTQ. We are also inviting individuals between the ages of 18 and 30 who identify as cis-gender heterosexual for the control group. The purpose of this research study is to examine the effect of chronic psychosocial stress and vascular inflammation to an acute mental challenge. This study will be conducted at 500 Academic Centre on VCU’s Monroe Park Campus. Principal Investigator: Lee Franco, Ph.D., Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences. For more information, contact The KHS Healthy Heart Lab at healthyheart@vcu.edu.

For more information, contact Jeremy Via at healthyheart@vcu.edu.