1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Finals can be a difficult time and VCU's Office of Multicultural Student Affairs is here to make it better. Come de-stress with us at Finals Week Flow in the Virginia Rooms, University Student Commons, 907 Floyd Ave. Lunch will be available, as will DIY slime and other activities to help get through finals season.

For more information, contact Jair Lecky at leckyjj@vcu.edu.

11 a.m.

See examples of strong, successful personal statements, as well as less successful ones, and learn how to write your best statement. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Trey Burnart Hall at hallbr@vcu.edu or visit https://writing.vcu.edu/calendar/.

6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Have a passion for children? Want a high-impact career? Want to champion social justice? Fuel dreams? Dedicate your life to making a difference while getting a fully paid education? RTR Teacher Residency is for you. RTR is a teacher residency program in the VCU School of Education that equips passionate future teachers with the tools to teach for change. Learn more at this informational session. Questions: Visit https://connect.soe.vcu.edu/portal/soeinfosessions Register for the Zoom link at the following URL.

For more information, contact Sabrina L. Evans at evanssl4@vcu.edu or (571) 294-4115 or visit https://connect.soe.vcu.edu/register/RTRDec10th.

6 p.m.

VCU's School of Public Health will host a Master of Public Health (MPH) virtual informational session. Join to learn more about the MPH program, now offered both online and in-person. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Katherine Peterman at petermankb@vcu.edu or visit https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/t2SIOAUXSi2GvFmdUt1xRg.

9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

A free kidney health screening event with simple tests and education will be offered at the VCU Health Hub, 1330 N. 25th St., Suite A. Learn about kidney health and connect with resources to support your well-being.

For more information, contact VCU Health Hub at vcuhealthhub@vcu.edu.

Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025 from noon to 1 p.m.

The C. Kenneth and Dianne Wright Center for Clinical and Translational Research and VCU Health Sciences Library will present a lunch research seminar via Zoom. Nina Exner, Ph.D., research data librarian, will review NIH's data management and sharing policy, describe how to address public access to data in grant proposals and discuss the new NIH Public Access Policy, which requires data sharing without delay/embargo. Questions: Visit 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/iZeqO6jLTbO8t4dKYZ4pFA.

Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025 from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.

The Health Hub now holds weekly Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings on Thursdays at 1330 N. 25th St., Suite A. Meetings may include readings from AA literature, personal stories of recovery and open discussion guided by the Twelve Steps. All who have a desire to stop drinking are welcome, regardless of background or length of sobriety.

For more information, contact VCU Health Hub at vcuhealthhub@vcu.edu.

Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025 at 10 a.m.

VCU December Commencement will be held at the Stuart C. Siegel Center, 1200 W. Broad St. Be mindful of the increased number of visitors and traffic impacts in the area as a result.

For more information, contact Britt Dixon at dixonbd@vcu.edu.

Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025 from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Learn more about the nation's top graduate program in advertising and branding. Jump-start your creative career at the Brandcenter's next virtual informational session. Join the chat about the early applicant awards, the Brandcenter experience, its four concentrations (art direction, copywriting, creative brand management and strategy), the admission process and more. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Emma Barone at brandcenter@vcu.edu or visit https://connect.business.vcu.edu/register/info-session-dec-2025?utm_source=TelegRam.

Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026 at 6 p.m.

VCU's Harry Lyons Chair in Judaic Studies presents "SHTTL" – a film screening in the theater of the University Student Commons, 907 Floyd Ave. – as part of Richmond Yiddish Week. Shot in a single take and featuring nearly all-Yiddish dialogue, "SHTTL" captures one final day in the life of the Ukrainian shtetl before its disappearance during World War II. Registration is required. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Andrea Wight at wighta@vcu.edu or visit https://history.vcu.edu/events/event-items/shttl-film-screening.html.

Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026 from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

From the Office of the Provost-Faculty Affairs, this interactive workshop introduces faculty to the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) as practice for improving teaching and student learning through inquiry. The session, at James Branch Cabell Library, Room 303, 904 Park Ave., will explore ideas, ways of thinking and approaches to deepen your understanding of your teaching and how students learn in your classroom. The workshop will be conducted by Nancy L. Chick, Ph.D. No prior experience with SoTL is required. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Tiffany Freitas at freitast@vcu.edu or visit https://forms.gle/NYFBNd2UFAj4Wbjb7.

On Jan. 1, 2026, auto-escalation will increase voluntary Hybrid Retirement Plan contributions by 0.5 percent for members contributing less than 4 percent or enrolled in SmartStep. Members may adjust their elections or opt out between Dec. 1 and Dec. 31, 2025, by logging in at dcp.varetire.org/login or calling (877) 327-5261. If you accept the automatic increase to your Hybrid Retirement Plan account, no action is required..

For more information, contact VCU Human Resources, Benefits Administration at benefits@vcu.edu or (804) 827-1723 or visit https://hr.vcu.edu/benefits/auto-escalation/.

VCU’s School of Medicine requests proposals about educational research or innovations in health professions education at VCU. Visit the following URL to learn about presentation opportunities and to submit scholarly proposals, due Jan. 16, 2026. The symposium will be held on March 26, 2026, in the seventh floor Learning Studios in the James W. and Frances G. McGlothlin Medical Education Center (MMEC), 1201 E. Marshall St.

For more information, contact Stacey Wahl at swahl@vcu.edu or visit https://proposalspace.com/calls/d/1892.

The VCU Office of Health Initiatives and the Humanities Research Center will host eight online learning modules examining the challenges to providing health care in rural communities in the United States. Modules are designed to take one to two hours to complete - complete four and to earn a microcredential. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Logan Vetrovec at ohiconnect@vcu.edu or visit https://historyandhealth.catalog.vcu.edu/programs/ruralhealth.

Grade sheets are now available on faculty eServices. Grades are due by noon on Thursday, Dec. 18, at which time grade entry will no longer be available. It is imperative to meet this deadline to complete all-end-of-semester processes prior to the winter closure. Faculty may choose to use the feature to upload grades from an Excel file into eServices or use Canvas Grade Passback to push grades into Banner. Faculty may only access grade sheets for courses to which they have been assigned.

For more information, contact The Office of the University Registrar at rar@vcu.edu.

VCU Employee Health offers wellness screenings at its Monroe Park location at 800 W. Broad St. Review wellness concerns with a nurse, have your cholesterol and blood sugar checked (optional) and get a customized list of resources that will help you reach your wellness goals. Schedule your appointment up to two months in advance at the following URL.

For more information, contact VCU Employee Health at EHS@vcu.edu or (804) 628-2594 or visit http://go.vcu.edu/employeewellness.

Stay connected to the supportive programs and resources provided by VCU HR by following their social media platforms. Daily posts share important reminders and updates that can enhance your workplace experience and strengthen your connections to the VCU community. Follow on Facebook (vcuhumanresources), Instagram (vcuhumanresources), and X (@VCUHR)

For more information, contact VCU Human Resources at askhr@vcu.edu or visit https://www.hr.vcu.edu.

The Grace E. Harris Leadership Institute is offering virtual informational sessions for the 2026 VCU Leadership Development Program. If you are interested in a program and/or have a question, we highly suggest you come to hear from the Grace E. Harris Leadership Institute staff. The 30-minute sessions will highlight learning objectives and program logistics. RSVP at the following URL.

For more information, contact Ron Jones at jonesre22@vcu.edu or visit https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSefPBrM6APFGQ7W1rswhBCqusfZ-CfWHX-6-t0LZjdYHr_LfQ/viewform?usp=header&urp=gmail_link.

VCU's Division of Community Engagement invites faculty and staff to showcase their board service, association involvement and work group memberships in the university's partnership database. These roles demonstrate VCU’s commitment to leadership and community partnership. Collaboratory, the university’s platform for documenting community-engaged and public service activities, helps to capture the full breadth of VCU's collaborations and collective impact. See the submission form at the following URL.

For more information, contact Tani Washington at washingtot8@vcu.edu or visit https://forms.gle/qqBpDfF8rMGQUYFx7.