1 p.m.

VCU's Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics will welcome back all math majors, minors and interested students to a mixer on the lawn outside Grace E. Harris Hall, 1015 Floyd Ave. Catch up with fellow math students and members of the department and enjoy pizza, soda and Kona Ice.

For more information, contact Ellie Meyer at meyereh@vcu.edu.

3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The Student Organization and Volunteer Opportunity Fair (SOVO Fair) is an annual fall tradition at VCU. The event promotes student engagement throughout the university and the Richmond community. Student organizations, campus partners and community organizations host tables at the fair, which will be held at Monroe Park. This Weeks of Welcome event is sponsored by The Commons.

For more information, contact Nicole Patterson at nlpatterson@vcu.edu or visit https://vcu.campusgroups.com/WoW/rsvp_boot?id=1611723.

Monday, Aug. 29, 2022 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The VCU Police Department will host a safety and bicycle U-Lock table at the Compass, 828 Park Ave. VCU students, faculty and staff can receive a free U-Lock (show valid VCU ID) and instructions on how to register a bicycle. A limited supply of U-Locks will be provided. Follow VCU Police on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for future U-Lock giveaway dates.

For more information, contact Officer Amy Murray at crimeprevreq@vcu.edu.

Monday, Aug. 29, 2022 from noon to 1 p.m.

VCU Learning Systems will sponsor an overview of Canvas assignments and quiz types, including how to create and manage them. This training, designed for beginners or those who may need a refresher, is free and has no cancellation penalty. Register for the Zoom link at the following URL.

For more information, contact Jamillah Martin at canvaslearn@vcu.edu or visit https://training.vcu.edu/course.aspx?processFlag=2&itemID=17947.

Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2022 from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.

VCU's Department of Biomedical Engineering will host Amy Olek, Ph.D., senior scientist at the VCU C. Kenneth and Dianne Wright Center for Clinical Translational Research. Olek will present a seminar titled “Clinical Natural Language Processing: Improving Patient Care One Letter at a Time." The event will be both in person (Room 1313, Engineering Research Building, 401 W. Main St.) and online. Register for the Zoom link at the following URL.

For more information, contact Henry Donahue, Ph.D., at hjdonahue@vcu.edu or visit https://vcu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_mRUrEjUxRIu4-Nf0uJKNpg.

Thursday, Sep. 1, 2022 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Alpha Phi Omega will co-sponsor a blood drive with the American Red Cross in the Ballroom of the University Student Commons, 907 Floyd Ave.

For more information, contact Caleb Yi at Yic6@vcu.edu or (571) 326-4141.

Thursday, Sep. 1, 2022 from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Looking to meet LGBTQIA+ people at VCU? Join VCU's Office of Multicultural Student Affairs for platonic speed dating, sweet treats and community. Chat up potential new friends for five minutes each while enjoying doughnuts. RSVPs are mandatory; do so by Monday, Aug. 29. The event will be in the OMSA office, Suite 215, 907 Floyd Ave. Arrive by 4:15 p.m. to participate in the friendship speed dating. The event has a cap of 20 students.

For more information, contact Beck Oh at omsalgbtqia@vcu.edu or visit https://forms.gle/o5TjMJTMcRLfLeuH9.

Tuesday, Sep. 13, 2022 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.

VCU's Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence will present a workshop on alternative grading. The discussion will include ungrading, specs grading, contract grading and will focus on how such measures can increase equity and student intrinsic motivation. Register at he following URL.

For more information, contact Tiffany Freitas at freitast@vcu.edu or visit https://forms.gle/7LkXa7c8iGt4JxzV9.

Friday, Oct. 14, 2022 from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Celebrate the art of podcasting with the inaugural RESONATE Podcast Festival, to be held Oct. 14-15 at the Institute for Contemporary Art at the Markel Center, 601 W. Broad St. The weekend fest presented by the VPM + ICA Community Media Center will include workshops with industry leaders, a live podcast pitch competition, one-on-one consultations with AIR pros, an audio art exhibition and special performances featuring Sharon Mashihi of Appearances and Nick van der Kolk of Love + Radio. Tickets at special early bird prices are available at the following URL.

For more information, contact Logan Cooper at icacmc@vcu.edu or visit https://www.resonatepodfest.com/.

Learn about resources, services and expertise available at James Branch Cabell Library, 901 Park Ave., with a focus on the arts. In this curated tour, Friday, Aug. 26 at 1, 2 or 3 p.m., art librarians will guide students through: Finding visual and performing arts books and magazines; unique collections in Comic Arts and Book Art in Special Collections and Archives; and free tools and spaces for producing creative work in The Workshop. Register for the 1 p.m. tour at https://vcu.libcal.com/calendar/workshops/art-library-tour1. Register for the 2 p.m. tour at https://vcu.libcal.com/calendar/workshops/art-library-tour2. Register for the 3 p.m. tour at https://vcu.libcal.com/calendar/workshops/art-library-tour3

For more information, contact Sue Robinson at srobinson26@vcu.edu.

Do you like to sing? Looking for a fun music experience? If so, join the choir. Choral Arts Society, a non-auditioned large chorus intended to celebrate our shared human condition through song, is here for you. This choir is lead by VCU's new university choral director, Christopher Hansen, Ph.D. The choir meets on Mondays and Wednesdays between 1:30 and 2:50 p.m. in the Recital Hall of the James W. Black Music Center, 1015 Grove Ave. Register at the following URL for APPM-359-001.

For more information, contact Chris Hansen at hansenc3@vcu.edu or visit https://arts.vcu.edu/academics/departments/music/ensembles/vocal-ensemble/.

The Freeman Hrabowski Scholars Program pledges $1.5B for outstanding early career faculty committed to diversity, equity and inclusion. Funding will be awarded to outstanding basic biomedical researchers, including physician-scientists in their efforts to create labs in which everyone can thrive. Apply at the following URL by Sept. 28.

For more information, contact Emily Komornik at komornikea@vcu.edu or visit https://bit.ly/3GKcAxp.

VCU Technology Services has rolled out its new IT status page, which will be the primary IT alert page for central IT systems and service outage notifications. VCU faculty, staff and students can subscribe and sign up for email and text message alert notifications for the systems and IT services that are most important to them. Need help signing up? Visit https://go.vcu.edu/itstatushelp. Visit the new page at the following URL.

For more information, contact VCU Technology Services at itstatushelp@vcu.edu or visit http://it.vcustatus.com.

This is a research study aiming to receive feedback on a sexual health intervention designed for couples. To be eligible to participate, you have to identify as Black or African American and be 18 to 35 years of age. The study requires participation in a 120-minute session and completion of a questionnaire. Compensation is available.

For more information, contact Kristina Hood, Ph.D., at progresslab@vcu.edu or visit https://progress.vcu.edu.

Individuals who smoke tobacco cigarettes daily are needed to participate in a research study that requires multiple laboratory visits. Compensation may be available. This study will be conducted at VCU. Principal investigator is Alison Breland, Ph.D., Department of Psychology.

For more information, contact Alison Breland at abbrelan@vcu.edu or (804) 827-3562 or visit http://cstp.vcu.edu/studies.