11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Pups on the Plaza will be taking place Thursday, Sept. 21. Skip the lines at Pups on the Plaza by purchasing your meal ticket and T-shirt ahead of time. Come to the Main 1 Hospital Kiosk today (Sept. 19) and meet some Dogs on Call dogs at pre-sales too.

For more information, contact Center for Human-Animal Interaction at CHAI@VCUHealth.org or (804) 628-2532 or visit https://chai.vcu.edu/.

2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

During the 2023 VCU Libraries’ annual Constitution Day commemoration, Political Science Associate Professor John Aughenbaugh, Ph.D., and Public Affairs Librarian Stephani (Nia) Rodgers will discuss treason, sedition and subversive activities as they relate to the U.S. Constitution and legal precedent. The format will be conversational with an opportunity for the audience to ask questions. The event, to be in the lecture hall at James Branch Cabell Library, 901 Park Ave., will be free and open to the public.

For more information, contact Ryan Pander at rbpander@vcu.edu or visit https://www.library.vcu.edu/about/events/2023-2024/constitution-day-.html.

Wednesday, Sep. 20, 2023 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Come to the Compass to have your blood pressure measured by the Cardio-Renal Physiology Lab. Information will be available on how a healthy lifestyle can benefit blood pressure.

For more information, contact Natalie Bohmke at bohmkenj@vcu.edu.

Wednesday, Sep. 20, 2023 from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Join the Common Book program for its first speaker series event of the fall around this year's text, "Seek You: A Journey Through American Loneliness." In this panel, faculty comics experts from the Humanities Research Center will discuss the creation and significance of visual narrative, and answer student and audience questions on the nature and workings of comics in culture. The session will be held in Room 250, James Branch Cabell Library. 901 Park Ave. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Michaux Dempster at demptserm@vcu.edu or visit https://commonbook.vcu.edu/the-2023-common-book/events/#d.en.623393.

Wednesday, Sep. 20, 2023 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

VCU's RTR Teacher Residency program will host a virtual event via Zoom. Have a passion for children? Want a high-impact career as a teacher? Want to champion social justice? Fuel dreams? Dedicate your life to making a difference while getting a fully paid degree or certificate? RTR is for you. RTR is a teacher residency program that equips passionate future teachers with the tools to teach for change. Learn how to become a teacher in high-needs and hard-to-staff schools by joining us for this information. The Zoom link is https://vcu.zoom.us/j/7040429011

For more information, contact Sabrina Evans at evanssl4@vcu.edu or visit http://teachrtr.org.

Wednesday, Sep. 20, 2023 at 6 p.m.

Interested in traveling abroad while earning shadowing and volunteer hours? Come to the first general body meeting of VAW (Volunteers Around the World) Global Health Alliances. Students in the pre-health tracks will have the opportunity to learn about summer internships, which provide the opportunity to work side-by-side with doctors, pharmacists, dentists or veterinarians to learn about disease diagnosis and patient care in a global context. The meeting will be held in Virginia Rooms A and B, University Student Commons, 907 Floyd Ave.

For more information, contact Hridya Pillai at vawatvcu@gmail.com or (240) 660-8579.

Thursday, Sep. 21, 2023 at 11 a.m.

Join the university-wide Möbius pilot. The pilot will be open to all faculty, staff and students and is scheduled to end June 2024. Möbius, by DigitalEd, is a cloud-based learning platform designed to create and deploy STEM course materials for all modalities. Register to attend a virtual demo at the following URL. This pilot is sponsored by VCU Academic Technologies.

For more information, contact Jamillah Martin at jpmartin@vcu.edu or visit https://go.vcu.edu/mobius.

Thursday, Sep. 21, 2023 from noon to 12:30 p.m.

This 30-minute virtual class, brought to you by VCU HR and VCU Rec Well, will not only give you an excellent abdominal and low back workout, but will also challenge your other major muscle groups. Register in Talent@VCU or at: https://bit.ly/3P8Mz0B

For more information, contact Cindi Phares at cphares@vcu.edu or (804) 828-1521 or visit https://ramstrong.vcu.edu/events/upcoming-events-for-employees/.

Thursday, Sep. 21, 2023 from noon to 1 p.m.

The C. Kenneth and Dianne Wright Center for Clinical and Translational Research and Health Sciences Library will present a lunch research seminar via Zoom. Carrie Peterson, Ph.D., (Biomedical Engineering) and Caitlin Martin, MD, MPH, (OB-GYN) will discuss the National Institutes of Health's loan repayment program, who is eligible and how to write a competitive application for the program. 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/tZMkf--grDMqHNZMrkrwiG-dETz83ze0x9ET.

Thursday, Sep. 21, 2023 from 12:15 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.

Join VCU's Office of Multicultural Student Affairs in welcoming Ambassador Sékou Berthé and Griot Cheick Hamala Diabaté. OMSA will be catering West African cuisine with live West African music and performances, short presentations and an opportunity to interact with French faculty and representatives of the Global Education Office. The event will be at SHIFT Retail Lab, 1235 W. Broad St. RSVP at the following URL.

For more information, contact Amala Thomas at thomasac4@vcu.edu or visit https://cglink.me/2dV/r1929664.

Thursday, Sep. 21, 2023 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.

VCU Medical Journal Club will host a pre-health panel via Zoom for students interested in professional health careers. VCU School of Medicine students will be joining to answer questions about the medical school application process and provide tips. The Zoom link is https://vcu.zoom.us/j/81299756416

For more information, contact VCU Medical Journal Club at mjc.vcu@gmail.com or visit https://vcu.campusgroups.com/mjc/home/.

Thursday, Sep. 21, 2023 from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.

VCU's Global Education Office invites students, staff and faculty to Cultural Conversations with participants from Kien Giang University in Vietnam and Shimane University in Japan. This fall series will focus on news and images starting Thursday, Sept. 21. Register at the following URL for one or more sessions of the four-part series which will meet on Thursdays through Oct. 12.

For more information, contact Audrey Emiko Short at aeshort@vcu.edu or visit https://global.vcu.edu/students/community/cultural_conversations/.

Friday, Sep. 22, 2023 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

New university faculty will be welcomed at a social in Room 1075, College of Health Professions Building, 900 E. Leigh St. The event will be hosted by VCU's Office of the Senior Vice President for Health Sciences, Faculty Affairs. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Beth Marcus at bmarcus@vcu.edu or (804) 828-7235 or visit https://forms.gle/YoLu24odLv6r3Use7.

Monday, Sep. 25, 2023 from noon to 1 p.m.

Jennifer Bacci, Pharm.D., University of Washington School of Pharmacy, will speak at a Center for Pharmacy Practice Innovation Seminar about effective strategies to close statin gaps in diabetes care through a community pharmacy approach. The session will be available via Zoom and also broadcast in Room 545, Robert Blackwell Smith Building, 410 N. 12th St. Free CE. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Sydney Weber at cppi@vcu.edu or visit https://cppi.pharmacy.vcu.edu/seminars/seminar-series/september-cppi-seminar.html.

Monday, Sep. 25, 2023 at 9 a.m.

Research administrators will be recognized in the auditorium of the College of Health Professions building, 900 E. Leigh St. Highlights will include faculty presentations related to social equity initiatives, research administrator presentations spotlighting noteworthy strategies, roundtables, discussions with associate deans of research, networking and an award ceremony. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Cathy Short at cfshort@vcu.edu or visit https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdf9iVXEnokVytHPB1e9GcIhaYhd1kyItzw_8UmqQVwKlS-xA/viewform.

Tuesday, Sep. 26, 2023 at 7:30 a.m.

Do you have items you don’t need? Donate them to the VCU Free Store – Sept 26-28 at the Monroe Park Campus (930 W. Grace St.) and Oct. 3-5 at the MCV Campus (Jonah L. Larrick Student Center, 900 Turpin St.) to help build inventory. The Free Store is an on-campus resource for students, faculty and staff that provides access to everyday items at no cost, while keeping usable goods out of our landfills. Learn more at the following URL.

For more information, contact Parker Long at freestore@vcu.edu or visit https://sustainability.vcu.edu/programs/free-store/.

Tuesday, Sep. 26, 2023 from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.

In the coming weeks VCU Telecommunications Services will offer virtual training on the Avaya Workplace and MyE911 apps, which allows customers to extend their office number to their remote work site. The Avaya Workplace app is ideal for remote workers. Callers can reach remote workers on any device by calling their work telephone number, and when placing a call the caller party will see their work number and not their mobile number. The sessions are open to all VCU and VCU Health associates. Register at the following URL. The training will also be offered from 2-3 p.m. Friday, Sept. 29.

For more information, contact Wayne L. Johnson at wljohnson@vcu.edu or (804) 828-4400 or visit https://training.vcu.edu/.

Wednesday, Sep. 27, 2023 from noon to 5 p.m.

The Humanities Research Center and Office of Health Equity will present a half-day History and Health symposium that will explore the history of medicine and connections to current health inequities and disparities across a variety of health disciplines. The event will take place at the Library of Virginia, 800 E. Broad St., and the keynote lecture will be given by Jason Glenn, Ph.D., University of Kansas. Register at the following URL https://www.eventbrite.com/e/symposium-2023-new-perspectives-on-health-equity-through-the-humanities-tickets-675989200897?aff=oddtdtcreator

For more information, contact Logan Vetrovec at healthequity@vcu.edu or visit https://healthequity.vcu.edu/history-and-health-program/annual-symposium/.

Thursday, Sep. 28, 2023 at noon

A Sound Bath is a form of meditation that guides participants into a deep state of relaxation while enveloped in ambient sound. Waves of soothing, echoing sound from crystal bowls, gong and various instruments assist the mind-body with stress and fatigue. The session will be held in Monroe Park near the fountain. Bring a mat or a blanket. Register in Talent@VCU or at https://bit.ly/3qAK4L7

For more information, contact Cindi Phares at cphares@vcu.edu or (804) 828-1521 or visit https://ramstrong.vcu.edu/.

Thursday, Sep. 28, 2023 from noon to 1 p.m.

Finding local support services for seniors and caregivers is as simple as a click of a mouse. Come to the Health and Wellness Library, VCU Health Gateway Building, Ground Floor, Room G-112, 1200 E. Marshall St., as Bonnie Scimone from VirginiaNavigator demonstrates how to use the SeniorNavigator site. SeniorNavigator is an online directory that lists 26,000-plus resources that help older adults remain independent and supports family caregivers. Register at https://vcu.libcal.com/event/10990086

For more information, contact Jackson Wright at wrightjc4@vcu.edu or (804) 828-2432 or visit https://www.library.vcu.edu/about/events/2023-2024-ongoing/health-and-wellness-library-programs.html.

Thursday, Sep. 28, 2023 from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Join 66th governor of Virginia L. Douglas Wilder for a panel discussion exploring the public funding crises facing historically Black colleges and universities. Panelists will include Wayne A.I. Frederick, M.D., resident of Howard University; Nakeina Douglas-Glenn, director of the Wilder School Research Institute for Social Equity; Roger L. Gregory, judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit; and Jason Miyares, J.D., attorney general of the commonwealth. The symposium will be held in the W.E. Singleton Center for the Performing Arts, 922 Park Ave. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact David Slipher at slipherd@vcu.edu or visit https://www.support.vcu.edu/event/2023WilderSymposium?ID=%3C%3CRADARID%3E%3E.

Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023 from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.

In conjunction with Hispanic Heritage Month, the School of Medicine Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion will host two Q&A sessions moderated by second-year medical student Farheen Zaman from the Latino Medical Student Association student interest group. This event, featuring senior leaders Arturo Saavedra, M.D., Ph.D., and Silvia Munoz Price, M.D., Ph.D., is designed to bring forth the importance of Hispanic leadership in academic medicine and how the lack thereof could have negative implications in education, research and patient care. The event will be in the Learning Theater, James W. and Frances G. McGlothlin Medical Education Center, 1201 E. Marshall St. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Ashli Phillips at ashli.phillips@vcuhealth.org or visit https://vcuhealth.libcal.com/event/11259122.

RecWell’s Outdoor Adventure Program will host free activities and clinics on select days between August and November. Join trip leaders for whitewater rafting, whitewater kayaking, standup paddleboarding and flatwater paddling. An adventure photography clinic will be held Aug. 25 and Sept. 29. A spoon carving bike ride clinic will be held Oct. 27. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Emily Philpott at outdoors@vcu.edu or visit https://recwell.vcu.edu/play/outdoor-adventure/trips-and-activities/.

EVR is a research-focused discovery tool that enables collaboration across all disciplines. Hosting searchable profiles for individual researchers associated with VCU, the primary goal of EVR is to offer faculty and researchers a polished and accurate web presence. EVR brings together, in one site, publicly available information on the people, departments and activities that collectively make up research and scholarship in all disciplines. Discover EVR at the following URL.

For more information, contact Emily Komornik at komornikea@vcu.edu or visit http://evr.vcu.edu.

Nominate your building manager for the Building Manager Awards. Recognize these behind-the-scenes individuals for their dedication to serving building occupants, their assigned building(s) and the VCU community. View a link to the nomination form at the following URL.

For more information, contact Molly Case at casems@vcu.edu or visit https://fmd.vcu.edu/departments/facilities-operations/building-managers/awards/.

As a convenience to university faculty and staff working on campus, VCU Human Resources has arranged for Walgreens, a participating pharmacy with the COVA health plans, to conduct four flu immunization clinics during September and October on both campuses. Appointments are preferred, however, walk-ins will be accepted. Visit the following URL for dates, times, locations and to make an appointment.

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

Let's take a look at eye safety. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were over 15,000 eye injuries in 2020 that caused employees to miss time from work. Did you know that proper personal protective equipment, eye protection and/or face protection is required whenever there is a chemical, environmental, radiological or mechanical hazard in your work area? The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) also recommends eye protection for personnel who may be exposed to settings where infectious diseases can be acquired through ocular exposure. Those who work behind a desk are at increased risk for digital eye strain. To combat this, take breaks from looking at the screen to give your eyes a rest. Use filters or blue light/anti-reflective lens glasses to reduce glare and blue light on your eyes making it easier to see and read. If you have any questions on eye protection, such as a needs assessment, product selection, or coaching on how to use the equipment properly, contact VCU's Occupational Safety team at the following address.

For more information, contact Chad Hammack at occsafety@vcu.edu.

VCU’s Journal for Undergraduate Research and Creative Scholarship, Auctus, is currently accepting student submissions to its STEM, Social Sciences, Creative, Humanities, and News and Noteworthy sections. Submit your work if you are interested in being published. Students can also join AUCTUS as reviewers to gain experience reviewing work in their field. Questions: Visit https://linktr.ee/auctusvcu

For more information, contact VCU Auctus at auctus@vcu.edu or visit http://auctus.vcu.edu.

The VCU Wellbeing Lab invites you to participate in a research study on two stress reduction programs for undergraduate students. VCU investigators seek to understand how two online stress reduction programs affect students’ mood and stress-related behavior. Compensation is available. Sign up before Monday, Oct. 2.

For more information, contact Polina Beloborodova at vcu.stress.reduction@gmail.com or visit https://beloborodp.wixsite.com/stressreduction.

Be a part of history. Help us understand how to leave COVID behind. The VCU School of Nursing is doing a study called RECOVER, which stands for Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery. Help us understand the long-term effects of COVID in young people. Anyone aged 0-25 years old can participate. Participants will be compensated for their time. Register at the following URL. Sign up at the following URL.

For more information, contact Lindsey Stevenson at recoverkidsva@vcu.edu or (804) 664-6487 or visit http://bit.ly/RECOVERkids.