1 p.m. to 2 p.m.

During International Education Week, Monday, Nov. 18-Friday, Nov. 22, a series of workshops via Zoom will be held for VCU's F-1 students. (F-1 is a U.S. nonimmigrant status granted to international students by the Department of Homeland Security who are studying or working in the U.S.) The workshop will cover travel-related topics, including the process for obtaining a travel signature, renewing an expired F-1 visa and gathering the proper documentation to present upon re-entry. Students looking to take a vacation or return home to visit friends and family is encouraged to attend.

For more information, contact Nicol Tinsley at nctinsley@vcu.edu or (804) 828-6463 or visit https://vcu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUofuCsrDksEt0m7oOEOdDB_20NGBFSCQAh#/registration.

10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Shop for free career clothing at a pop-up shop co-hosted by the Suit Yourself Closet, the Robertson School of Media and Culture and the Public Relations Student Society of America at VCU. The Suit Yourself Closet of VCU Career Services offers free, gently used career/professional/workplace clothing to VCU students. Bring your student ID and you will be able to take — and keep — up to six items. (Bring a reusable bag.) The event will be in T. Edward Temple Building, Room 1137, 901 W. Main St.

For more information, contact Suit Yourself Closet at suityourself@vcu.edu or visit https://vcu.joinhandshake.com/events/1644509/share_preview.

2 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.

The Department of Physics will host Marija Drndic, Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania, for her talk on the power of 2D nanopores. This talk will explore how tiny sensors made from ultra-thin materials are revolutionizing science. These 2D nanopore sensors can detect single molecules by measuring changes in electrical signals as they pass through tiny holes — so small they can be just a few atoms wide. The session will be in the Honors College, Room 2306, 701 W. Grace St.

For more information, contact Jeannie Friedrich at jlfriedrich@vcu.edu.

4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Innovation thrives and ideas come to life at VCU's SHIFT Retail Lab, 1235 W. Broad St. Join Feedback Friday, a roundtable where your voice shapes the future of student entrepreneurship. Bring your curiosity and questions; the da Vinci Center will provide snacks and beverages. From ready-to-buy items to concepts in need of refinement, SHIFT is open to all: students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members. Questions: Alicia Edgerton at pennixar@vcu.edu

For more information, contact Cael Parker at parkerc10@vcu.edu or visit https://shiftretail.vcu.edu/events/.

4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

VCU Demo Days is a biannual pitch competition held each fall and spring semester at the Feedback Friday event hosted by SHIFT Retail Lab, 1235 W. Broad St. Participants have the opportunity to deliver investor-style pitches and compete for seed funding and support. All friends, family and community members are welcome to attend and cheer on the pitches. Following the pitches, everyone is invited to stay for an awards ceremony and networking session.

For more information, contact Cael Parker at parkerc10@vcu.edu or visit https://connect.business.vcu.edu/register/fa24-demodays.

6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

For the second part of its Scientific Illustration series, STEM In Art will team up with SEEDS (Strategies for Ecology Education, Diversity and Sustainability Program) for a session on botanical illustration art. The session will include a plants/cutting swap and draw. Bring your own plants or plant cuttings. If you don't have plants of your own, a selection of botanical images will be provided. The session will be held in the Alumni Board Room, University Student Commons, 907 Floyd Ave.

For more information, contact Aleah Nguyen at nguyena51@vcu.edu.

Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024 at 1 p.m.

First Love Campus Ministry will host its annual Friendsgiving service with free food, dance performances and a sermon. The service will be in Room 1165, T. Edward Temple Building, 901 W. Main St. All VCU students and faculty are invited.

For more information, contact Jianna John at johnj5@vcu.edu.

Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024 at 2:30 p.m.

The VCU Guitar Ensemble and the VCU Community Guitar Ensemble will be featured in concert in VCU’s James W. Black Music Center Recital Hall, 1015 Grove Ave. The program will include works by J.S. Bach, Duke Ellington and Lennon and McCartney. Admission is free. The concert will also be livestreamed at go.vcu.edu/concerthall.

For more information, contact Jessica Casey at music@vcu.edu or visit http://arts.vcu.edu/music.

Monday, Nov. 18, 2024 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Purchase a 2025 Dogs on Call calendar and show your support for the therapy dog teams who visit patients and staff at VCU Health and students at VCU. Additional sales are contingent upon stock: Monday (Nov. 18), 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Main 1 ticket office by the floor compass; Thursday (Nov. 21), Friday (Nov. 22) and Tuesday (Dec. 3), 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Main 1 kiosk near the floor compass; Thursday (Dec. 5), 11 a.m.-2 p.m. in front of the Health and Wellness Library near the Gateway Starbucks; Monday (Dec. 9), VCU Health Adult Outpatient Pavilion, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.; and Friday (Dec. 13), VCU Health Stony Point Lobby 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Purchases can also be made online and mailed to you at www.support.vcu.edu/event/CHAI_Calendar

For more information, contact Karl Dorn at chai@vcuhealth.org or (804) 628-2532 or visit https://chai.vcu.edu/.

Monday, Nov. 18, 2024 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Kick off International Education Week, Monday, Nov. 18-Friday, Nov. 22, by sampling international foods at Shafer Court Dining Center, 810 Cathedral Place. Taste dishes from the Americas, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Central and East and South Asia. Explore the places you want to study abroad by talking to international students and scholars representing designated countries.

For more information, contact Nicol Tinsley at nctinsley@vcu.edu or (804) 828-6463 or visit http://global.vcu.edu/iew.

Monday, Nov. 18, 2024 from noon to 3 p.m.

Stop by the Compass to grab a sweet treat from VCU HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America). The group will have a table to raise funds by selling homemade baked goods.

For more information, contact Luke Munro at munrol@vcu.edu.

Monday, Nov. 18, 2024 at 5:30 p.m.

Join Katie's Art Project for the group's annual holiday care packages event, which will take place in Richmond Salon IV, University Student Commons, 907 Floyd Ave. All care packages will be donated to the Children's Hospital of Richmond.

For more information, contact Safa Saad at saads@vcu.edu.

Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024 at noon

Apply a social justice framework to access issues and gain essential tools for creating spaces — virtual or in-person — that are inclusive, accessible and open to all. You can choose to attend one or more of the following virtual sessions: Tuesday, Nov. 19; Wednesday, Nov. 20 and Thursday, Nov. 21. Choose a date and register: https://vcu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYtfuGpqj0iHtMT5vkR3tzro7tUCeiuqert#/registration The sessions are hosted by VCU's Division of Inclusive Excellence.

For more information, contact Tre Straughter at inclusive@vcu.edu or visit https://inclusive.vcu.edu/education/.

Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024 from noon to 1 p.m.

Join the Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association and the Latino Medical Student Association at VCU for a discussion on the challenges faced by communities of color in accessing mental health care. This event will feature panelist Gabrielle Oblena, MS, LPC, NCC, a licensed professional counselor at Lifebulb VA, and Oswaldo Moreno, Ph.D., associate professor in the VCU Department of Psychology. The event will be in Room 7-101, James W. and Frances G. McGlothlin Medical Education Center (MMEC), 1201 E Marshall St. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Ashli Harris at Ashli.Phillips@vcuhealth.org or visit https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc2CxJ4ZQNt2vz-irJs_fccAOlk8DFnSaQNAhMF4Y_uPfF_eA/viewform.

Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024 from 6:30 p.m. to 7:45 p.m.

VCU's Migration Studies Lab at the Humanities Research Center will host a discussion on the future of DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) and U.S. immigration policy in light of the upcoming administration. All are welcome to participate. Guest speaker David Morales, managing attorney with the Farmworker Unit of the Northwest Justice Project and a Trustee of Yakima Valley (Wash.) College, will provide an overview of upcoming challenges and policy changes and moderate the discussion. The session will be in the Academic Learning Commons (MCALC), Room 2194, 1000 Floyd Ave. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Rani Sisavath at sisavathr@vcu.edu or visit https://humanitiescenter.vcu.edu/events/what-now-the-future-of-immigrant-students-and-daca.html.

Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Join PennyAppeal at its Pack-A-Bag event in Room 2129, Grace Harris Hall, 1015 Floyd Ave., to help make care kits for the local homeless population. Can't make it? Join the group's Instagram (@pennyappealatvcu) or RamsConnect to keep up to date on future events.

For more information, contact PennyAppeal at officialpennyappealatvcu@gmail.com.

Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024 from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.

VCU's Global Education Office will host a Post-Completion Optional Practical Training (OPT) Workshop via Zoom. The session is intended for students who are graduating at the end of the current semester and is intended to offer clarity and confidence to students in the process of applying for and complying with OPT regulations. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Nicol Tinsley at nctinsley@vcu.edu or (804) 828-6463 or visit https://vcu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwkdOivrTMoHdAbWb-wNsyqdWetr50GaqBD#/registration.

Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024 from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

During International Education Week, Monday, Nov. 18-Friday, Nov. 22, the Global Education Office invites VCU students to enjoy coffee, tea, snacks and conversation with international students. Rodney the Ram will make an appearance to help celebrate the week. The tea will be in the third-floor lounge, 912 W. Grace St.

For more information, contact Nicol Tinsley at nctinsley@vcu.edu or (804) 828-6463 or visit http://global.vcu.edu/iew.

Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024 from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

During International Education Week, Monday, Nov. 18-Friday, Nov. 22, Ray John (Oneida Nation of the Thames, Ontario, Canada), Indigenous knowledge sharer and educator, will explore a holistic approach designed to uplift the self and foster self-awareness. Through guided reflection and activities, participants will learn how to better connect with themselves and others. RSVP atthe following URL.

For more information, contact Nicol Tinsley at nctinsley@vcu.edu or (804) 828-6463 or visit https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScrSn2VfmKupBYwkz7mzMgIEB8oDySC3ThtwDQwI3HmsWcqfw/viewform.

Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024 from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.

The Global Education Office will hold a series of workshops via Zoom geared for VCU's F-1 students. (F-1 is a U.S. nonimmigrant status granted to international students by the Department of Homeland Security who are studying or working in the U.S.) VCU's Post-Graduation Planning workshop outlines the options available to F-1 students completing their program of study at the end of the semester, including obtaining a new I-20 to begin a new degree program, transferring out or training. See the Zoom link at the following URL.

For more information, contact Nicol Tinsley at nctinsley@vcu.edu or (804) 828-6463 or visit https://vcu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcscu-vpzooG9OZOW9l9PGi05T5dxEGX4q7#/registration.

Friday, Nov. 22, 2024 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Workshop Overview: Through video scenarios, interactive debriefing discussions and improvisation experiences, participants will discuss and practice responses to the scenarios in a safe and supportive environment. Learn how to address discrimination and other mistreatment in clinical and learning environments. While the training has more of a clinical focus, the skills presented are very adaptable to non-clinical settings. The session will be in Room 5-101, James W. and Frances G. McGlothlin Medical Education Center, MMEC, 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/12375961.

Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024 from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

The VCU School of Medicine ACCESS Global Health Program and VCU School of Medicine Dean's Office will present Wesler Lambert, M.D., Zamni Lasante (Partners in Health) in the learning theater of James W. and Frances G. McGlothlin Medical Education Center (MMEC),, 1201 E. Marshall St. He will discuss the role Partners in Health plays in Haiti’s health care landscape and share insights into its response to the political turmoil that has impacted the nation this year.

For more information, contact Konrad McKalip at accessprogram@vcu.edu or visit https://rampages.us/access/global-health-forum/.

Friday, Dec. 6, 2024 from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Want to learn more about the No. 1 graduate program for advertising and branding in the U.S.? Come to the Brandcenter, 103 S. Jefferson St., for Preview Day. You’ll meet current students and faculty, learn about Brandcenter programs and attend the Friday Forum Speaker series. Capacity is limited; register in advance at the following URL.

For more information, contact Emma Barone at brandcenter@vcu.edu or visit https://connect.business.vcu.edu/register/BC-Preview-Day-Dec2024?utm_source=TelegRam.

The Richmond Marathon will cause street closures and detours on Saturday, Nov. 16 from 4 a.m. through late afternoon on and around the Monroe Park Campus. Race organizers recommend using the Waze traffic app to navigate on race day.

For more information, contact Jainee Robinson at robinsonjr3@vcu.edu or visit https://www.richmondmarathon.org/race-weekend/?_gl=1*pikhew*_up*MQ..&gclid=Cj0KCQiAire5BhCNARIsAM53K1hon3ozchSrsQDhSw2hajhQ8f0WTuW1jjhaapl_sbrXt0_ypHoDxjQaAmtOEALw_wcB.

The Wright Regional Center offers a Certificate in Clinical Research, a two-year, part-time 12-credit hour program. This certificate is geared for individuals seeking first-time entry into clinical research, transition career paths or obtain professional development.

For more information, contact Catherine Brown, program manager, at crbrown@vcu.edu or visit https://bulletin.vcu.edu/graduate/office-research/center-clinical-translational-research/clinical-research-cert/#degreerequirementstext.

Would you be interested in helping to assess the effectiveness of prepared AI prompts to support international students in career planning and setting SMART goals? Participate in Stage 1 for a $70 gift card, Stage 2 for an $80 gift card or join both stages to receive a total of $150 in gift cards. Spots are limited. Complete the particiant survey at the following URL.

For more information, contact Chi-Ning Chang, Ph.D., at changc10@vcu.edu or visit https://forms.gle/Hcm1kKMdD3AWqp2j6.

A draft of the revised Undergraduate Scholarship Management policy is available for public comment until Monday, Dec. 2 at the following URL. Click on "Policies Open for Public Comment" to view the draft policy.

For more information, contact Jason Block at blockj2@vcu.edu or visit https://policy.vcu.edu.

Celebrate the mothers of the OB MOTIVATE Clinic at VCU Health by donating to the clinic's Winter Wishes fund, created to provide patients with something special for themselves and their babies as they continue their recovery. Visit the following URL to make a donation.

For more information, contact OB MOTIVATE Clinic at culbertml@vcu.edu or (804) 314-5651 or visit https://give.chfrichmond.org/OB-MOTIVATE-Clinic.

VCU School of Social Work will offer two new, three-credit electives in the spring spring. The courses are Harnessing Technology for Social Good (SLWK 391-901 online, open to all undergraduates) (or SLWK 791-C52 online, open to all graduate students) and Art for Social Justice and Social Change (MPC only as SLWK 391-002 or ARTH 391-002) open to undergraduates, offered in collaboration with VCUarts Department of Art History. Learn more at the following link and register via eServices at the following URL.

For more information, contact Zacc Diamond-Tapper at diamondtapz@vcu.edu or visit https://tinyurl.com/5zxp8dtm.

VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center announces that applications for the 2025 summer research internship programs will open Friday, Nov. 22. This is an opportunity for current students and trainees in labs interested in cancer research, as well as students looking to gain hands-on cancer research experience and contribute to cutting-edge projects. Questions: Email mcccrtec@vcu.edu.

For more information, contact Caroline Blair at blaircp@vcu.edu or (804) 836-2378 or visit https://www.masseycancercenter.org/education-and-training/.

Students Caring About Cancer at VCU is collecting items for a Chemo Care Package Drive until Monday, Dec. 2. Suggested items include but are not limited to art supplies, tissues, lip balm, small notebooks, puzzles, pens, pencils, unopened socks and adult coloring books. Donation boxes are placed in the psychology reception area of the White House, 806 W. Franklin St.; the ninth floor reception area at One Capital Square, 830 E. Main St. and Human Resources, 104 N. Belvidere St.

For more information, contact Gabrielle Maldonado at siricagt@vcu.edu.

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 alhines@vcu.edu or (804) 828-5030 or visit https://eqcho.lab.vcu.edu/.

VCU students are asked to share their experiences with on-campus offices and organizations that offer services or resources to students. VCU staff member Jess Hoy, M.S.W., is conducting a research survey that can be completed online and takes about 10 minutes. Students are not required to have ever used a VCU resource to participate. Students who complete the survey will be entered into a raffle to win one of five $25 gift cards to the VCU bookstore. See the survey at the following URL.

For more information, contact Jess Hoy at hoyj2@vcu.edu or visit https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1I3jkZe3oTGVt0ufnnNU1aK1zlvbVzSRSAqoCfZ3AnIE/viewform?edit_requested=true ...