9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Getting Better Together will be having its monthly meeting at VCU Health Hub, 1330 N. 25th St. This postpartum peer support group is for moms who may be experiencing depression or anxiety and is open to all.

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

Tuesday, Mar. 18, 2025 from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Interested in volunteering with the collegiate chapter of Guiding Eyes for the Blind? Meet current volunteers, learn about the organization and discover the various ways to become involved at an interest meeting in Harris Hall, Room 21129, 1015 Floyd Ave. Learn about volunteer opportunities and puppies in training.

For more information, contact Alexis Long at longa11@vcu.edu.

Wednesday, Mar. 19, 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 via Zoom. Matt Banks, Ph.D., Associate Professor Pharmacology and Toxicology, will discuss strategies for incorporating required rigor and reproducibility information into a grant application. 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/w-08cbVWTCmfQGusazSXug.

Wednesday, Mar. 19, 2025 from 4 p.m. to 5:15 p.m.

TEDxVCU’s Salon will focus on the social and academic demands faced by Gen Z, how those challenges can be overcome and how to create success. The session will be held in the University Student Commons, Alumni Board Room, 907 Floyd Ave.

For more information, contact Justin Raibolt at tedx@vcu.edu.

Thursday, Mar. 20, 2025 from noon to 1 p.m.

VCU's Division of Community Engagement will host another Community Engaged Research Series Session. The professional development sessions are designed for faculty and staff looking to enhance their skills in community engagement, focusing on building stronger, more inclusive relationships between institutions and the communities they serve. Participants will explore key strategies and best practices for effective outreach, partnerships and community-engaged research. Meghan Gough, Ph.D., will discuss "The Richmond Cemetery Collaboratory: Reflections on Cultivating Long-term University and Community Partnerships." Register for the Zoom link at the following URL.

For more information, contact Lorielle Bouldin at bouldinln@vcu.edu or visit https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdx8HPOItFnp6epl4mguRjf4Cc6G9CBk_4OzFQybjX3ZFhSNQ/viewform.

Friday, Mar. 21, 2025 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Join SHIFT Retail Lab (1235 W. Broad St.) for Feedback Friday, a dynamic roundtable at which the voices of the participants shape the future of student entrepreneurship. Bring your curiosity and questions; snacks and beverages will be provided. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Cael Parker at parkerc10@vcu.edu or visit https://connect.business.vcu.edu/register/Feedback-Friday-3-21.

Friday, Mar. 21, 2025 from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m.

VCU's School of Medicine will host a session to discuss patient quality and safety. Learn about a framework that fosters excellence in patient care. Gain knowledge of its internal, external and organizational dimensions and equip yourself with tools to provide optimal care and to inform your learner/trainee education experience. This series, open to all, will be held at the James W. and Frances G. McGlothlin Medical Education Center, Room 3-101, 1201 E. Marshall St. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Ashli Phillips at ashli.phillips@vcuhealth.org or (804) 628-4156 or visit https://vcuhealth.libcal.com/event/14057657.

Wednesday, Mar. 26, 2025 at noon

Learn about the structural roots of social identities, focusing on group membership, individual agency and strategies for relating to one another in context. The workshop will be offered twice: Wednesday, March 26 at noon: https://vcu.zoom.us/meeting/register/-fhEypkERd69SiKJgkHJKA#/registration Thursday, March 27 at 3:30 p.m.: https://vcu.zoom.us/meeting/register/BsgZsDS0Tw-MUrEPg9tB4A#/registration

For more information, contact VCU Inclusive at inclusive@vcu.edu.

Wednesday, Mar. 26, 2025 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Equality VCU invites all members of the VCU community to celebrate the 2025 Burnside Watstein Awards, which honor the efforts of LGBTQ+ faculty, staff, students alumni and local community members who have impacted the lives of VCU’s LGBTQ+ community through both professional responsibilities and volunteer work. The ceremony will be held at James Branch Cabell Library, Room 303, 901 Park Ave. RSVP by Wednesday, March 19 at the following URL.

For more information, contact Ron Jones at equality@vcu.edu or visit https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfVRoT0xVzeGKB_7xYIS1z7sllye7m7NXD_qM_1nwpx1iCKvw/viewform.

Friday, Mar. 28, 2025 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

In collaboration with the American Pharmacist Organization and Kappa Psi Pharmaceutical Fraternity, the VCU School of Pharmacy will host its annual blood drive in front of the School of Pharmacy building, 410 N. 12th St. Each donor will receive a $30 E-gift card and $10 will be donated on your behalf to Feed More to help fight hunger Sign up at the following URL.

For more information, contact Ahmed Nour at nourai@vcu.edu or (703) 357-8807 or visit https://donate.thebloodconnection.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/284534.

Friday, Apr. 11, 2025 from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m.

Join the School of Medicine for the application of a patient quality and safety model in clinical departments. Explore opportunities and barriers to implementing the patient equity wheel and learn about its early application in clinical settings. Equip yourself with tools to provide optimal care and improve patient care. This series is open to all. The event will be held at the James W. and Frances G. McGlothlin Medical Education Center, Room 3-101, 1201 E. Marshall St. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Ashli Phillips at ashli.phillips@vcuhealth.org or (804) 628-4156 or visit https://vcuhealth.libcal.com/event/14085378.

Friday, Apr. 25, 2025 from 7 a.m. to 8:15 a.m.

VCU's School of Medicine will host a workshop to discuss key factors for implementing the patient equity wheel in clinical settings, explore various implementation models through case study scenarios and complete patient equity wheel worksheets. The session will offer practical tools to enhance patient care excellence. This series, open to all, will be held at the James W. and Frances G. McGlothlin Medical Education Center, Room 3-101, 1201 E. Marshall St. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Ashli Phillips at ashli.phillips@vcuhealth.org or (804) 628-4156 or visit https://vcuhealth.libcal.com/event/14085380.

Join RecWell Aquatics for a log rolling clinic at the Aquatic Center, 121 S. Linden St. Participants will practice balancing and staying atop the log in the pool's shallow end. Registration is open through the day of the clinic. The March clinic will be held Friday, March 21, 7:30-8:45 p.m. Beginners welcome; intensity level is medium.

For more information, contact Mat Scott at aquatics@vcu.edu or visit https://portal.recwell.vcu.edu/Program/GetProgramDetails?courseId=273c61cc-6561-4f46-b99d-c5c80a0a4062.

Embarking on a fitness journey can feel a bit overwhelming, but RecWell’s nationally-accredited personal trainers are ready to make that first step exciting and achievable. Learn about the equipment available at the Cary Street Gym and how members work with trainers to develop programs that help them reach their fitness goals. Questions are encouraged. Orientations are held Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays through May 5. Open to VCU students and RecWell members. Visit the following URL for an equipment orientation.

For more information, contact Abbas Sherazi at fitness@vcu.edu or visit https://portal.recwell.vcu.edu/Program/GetProgramDetails?courseId=d8977fb0-3866-4059-8fca-230ea0d54380.

The 2025 You First at VCU Student Success Research Grants application deadline has been extended to Monday, March 17. With funding from the U.S. Department of Education, You First invites applications for funds to support scholarly activity focused on (a) first-generation student success and (b) improving Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) first-generation and/or low-income college student success. Apply at the following URL by 5 p.m. Monday, March 17.

For more information, contact Elizabeth Bambacus, Ph.D., at bambacuses@vcu.edu or (804) 827-3927 or visit https://youfirst.vcu.edu/faculty-and-staff/research-opportunities/first-generation-student-success-research-grants/.

VCU's Global Education Office has opened a call for proposals for the 2025-26 Global Impact Awards. Two awards, the Global Learning Program Development Awards and the Global Partnership Impact Awards, will fund proposals from VCU academic units to develop partnership collaborations with institutions abroad or new global learning programs. For each CFP, there will be five awards of up to $5,000. An information webinar will be held for the Global Partnership Impact Awards, “Faculty Opportunities for Global Engagement,” facilitated by Paulo Zagalo-Melo, Ph.D., senior internationalization strategist, and Jill Blondin, Ph.D., vice provost for global initiatives, on Tuesday, March 18, at noon at the Global Education Office, 912 W. Grace St., Room 3124. Register at https://forms.gle/gtcuLnnFzjFCMRcEA.

For more information, contact Nicol Tinsley at nctinsley@vcu.edu or (804) 828-6364 or visit https://global.vcu.edu/newsroom/2024/global-impact-awards/.

VCU's Black Graduate Student Association announces the Black Excellence Student Organization Awards, which will be presented at its Black Excellence Celebration Reception. The awards recognize outstanding student organizations that have demonstrated leadership, impact and commitment to excellence in various areas. Organizations are encouraged to apply for one or more of the awards described in the application at the following URL.

For more information, contact Eva Davis at davisep@vcu.edu or visit https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfmz7BJ9gYRl6-WhkbcFarut_FRQWq8DyobhXd1234DDle_5g/viewform?usp=header.

VCU Division of Inclusive Excellence is seeking VCU students, staff and faculty to take part in an in-person focus group to discuss personal experiences regarding sense of belonging, care and community. Information shared in the questionnaire linked below will help identify potential participants who will then be sent an invitation to attend a focus group. If you do not attend a focus group, your answers to these questions will not be used. See the questionnaire at the following URL.

For more information, contact Kim Case at casek3@vcu.edu or visit https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSduKK40A3aIz-bigZo4NwNGhAKYiZMxnwtaPUzfqegCYtVYog/viewform.

The Spring 2025 Grant Academy by OVPRI's Division of Research Development is now accepting applications. This professional development program assists faculty investigators in crafting successful funding proposals. It is available to faculty from all disciplines with concrete project ideas who have identified an opportunity within 18 months. Apply at the following URL by Monday, March 24.

For more information, contact Mary Strawderman at ovprird@vcu.edu or visit https://research.vcu.edu/training/grant-academy/.

Have you contributed to community-engaged scholarly work between 2022 and 2024? Whether it is a presentation, article, video or other work, we want to help showcase it. The Division of Community Engagement and VCU Libraries are partnering to feature your work on Scholars Compass. Submit your work by Wednesday, April 7 at https://forms.gle/n69mPtmrgxfyD3Em9 . Submissions must include an abstract, authors and dates and will be reviewed to ensure they align with VCU’s definition of community engagement. See the definition at the following URL. Future submissions will also be accepted on an ongoing basis.

For more information, contact Lorielle Bouldin at bouldinln@vcu.edu or visit https://community.vcu.edu/about/community-engagement-glossary/ .

PennyAppeal, an organization dedicated to helping the local homeless community, is accepting applications for its Social Media Committee. Those selected will start immediately this semester with the intention of taking over for the Social Media chair next semester. Apply at the following URL by Thursday, March 14.

For more information, contact PennyAppeal at officialpennyappealatvcu@gmail.com or visit https://forms.gle/X3mbcrioeJRWHzK18.

RecWell Outdoor Adventure Program’s beginner-friendly rock climbing road trip kicks off summer travel in the mountains of Virginia and West Virginia. Participants will explore iconic crags, hike, cool off in mountain streams and camp. No experience is needed. Trip cost includes food, transportation, equipment, camping accommodations and trip leaders. Trip interest meetings will be held Monday, March 31 and Wednesday, April 16 at 6 p.m. at the Outing Rental Center, 130 S. Linden St. The program runs May 12-16. Register at the following URL by Sunday, April 27.

For more information, contact Emily Philpott at outdoors@vcu.edu or visit https://portal.recwell.vcu.edu/Program/GetProgramDetails?courseId=1f61b787-b52d-4e9b-b47c-dc3e59f9b36a.

PennyAppeal will be holding a clothing drive from Monday, March 17 to Monday, March 31 in the University Student Commons, 907 Floyd Ave., next to the information desk. Men's baggy clothing, socks, undergarments and shoes are preferred, but all clothes are welcome. Donations will go to the local homeless community.

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