5:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.

VCU's Richard T. Robertson School of Media and Culture will host a virtual informational session for prospective students to learn more about the M.S. in Mass Communications with concentrations in Integrated Communication and Media Leadership. The school also offersr a certificate in Media and Leadership. Join a session at https://vcu.zoom.us/my/robertsongrad.

For more information, contact Jonathan Brown at brownj64@vcu.edu or (804) 525-9425 or visit https://robertson.vcu.edu/academics/graduate/.

Wednesday, Mar. 19, 2025 at 5 p.m.

The Stravitz-Sanyal Institute will host a research seminar featuring Holger Willenbring, M.D., Ph.D., a professor of surgery at University of California San Francisco. Willenbring is a member of the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research and associate director of the Liver Center at UCSF. Willenbring will speak on “Mechanistic Insights and Translational Tools for Therapy of Steatotic Cholestatic Liver Diseases.” Register for the webinar at bit.ly/vcu_liver_March_seminar

For more information, contact Chantay Harris at chantay.harris@vcuhealth.org or (804) 868-6631 or visit https://liverinstitute.medschool.vcu.edu/.

Wednesday, Mar. 19, 2025 from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Join faculty and staff from the VCU School of Nursing and da Vinci Center to learn about a graduate certificate that helps those interested in innovation create products and solutions for health care challenges. Register for the virtual session at the following URL.

For more information, contact Allison Schumacher at schumacheran@vcu.edu or visit https://connect.business.vcu.edu/register/Health-Inno-03-19.

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.

Monday, Mar. 24, 2025 from 11 a.m. to noon

Join TIAA as the financial services firm virtually walks you through the importance of saving and the benefits and opportunities available to you in your plan. TIAA will also discuss what a Roth contribution is and provide information on a Roth In-Plan Conversion. Register in Talent@VCU or at: https://tinyurl.com/557na94u

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

Thursday, Apr. 3, 2025 at 8 a.m.

The VCU Departments of Neurology and Epidemiology, along with the HRV Institute, will host the 2025 Heart Rate Variability Workshop and Conference on April 3-4 at Maymont, 1001 Spottswood Road. The theme, Integration of Heart Rate Variability Into Clinical Practice, will feature speakers, discussions and networking opportunities. A pre-conference workshop on HRV and HRV biofeedback will be held on April 3. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Muna Ali at alim28@vcu.edu or visit https://heartratevariabilityinstitute.org/hrv-conference.

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.

The American Red Cross Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED course is open for VCU students and RecWell members looking to learn how to recognize and care for a variety of first aid, breathing and cardiac emergencies. Participants will earn a certificate that satisfies OSHA requirements for workplace First Aid/CPR/AED training in non-health care settings. March class dates are Thursday, March 20; Monday, March 24 and Saturday, March 29. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Mat Scott at aquatics@vcu.edu or visit https://portal.recwell.vcu.edu/Program/GetProgramDetails?courseId=157236e4-f012-4926-b19a-80ba87072981.

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 seeks 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 informational 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) 828-6463 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 Office of the Provost-Faculty Affairs invites applications from tenure-eligible assistant and tenured associate professors for the Expanding Network of Expert Scholars initiative. This initiative provides funding for faculty to engage with national and international experts in their respective disciplines and in the process expanding their scholarly networks. Questions: Visit https://faculty.provost.vcu.edu/faculty-recognition/expanding-networks-of-expert-scholars/ Submit an application by Monday, March 17 at the following URL.

For more information, contact Mangala Subramaniam at strunkk2@vcu.edu or visit https://forms.gle/Fc6VQyU91HYgVD8DA.

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

For more information, contact Jennifer Bucknam at bucknamjj@vcu.edu or visit http://go.vcu.edu/employeewellness.

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/.

Looking to enhance your Pickleball skills? Come to the Mary and Frances Youth Center, 120 S. Linden St., every Wednesday, 6-7:30 p.m. starting on March 19 for four weeks. No paddle? No problem! The cost is $75 for VCU faculty and staff and $60 for VCU students. Register at https://givepul.se/xcojun

For more information, contact Misti Mueller at muellermr@vcu.edu or visit https://mfyc.vcu.edu/.

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/rescources/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.

Faculty members are invited to express interest in attending the national Future World Changers in the Academy conference. The conference will be held April 10-13 in Arlington, Va. VCU's Office of the Provost will cover the conference registration fee (only) for up to 10 faculty to attend, on a first come/first served basis with preference given to first-time applicants. All faculty are welcome to apply. Questions: https://www.inclusive.vt.edu/Programs/FWCA.html Apply at the following URL.

For more information, contact Latoya Blizzard at lblizzard@vcu.edu or visit https://forms.gle/fLJJkCHyiPoQfhm48.

The VCU REPEAT Lab is recruiting parents with and without a history of an eating disorder and their teenage children (12-18 years) for a brain imaging study. See the screening questions at the following URL.

For more information, contact REPEAT Lab at repeat@vcu.edu or (804) 828-2658 or visit https://redcap.vcu.edu/surveys/?s=JCDPN7XJL8YLTLHH.

This study seeks children and adolescents (ages 6-17) with current heel pain (Sever’s disease) or who are currently healthy without musculoskeletal injuries for participation. The purpose of this research study is to assess muscles, tendons and skeletal development of young patients with and without heel pain. This study will require one 45-minute study visit at the Children’s Hospital of Richmond (parking validated) and will include: an electronic questionnaire about health and sport participation; foot, ankle and calf ultrasound imaging assessment snd ankle x-ray assessment (heel pain participants only). Participants will be paid $50 for completing this study. For more information, please contact: Gina Chan (gina.chan@vcuhealth.org). Principal Investigator: Alexandra Lempke, Ph.D., ATC.

For more information, contact Gina Chan at gina.chan@vcuhealth.org.