1 p.m.

Learn how to use the tools you need to write your best statement. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Trey Burnart Hall at hallbr@vcu.edu or visit https://writing.vcu.edu/calendar/.

11 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Join VCU Global Education Office and the Student Financial Management Center for this virtual informational session about how to fund your education abroad experience. Register on Rams Connect at the following URL. The Zoom link is https://vcu.zoom.us/j/81432781851

For more information, contact Alex Heyden at levya@vcu.edu or (804) 828-5794 or visit https://vcu.campusgroups.com/eduabroad/rsvp_boot?id=1936404.

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

Chinese New Year is around the corner and STEM in Art will host a cultural event to pay homage to this festive tradition while introducing some unique STEM perspectives. The event will be in the SGA Senate Chambers, University Student Commons, 907 Floyd Ave. Free snacks will be available, along with the opportunity to meet new people.

For more information, contact Aleah Nguyen at nguyena51@vcu.edu or (804) 464-5000.

Friday, Jan. 24, 2025 from 11 a.m. to noon

Faculty Affairs will host a virtual event open to all faculty. The session will focus on the Academic Outlook for 2025. Speakers will include Matthew Conrad, Vice President for Government and External Relations for VCU and VCU Health System; Miles Gordon, Senior Director of Government and Community Relations and Carly Katz, Senior Director of Federal Relations. Register for the link at the following URL.

For more information, contact Michele Murray at mmurray2@vcu.edu or visit https://forms.gle/A3wtW6EdtEC2SQDg9.

Friday, Jan. 24, 2025 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Come tie fleece blankets that will be donated to the APCA and get a taste of APO’s love for service. All materials and a tutorial will be provided. For the location, contact Membership Vice President Annie Lebow at the following email address. APO is a gender-inclusive service organization focusing on developing leadership, promoting friendship and providing service to humanity. Interested in becoming a brother? You're invited to attend the group's rush. Peanuts-themed events are scheduled over the next two weeks and you are invited. Follow APO's Instagram @apo_adi and fill out the google form linked.

For more information, contact Annie Lebow at lebowas@vcu.edu or (571) 245-7405.

Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

All are invited to join the VCU Health Systems Office of Inclusive Excellence's second annual Martin Luther King Jr. Community Walk. This event is free and open to the public. Registration not required. The walk starts at Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU, 1000 E, Broad St

For more information, contact Ashli Phillips at ashli.phillips@vcuhealth.org or visit https://vcuhealth.libcal.com/event/13705559.

Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025 from 10 a.m. to noon

In this program at the Mary and Frances Youth Center, 120 S. Linden St., participants will be updated on the latest significant substance use trends (vaping, cannabis and opiates) as well as prevention messaging, signs and symptoms of use and where to go with concerns about a young person. The facilitator/partner will be Kierra Price, Caron Treatment Centers. Register at the following email address.

For more information, contact Vaughn Garland at garlandvw@vcu.edu or visit https://tockify.com/iexcel/detail/179/1738076400000.

Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025 from 11 a.m. to noon

This workshop will cover how to configure assignments, quizzes and weighted groups in Canvas LMS. Register at training.vcu.edu Sponsored by Academic Affairs and Technology Services. The Zoom link is https://vcu.zoom.us/j/2324828315?omn=87874977258

For more information, contact Jon Reed at reedjj@vcu.edu or visit http://learningsystems.vcu.edu.

Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025 from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.

Does your preclinical research interest involve imaging deep-tissue disease (e.g., fibrosis) that could benefit from direct collagen imaging? Can your current research needs benefit from localized or whole body mouse imaging? iThera applications specialist Thomas Sardella, Ph.D., will present a 60-minute overview session of optoacoustic imaging applications explaining what is possible at Bioimaging and Applied Research Core along with a Q&A session. The session will be at the Ambulatory Care Clinic, Conference Room B-018, 417 N 11th St.

For more information, contact Mackenzie Newman at mackenzie.newman@vcuhealth.org.

Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025 from 10 a.m. to noon

Increase knowledge of identities and terminology related to gender and gender expression. Recognize pivotal times in youth development related to gender. Identify pronoun use and variations and dispel associated assumptions. Practice how to ask about and honor an individual’s pronouns. Increase knowledge of the unique mental and behavioral health considerations related to transgender and gender non-conforming youth. Explore the congruence process for transgender individuals. The session will be at the Mary and Frances Youth Center, 120 S. Linden St. Register at the following email address.

For more information, contact Vaughn Garland at garlandvw@vcu.edu or visit https://tockify.com/iexcel/detail/71/1738162800000.

Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Equality VCU invites all VCU and VCUHS faculty and staff who identify as LGBTQ+ and allies to gather for a Welcome Back Social Hour at And Dim Sum, 305 Brook Road.

For more information, contact Connie Kottmann at equality@vcu.edu.

Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025 at 11 a.m.

Join President Michael Rao, Ph.D., for the State of the University Address in the James Branch Cabell Library, Lecture Hall, Room 303, 901 Park Ave. Doors will open at 10:30 a.m. Seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact University Events at UNIVevents@vcu.edu or visit https://go.vcu.edu/sotu.

Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025 from 11 a.m. to noon

This workshop will cover gradebook and speedgrader configuration in Canvas LMS. Register at training.vcu.edu. Sponsored by Academic Affairs and Technology Services. The Zoom link is https://vcu.zoom.us/j/2324828315?omn=83228346429

For more information, contact Jon Reed at reedjj@vcu.edu or visit http://learningsystems.vcu.edu.

Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025 from noon to 1 p.m.

Join the Hispanic Coalition of Healthcare Academics (HCHA) for a mezcla (mixer) open to all at James W. and Frances G. McGlothlin Medical Education Center (MMEC), Room 3-101, 1201 E. Marshall St. Enjoy conversations and Latin American food and enhance Hispanic visibility in the health sciences. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Ashli Harris at Ashli.Phillips@vcuhealth.org or visit https://vcuhealth.libcal.com/event/13545959.

Friday, Jan. 31, 2025 at 9 a.m.

VCU's Office of Student Conduct and Academic Integrity is seeking volunteer Honor Council and Student Conduct board members to serve on hearings. It is open to full-time faculty, staff and students. This virtual, interactive training typically takes around three hours. Honor Council training will be held Friday, Jan. 31 from 9 a.m. to noon and Wednesday, Feb. 12 from 1-4 p.m. Student Conduct training will be held Thursday, Feb. 6 from 1-4 p.m. and Friday, Feb. 7 from 9 a.m. to noon.

For more information, contact Tracey Mullis at mullistd@vcu.edu or (804) 828-1963.

Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

The East Marshall Street Well Project works to address some of the exploitative medical practices perpetrated by VCU on Richmond’s Black communities since the 1800s. Representatives from the community and VCU will contextualize this history and discuss efforts to create oral history and memorialization projects that work toward reparative justice. The program will be sponsored by VCU's Health Humanities Lab at the Humanities Research Center and co-sponsored by the Office of Health Equity. Join us at the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia, 122 W. Leigh St. us during Black History Month to reflect upon important local Black history in the making. RSVP at the following URL.

For more information, contact Chris Cynn at cjcynn@vcu.edu or visit https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeW3zrLv2ZykRAzqTpgFOTodGHWaxO56rhRcfn68rSbRt5O6A/viewform.

Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025 from noon to 1:15 p.m.

Join the Office of the Provost and the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence for a virtual session designed for new faculty (although all faculty are welcome), to explore the topic of student absences in the classroom. Common challenges and policies will be discussed, along with syllabi statements and approaches for managing absences effectively while also maintaining course integrity. Gain practical insights and strategies to develop clear, equitable class attendance policies that align with your teaching goals and support student success. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Jordyn Richardson at richardsonj9@vcu.edu or visit https://forms.gle/wkV5HXeZwL9vXm9u8.

Friday, Feb. 7, 2025 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

VCU student employees and supervisors are invited to attend the first ever VCU Work+ Mini-Conference on the Monroe Park campus. This event, sponsored by VCU Work+ and the VCU Student Employment Action Team and Advisory Group, will bring together up to 300 student staff members (working learners) and supervisors for shared training and networking. Focus areas for skill development include leadership, communication, technology and professional development. Register by Wednesday, Jan. 27 at the following URL.

For more information, contact Samara Reynolds at sreynolds4@vcu.edu or visit https://forms.gle/7qafLePQuKRfdHUk9.

Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025 from noon to 1 p.m.

Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center will present a facilitated virtual dialogue on "Legacy: A Black Physician Reckons With Racism in Medicine" by Uché Blackstock, M.D. The book is free with registration but does not need to be finished to participate. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Sam Burns at burnss3@vcu.edu or visit http://bit.ly/masseydialogueslegacy.

Friday, Feb. 14, 2025 from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

VCU's Health Sciences Career Community Leadership and Development Committee, in collaboration with the Community Service Committee, announces a partnership with the Department of Workforce and Career Development and Technical Education to conduct mock interviews for their students. As an interviewer, you will be assigned to a table where you will conduct mock interviews with students. The event will take place at the Innovation Core, ACE Center at Highland Springs, 100 Tech Drive, Highland Springs. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Ashli Phillips at ashli.phillips@vcuhealth.org or visit https://vcuhealth.libcal.com/event/13680139.

Undergraduate students, schedule an appointment with a coach at the Campus Learning Center to discuss your goals for the semester and create an action plan. The center specializes in time management, study strategies and goal setting and can support you as you work toward your goals. Start by filling out the questionnaire at https://forms.gle/BJiLBh9FVNkRREm98

For more information, contact Bridget Prince at bprince@vcu.edu or visit https://clc.vcu.edu/academic-coaching/.

First-year students, elevate your academic performance with Peer Academic Coaching. Work with an upperclass student who can personalize a plan to help you level up your academic performance this semester. Peer Academic Coaching provides personalized guidance in time management techniques, study strategies and effective goal setting. Sign up at https://forms.gle/2jAmQaRUo2twpp7u9

For more information, contact Ian Anderson at andersoni2@vcu.edu or visit https://clc.vcu.edu/academic-coaching/.

VCU Continuing and Professional Education and LEDstudio are launching an asynchronous noncredit Foundations of Instructional Design Certificate Program this February. The upcoming cohort is open exclusively to VCU faculty and staff with a special program price of $360. This program is ideal for anyone interested in exploring instructional design. Participant feedback is required. To learn more,visit https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/739ee55c563149058a206a40953a697a

For more information, contact Laura Wilson at ocpe@vcu.edu or (804) 828-1322 or visit https://ocpe.vcu.edu/onlineed.html.

Help shape the future of political discourse by highlighting the importance of your personal values. Your input will reveal how values drive political identity and related processes. This study seeks equal representation from all sides of the political spectrum — your perspective matters. First, fill out the survey at the following URL. If eligible, you will be sent an email to schedule a one-hour lab session to complete computer-based tasks. Each participant will receive $50.

For more information, contact Sydney Kavanaugh at kavanaughs@vcu.edu or visit https://forms.gle/bJeLuvsPu8r5mMTR6.

VCU's Division of Student Affairs welcomes nominations for VCU's annual Student Leadership Awards, which recognize outstanding contributions and achievements in student leadership and community engagement. Students, faculty and staff are invited to nominate individuals or organizations who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and made significant contributions to their communities. Submit your nominations by Friday, Feb. 14 at the following URL.

For more information, contact Nicole Patterson at studentorgs@vcu.edu or visit https://vcu.campusgroups.com/leadershipawards/home/.

Individuals between the ages of 18 and 30 who identify as Black or African American are invited to participate in a research study examining the effect of acute and chronic stress on cardiovascular and inflammation responses to an acute mental challenge. Raffle drawings for financial compensation will be conducted. This study will take place at 500 Academic Centre on VCU’s Monroe Park Campus. The principal investigator is Lee Franco, Ph.D., Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences. Questions: Email the KHS Healthy Heart Lab at healthyheart@vcu.edu.

For more information, contact Jeremy Via at healthyheart@vcu.edu.

This study is inviting individuals between the ages of 18 and 30 who identify as cis-gender heterosexual for the control group in addition to individuals who identify as LGBTQ. The purpose of this research study is to examine the effect of chronic psychosocial stress and vascular inflammation to an acute mental challenge. This study will be conducted at 500 Academic Centre on VCU’s Monroe Park Campus.

For more information, contact Lee Franco, Ph.D., Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences at healthyheart@vcu.edu.