10 a.m.

In this interactive Zoom workshop, participants will scrutinize examples of strong, successful personal statements as well as less successful ones. Learn the tools you need to write your best statement. Register for the Zoom link at the following URL.

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

4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Join the Humanities Research Center for its first event in Humanities Week. Scott Muir of the National Humanities Alliance will discuss how innovative applied humanities programs make the pragmatic value of humanities knowledge and skills clearer than ever. The event will be in Room 303, James Branch Cabell Library, 901 Park Ave. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Ellie Musgrave at musgraveec@vcu.edu or (301) 213-8664 or visit https://humanitiescenter.vcu.edu/events/humanities-week/applied-humanities-solving-problems-and-equipping-for-careers.html.

Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025 at noon

The VCU Writing Center will present the Global Education Office and English Language Program Series Workshop: Personal Statement. In this interactive Zoom workshop, look at examples of strong, successful personal statements, as well as less successful ones, and pick up the tools you need to write your best statement. Register for the Zoom link at the following URL.

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

Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025 at 5 p.m.

A Graduate Certificate in Learning Sciences is only 12 credits, pairs well with other Certificate and Masters programs and will help you transform the way you approach education. The certificate is ideal for current graduate students, K-20 instructors and instructional designers. It is entirely online and can be completed in as few as two semesters. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Maryanna Stufflebeem at stufflebeemmd@vcu.edu or visit https://connect.soe.vcu.edu/register/LearningScienceFall25.

Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2025 at 10 a.m.

Faculty members are invited to an in-person workshop to learn from VCU tenured faculty who have leveraged their community engagement into successful promotion and tenure. Mentorship opportunities are available. The event will be at the Scott House, 909 W. Franklin St. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Challen Wellington at wellingtonc@vcu.edu or visit https://forms.gle/kMLFxdTqoLv8R1Tm9.

Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2025 from noon to 1 p.m.

Join Jennifer Reid, Ph.D., Evaluation Director and Senior Consultant, Center for Public Policy, for an overview of Virginia’s human trafficking policies and procedures, along with an introduction to the Office for Victims of Crime Minors Trafficking Grant, a partnership with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office. This initiative sheds light on two often overlooked areas: boys amd human trafficking and youth and labor trafficking. Register for the Zoom link at the following URL. Registration is required.

For more information, contact David Slipher at slipherd@vcu.edu or visit https://wilder.vcu.edu/news-and-events/event-posts/october-2025-lunch-and-learn.html.

Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2025 at noon

In partnership with LEDstudio, this interactive session will guide faculty through the process of reimagining their traditional assignments through a creative lens. Learn how to invite students to express their ideas through multimedia formats such as videos, podcasts and interactive games. This workshop will focus heavily on Adobe Express, which faculty can access by filling out the form at the following URL. Also, register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Ginny Thompson at vthompson5@vcu.edu or visit https://vcu.libcal.com/event/15431786.

Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2025 at 2 p.m.

VCU HR and Social Security will host a workshop to provide answers to questions about Medicare A and B, eligibility requirements, enrollment periods, application process and online services. VCU Benefits will also discuss the State Retiree Health Coverage. Register in Talent@VCU or at: https://bit.ly/4mO0IxX

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

Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2025 at 2 p.m.

The Gaither Junior Fellows Program offers graduating seniors and recent graduates the opportunity to provide high-level research at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Seniors, as well as juniors, are encouraged to join the session, which will be available in person and via Zoom. Those attending in person should come to 701 W. Grace St. (the Honors College), Room 1210. Zoom links will be sent to all participants the morning of the informational session. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Jeff Wing at jawing@vcu.edu or visit https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfaRxLpEn95qGRqVmFcJlDjA4Tea7FuBtYUzxclz8nNas1FCA/viewform.

Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2025 at 3 p.m.

This online workshop led by McNair Staff explores how to use AI tools responsibly and intentionally by addressing the risks of relying on AI for unverified information. Register for the Zoom link at the following URL.

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

Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2025 at 5:30 p.m.

The American Chemical Society will host its Model Kit Night at T. Edward Temple Building, Room 3309, 901 W. Main St. Take part in a competitive tournament in which participants race to build molecular models — and the winner takes all. It’s a hands-on event that tests chemistry knowledge, teamwork and speed.

For more information, contact Anshu Rajakumar at rajakumara@vcu.edu.

Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2025 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Master's and undergraduate students of any major who want to work in counseling for substance use and recovery are invited to this virtual session to learn more about the credentials for Certified Substance Abuse Counselor and Peer Recovery Specialist. The speaker will be Lauren de Treville Powell, M.Ed., PRS, of Rams in Recovery. The event is sponsored by the School of Social Work, Rams in Recovery, the Institute for Research on Behavioral and Emotional Health and associated state agencies. RSVP: forms.gle/A13aKyYB8znyCKWJ8

For more information, contact Sarah Burton-Everette at severette2@vcu.edu or visit https://vcussw.info/CSAC.

Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025 at noon

This interactive Zoom workshop is a guide to finding, reading, evaluating and incorporating academic sources into your work. Register for the Zoom link at the following URL.

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

Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Join the Humanities Research Center for a lecture with Wendy Chun, Ph.D., professor in the School of Communication and director of the Digital Democracies Institute at Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada. Chun will explore how fundamental concepts and axioms within critical theory and natural language processing intersect. The event will be in Room 303, James Branch Cabell Library, 901 Park Ave. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Ellie Musgrave at musgraveec@vcu.edu or visit https://humanitiescenter.vcu.edu/events/humanities-week/humanities-and-ai-large-language-models-and-the-returns-of-critical-theory.html.

Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

You First at VCU will host a night market at Rams Horn Plaza. Come for an evening of arts, cultures, student organizations and campus resources. Enjoy free mehndi (henna) designs, live screen printing featuring a lotus design and raffle prizes.

For more information, contact Zisu Liao at liaoz@vcu.edu.

Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

PennyAppeal at VCU will host a Winter Apparel event in the University Student Commons, 907 Floyd Ave., Virginia Rooms A-B. Follow the organization on Instagram (@pennyappealatvcu) or RamsConnect.

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

Friday, Oct. 24, 2025 from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Come to Auctus' October GBM to learn how to have your research, art and creative works published in VCU's undergraduate journal. Learn how to join the editorial team and work with peers and faculty to review and edit submissions. The meeting will be in the Honors College, 701 W. Grace St., Room 1303. Join the group's RamsConnect at the following URL to receive Auctus updates.

For more information, contact Auctus at auctus@vcu.edu or visit https://vcu.campusgroups.com/auctus/club_signup.

Monday, Oct. 27, 2025 from noon to 1 p.m.

VCU's C. Kenneth and Dianne Wright Center for Clinical and Translational Research and the Health Sciences Library will present a lunch research seminar via Zoom. Kelsey Hagan, Ph.D., assistant professor, Psychiatry, will discuss the NIH’s Loan Repayment Program, who is eligible and how to write a competitive application for the program. Questions: Visit https://cctr.vcu.edu/ Register for the Zoom link 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/eogUyXlaTZCMJsqmnJ9f0g.

Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025 from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The General Administration Career Community will host a hybrid professional development workshop focused on elevating your networking skills. This workshop will be led by Nakeina E. Douglas-Glenn, Ph.D., associate professor and director of the Research Institute for Social Equity. Connect with the session on Zoom at https://vcu.zoom.us/j/87532757236 or in person at the Human Resources Training Center, 922 W. Grace St.

For more information, contact Gabrielle Whittington at genadmincc@vcu.edu or visit https://hr.vcu.edu/career-development/career-communities/general-administration/.

Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025 at noon

VCU and VCU Health invite you to celebrate National Rural Health Day on Thursday, Nov. 20, with two events that highlight the contributions of faculty, staff and students advancing rural health through research, programming, clinical practice and service. See more details at the link below and Register here: https://forms.gle/oD2zkNzxHMZTQehg9

For more information, contact Challen Wellington at wellingtonc@vcu.edu or visit https://community.vcu.edu/dce-news-events/events/.

Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

VCU's Global Education Office will host the next session of its Fall 2025 Global Initiatives Master Class Series: International Student Success. The workshop will be in the Richmond Salon IV of the Virginia Student Commons, 907 Floyd Ave. and will feature Sherif Barsoum, senior associate vice president for global services, New York University. Barsoum's workshop, "Holistic and Collaborative Approaches to International Student Support," will introduce a holistic framework for international student support that integrates immigration services, transition programming and student engagement under a unified, cross-campus model. Register at the following URL.

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

This is an open call for all faculty/staff/students and Richmond community members interested in reading for the VCU Cabell First Novelist Award. The award honors an exceptional debut novel published during the preceding calendar year. Entries are currently being received for the 2026 award and your help is needed to begin reading and reviewing submissions. This is a unique volunteer opportunity to get your hands on new and exciting books and to contribute your voice to the judging process. Questions: Email cabellfn@vcu.edu

For more information, contact Hana Rehman at cabellfn@vcu.edu or visit https://firstnovelist.vcu.edu/.

Did you know that VCU offers up to $5,000 in funding for undergraduate students seeking an off-campus spring internship that is unpaid and/or based in Virginia? Applications are open until Nov. 2 at 11:59 p.m.

For more information, contact Jeanette Hickl at jwhickl@vcu.edu or visit https://careers.vcu.edu/resources/internshipfundingprogram/.

Faculty and staff should order rental regalia by Monday, Nov. 17. You will receive an email when your order is ready for pickup. Contact your campus Barnes and Noble @ VCU manager with any special or late requests. Limited sizes will be available in-store. Begin your order by filling out the form at the following URL.

For more information, contact Tammy Vallario at sm620@bncollege.com or visit https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSehyBfoaIkOwFtnJwnmAGa5q-M9y2dOBoqSAVRkPc968pxDyg/viewform?usp=preview .

Want to learn more about what VCU's student government representatives are doing? Subscribe to SGA's new monthly newsletter by contacting the following email address.

For more information, contact Student Government Association at sga@vcu.edu.

Are you interested in becoming more involved on campus? Join SGA's Caucuses. For more information about the Documentary Filmmaking and SGA History Preservation Caucus, contact Natalie Bowen at bowennm@vcu.edu For information about the Disability and Accessibility Advocacy Caucus, contact Shady Habib at habibss@vcu.edu

For more information, contact Student Government Association at sga@vcu.edu.

VCU's Department of Art Education presents Investigation Now, an eight-week program encompassing a range of contemporary art concepts and artmaking techniques for children 13-16 years old. Fall and Spring sessions will function as a two-part series following a cohesive theme. Throughout these sessions, students are encouraged to consider how and why artists make work and to relate those ideas to their artistic processes. The registration fee for all eight weeks is $180. Food and materials will be provided. The program takes place on Fridays from 5-8 p.m.; programming will be broken up into two sections beginning in late Fall and picking back up after Winter holidays. Sessions will be at the Franklin Terrace Building, 812-814 W. Franklin St. Class size is 20 students. An application for scholarships can be found in the registration form. Questions? View the group's Instagram or under the FAQ page at the following URL.

For more information, contact Jazmine Jackson at artedcadc@vcu.edu or visit https://arts.vcu.edu/art-education/investigation-now/.

Faculty members are invited to apply for up to $5,000 in funding to support community-engaged data dissemination. Informational sessions will be held for those interested in submitting a proposal. Visit VCU's Division of Community Engagement at the following URL to register for the sessions and review the full proposal requirements.

For more information, contact Mitsuko Cedra at cedrasmd@vcu.edu or visit https://community.vcu.edu/facultystaff/grants/ddgrants2026/.

Have you ever wanted to be royalty? This is your opportunity to develop professionally and personally, build lasting friendships and potentially win a monetary award for you and the student organization you choose to represent. Apply at the following URL by 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 29.

For more information, contact Keir Sumpter at sumpterc@vcu.edu or visit https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc4iaA-9RtDCXw4Y8D6IDO-dKWymeb7rQsDiFOTy0fF6jjFpw/viewform.

Nominate your building manager(s) 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. See a link to the nomination form at the following URL.

For more information, contact Molly Case at casems@vcu.edu or (804) 827-2236 or visit https://fmd.vcu.edu/units/facilities-operations/building-managers/awards/.

Psi Chi at VCU is the VCU chapter of the international psychology honor society, which is currently accepting new members. The online application will be open until Friday, Oct. 24 for the Fall 2025 application window. Psychology minors are welcome to apply as well. Visit the following URL for information on eligibility, benefits and the link to the application.

For more information, contact Shreya Patel (Outreach Coordinator) at patelss14@vcu.edu or visit https://psychology.vcu.edu/undergraduate/student-groups/psi-chi/.

Strengthen your leadership skills with Continuing and Professional Education's Emotional Intelligence and Inclusive Leadership workshop. Whether you’re looking to manage stress or lead with empathy, this course, to be held Nov. 6-20, offers focused, actionable growth. VCU alumni/staff/faculty discounts are available. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Shelly Schuetz at ssschuetz@vcu.edu or visit https://www.continuingstudies.vcu.edu/wconnect/CourseStatus.awp3?course=26-SS-146.

Black women ages 18-35 who have no experience with resistance exercise (e.g., lifting weights, resistance bands, body weight exercises) are invited to share their perspectives about resistance exercise and their desired features of a mobile app aimed to help guide and track their exercise regimens. Women will be invited to complete a one-time interview plus two surveys at a local library of their choice. Compensation is available. Check your eligibility at the following URL.

For more information, contact Chloe Jones, Ph.D., Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences at jonesc53@vcu.edu or visit https://redcap.vcu.edu/surveys/?s=CJCT4ELK87PHXKK3.

Redefining BMI is a research study at the VCU School of Public Health. Eligible participants will be randomly assigned to receive one of two programs to help manage their weight by making changes to eating and physical activity. Both programs involve attending virtual group-based sessions led by a trained lifestyle coach over the course of 12 months. This study also asks participants to attend in-person data collection visits before beginning the program, and then again at four, eight and 12 months

For more information, contact Redefining BMI study at bmiproject@vcu.edu or (804) 828-5362 or visit https://www.redefiningbmi.com/.

This study is inviting individuals between the ages of 18 and 30 who identify as cisgender heterosexual for the control group.

For more information, contact Karen Gorgey at healthyheart@vcu.edu.