6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Soteria will hold a Paint and Sip event in the Alumni Association Board Room in the University Student Commons, 907 Floyd Ave. Meet other members, learn about the organization and enjoy refreshments. Supplies will be provided.

For more information, contact Penelope Copetas at copetaspe@vcu.edu.

Saturday, Sep. 13, 2025 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Join You First Peer Mentors for a walk to Belle Isle. Everyone is welcome regardless of participation in the mentoring program. Meet at the gazebo in Monroe Park. Bring water/snacks and wear comfortable shoes and clothing. Information about the mentoring program is available at the following URL.

For more information, contact Elizabeth Bambacus at bambacuses@vcu.edu or visit https://youfirst.vcu.edu/students/programs-and-initiatives/you-first-mentoring-program/.

Saturday, Sep. 13, 2025 at 3 p.m.

Always been curious about Dungeons and Dragons but don’t know where to start? Want to have the chance to audition for a wildly fun improvised show? Come to the Dodgeballs and Dragons character building workshop. Through theatrical exercises and group storytelling you’ll build the foundational elements of your D&D Fifth Edition character. Willing participants will be considered for a live show on Saturday, Sept. 20. Be the Hero. Be the Monster. Be the Dodgeball. The event will be at the Shafer Street Playhouse, 221 N. Shafer St., Room 204.

For more information, contact Teddy McPherson at mcphersont@vcu.edu or (414) 477-7921 or visit https://www.instagram.com/dodgeballsanddragons?igsh=MW12MWcwcG5udWppZg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr.

Monday, Sep. 15, 2025 at noon

The VCU Science Hub presents Study Buddy Socials - Semester Kickoff in the STEM Building, Room 201E, 817 W. Franklin St. Connect with your peers, learn study skills and form a study group. Sessions will cover a variety of STEM courses and run from Monday, Sept. 15 to Thursday, Sept. 18. Questions: https://clc.vcu.edu/science-hub/ Register to attend at the following URL.

For more information, contact Sunauz Moezzi at moezzis@vcu.edu or visit https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeOwQ2wG_EW-VvoLwjXLMxYQki-E7KXMuVSZqaNJVX8PTKzZw/viewform?usp=dialog.

Monday, Sep. 15, 2025 at 3 p.m.

Learn tips and tools to help make the citation process more manageable and efficient. 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, Sep. 16, 2025 from noon to 1 p.m.

The L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs will host a virtual information session to discuss the Virginia Capitol Semester Internship program. Join the Zoom meeting to learn about the opportunity to gain firsthand experience in the legislative arena while taking classes as a full-time student. Register at https://vcu.zoom.us/meeting/register/Dv0pn1CIQZywLdzfBUEMzw

For more information, contact Adrienne K. Jones at wsinternship@vcu.edu or (804) 827-2791 or visit https://wilder.vcu.edu/student-support-resources/internships-and-experiential-learning-/virginia-capitol-semester/.

Thursday, Sep. 18, 2025 from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Take a look behind the scenes of VCU's grad program in advertising and branding. This virtual session will break down the application process, the four creative concentrations — art direction, copywriting, creative brand management and strategy - and give participants a look at what life is really like as a Brandcenter student. The discussion will also include the kinds of industry careers available and how Brandcenter can help grads get there. Register for the Zoom link at the following URL.

For more information, contact Emma Barone at brandcenter@vcu.edu or visit https://connect.business.vcu.edu/register/info-session-sept-2025?utm_source=TelegRam.

Friday, Sep. 19, 2025 from noon to 1:30 p.m.

VCU Global Education Office will host Krista Scott, Ed.D., associate vice president of Strategic Enrollment Management and Student Success Special Programs, as the first speaker in the new VCU Globe Speaker Series. The session will be held in Room 303, James Branch Cabell Library, 901 Park Ave. The series will feature professionals who bring a global perspective through their lived, studied or professional experiences across cultures. A free lunch from Chicken Fiesta will be available for the first 50 registered on RamsConnect at the following URL.

For more information, contact Alex Heyden at levya@vcu.edu or (804) 828-5794 or visit https://cglink.me/2dV/r1940646.

Friday, Sep. 19, 2025 from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Learn from Chelsea Salyer, M.D., about the disparities in endometrial cancer and the increase in rates compared to other cancers. Salyer is a gynecologic oncologist whose personal experience with cancer has deeply shaped her career. Her father's battle with esophageal cancer and subsequent passing, coupled with the financial hardships her family faced, have driven her commitment to patient care. Register for the meeting through Zoom using the following link.

For more information, contact Rachel Pierce at piercer2@vcu.edu or visit https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAlce6sqT8rEtSnqo4cYE4eHJwca-NghmLM#/registration.

Thursday, Sep. 25, 2025 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The 2025 L. Douglas Wilder Symposium, "Virginia’s Elections: Our National Importance," will be held at the W.E. Singleton Center for the Performing Arts, 922 Park Ave. This event will explore Virginia’s historic gubernatorial race and the commonwealth’s role in shaping national politics. The program will bring together thought leaders and scholars including former Gov. Wilder; Susan T. Gooden, Ph.D., dean of the Wilder School; Robyn Diehl McDougle, Ph.D., associate dean of the Wilder School; Bob Holsworth, Ph.D., managing partner of DecideSmart and and Niraj Verma, Ph.D., professor of urban and regional planning at the Wilder School. RSVP at the following URL.

For more information, contact David Slipher at slipherd@vcu.edu or visit https://wilder.vcu.edu/news-and-events/signature-events/wilder-symposium/.

Friday, Sep. 26, 2025 from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Come to The Faculty Connect at the VCU Health Hub, 1330 N. 25th St., Suite A, to explore current programming and collectively envision how VCU’s teaching, research and resources can align with community-identified needs for mutual benefit. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact VCU Health Hub at 25th at vcuhealthhub@vcu.edu or visit https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeGQNPpMiWa8CiCOanfeyrCR3xslc7VQOabCLoWwwItqxlxdA/viewform?usp=header.

Friday, Sep. 26, 2025 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Feedback Friday is a dynamic roundtable at which your voice shapes the future of student entrepreneurship. Bring your curiosity, questions and your vote for people’s choice award. From ready-to-buy items to concepts in need of refinement, SHIFT is where ideas evolve with real-world feedback. The event is open to all. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Shift Retail Lab at shiftretail@vcu.edu or visit https://connect.business.vcu.edu/register/Feedback-Friday-Sept-26.

Friday, Sep. 26, 2025 at 7:30 a.m.

VCU will partner with George W. Carver Elementary School, 1110 W. Leigh St., on Friday, Sept. 26 for a Spirit Day Pep Rally (7:30–9 a.m.) or sign up for a Field Day shift to help with games, activities and book giveaways. VCU students, faculty, staff and alumni are invited to participate. Sign up to volunteer at the following URL.

For more information, contact Verenda Cobbs at s2vkcobb@vcu.edu or visit https://forms.gle/hqaxBb9Eem15NVzC8.

Are you looking for a way to make a larger impact on the Richmond community? Rams Aging and Engaging is a student chapter that advocates for and supports the nonprofit Richmond Aging and Engaging, an organization that aims to boost community engagement and revive the aspects of everyday life to low-income communities of elderly individuals. The VCU undergraduate and graduate chapter is recruiting several officers; if interested, contact the following email address.

For more information, contact Rhea Chatterjee at chatterjeer2@vcu.edu or visit https://agingandengaging.org/about-us/.

Have you ever felt college was not meant for you? Did you discover the path to higher education later than most? Did you take an unexpected or nontraditional route to get to where you are today? Personalized Exploration for College Success (PECS) at VCU is looking for student volunteers who did not always see themselves on the path to higher education, took an unconventional route to get to where they are today or faced challenges along their college application journey. The goal of PECS is to provide a space to share individual experiences with underserved students at local high schools who may not currently view college as a realistic option and hopefully guide and support them as they start to make their decision to apply to colleges or pursue alternative routes. Apply at the following URL.

For more information, contact Sparsha Srinivasan at pecsatvcu@gmail.com or visit https://forms.gle/7pVQZ4ogiHqMLNi48.

Beginning Saturday, Sept. 13, VCU will be using the EventPass system for special events parking. This pre-paid system allows those who attend to pre-purchase parking passes for events, ensuring they have a guaranteed spot and a streamlined arrival process. Questions? Contact parking@vcu.edu.

For more information, contact Olivia Truban at parking@vcu.edu.

Paid research opportunity to improve bone health among girls and women ages 14-30. This is a 12-month clinical trial in collaboration with UVA Health studying the effects of two medications in addition to estrogen and progesterone on bone health. This will require nine study visits including history and physical exams, blood draws, health questionnaires and bone density scans. Participants will be paid up to $925 and up to $25 per visit to cover travel. For more information and to become involved, please see the full study flyer: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vEGBy9G6FO1VO0oo5s_yRlOmAgS-VE_q/view?usp=share_link

For more information, contact Alexandra Lempke, Ph.D., at alexandra.lempke@vcuhealth.org or visit https://uvahealth.com/clinicaltrials/romosozumab-adjunct-physiologic-estrogen-replacement-adolescents-young-adults#:~:text=434.982.0871-,Romosozumab%20as%20an%20Adjunct%20to%20Physiologic%20Estrogen%20Replacement%20in%20Adolescents,925.

This research study is inviting individuals between the ages of 20 and 24 with poor sleep quality. The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of aerobic and resistance exercise on cardiovascular responses and vascular inflammation. This study will be conducted at 500 Academic Centre on VCU’s Monroe Park Campus. Principal Investigator: Lee Franco, Ph.D., Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences. For more information, contact The KHS Healthy Heart Lab at healthyheart@vcu.edu.

For more information, contact Garrett Oehlert at healthyheart@vcu.edu.

This study is inviting individuals between the ages of 18 and 30 who identify as LGBTQ. We are also inviting individuals between the ages of 18 and 30 who identify as cis-gender heterosexual for the control group.

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

Black women ages 18-35 who have little to no experience with resistance exercise (e.g., lifting weights, resistance bands, body weight exercises) are invited to share these experiences along with 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.

One-time survey to assess health behaviors and performance among adults enrolled in an upcoming endurance race. See the survey at the following URL.

For more information, contact Alexandra Lempke at alexandra.lempke@vcuhealth.org or visit https://redcap.vcu.edu/surveys/?s=EE4CW7XX7F7YPW4H.

Researchers at the VCU School of Public Health are testing a new research study program to help improve health and well-being among emerging adult women. The study is designed specifically for 18-to-25 year-old women with a body mass index (BMI) between 25-50 kg/m2 who want to create a healthier lifestyle. Visit the following URL to learn more and take a quick survey to see if you may be eligible.

For more information, contact Redefining BMI Research Team at bmiproject@vcu.edu or visit https://www.redefiningbmi.com/.