12 p.m.

The MLK Planning Committee presents a campus climate discussion in the University Student Commons, Virginia Rooms. Campus climate includes but is not limited to institutional history, policies, and structures, and perceptions and attitudes of the campus community. This discussion will bring students, faculty and staff together to discuss the current VCU campus climate and focus on exploring ways to support the most marginalized members of the community. For details and a complete listing of MLK Week events, visit the website below.

For more information, visit http://mlkday.vcu.edu.

Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2017 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The MCV Campus Student Government Association sponsors a Virginia Blood Services blood drive at Larrick Student Center. Those who donate will be entered into a prize drawing. Prizes include a Yeti cup and GoPro. Participants must have a V number to be eligible. Volunteers for the drive are also welcome.

Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2017 from noon to 1 p.m.

The VCU Community Health Education Center hosts 30-minute mindfulness meditation sessions every Wednesday and Friday at noon and 12:30 p.m. at the center, VCU Medical Center, Gateway Building, Ground Floor. The sessions will be led by Georgianne Ginder, MSc, CHWC, VCU Department of Arts in Healthcare. Space is limited. To register, use the contact information below and specify which session you would like to attend.

For more information, visit http://wp.vcu.edu/chec/.

Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2017 at 6 p.m.

VCU Athletics presents the Women's Basketball team at the E.J. Wade Arena at the Stuart C. Siegel Center as they take on Rhode Island. There will be $1 hot dogs sold. To purchase tickets, visit vcuathletics.com.

For more information, visit http://ev9.evenue.net/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/SEGetEventInfo?ticketCode=GS%3AVCU%3AWB16%3AWB10%3A&linkID=vcu&shopperContext=&pc=&caller=&appCode=&groupCode=WBSG&cgc=.

Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2017 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

The MLK Planning Committee invites the VCU community to a keynote address by Marc Lamont Hill, Ph.D., author, media personality and Morehouse College professor, speaking about race, politics and social justice in the University Student Commons, Commonwealth Ballroom. Open to the public. Seating is limited. Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. For details and a complete listing of MLK Week events, visit the website below.

For more information, visit http://mlkday.vcu.edu.

Thursday, Jan. 19, 2017 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The Monroe Park Campus and MCV Campus Student Government Associations (SGAs) hold a forum on the proposed merger of the two campuses SGAs in the University Student Commons, Forum Room. The two SGAs have proposed having one student government to oversee VCU's two Richmond campuses. The forum will consist of overview of the merger and a question-and-answer period. Voting on the merger will take place from Jan. 23-25.

For more information, visit https://students.vcu.edu/about-us/administration/reuban-rodriguez/jsgc/.

Thursday, Jan. 19, 2017 at 6 p.m.

VCU ASPiRE and its partners RVA Rapid Transit invite the VCU community to the VCU Sports Medicine Center, 1300 W. Broad St., to provide feedback to the city and GRTC on the Richmond Transit Network Plan. This plan is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to rework the city's bus lines to operate more efficiently and integrate seamlessly with the impending Bus Rap Transit line down Broad St.

For more information, visit http://www.richmondtransitnetwork.com/.

Friday, Jan. 20, 2017 from noon to 1 p.m.

The School of Engineering's Department of Computer Science welcomes Alan C. Schultz as he presents "Towards Collaboration in Human-Robot Interaction" in the School of Engineering West Hall, Room 105. Schultz is director of the Navy Center for Applied Research in Artificial Intelligence at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) in Washington D.C., in addition to being selected as the first director of the NRL's Laboratory for Autonomous Systems Research.

For more information, visit http://events.vcu.edu/details.asp?myVal=65108.

Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2017 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

The Department of Health Administration holds a MSHA information seminar (professional hybrid online program) at the Grant House. Attendees will learn about the Master of Science in Health Administration program and have a chance to meet with the program director and alumni.

For more information, visit http://had.vcu.edu.

Thursday, Jan. 26, 2017 from noon to 1 p.m.

The Institute for Women's Health hosts it ongoing "How to Treat a Woman: Strategies for Health Care and Self-Care" brown bag lunch series in Main Hospital's Learning Center. Susan Wolver, M.D., a board certified obesity medicine specialist at VCU, will address looking at your diet in a new way and will share strategies to start to reverse chronic disease. No pre-registration is required. Open to all.

For more information, visit http://www.womenshealth.vcu.edu .

Wednesday, Mar. 29, 2017 from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The VCU Institute of Women's Health holds its annual Women's Health Research Day at the Hermes A. Kontos Medical Sciences Building. Women’s Health Research Day is a celebration and promotion of research activities in Women's Health at VCU. The program includes a plenary symposium, poster awards and reception highlighting women’s health research by VCU faculty and students. Awards will be given for best posters in basic, clinical and translational, and community and public health research, the Elizabeth Fries Young Investigator Award for best overall poster by a junior investigator, and a Building Interdisciplinary Bridges in Women’s Health Research Award to the poster that best demonstrates interdisciplinary collaboration in women’s health research. All faculty, residents, students, staff and community members interested in women's health research are encouraged to attend. Pre-registration is encouraged, but not required. Onsite registration will be available from 1-1:30 p.m. on the day of the event in the Kontos Medical Sciences Building.

For more information, visit http://www.womenshealth.vcu.edu/research/researchday.html.

VCU's weeklong celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. provides opportunities to reflect on his life and pursue service to others. From Monday, Jan. 16, to Sunday, Jan. 22, the week will include a keynote address from Marc Lamont Hill, Ph.D., a community dinner and several service opportunities. A complete list of events and projects can be found by visiting http://mlkday.vcu.edu

For more information, visit http://mlkday.vcu.edu.

The MLK Planning Committee invites the VCU community to participate in a collection drive from Jan. 3-22, of pencils and lightly used or new books to benefit Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School. For collection locations and details, visit http://mlkday.vcu.edu/community-service/

For more information, visit http://mlkday.vcu.edu.

The Office of Research and Innovation holds spring 2017 IRB-related trainings. In addition, an Informed Consent Workshop Series will be held throughout the semester. The four workshops will address advanced aspects of the informed consent document/process. The topics have been developed from actual auditing/monitoring findings. For the complete schedule, visit the website below.

For more information, visit http://wp.vcu.edu/humanresearch/2017/01/11/spring-2017-irb-training-schedule/.

The Office of Sustainability challenges students to a New Year resolution for energy conservation. Find a video with quick and easy ways to make your impact on energy usage, on and off campus, at the website below.

For more information, visit http://sustainability.vcu.edu/operations/resource-use/ .

Residential Life and Housing accepts applications for 2017-18 resident assistants. The deadline to apply is Thursday, Jan. 19. For information session dates and locations, visit the website below. Note: attending an information session is required.

For more information, visit http://housing.vcu.edu/student-employment/17-18-ra-assistant/.

Episcopal Campus Ministry at VCU invites the VCU community to its new program, "TABLE" (Thanksgiving, Asking, Being, Loving and Engaging), on Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m. at Grace and Holy Trinity Church, 8 N. Laurel St., (use the back entrance and ring the bell) beginning Jan. 18. Attendees will prepare and share a meal together along with stories, scripture and sacrament. Attendees are encouraged to ask questions of faith in an open and welcoming Episcopal community.

For more information, visit http://ghtc.org/our-community/campus-ministry/.

VCU Business Services accepts applications for 13 academic scholarships in the 2017-2018 academic year. Scholarships vary from $500 to $4,000 and are available to both undergraduate and graduate students. Specialty scholarships are also available for international students and single parents. Scholarship applications are available online at bsv.vcu.edu/scholarships and must be submitted by Thursday, Feb. 16.

For more information, visit http://www.bsv.vcu.edu/scholarships/.

VCU Libraries offers free 30-minute tours of James Branch Cabell Library every Tuesday at 4 p.m. and every Wednesday at 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. beginning Tuesday, Jan. 17 and continuing through Wednesday, April 26. No registration is necessary. Participants should meet in the lobby. All are welcome.

VCU Rec Sports offers a Fitness Instructor Training (FIT) program to prepare students to teach and train on campus. The ACE Group Exercise Prep Course teaches individuals the skills necessary to lead group exercise classes. ACE exam fees are reduced for participants. Course time will be determined by participant availability. The registration deadline is Monday, Jan. 30. Interview with Rec Sports upon successful completion of the course.

For more information, visit https://portal.recsports.vcu.edu/Program/GetProgramDetails?courseId=c539c23f-4e92-45ad-a35f-72b612d4ff46&semesterId=37f98f22-9852-4a3c-ba39-4fd9c675bdb3.

VCU Rec Sports offers new female/male only swims. Every other Friday, beginning Jan. 20, the MCV Campus Aquatic Center will feature a female only swim time from 7-9 p.m. There will be female lifeguards on duty for the female-only swims and blinds on the pool deck for ultimate privacy. Male-only swim time will be held on alternating Fridays, beginning on Jan. 27, with male lifeguards on hand.

For more information, visit http://www.recsports.vcu.edu/programs/aquatics/.

The Office of Safety and Risk Management offers the following fire safety tips for students living off campus. Know the closest exit from your building and have a second way out, too. Make certain you have a working smoke detector. Test it monthly and change the battery yearly. When cooking, never leave food unattended. Understand that your safety awareness affects everyone that lives in or visits your building, including you.

For more information, visit http://srm.vcu.edu/.

The Council for Community Engagement seeks nominations for outstanding university-community partnerships in four focus areas: (1) community engaged teaching, (2) community engaged outreach, (3) community-engaged research and (4) student initiated. The deadline to submit nominations is Friday, March 31.

For more information, visit http://community.vcu.edu/council/currents-of-change-award/.

The C. Kenneth and Dianne Wright Center for Clinical and Translational Research offers a new course, "Team Science" CCTR 640, beginning Wednesday, Jan. 18, from 10 a.m. to noon. Teamwork is difficult and it is pervasive. Whether engaging in collaborative research or collaborating with others within a chosen profession, participants will better understand how to be more effective at being team members as well as leading a team. The course is designed as an introduction to research in the social sciences and to help build skills in critical-thinking.

Are you pregnant? Would you like to be in a research study about the “Mindful Moms” program for stress management and self-care? For more information, contact our research nurse about the “Mindful Moms” study: Amy Rider, VCU School of Nursing—804-828-5579 or rideraw@vcu.edu

For more information, visit https://rampages.us/vcumindfulmoms/.