1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Grad Fest, in Room 303, James Branch Cabell Library, 901 Park Ave., offers an overview of resources and services available for graduate students, including campus life and opportunities for research. Network with other grad students and representatives from the Graduate School, Graduate Student Association, Career Services and National Scholarship Office. Desserts and beverages served.

For more information, contact Sue Robinson at srobinson26@vcu.edu or visit https://www.library.vcu.edu/about/events/2018-19/grad-fest-2018.html.

3 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Artist Heath Matysek-Snyder, assistant professor in VCUarts' Department of Craft/Material Studies, will be present for brief celebratory remarks, Q&A and refreshments at James Branch Cabell Library, 901 Park Ave., for "Fall Line," his wood sculpture and functional bench. The work, designed to evoke the James River, was installed in the lobby of the library in the spring as the finishing touch for the new building.

For more information, contact Sue Robinson at srobinson26@vcu.edu or visit https://www.library.vcu.edu/about/events/2018-19/fall-line.html.

Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2018 at 5:15 p.m.

VCU Alumni invites students, student organizations, alumni and community members to the annual Ram Spirit Walk. In a Welcome Week tradition, the new incoming class and The Peppas spirit band will march from New Student Convocation to a block party on Floyd Avenue. Line up along Harrison Street, Park Avenue or Linden Street to cheer incoming students as they parade from the Siegel Center. Wear spirit gear and make banners to welcome the Class of 2022.

For more information, contact Allison Toney at aktoney@vcu.edu or visit https://www.vcualumni.org/Events/Ram-Spirit-Walk/..

Thursday, Aug. 23, 2018 at 12:30 p.m.

Instrumentalists who are not music majors - especially brass, saxes and bassists - are encouraged to audition for VCU's big bands and/or combos for credit. Sign-up sheets will be posted by Aug. 20 outside room 2014, James Black Music Center, 1015 Grove Ave. Horns audition 12:30-5:30 p.m. Aug. 23 and bassists audition at selected hours between 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Aug. 27.

For more information, contact Antonio Garcia at ajgarcia@vcu.edu or visit http://www.arts.vcu.edu/music/about/ensembles/jazz-ensembles.

The VCU Office of Continuing and Professional Education offers a variety of on-campus and online learning opportunities for VCU faculty, staff, students, alumni and community members. Continuing education is available in addiction studies, craft beer, cultural competency and languages, disability support services, event planning, paralegal studies, play therapy training and test preparation for the GMAT, GRE, LSAT, SAT and ACT. Noncredit online courses and certificates in customer service, sales, self-publishing, computer skills, workplace topics, Google tools and podcasting are also offered.

For more information, contact VCU OCPE at ocpe@vcu.edu or (804) 828-1322 or visit http://ocpe.vcu.edu.

Utility work and construction at and around the former Virginia Treatment Center for Children site will affect traffic patterns in the area of the MCV Campus over the next several months.

For more information, contact Jake Hughes at jake.hughes@am.jll.com or visit https://www.vcuhealth.org/news-center/building-projects/outpatient-facility-updates.

Nominations are being accepted until Aug. 24 for this year’s President’s Awards for Professional and Administrative Distinction. These awards recognize and honor full-time university and academic professionals, classified employees of VCU and staff members of the VCU Health System. Questions may be directed to Marella Briggs in the President’s Office at mbriggs@vcu.edu.

For more information, contact Debbie Fitzgerald at dmfitzge@vcu.edu or visit https://hr.vcu.edu/current-employees/recognition-and-awards/presidents-awards/.

VCU Recreational Sports will hold staff training on Aug. 16-17. All facilities (except MCV Campus Recreation Center) will be closed from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. VCU Recreational Sports will host Recreational Sports Night on Aug. 20. On that day, the Cary Street Gym will be closed from 4-5 p.m. and the Aquatic Center will be closed from 3:30-5 p.m. in preparation for the night's events.

For more information, contact Amanda Simmons at alsimmons@vcu.edu or (804) 827-0321 or visit https://recsports.vcu.edu/facilities/facility-hours/.

Handshake at VCU, a program for job seekers, is live for all students and is replacing HireVCURams. Use the Handshake app or web interface to schedule career-advice appointments with VCU Career Services, College of Engineering Career Services and School of Business Career Services. Find and apply for Federal Work-Study jobs, internships, part- and full-time jobs, co-ops and other opportunities. Register for career fairs, programs and on-campus interviews.

For more information, contact VCU Career Services at careers@vcu.edu or (804) 828-1645 or visit http://vcu.joinhandshake.com.

The Office of Continuing and Professional Education, in partnership with the School of World Studies, will hold cultural competency and language classes for VCU and VCU Health employees and community members. Courses, worth one academic credit, begin Aug. 28 and run through early December. Intro to Conversational German II, Intermediate German II, Intro to Conversational Italian II, Intro to Conversational Spanish I and Intro to Conversational Spanish II are available. Contact HR to determine eligibility for tuition waivers. The sign-up deadline is Aug. 29.

For more information, contact VCU Office of Continuing and Professional Education at ocpe@vcu.edu or (804) 828-1322 or visit http://ocpe.vcu.edu/languages.

VCU Libraries is sponsoring a travel scholarship to OpenCon 2018, an international conference on openness in research and education to be held Nov. 2-4 in Toronto. The event is applicable to graduate students, postdocs and early career faculty interested in open access, open education and/or open data. Online applications must be completed by Sept. 3.

For more information, contact Sue Robinson at srobinson26@vcu.edu or visit https://www.library.vcu.edu/about/news/2018/vcu-libraries-offers-travel-scholarship-to-international-conference-on-openness-in-education-and-research.html.

The Grace E. Harris Leadership Institute is holding its 12th Annual HIGHER Ground Women's Leadership Conference from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 2 at the Greater Richmond Convention Center. This year’s theme is "The Power of Collective Action: Shifting the Leadership Culture."

For more information, contact Olivia X. Barnes at gehli@vcu.edu or (804) 827-1169 or visit https://www.gehli.vcu.edu/.

Summer climbing clinics offered by the VCU Recreational Sports Outdoor Adventure Program will conclude Aug. 15. A belay clinic that began Aug. 13 will be held 6:30-7:30 p.m. Aug. 14-15. A session on climbing techniques will be held 7-9 p.m. Aug. 15. Clinics are held at the Cary Street Gym climbing and bouldering wall.

For more information, contact Sam Albert at scalbert@vcu.edu or (804) 828-1274 or visit https://recsports.vcu.edu/programs/outdoor-adventure-program/climbing-and-bouldering/.

The Campus Connector has resumed its fall semester operating schedule of Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to midnight, and Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m. to midnight. Track the status of RamRide in real time through the "RamRide" tracker, available on VCU Mobile. Also, all VCU and VCU Health students and employees have unlimited transportation access on the GRTC Pulse and GRTC's regular local and express fixed-route bus service with a valid ID card.

For more information, contact Jonsette Calloway at ramride@vcu.edu or (804) 828-7275 or visit http://go.vcu.edu/ramride.