8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

A day-long symposium will examine the legacies of MCV and RPI. VCU will host "Commemorating History: Challenges and Opportunities” to examine VCU's connection to the legacies of the Medical College of Virginia and the Richmond Professional Institute. Events will be held at various campus locations. A live webcast of the plenary and keynote sessions will be streamed at go.vcu.edu/vcu50live/.

For more information, contact VCU Office of the President at UNIVevents@vcu.edu or visit http://president.vcu.edu/vcu50/.

2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Take part in a discussion about the Islamic faith. VCU's Office of Multicultural Student Affairs presents "Dispelling Myths About Muslims" at the OMSA, Suite 215, University Student Commons, 907 Floyd Ave.

For more information, contact Dana Vandervelde at vandervelded@vcu.edu or (704) 998-7076.

3:15 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Jakob C. Green, graduate student for the School of Pharmacy - Medicinal Chemistry Department, will give a lecture. His topic will be "Inhibitors of Receptor Interacting Protein Kinase 1 (RIPK1) and Their Therapeutic Exploration," in the Founders Conference Room, Virginia BioTechnology Research Park – BioTech One, 800 E. Leigh St.

For more information, contact Sharon Lee at slee@vcu.edu.

6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Join a discussion about immigration and its impact on the community. The Diversity Ambassadors of VCU's Office of Multicultural Student Affairs will host the event, in the Multipurpose Room of the Honors College, 701 W. Grace St. Free food.

For more information, contact Dana Vandervelde at vandervelded@vcu.edu.

Sunday, Dec. 2, 2018 at 3 p.m.

VCU's Guitar Ensemble and the Community Guitar Ensemble will perform. The VCU Department of Music will present the groups in the Recital Hall of the James W. Black Music Center, 1015 Grove Ave. Admission is free.

For more information, contact Anne Marie Dumain at dumainamm@vcu.edu.

Sunday, Dec. 2, 2018 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The Wellness Resource Center is hosting an event to battle HIV/AIDS. The Well's Peer Health Educators present “Smash the Stigma on HIV/AIDS" in the Multimedia Room, Gladding Residence Center III, 722 W. Cary St. Topics to be discussed include condom demonstrations, anonymous polls and educational presentations.

For more information, contact Carrie Baines at peerhealth@vcu.edu.

Sunday, Dec. 2, 2018 at 7 p.m.

VCU's Symphony will perform in concert. The VCU Department of Music presents a concert by the VCU Symphony in the Sonia Vlahcevic Concert Hall of the W.E. Singleton Center for the Performing Arts, 922 Park Ave.

For more information, contact Anne Marie Dumain at dumainamm@vcu.edu.

Monday, Dec. 3, 2018 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Eat a healthy diet during finals. It could even make you smarter. The Wellness Resource Center and VCU Dining is hosting #MindfulFinals PopUp on Healthy Eating in the lobby of Shafer Court Dining Center, 810 Cathedral Place. Stop by for some healthy snacks and tips on a healthy diet.

For more information, contact Carrie Baines at cabaines@vcu.edu.

Monday, Dec. 3, 2018 from noon to 02 p.m.

"Alternate Endings, Activist Risings" highlights the impact of art in AIDS activism. The program includes a one-hour screening of videos by six community organizations and collectives and a one- hour discussion with Christine Cynn, VCU Dept. of Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies; Ari Laoch, Health Brigade; Rodney Lofton, Diversity Richmond; and Noah Simblist, VCU Dept. of Painting and Printmaking. The program will be held in Room 535, Bowe Street Parking Deck, 609 Bowe St., and is hosted by VCU Dept. of Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies and VCU Dept. of Painting and Printmaking.

For more information, contact Christine Cynn, Noah Simblist at cjcynn@vcu.edu or visit https://arts.vcu.edu/paintingprintmaking/2018/11/09/visual-aids-day-without-art/.

Monday, Dec. 3, 2018 from noon to 1 p.m.

VCU Associate Professor Sachi Shimomura will speak at the English Faculty Forum. The talk, "Unburied Time, Medieval Narratives and Community Memory," hosted by VCU's Department of English, will be in Room 308, Hibbs Hall, 900 Park Ave.

For more information, contact Rivka Swenson at rswenson@vcu.edu or (804) 828-1331 or visit https://english.vcu.edu/news--events/faculty-forum/.

Monday, Dec. 3, 2018 at 5 p.m.

An informational session on the School of Education Counselor Education Master Programs has been scheduled. Philip Gnilka, Ph.D., and Abigail Conley, Ph.D., will participate in the online and in-person session in Room 2116, Oliver Hall, 1001 W. Main St. RSVP at the following URL.

For more information, contact Jenna Lenhardt at soeinfo@vcu.edu or visit http://bit.ly/2vgRQtz.

Monday, Dec. 3, 2018 at 7 p.m.

The University Band will perform in concert. The VCU Department of Music presents the event in the Sonia Vlahcevic Concert Hall, W.E. Singleton Center for the Performing Arts, 922 Park Ave.

For more information, contact Anne Marie Dumain at dumainamm@vcu.edu.

Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Unwind with a certified therapy dog. VCU's Center for Human-Animal Interaction is hosting the event in Virginia Rooms A-D, University Student Commons, 907 Floyd Ave.

For more information, contact Christine Strasser at cstrasser@vcu.edu or (804) 828-6200 or visit https://counseling.vcu.edu//.

Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018 from noon to 1 p.m.

Immigrant enforcement policies in Virginia will be the topic of a panel discussion. The L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs will present "Virginia is for immigrants? Exploring the trends, players, and impacts of immigration enforcement policies." The brown-bag luncheon session will be in the lower level of the Raleigh Building, 1001 W. Franklin St. Featured will be perspectives from the Office of Public Policy Outreach/Center for Public Policy's public policy polls and academic research. Panelists include Brittany Keegan, a doctoral student, Wilder School, and Salta Liebert, Ph.D., associate professor, public administration, Wilder School. Moderator will be Grant Rissler, Ph.D., assistant director of the Center for Public Policy, Wilder School. RSVP to bkeegan@mymail.vcu.edu.

For more information, contact Shirley McDaniel at srmcdani@vcu.edu or (804) 827-0867 or visit http://wilder.vcu.edu.

Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2018 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

During finals, the Wellness Resource Center is offering self-care activities. The Well, 815 S. Cathedral Place, will have coloring, puzzles, relaxing music, video games and more. The Well's Peer Health Educator Office will be open from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. through Dec. 7.

For more information, contact Carrie Baines at peerhealth@vcu.edu.

Friday, Dec. 7, 2018 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.

The Global Café is open to all members of the university community. VCU's Global Education Office hosts the monthly event, to be held in Room 1030J of the West Grace North residence hall, 830 W. Grace St. This student-centered program is designed to increase awareness and appreciation of cultural diversity at VCU and provide the opportunity to meet students from across the globe. Each café has a different theme and refreshments are always served.

For more information, contact Nichole Dorton at nldorton@vcu.edu or (804) 827-9331 or visit https://global.vcu.edu/students/community/globalcafe/.

Friday, Dec. 7, 2018 at 4 p.m.

Richmond native Marcus Tenney performs a solo set on trumpet and flugelhorn. Performances at 4 and 7 p.m. at the Institute for Contemporary Art, 601 W. Broad St. The Provocations Performance series was developed in response to the work of exhibiting artist Rashid Johnson. The weekly, drop-in performances feature local performers. Tenney will also perform at the ICA at 3 p.m. Dec. 8.

For more information, contact Institute for Contemporary Art at ica@vcu.edu.

Friday, Dec. 7, 2018 at 6 p.m.

The ICA has extended gallery hours on the first Friday of each month. The Institute for Contemporary Art, 601 W. Broad St., offers food and beverages at Ellwood’s at ICA, tours, performances and other special events.

For more information, contact Institute for Contemporary Art at VCU at ica@vcu.edu or visit https://icavcu.org/events/firstfriday-1207/.

Sixty-minute table massages are offered at the Cary Street Gym and the MCV Campus Recreation and Aquatic Center. Prices for the massages, offered by VCU Recreational Sports, are $40 for students, $50 for members and $65 for faculty/staff non-members.

For more information, contact Sydney Dale at dalesm3@vcu.edu or (804) 827-6411 or visit https://recsports.vcu.edu/programs/fitness-and-wellness/table-massage/.

VCU Women in Science is collecting new, unwrapped toys. The annual drive supports the Marine Toys for Tots foundation. Donation boxes will be in Sanger Hall, 1101 E. Marshall St.; Wood Memorial Building, 521 N. 11th St.; and Lyons Dental Building, 520 N. 12th St. through Dec. 7.

For more information, contact Erin Mooney at ecmooney@vcu.edu or (814) 777-5626.

A survey by VCU Libraries of faculty needs ends Nov. 30. Faculty members have been sent a reminder.

For more information, contact Sue Robinson at srobinson26@vcu.edu or (804) 828-0129 or visit https://www.library.vcu.edu/about/news/2018/vcu-libraries-will-survey-faculty-needs-and-priorities-beginning-oct-22.html.

Downtown traffic may move slowly Nov. 30. Traffic may be delayed during the annual Grand Illumination at the James Center from 5:50- 10 p.m. Campus Connector, M Lot and R Lot passengers should allow for additional commuting time. Also, in preparation for the Dec. 1 Dominion Energy Christmas Parade, RamSafe will discontinue service at 3:30 a.m. and resume normal service at 5 p.m.

For more information, contact Daniel Pesaturo at ramride@vcu.edu or (804) 828-7275.