1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

VCU's living-learning program ASPiRE will host an informational session. The session for ASPiRE, part of the Division of Community Engagement, will be held in Room 1004 F-G, West Grace Street Student Housing – South, 835 W. Grace St. Current ASPiRE students will be available to answer questions and share experiences. Learn about the application process and how you can receive acceptance before the end of the semester.

For more information, contact Jenny R Callear at aspire@vcu.edu or visit https://aspire.vcu.edu/apply/.

3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Sharpen your job negotiation skills, tools and strategies. VCU BEST (Broadening Experiences in Scientific Training) presents a workshop in Room 1013, Molecular Medicine Research Building, 1220 E. Broad St.

For more information, contact Lian Currie at lcurrie@vcu.edu or (804) 828-1645 or visit https://tinyurl.com/ycrr8esn.

4 p.m.

Richmond native Kenneka Cook combines improvisational vocals with electronic loops. The Institute for Contemporary Art, 601 W. Broad St., presents the Provocations Performance series, developed in response to the work of exhibiting artist Rashid Johnson. The weekly drop-in performances feature local musicians, dancers, DJs and spoken-word artists. A performance will also be held at 3 p.m. Nov. 17, also at the ICA.

For more information, contact Institute for Contemporary Art at ica@vcu.edu or (804) 828-2823 or visit http://icavcu.org.

11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Sign up to save a life at a bone marrow registry event. The event, hosted by Be the Match on Campus at VCU, will be held in the lobby of the University Student Commons, 907 Floyd Ave. For patients diagnosed with leukemia, lymphoma and other life-threatening diseases, a bone marrow or cord blood transplant may be their best or only hope for a cure.

For more information, contact Nicole Mauro at maurond@mymail.vcu.edu or visit https://www.instagram.com/bethematchvcu/.

5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Pwatem Literature and Art will celebrate the release of its fall chapbook, Rabble! Students will read their work at LIFT Coffee Shop & Cafe, 218 W. Broad St. Free food and coffee.

For more information, contact Emily Furlich at furlicheg@vcu.edu or (757) 493-1713 or visit http://pwatem.com.

6 p.m.

VCU's Christ Centered Fellowship will hold a Thanksgiving celebration. The catered meal and activities will be held in Virginia Rooms C and D, University Student Commons, 907 Floyd Ave.

For more information, contact Amanda Lee at Leeas@vcu.edu or (804) 405-8808.

6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

A reception will be held for the artists participating in Implicit Dimensions. The exhibit at the Anderson, 907 1⁄2 Franklin St., features works by nine emerging artists from Baltimore and is organized by the members of the 2018 Anderson Student Curatorial Committee: Samantha Bantly, Spencer Dewey, Joy McMillian and Sam Mullany.

For more information, contact Maggie Flanigan at mflanigan2@vcu.edu or (828) 773-5073 or visit https://arts.vcu.edu/programs/theanderson/.

7 p.m.

VCUarts Music presents a gala of fully staged/costumed opera scenes. The free event, which explores the twists and turns of dynamic relationships, will be staged at W.E. Singleton Center for the Performing Arts, 922 Park Ave. A performance will also be held at 4 p.m. Nov. 17 at the same location. Scenes from the following operas will be featured: Mozart’s "Don Giovanni," "La Clemenza di Tito" and "Così fan tutte;" Bernstein’s "Candide;" Johann Strauss’ "Die Fledermaus;" Delibes’ "Lakmè;" Donizetti’s "La Favorita" and Gilbert and Sullivan’s "The Mikado."

For more information, contact Anne Marie Dumain at dumainamm@vcu.edu or visit http://arts.vcu.edu/music/events.

8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

RamTech is having a faculty and staff appreciation day. The event at RamTech, 930 W. Grace St., features a special Apple Flash Sale with up to $200 off select products. Save up to $100 on select Dell products; get 30 percent off Kate Spade, 30 percent off HEX, 20 percent off Fitbit and 25 percent off all Beats. Qualified full-time VCU faculty and staff can take advantage of zero percent down payroll deduction.

For more information, contact Erinn Budd at budde@vcu.edu or (804) 828-8324 or visit http://ramtech.vcu.edu.

Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Her Campus at VCU will be collecting canned food for the nonprofit Feed More. Cans will be collected at tables in the University Student Commons, 907 Floyd Ave., and also at the same times on Nov. 16.

For more information, contact Taylor K. Mickel at mickeltk@vcu.edu or (757) 310-2227.

Saturday, Nov. 17, 2018 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

A clothing swap will be held at the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs. VCU's Queer and Trans People of Color Collective and Queer Action are hosting eh swap, at OMSA, University Student Commons, 907 Floyd Ave. Bins for donations of formal gender-affirming clothing will be in the office all week.

For more information, contact Tamanna Kaur Sohal at sohalt@vcu.edu.

Sunday, Nov. 18, 2018 at 7 p.m.

VCU's Department of Music presents a faculty recital by Russell Wilson. The recital will be held 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, Nov. 19, 2018 from noon to 12:30 p.m.

Learn more about VCU's Online MBA program at a webinar. The 30-minute online presentation will provide an overview of the program and how to apply. Click on the following link to register for this webinar.

For more information, contact Robert Clarkson at rmclarkson@vcu.edu or (804) 828-1597 or visit https://business.vcu.edu/academics/mba-options/online-mba/?utm_source=DAR%20Alumni&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=Register&utm_content=LogOnAndMoveForward-BusinessKnowledge-Leadership-ManagerialSkills-CriticalAndCreativeThinking-ProgramFetures&utm_campaign=OMBARY2019&program=OMBA#sob-events-1759437.

Monday, Nov. 19, 2018 at 7 p.m.

The VCU Department of Music presents a Piano Area Recital. The recital will be held 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.

Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2018 at 10 a.m.

Tour the Central Virginia All Hazards Incident Management Team's command trailer. The tours, from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. in the Commons Plaza, are part of an event offered by the Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness program, L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs. The hazards team will offer a presentation in the Forum Room, University Student Commons, 907 Floyd Ave.

For more information, contact Jim Keck at keckjw@vcu.edu or (804) 827-0867 or visit http://www.wilder.vcu.edu.

Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2018 at noon

Ethlyn McQueen Gibson of VCU's School of Nursing will discuss community-centered care. The seminar, “From the Front Lines of Interprofessional, Community-Based Care,” hosted by VCU's Center for Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Care, will be in Room 1013, Molecular Medicine Research Building, 1220 E. Broad St. Gibson, a clinical assistant professor, will describe how her upbringing, education and work in a number of communities across the country led to her role with the Richmond Health and Wellness Program providing care to low-income, older adults. Register for lunch at the following URL.

For more information, contact Melissa Burton at mhburton@vcu.edu or (804) 828-2898 or visit https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf-KzoQrYkFNejKjGZu25c3MWaiKBFu69PdhhszERJXtjRbLQ/viewform.

Monday, Nov. 26, 2018 from noon to 1 p.m.

Puru Jena, Ph.D., presents “Toward a Clean-Energy Future.” The talk, hosted by the Office of Research and Innovation, will be in the Founders Conference Room, Virginia BioTechnology Research Park – BioTech One, 800 E. Leigh St. Jena, distinguished professor of physics, will discuss the adverse effects of fossil fuels and illustrate VCU's efforts to provide solutions.

For more information, contact Lydia Klinger at leklinger@vcu.edu or (804) 628-2642 or visit https://research.vcu.edu/events/because_of_you.htm.

Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2018 from midnight to 11:55 p.m.

Mark your calendar now for #GivingTuesday on Nov. 27. VCU is officially participating for the first time with 11 campaigns you can support on the university's new crowdfunding site, Igniter.

For more information, contact Jenna Hart at jbhart@vcu.edu or visit http://support.vcu.edu/igniter.

Thursday, Nov. 29, 2018 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Marilyn Reaves Day will be honored at a retirement celebration. The VCU Alumni African-American Alumni Council will host the event for Day (B.S.'77/E; M.Ed.'79/E), former assistant director in University Academic Advising, at Rodney's Lounge, Shafer Court Dining Center, 810 Cathedral Place.

For more information, contact Larry Powell at wlpowell@vcu.edu or (804) 828-8194 or visit https://www.support.vcu.edu/event/aaacmday.

RamRide's service schedule will be altered for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday break. The Campus Connector will operate from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Nov. 21. From Nov. 22-24, the Connector will not be in service. The Connector will resume normal service schedule on Nov. 25. A Lot, I Lot, M Lot and R Lot routes will not be serviced on Nov. 22-23. Impacted subscribers may park in N Deck and Eighth Street Deck on these days.

For more information, contact Jonsette Calloway at callowayjn@vcu.edu or (804) 828-7275 or visit http://wp.vcu.edu/parkingtransportation/?p=1280.

VCU's da Vinci Center for Innovation has launched its Innovation Challenges. All students are invited to submit an unlimited number of ideas to the three tracks - education, energy and health care - until the challenges close on Nov. 18. Top entries will receive funding and acceptance into VCU's Spring 2019 Pre-Accelerator Program. Submit ideas at the following URL.

For more information, contact Kelsey Steenburgh at steenburghbk@vcu.edu. or visit http://go.vcu.edu/10kd.

Applications are being accepted for the HHMI Faculty Fellows Program. The first cohort of faculty fellows will work with VCU’s Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence, Student Success Transfer Center and Campus Learning Center to support the implementation of the VCU HHMI Inclusive Excellence Program. The one-year fellowships include compensation and may begin as early as January 2019. Apply at the following URL no later than Nov. 26.

For more information, contact Rosalyn Hobson Hargraves at rhobson@vcu.edu or (804) 828-8947 or visit http://go.vcu.edu/hhmi-faculty-fellow-app.

VCU's Sociologists for Women in Society is holding a winter donation drive. Through Dec. 3, the group will collect coats, hats, scarves, gloves, menstrual products and nonperishable food items for the homeless. Drop-off boxes can be found on the first floor of the University Student Commons, 907 Floyd Ave.

For more information, contact Lauren Garcia at paytonl@mymail.vcu.edu.

The VCU Office of Alumni Relations has created the first in a series of holiday ornaments. The ornaments pay tribute to campus landmarks. The inaugural 2018 ornament features the Egyptian Building, the first permanent home of the Medical Department of Hampden-Sydney College (later the Medical College of Virginia). The cost of the ornament is $28 plus shipping (Virginia residents add 4.3 percent sales tax).

For more information, contact Booth Greene at wbgreene@vcu.edu or (804) 828-5658 or visit http://go.vcu.edu/alumniornament.

The VCU Mail Services quarterly newsletter is now available digitally. Click on the following URL to view the VCU mail holiday schedule, holiday shipping deadlines, proposed USPS postage rate changes for 2019 and more. This newsletter will no longer be distributed via printed mail.

For more information, contact Donnette Haynes at haynesds@vcu.edu or (804) 828-3868 or visit https://bsv.vcu.edu/mailservices/newsletter/.