6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

VCU's National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemist and Chemical Engineers will hold its first general body meeting. The session will be held in the Shockoe Room, University Student Commons, 907 Floyd Ave. Community service opportunities and new events for the spring semester will be discussed.

For more information, contact Monica Miles at milesm3@vcu.edu or (804) 658-7208.

7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

VCU Department of English presents a reading by Yiyun Li, VCU 2019 Distinguished Visiting Writer, in the third-floor lecture hall, James Branch Cabell Library, 901 Park Ave. She is the author of four works of fiction, a children's book, a memoir and will have a novel published in February.

For more information, contact Thom Didato at tndidato@vcu.edu.

7 p.m. to 8 p.m.

VCU's United Healthcare Network will hold a graduate student mixer in Richmond Salon 1, University Student Commons, 907 Floyd Ave. Students from different professional schools will be available to answer questions.

For more information, contact Caroline Collard at collardcm@vcu.edu or (804) 572-3137.

Thursday, Jan. 31, 2019 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Alpha Kappa Delta Phi will host a food drive at the University Student Commons, 907 Floyd Ave., to collect food donated to the YWCA in support of women escaping violence. Items to be accepted include canned food, cereal boxes and nonperishable snacks.

For more information, contact Desiree Johnson at johnsondt6@vcu.edu or (703) 725-9761.

Thursday, Jan. 31, 2019 from noon to 1 p.m.

Carrie Barnes, a Peer Health Education Coordinator for the VCU's Wellness Resource Center, will discuss making mindful choices for fostering a healthier and more active lifestyle. The event, hosted by VCU Health Community Health Education Center, will be at 1200 E. Marshall St. on the ground floor of the Gateway Building. The program is free and lunch will be provided. Register (required) at the following URL.

For more information, contact K.J. Ricasata at ricasatakj@vcu.edu or (804) 828-2432 or visit https://vcu.libcal.com/event/5077606.

Thursday, Jan. 31, 2019 at 12:30 p.m.

Photographic artists Daniel Everett and Leah Beeferman will discuss their new body of work, "Surface Tension, Surface Tenses" at The Anderson, 907 1/2 W. Franklin St.

For more information, contact Maggie Flanigan at mflanigan2@vcu.edu or (804) 828-7720.

Thursday, Jan. 31, 2019 from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The Wellness Resource Center and VCU's Team One Love present a viewing of the short film, "Escalation," followed by a discussion about the red flags of dating violence. The screening, in the SGA Senate Chambers, University Student Commons, 907 Floyd Ave., is in conjunction with January's Stalking Awareness Month.

For more information, contact Kaylin Tingle at tinglekm@vcu.edu.

Thursday, Jan. 31, 2019 from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

VCU's Academic Affairs will host an informational session for undergraduates and potential faculty mentors about applying for funding for Undergraduate Fellowships for Community-Engaged Research. The session will be held in Room 1160, T. Edward Temple Building, 901 W. Main St.

For more information, contact Herb Hill, Director of Undergraduate Research Opportunities at hhill@vcu.edu or visit http://wp.vcu.edu/vcuurop/2019/01/27/cenrinfo/.

Thursday, Jan. 31, 2019 from 4 p.m. to 6:40 p.m.

The Pace Center will host an overview of the Asset Based Community Development transformation effort at 700 W. Franklin St. Various types of of community engagement will be discussed, including relief, individual betterment and community transformation. Attendees will be introduced to opportunities to participate in the program or connect with related area nonprofit groups.

For more information, contact Katie B Gooch at director@thepacecenter.com or (804) 658-4064 or visit http://www.thepacecenter.com.

Thursday, Jan. 31, 2019 at 8 p.m.

VCU's Muslim Students Association will hold its first general body meeting of the semester in Room 2201, Academic Learning Commons, 1000 Floyd Ave.

For more information, contact Moazan Rehman at rehmanm@mymail.vcu.edu.

Friday, Feb. 1, 2019 from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.

VCU BEST (Broadening Experiences for Scientific Training) presents "Searching for a Summer Science Research Opportunity." The workshop will be held in Room 250 (Multipurpose Room), James Branch Cabell Library, 901 Park Ave. The focus of the event will be where to look, where to start and marketing yourself as a qualified applicant. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Lian Currie at lcurrie@vcu.edu or (804) 828-1645 or visit https://tinyurl.com/VCUBEST5.

Friday, Feb. 1, 2019 from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.

VCU BEST (Broadening Experiences for Scientific Training) presents "Preparing a National Institutes of Health F30 or F31 Training Grant." The workshop will be Rooms 1009-1011, Molecular Medicine Research Building, 1220 E. Broad St. The grants support students during their development as independent research scientists. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Lian Currie at lcurrie@vcu.edu or (804) 828-1645 or visit https://tinyurl.com/VCUBEST4.

Friday, Feb. 1, 2019 at 4 p.m.

Cole Hicks performs a mixture of spoken word, live music and turntablism at the ICA. Performances will also be given at 7 p.m. Feb. 1 and at 3 p.m. Feb. 2 at the Institute for Contemporary Art at the Markel Center, 601 W. Broad St., as part of Rashid Johnson’s “Monument” installation.

For more information, contact Institute for Contemporary Art at ica@vcu.edu or visit https://icavcu.org/performances/provocations-0202/.

Friday, Feb. 1, 2019 at 6 p.m.

The Institute for Contemporary Art offers extended gallery hours on the first Friday of each month. The ICA at the Markel Center, 601 W. Broad St., also has food and beverages at Ellwood’s Café at ICA, free tours, performances and other special events. The galleries, shop and café are open until 9 p.m.

For more information, contact Institute for Contemporary Art at ica@vcu.edu or visit https://icavcu.org/events/firstfriday-0219/.

Saturday, Feb. 2, 2019 at 7:30 p.m.

The VCU Department of Music presents "Something Wonderful: A Rodgers and Hammerstein Concert." The concert will be in the Sonia Vlahcevic Concert Hall of the W.E. Singleton Center for the Performing Arts, 922 Park Ave. Tickets are $25 for general admission, $20 for seniors, faculty, staff and non-VCU students and $10 for VCU students. The concert will also be presented at 2 p.m. Feb. 3 at the same location.

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

Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2019 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Global Education Office will host the Study Abroad Spring​ Fair​ in Rodney's Lounge, Shafer Court Dining Center, 810 Cathedral Place. It's not too late to find a study abroad program for summer or fall 2019. Students can learn more about faculty-led, short-term and semester-long options and talk with Study Abroad staff, students who have previously participated and faculty program leaders. Ten students will receive a $500 study abroad award.

For more information, contact Simone Biasuzzi at abroad@vcu.edu.

Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2019 at 7:30 a.m.

Emmy Award-winning journalist Samantha Harris will be the keynote speaker at the 24th Annual Women and Wellness Breakfast and Luncheon at the Jefferson Hotel, 101 W. Franklin St. The event is hosted by VCU's Massey Cancer Center. Tickets are $150, and the event benefits women's cancer research at Massey.

For more information, contact Molly Wright at mhwright@vcu.edu or visit https://massey.vcu.edu/giving/fundraising/women-and-wellness/.

Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2019 from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.

VCU Humanities Research Center presents Myrl Beam, Ph.D., an assistant professor in VCU’s Department of Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies. Beam will discuss his latest book, "Gay Inc.: The Nonprofitization of Queer Politics." He will speak in the Multipurpose Room, James Branch Cabell Library, 901 Park Ave.

For more information, contact Michael Means at meansmm2@vcu.edu or visit http://has.vcu.edu/meet-vcus-authors-beam/.

Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2019 at 6 p.m.

In partnership with Carlos Chafin of In Your Ear Studios, the ICA will present an evening of free, live music performed by jazz musician Rex Richardson. Arrive an hour early at the Institute for Contemporary Art at the Markel Center, 601 W. Broad St., for creative conversation, complimentary snacks and discounted beverages.

For more information, contact Institute for Contemporary Art at ica@vcu.edu or visit https://icavcu.org/events/inyourear-0219/.

Friday, Feb. 8, 2019 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.

A reception will be held for an exhibit of works by anatomical artist and VCU alumnus Nickolai Walko. The event will be held in the Special Collections and Archives reading room at Tompkins-McCaw Library for the Health Sciences, 509 N. 12th St. Refreshments will be served. Vertical Dimension will perform.

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

Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2019 from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

VCU’s Biology Department and VCU Libraries will co-host a screening and panel discussion of “Before the Flood” in Room 303, James Branch Cabell Library, 901 Park Ave. The documentary follows actor Leonardo DiCaprio's journey to learn about climate change. Request a free ticket at the following URL. Details about the 2019 RVA Environmental Film Festival are available at https://rvaeff.org.

For more information, contact Ching-Yu Huang at cyhuang@vcu.edu or visit http://goo.gl/nqznBp.

Saturday, Mar. 2, 2019 at noon

VCU Recreational Sports Outdoor Adventure Program will host a Wilderness First Responder course. The hands-on class will be at the Rice Rivers Center, 3701 John Tyler Memorial Highway, Charles City. It involves response and assessment, musculoskeletal injuries, environmental emergencies, survival skills, soft tissue injuries and medical emergencies. Certification is good for two years and the course includes CPR. Registration ends Feb. 26. The class will also be offered March 9.

For more information, contact Katie Schmidt at outdoors@vcu.edu or (804) 828-8826 or visit https://recsports.vcu.edu/programs/outdoor-adventure-program/rice-rivers-center/.

All VCU/GRTC GO Passes have now been mailed. If you are a student or employee and have not yet received your pass, check your email for a message from VCU Parking and Transportation. Your pass may have been returned as undeliverable. Additional instructions for coordinating re-mailing or pickup are available at the following URL. If you did not receive an email and have not received your GO Pass, contact the following email.

For more information, contact Jonsette Calloway at parking@vcu.edu or (804) 828-7275 or visit https://parking.vcu.edu/transportation/grtc/.

VCU's Safety and Risk Management reminds that lithium-ion batteries pose a serious fire hazard and devices powered by lithium-ion batteries, such as some electric scooters and hoverboards, should not be stored or charged inside campus buildings.

For more information, contact VCU Safety and Risk Management at srm@vcu.edu or visit http://srm.vcu.edu.

This study is seeking individuals between the ages of 18 and 35 who have PTSD or symptoms of PTSD. The purpose of this research study is to examine the effect of post traumatic stress disorder symptoms on blood vessel function at rest and during exercise. Participants will be compensated. This study will be conducted at the 500 Academic Centre, 1020 W. Grace St. The principal investigator is Ryan Garten, Ph.D., Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences.

For more information, contact Ryan Garten at rsgarten@vcu.edu.