10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

VCU's chapter of Alpha Phi Omega and the American Red Cross will sponsor a blood drive. The event will be held at Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, 823 Cathedral Place. Food and prizes will be available.

For more information, contact Noelle Wekenmann at wekenmannnm@vcu.edu or (540) 850-7111.

7 p.m.

VCU's Muslim Students Association will hold its first general body meeting. The session will be in the Commons Theater, University Student Commons, 907 Floyd Ave. The group's board members will be available and plans for the semester will be discussed.

For more information, contact Barika Mirza at mirzab@vcu.edu.

8 p.m.

VCU's World Studies Society focuses on religion, current events, cultural affairs and varying viewpoints. The group will hold its first meeting of the semester in Virginia Room A, University Student Commons, 907 Floyd Ave. Upcoming events, future elections and volunteer opportunities will be discussed.

For more information, contact Neha Pondicherry at pondicherryn@mymail.vcu.edu or (559) 801-7269.

Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2019 at 1 p.m.

The National Scholarship Office will host an informational session about the Truman Scholarship. The award is geared toward juniors planning to pursue careers in public service. Attend the session online or in Room 1210, The Honors College, 701 W. Grace St. The scholarship provides leadership development, an internship opportunity in Washington, D.C., and up to $30,000 for graduate studies.

For more information, contact Meredith Sisson at natlscholar@vcu.edu or (804) 828-6868 or visit https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfogiXrjVVck7go2SVBlt4xCsV29aDubFfYd5iDpwJAUvZk1Q/viewform.

Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2019 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

VCU's Tompkins-McCaw Library for the Health Sciences invites all new and returning students for a visit and tour. Learn about VCU Libraries' resources and services available online and at Tompkins-McCaw, 509 N. 12th St. Take part in a scavenger hunt to uncover collaborative spaces. Meet the staff, see demos of library databases, learn about 3D and poster printing, see new equipment and explore possibilities to create in the library's new makerspace.

For more information, contact Thelma Mack at mackta@vcu.edu or (804) 828-0017 or visit https://www.library.vcu.edu/about/news/2019/health-sciences-library-sets-open-houses-for-aug-20-and-28.html.

Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2019 from noon to 2 p.m.

Explore the VCU Education Abroad office with the Ed Abroad team and returnee students during an open house on the fourth floor of Grace Street Center, 912. W. Grace St. Chat with students on topics from funding to talking with family about study abroad. Light refreshments. Swag bags for the first 20 guests.

For more information, contact Simone Biasuzzi at sabiasuzzi@vcu.edu or (804) 827-4561.

Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2019 at noon

VCU's National Scholarship Office will host an informational session about the Goldwater Scholarship. The award is for sophomores and juniors planning to pursue a career in STEM-field research. Attend the session online or in Room 1210, The Honors College, 701 W. Grace St. Scholars receive up to $7,500 toward educational expenses, as well as access to mentoring and an alumni network. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Meredith Sisson at natlscholar@vcu.edu or (804) 828-6868 or visit https://forms.gle/uuwBQHspeatn6PqB6.

Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2019 from noon to 2 p.m.

VCU's Wellness Resource Center will host the Third Annual Wellness Fair at the Compass and Cabell Library green space. Student leaders, campus partners and community organizations will be present to promote holistic health and well-being at VCU.

For more information, contact Carrie Baines at cabaines@vcu.edu or (804) 827-0231.

Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2019 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Active Minds at VCU will hold its first general body meeting in Virginia Rooms C and D, University Student Commons, 907 Floyd Ave. The goal of the group, a chapter of a national nonprofit organization, is to raise mental health awareness among college students and to fight the stigma around mental illness on a university and national level.

For more information, contact Leena Penumalee at penumaleels@vcu.edu.

Thursday, Aug. 29, 2019 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

VCU Libraries will host viewings of informational webinars about the VIVA Course Redesign Grants. These $1,000 to $30,000 grants give faculty the resources and time they need to redesign courses by swapping out textbooks and other expensive course materials for open, no cost, or library options. This session will provide a general introduction to the grants, the application process and a Q&A, with time for local discussion. The session will be held at James Branch Cabell Library, 901 Park Ave., and Tompkins-McCaw Library for the Health Sciences, 509 N. 12th St.

For more information, contact Sue Robinson at srobinson26@vcu.edu or visit https://www.library.vcu.edu/about/news/2019/faculty-apply-by-sept-30-for-state-grants-to-switch-to-open-or-no-cost-course-materials.html.

Thursday, Aug. 29, 2019 at 3 p.m.

President Michael Rao invites the VCU community to the 37th annual Faculty Convocation at the W.E. Singleton Center for the Performing Arts, 922 Park Ave. Faculty members will be welcomed and this year’s distinguished faculty award recipients will be honored. Faculty and staff traveling to the Monroe Park Campus may use the Pulse (VCU/VUU stop) or GRTC Route 5 (Main and Harrison stop) or find reciprocal parking options at http://www.parking.vcu.edu/parking/faculty-and-staff/reciprocal-parking/.

For more information, contact VCU's Office of Events and Special Programs at UNIVevents@vcu.edu or visit http://go.vcu.edu/vcuconvocation2019.

VCU's Campus Learning Center will host a school supply drive for VCU students in need through Sept. 6. Items VCU students frequently need include notebooks, pens, colored pens/markers, highlighters, folders, staplers, sheet protectors and index cards. Supplies can be dropped of at the front desk of the CLC on the first floor of Hibbs Hall, 900 Park Ave.

For more information, contact Sara Rafuse at rafusese@vcu.edu.

VCU's Wellness Resource Center has opened a resilience lab for students. This lab allows individuals to obtain biofeedback about their stress responses and build their resilience. Check out the following URL for available workshops, mindfulness sessions, drop-in lab times and appointment availability for the lab.

For more information, contact Mia Liadis at liadisa@vcu.edu or (804) 828-9355 or visit http://thewell.vcu.edu.

VCU's ALT Lab/Online@VCU announces a new faculty professional development program for online teaching. Starting this fall, facilitated courses on different elements of online education and self-paced courses on a variety of topics in instructional technology will be offered. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Brianne Jackson, Ph.D., at bljackson@vcu.edu or visit http://altlab.vcu.edu.

VCU's Records Management Office will offer Records Management 101 training sessions in the upcoming months. Training will cover recordkeeping requirements and practices to be compliant with state regulations and university policy. Register at the following URL (keyword "records"). Too busy to attend? Try self-paced Records Management 101 training available in Blackboard.

For more information, contact Amber Peranski at aperanski@vcu.edu or (804) 828-2097 or visit https://training.vcu.edu/.

Students and employees have unlimited transportation access on GRTC’s Pulse, local and express routes. Students with GO Passes should continue to use this pass and VCU ID to ride GRTC. Students who have not been issued GO Passes can ride by presenting a VCU ID card to the bus driver. A mobile pass, which will replace the GO Passes, will be available later this semester, at which time a GO Pass or mobile pass will be required for boarding. Employees can pick up GO Passes at either VCU parking office, 1108 W. Broad St. or 659 N. Eighth St.

For more information, contact VCU Parking and Transportation at parking@vcu.edu or (804) 828-7275 or visit http://go.vcu.edu/grtc.

Massey Cancer Center is accepting internal applications for the NIH/NCI Predoctoral to Postdoctoral Fellow Transition Award (F99/K00). The goal of the F99/K00 award is to encourage graduate students who are recognized as having high potential and strong interest in pursuing careers as independent cancer researchers, and then to facilitate their successful transition to postdoctoral positions. One application from VCU is allowed. The applicant will be selected through an internal competition.

For more information, contact Lauren Frick at lsfrick@vcu.edu or visit https://spot.research.vcu.edu/spot/Rooms/DisplayPages/LayoutInitial?Container=com.webridge.entity.Entity[OID[009C64B845417447AF35DFFA2B82FE9E]].

Construction and related utility work at and around the VCU Health Outpatient Facility and Inpatient Children’s Hospital sites will affect traffic patterns on the MCV Campus for several months. On Aug. 31 at 6 a.m. through Sept. 1 at 6 p.m., 11th Street between Broad and Marshall streets will be closed. The Children's Pavilion will be closed to all team members and patients during this time. For current information and updates, visit the URL below.

For more information, contact Carrie Carroll at carrie.carroll@vcuhealth.org or visit http://vcuhealth.org/traffic.

VCU's Office of Multicultural Student Affairs invites cultural and social justice student organizations to participate in OMSA's culturally based Mix and Mingle events during Weeks of Welcome on Sept. 4, 5, 11 and 12. The events will be held in the University Student Commons, 907 Floyd Ave. Register at the following URL by Aug. 28.

For more information, contact Hien Vo at voht2@vcu.edu or visit https://forms.gle/7rFTSHJohhsy7M2U9.

Adobe Creative Cloud licenses are available for purchase by VCU faculty, staff and students. More than 20 applications are included - everything needed to create graphics, videos, web content, online portfolios and more. Visit the Adobe table at the Jonah L. Larrick Student Center, 900 Turpin St., between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Aug. 27th or 29th.

For more information, contact Jana Avery at jcavery@vcu.edu or visit https://adobe.vcu.edu.

Visit Collaboration Services’ new website, collaborate.vcu.edu, and kick off Week One of the Back to School Google Challenge. Over the next six weeks, weekly learning modules will be released highlighting the apps and features in G Suite for Education at VCU. In six weeks a drawing will be held and the winner will receive a set of headphones.

For more information, contact Collaboration Services at drgee@vcu.edu or visit https://collaborate.vcu.edu/about-us/activities/.

VCU's Global Education Office is seeking friendship families for the 2019-2020 academic year. Friendship families will be matched with international students or scholars and are encouraged to meet at least once per month.

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

Are you a professor who can't make it to a class and are considering canceling it? Instead, bring in VCU's Wellness Resource Center and other campus partners to do programming and take advantage of your class time. If you know about your absence at least 48 hours in advance, fill out the form at the following URL request a substitute program.

For more information, contact Keyuna Patterson at pattersonk4@vcu.edu or visit https://forms.gle/UgEvjzE8E34qaHuA9.

Individuals between the ages of 18 and 35 are sought to participate in a study examining the effect of physical activity on sleep quality. Individuals must be willing to significantly increase their physical activity level (+5,000 steps per day) for two weeks. This study will be conducted at 500 Academic Centre, 1020 W. Grace St.

For more information, contact Principal Investigator Ryan Garten, Ph.D., Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences, at rsgarten@vcu.edu.

VCU is home to the largest twin registry in the country, the Mid-Atlantic Twin Registry (MATR). For over 40 years the MATR has facilitated twin-based health and behavior research so that scientists can begin to unravel the environmental and genetic factors involved in human health and behavior. They are poised to fulfill subject recruitment and data collection needs for researchers of any discipline.

For more information, contact Emily Lilley at echlilley@vcu.edu or visit http://matr.vcu.edu.