3 p.m.

Kim Case of the Center for Teaching Excellence will will host 30-minute chats for faculty to discuss current issues and find support among colleagues. Additional chats will be held at 9 a.m. April 23, 9 a.m. April 27 and 4 p.m. April 29. Join via the Zoom link provided or Zoom ID 521 478 248; password: 967869.

For more information, contact Tiffany Freitas at freitast@vcu.edu or visit https://vcu.zoom.us/j/521478248?pwd=TXl6WHpNSlNyVkxwQmlqZy9RMjBQUT09.

5 p.m. to 6 p.m.

University Student Commons and Activities presents the Intercultural Festival Virtual Event Week through April 25. The live Zoom keynote address will be given by Erin Burke Brown, Ph.D., "Crisis Across Cultures: How Does Culture Impact Our Response to Crisis?" Register on RamsConnect at the following URL.

For more information, contact Hanan Kourtu at kourtuhm@vcu.edu or visit http://tinyurl.com/ICFKeynoteSpeaker.

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

Residential Life and Housing's Inclusive Action Committee will host #TogetherAtHomeVCU, a virtual open mic for the VCU community. Join via Zoom at the following URL. If you are interested in sharing, sign up at tinyurl.com/TogetherAtHomeVCU.

For more information, contact Chris Jeter at rlhmaga@vcu.edu or visit https://vcu.zoom.us/j/91688400565.

Wednesday, Apr. 22, 2020 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

The C. Kenneth and Dianne Wright Center for Clinical and Translational Research, in collaboration with the VCU Human Research Protection Program, will offer open consulting hours via Zoom. The session is in partnership with colleagues on the Monroe Park Campus. Instructions for joining the session can be found at the following URL.

For more information, contact Nyssa Towsley at ntowsley@vcu.edu or visit http://wp.vcu.edu/humanresearch/2020/04/16/wright-center-consulting-hours-virtual/.

Wednesday, Apr. 22, 2020 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.

The Learning, Development and Organizational Culture team will present a 60-minute webinar exploring how the change to working remotely during the COVID-19 crisis affects our lives and our work. It includes tactics to smooth the transition for yourself and others, collaboration features in Zoom and appreciative practices that build positive momentum and resilience. A session will also be offered from 2 to 3 p.m. April 23. Register in Talent at the following URL.

For more information, contact Shana Ryman at sryman@vcu.edu or visit https://go.vcu.edu/talentatvcu/.

Wednesday, Apr. 22, 2020 from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Be more productive during your workday with Acrobat DC. Select one or more of the online sessions on April 22 and 29. This webinar will cover essential tips and tricks to be more productive and get work done from anywhere. Topics covered include creating, converting, editing, sharing and reviewing documents using Acrobat DC on desktop, the browser and even mobile. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Lucy Halunko at lhalunko@vcu.edu or visit http://adobe.ly/AcrobatWebinar.

Wednesday, Apr. 22, 2020 at 3 p.m.

VCU Libraries Innovative Media team introduces Adobe Spark, a collection of media-creation applications for web and mobile. In the webinar, participants will work in small groups with the tool of their choice to create a small collaborative poster, video or website.

For more information, contact Sue Robinson at srobinson26@vcu.edu or visit https://www.library.vcu.edu/about/events/2019-20/workshop-webinars.html.

Thursday, Apr. 23, 2020 from noon to 1 p.m.

A Virginia529 webinar offered by VCU Human Resources for VCU employees is an introduction to saving for future higher education expenses for your children, grandchildren or yourself. Learn how to save for tuition, housing, textbooks and other costs, how to take advantage of tax-free earnings and, most importantly, how to meet your savings goals. Register in Talent.

For more information, contact Cindi Phares at cphares@vcu.edu or (804) 828-1521 or visit https://hr.vcu.edu/current-employees/worklife/.

Thursday, Apr. 23, 2020 at 3 p.m.

VCU Libraries' Innovative Media Department, in partnership with the VCUarts Department of Fashion Design and Merchandising, will present an online demonstration of how to make a personal face mask. This virtual workshop covers the basics of creating a cloth face mask with common materials and tools found at home. Different methods will be covered, including no-sew solutions. Neither previous sewing experience nor access to a sewing machine is required.

For more information, contact Sue Robinson at srobinson26@vcu.edu or visit https://www.library.vcu.edu/about/events/2019-20/workshop-masks.html.

Thursday, Apr. 23, 2020 from 6 p.m. to 6:45 p.m.

Learn more about VCU's Evening MBA program at a webinar hosted by the School of Business. This 45-minute online presentation includes an overview of the program and how to apply. Register at the following URL. If you cannot register ahead of time, you can attend using this URL: https://vcu.zoom.us/j/600898931

For more information, contact Austen Gouldman at GSIB@vcu.edu or (804) 828-4622 or visit https://connect.business.vcu.edu/register/event-webinar-mba-042320?program=MBA&utm_source=Drip-OMBAProspect&utm_medium=email&utm_content=GMATWaiver&utm_campaign=OMBARY20..

Thursday, Apr. 23, 2020 from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m.

VCUarts The Anderson presents a Zoom lecture and positive intention exercise led by Petra Szilagyi, a graduate student in the Sculpture + Extended Media Studies department. The lecture and exercise will last approximately 20 minutes each and will be followed by a brief question and answer period. Join the event at this Zoom link: https://vcu.zoom.us/j/93078474331.

For more information, contact Monica Kinsey at kinseym@vcu.edu or visit https://arts.vcu.edu/community/news/petra-szilagyi-lecture-and-positive-intention-exercise.

Friday, Apr. 24, 2020 from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.

The Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence will host an online workshop to discuss strategies and suggestions for writing a spring 2020 teaching reflection for annual review and/or promotion documents. Register at the following URL for a Zoom link and password.

For more information, contact Tiffany Freitas at freitast@vcu.edu or visit https://forms.gle/KSVp744BrhaEHDKc8.

Thursday, Apr. 30, 2020 from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.

President Michael Rao, Vice President Aashir Nasim and the Office of Institutional Equity, Effectiveness and Success invite the VCU and VCU Health System community to the virtual ceremony for the 2020 Presidential Awards for Community Multicultural Enrichment. This virtual event is accessible through the PACME web page at the following URL. This year’s PACME recipients are Tegwyn H. Brickhouse, D.D.S., Ph.D. (Academic and Administrative Leadership); Mariam F. Alkazemi, Ph.D. (Faculty); Stevara Clark, M.S.W. (Faculty); Henry W. Lewis III, M.A. (Staff) and Calvin J. Hall III (Student), who will be honored for their contributions to promoting civility, building community, establishing cross-cultural initiatives and nurturing an environment of inclusive excellence. Also, the School of Pharmacy and Development and Alumni Relations will be recognized as Models of Inclusive Excellence. This event is free and open to all.

For more information, contact Florence Johnson at inclusive@vcu.edu or (804) 828-8947 or visit http://go.vcu.edu/pacme.

Monday, Apr. 27, 2020 from noon to 1 p.m.

VCU Biology Department, School of World Studies and Office of Sustainability invite faculty and students to an online session via Zoom to discuss advancing campus sustainability at VCU. RSVP at the following URL.

For more information, contact Ching-Yu Huang at cyhuang@vcu.edu or (804) 828-1858 or visit https://forms.gle/F9tYKe9SmZJJeuSV7.

Monday, Apr. 27, 2020 from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Jamillah Martin and Christopher McDonald lead a virtual session hosted by the Center for Teaching and Learning Experience on using Blackboard Collaborate Ultra for live class meetings. Register at the following URL for a Zoom link and password.

For more information, contact Tiffany Freitas at freitast@vcu.edu or visit https://forms.gle/bKqwtmDgbpe3gJPeA.

Tuesday, Apr. 28, 2020 from noon to 12:30 p.m.

Many in the university community are now working from home, and we find ourselves sitting all day. Research shows that even a dedicated exerciser cannot make up for the negative effects of sitting all day with a daily workout. Join Mike King, CommonHealth Wellness consultant, to learn how to find better balance between time on our feet and time spent sitting. This virtual session is presented by VCU HR and CommonHealth, the employee wellness program for the Commonwealth of Virginia.

For more information, contact Cindi Phares at cphares@vcu.edu or (804) 828-1521 or visit https://hr.vcu.edu/current-employees/worklife/.

Wednesday, Apr. 29, 2020 from 12:15 p.m. to 1:15 p.m.

Learn how to apply appreciative inquiry to your work. VCU Human Resources' Learning, Development and Organizational Culture team will host an online lunch-and-learn-from-each-other session. Register in Talent@VCU at the following URL.

For more information, contact VCU HR Learning, Development and Organizational Culture at learndev@vcu.edu or visit https://blogs.vcu.edu/hr-learning/virtual-lunch-and-learn-events/.

Wednesday, Apr. 29, 2020 from 9 a.m. to noon

Environmental Health and Safety will hold online Dangerous Goods Training. Register for the class through BioRaft to be sent a Zoom invitation prior to class.

For more information, contact Barbara Back at bjback@vcu.edu.

Friday, May 1, 2020 from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Learn about who genderqueer and non-binary people are, gain a stronger grasp of terminology and definitions to guide inclusive language practices and increase your awareness of the current social and political context as it applies to genderqueer and non-binary people. This 90-minute IExcel seminar will be offered once more this semester by remote access via Zoom. Register for this and other IExcel seminars at the following URL.

For more information, contact Jan Altman, Ph.D., at jhaltman@vcu.edu or visit https://iexcel.vcu.edu/faculty-and-staff/.

VCU Staff Senate Awards for Excellence are the premier university awards offered within VCU. The awards are for staff members, by staff members of the VCU and MCV campuses. Congratulations to the winners, whose names can be found at the following URL.

For more information, contact VCU Staff Senate at staffsenate@vcu.edu or (925) 683-9313 or visit https://staffsenate.vcu.edu/awards/.

Construction and utility work at and around the VCU Health Outpatient Pavilion and Inpatient Children's Hospital sites will affect traffic patterns on the MCV Campus. 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.

The VCU Office of Alumni Relations is accepting nominations for its annual 10 Under 10 awards. Submit nominations online by April 30 for outstanding graduates of the past decade to be honored with a 10 Under 10 award this fall. The award recognizes distinctive achievements of alumni who earned their first VCU degree between 2010 and 2019. The nominee’s service to the university, professional success and outstanding contributions to the community are considered. Any person or group affiliated with VCU can submit nominations.

For more information, contact Lauren Leavy (Cert.’19/GPA) at leleavy@vcu.edu or visit https://vcuportal.questionpro.com/a/TakeSurvey?tt=Bd5gV1s9yuM%3D.

Applications are open for the Recent Graduate Council. The council, led by the VCU Office of Alumni Relations, helps alumni who graduated within the past 10 years connect with one another and the university and provides engagement opportunities. Applications are being accepted through April 30.

For more information, contact Allison Toney at aktoney@vcu.edu or visit https://www.support.vcu.edu/event/recentgradcouncil.

Due to changes in VCU's academic calendar, the 23rd Annual Graduate Research Symposium and Exhibit has been moved to an online format. Presenters have received instructions to submit presentation materials to the graduate school online. Submitted presentations will be available in Scholar’s Compass later in April.

For more information, contact Erin Britton at brittonel@vcu.edu or visit https://graduate.vcu.edu/research/symposium.html.

Collaboration Services has released a "Work From Home" Google Challenge with six weekly learning modules about G Suite for Education at VCU for those who missed participating last summer. Visit the following URL to get started.

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

Open enrollment for health benefits and flexible spending will take place May 1-15. The state health benefits program began mailing open enrollment information packages to faculty and staff on April 16. Information will be published online beginning the week of April 27.

For more information, contact VCU Benefits Administration at openenroll@vcu.edu or visit http://hr.vcu.edu.

The VCU Office of Continuing and Professional Education is currently offering a variety of online learning opportunities for VCU faculty, staff, students, alumni and community members. Continuing education is currently available in computer skills, customer service, dealing with difficult people in the workplace, event planning, foundations of biochemistry, fundamentals of computing, Google Analytics, mindfulness, paralegal studies and test prep for the GRE, GMAT, LSAT, SAT, ACT and the MCAT.

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

In an effort to adapt to COVID-19 and its impact on day-to-day life and VCU’s operations, camp-related in-person activities for minors are suspended until July 6 and all summer 2020 residential camps are canceled. The full announcement is available at the following URL.

For more information, contact Rachel Rhoney, assistant director, Mary and Frances Youth Center, at youth@vcu.edu or visit https://community.vcu.edu/mfyc/youth-safety/.

University Student Commons and Activities will host a Virtual Intercultural Festival through April 25 to celebrate the diversity of VCU and the surrounding community. Share everyday cultural expressions on The Commons social media at #ICFEverywhere and #ICFFlashback.

For more information, contact Hanan Kourtu at kourtuhm@vcu.edu or visit http://tinyurl.com/ICFKeynoteSpeaker.

Jamillah Martin and Christopher McDonald lead a virtual session at 3 p.m. April 27 hosted by the Center for Teaching and Learning Experience on using Blackboard Collaborate Ultra for live class meetings. Register at the following URL for a Zoom link and password.

For more information, contact Tiffany Freitas at freitast@vcu.edu or visit https://forms.gle/bKqwtmDgbpe3gJPeA.

Black-identifying volunteers age 18-plus are sought to participate in an online survey about racial-ethnic discrimination experiences and mental health. SONA credit is available. A raffle to win a gift card will be held. Take the survey via SONA at https://bit.ly/2V0sc8l or at Qualtrics at the following URL.

For more information, contact Christina Barnett, M.S., VCU investigator and counseling psychology doctoral candidate, at barnettc@mymail.vcu.edu or visit https://bit.ly/2X6ABd3.

Researchers at VCU School of Nursing and VCU Health are reaching out to pregnant and postpartum women who may have an interest in sharing their experiences related to COVID-19. Please click the link below to learn more. We will provide you with information about the study and give you the option to participate in a short survey (25 minutes or less). Everyone who chooses to participate will have a chance to win a $100 Amazon gift card. Questions, VCUCOPEstudy@gmail.com or the following email address.

For more information, contact Patricia Kinser, Principal Investigator, Ph.D., Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner-Board Certified, RN, at kinserpa@vcu.edu or visit https://redcap.vcu.edu/surveys/?s=E94WFDTDR8.