Student Issue for April 12, 2021
Today
Partisan Politics and Pandemics: Why Service Matters More Than Ever
5 p.m. to 6 p.m.
VCU's Honors College will host Alison Jones-Nassar, volunteer engagement manager at SOAR365, for a Berglund seminar. Jones-Nassar will discuss service, including how the action can transcend divisions, facilitate dialogue and shift power dynamics. She will also share more about the nonprofit organization SOAR365 and delve into why current partisan politics and the pandemic make service even more critical.
For more information, contact Jared Johnson at jajohnson4@vcu.edu.
This week
The Overlooked Survivor Series: Black Women and Sexual Assault
Tuesday, Apr. 13, 2021 from noon to 1 p.m.
Join the VCU Advocacy Program for a lunch and learn session to discuss black women and sexual assault. The discussion will explore the connection between black women, the Me Too movement and underreporting. Register at the following URL.
For more information, contact Tameika McCoy at myoptions@vcu.edu or visit http://Tinyurl.com/VCUSAAM2021.
Doctors Without Borders Blood Drive
Tuesday, Apr. 13, 2021 from 12:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Doctors Without Borders @VCU will co-sponsor a blood drive with the American Red Cross at the Pace Center, 700 W. Franklin St. Volunteers will be accepted the day of the blood drive. Questions: Email or Instagram at @friendsmsf_vcu. Sign up to donate at the following URL.
For more information, contact Doctors Without Borders at vcu.msfchapter@gmail.com or visit https://vcu.campusgroups.com/dwbsc/rsvp_boot?id=1075844.
How Has COVID-19 (Forever) Disrupted the Economy and Labor Market?
Tuesday, Apr. 13, 2021 from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Jeffrey Lacker, distinguished professor, and Leslie Stratton, Ph.D., professor and chair, Department of Economics, will discuss the expectations of an economic rebound and when it might occur. The talk will be geared for students seeking internships or full-time work in the next 18 months. Register and submit questions for the speakers at the following URL.
For more information, contact Cheryl Slokker at caslokker@vcu.edu or (804) 627-2681 or visit https://connect.business.vcu.edu/register/?id=483bd44b-2ae0-4c4f-a0a0-a70d9fe24983.
Work Toward Working Part Three: Cover Letters
Tuesday, Apr. 13, 2021 from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.
This session, the third of six in a series about career preparation, will focus on cover letters. Register in Handshake at the following URL.
For more information, contact Elizabeth Engel at careers@vcu.edu or visit https://vcu.joinhandshake.com/events/712414.
VCU Jazz Orchestra I and More
Tuesday, Apr. 13, 2021 at 8 p.m.
Professor Antonio Garcia will direct the VCU Jazz Orchestra I with featured guest guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel. Professor Tony Martucci will lead the VCU Small Jazz Ensemble. The VCU Jazz4Justice Scholars will also perform. Music by Berg, Coltrane, Cooke, Eisenberg, Ellington, Evans, García, Maddox, Mercer, Proffitt, Rosenwinkel, Schertzinger, Shorter, Tizol, Wilkins and Windley will be performed. Admission to the livestream at the following URL is free.
For more information, contact Antonio Garcia, director of Jazz Studies, at ajgarcia@vcu.edu or visit https://go.vcu.edu/concerthall.
Parallel Planning Workshop for Pre-Health
Wednesday, Apr. 14, 2021 from 11 a.m. to noon
The Pre-Health Advisors will host an online parallel planning workshop for Pre-Health major students. The workshop will focus on what a parallel plan is, what to do if you are not accepted into your health-care program, which classes to take for next year and more. Questions: https://rampages.us/prehealthadvising/. Register and find the Zoom link at the following URL.
For more information, contact Tim Adams at tmadams@vcu.edu or visit https://forms.gle/PwKozJdgbP57Mbuy8.
Biomedical Engineering Seminar
Wednesday, Apr. 14, 2021 from noon to 1 p.m.
VCU's Department of Biomedical Engineering will present Jennifer L. Collinger, Ph.D., associate professor, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh. Collinger will present a seminar titled "Intracortical Brain-Computer Interfaces to Restore Arm and Hand Function." The faculty host will be Dean Krusienski, Ph.D. Register at the following URL.
For more information, contact René Olivares-Navarrete, Ph.D., at ronavarrete@vcu.edu or visit https://vcu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_kLzVUhMXTnS5Q2G6aLYKuQ.
Networking in a Virtual World: Who Do You Know?
Wednesday, Apr. 14, 2021 at 6 p.m.
Who's in your personal network? One out of five opportunities are discovered through a personal network, not online. Learn how to network with professionals and programs in a virtual world. Register for this workshop, part of the Division of Health Sciences Diversity's Career Services Spring 2021 Series, at the following URL. Questions: http://dhsd.vcu.edu.
For more information, contact Lorayah Lenore at ltlenore@vcu.edu or visit http://bit.ly/DHSDnetworkingsession.
Navigating Disability and Career Development, Part Two: Résumés and Interview Skills
Thursday, Apr. 15, 2021 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Join VCU's Student Accessibility and Educational Opportunity and Student Affairs for an introduction to the job search process and what disability support looks like in a professional environment. Register for this session, on résumés and interview skills, in Handshake at the following URL.
For more information, contact Elizabeth Engel at engele2@vcu.edu or (540) 848-0525 or visit https://vcu.joinhandshake.com/events/733890.
Ronald McDonald House Charities Care Packages
Thursday, Apr. 15, 2021 from noon to 4 p.m.
Earn volunteer hours for making cards. Heart to Soul in Action at VCU is partnering with Ronald McDonald House Charities to make spring-themed care packages for families visiting VCU Medical Center. Volunteers can pick up a card kit outside the Commons Plaza along the Linden walkway (across from Harris Hall) and finished cards can be dropped off in the Heart to Soul in Action box until noon April 22 in the Student Commons next to the vending machines left of the doors.
For more information, contact Niara Gray at heart2soulinaction@gmail.com or visit https://heart2soulinaction.wixsite.com/vcu-hsa.
'The Armenian Genocide in the Shadow of Nagorno-Karabakh'
Thursday, Apr. 15, 2021 from 7 p.m. to 8:15 p.m.
VCU's Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies of The School of World Studies will present Melanie O'Brien, Ph.D., senior lecturer in international law, University of Western Australia, an award-winning teacher of international humanitarian law, public international law and legal research. The event is in keeping with the annual VCU tradition of commemorating the Armenian genocide and honors a connection forged by the late VCU professor Herbert Hirsch and Richmond's Armenian community. This year's event highlights the neo-genocidal threats to the Armenian people, culture, religion, identity and homeland. Register for the Zoom link at the following URL. The event is open to the public.
For more information, contact Mayda Topoushian, Ph.D., at mtopoushian@vcu.edu or visit https://vcu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJIodumopzstE9LsbRhSLHFO6WIfYkHw-nMi.
Q and A with Presidential Student Ambassadors
Thursday, Apr. 15, 2021 at 7 p.m.
VCU's Presidential Student Ambassadors will host a session to discus member experiences, campus involvement and the application process. The organization is a strong voice in student leadership on campus and engages with peers, administrators and the community. Click on the following URL for the Zoom link. The code to join is 657 408 7913.
For more information, contact PSA at PSAmbassadors@vcu.edu or visit https://vcu.zoom.us/j/6574087913.
RAMmalogues: Living and Learning Amid Racism and a Pandemic
Friday, Apr. 16, 2021 from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Share how your life is impacted in this time of continuing and cumulative crisis and change. As you witness, experience or relive racism, you may yearn for a safe space to reflect and share. RAMmalogues sessions include a short guided meditation, time for reflection and a braver/safer space for dialogue about living and learning amid racism during a pandemic. RAMmalogues is offered by Inclusive Excellence and led by trained facilitators provided by Kimbrough Consulting. RAMmalogues is now part of IExcel’s new Bridges to Inclusion project. Register at the following URL.
For more information, contact Jan Altman, Ph.D., at iexcel@vcu.edu or (804) 828-8947 or visit https://inclusive.vcu.edu/iexcel/rammalogues/.
Coming up
HOSA at VCU To Sponsor Blood Drive
Monday, Apr. 19, 2021 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Health Occupations Students of America at VCU will host a blood drive at the Pace Center, 700 W. Franklin St. Volunteers can sign up at the following URL. Donors can schedule an appointment by visiting www.redcrossblood.org. Use the sponsor code Pacecenter and select the April 19 blood drive when signing up. All blood donations are tested for COVID-19 antibodies. Questions: Email Lahari at ramagiril@vcu.edu.
For more information, contact Jenalyn Abisia at abisiajl@vcu.edu or visit https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1OZNW4p9xSMaN86lBCXo4oFMtvGJ7qGGvIPXCQuzUOAU/edit?usp=sharing.
Meet VCU's Authors: Aspen Brinton
Monday, Apr. 19, 2021 at 4 p.m.
Aspen Brinton, Ph.D., will discuss the relevance of her new book, "Confronting Totalitarian Minds: Jan Patočka on Politics and Dissidence," to contemporary political movements. Patočka was a Czech philosopher who lived through the turbulent politics of 20th-century central Europe and shaped his intellectual contributions in response to those events. He died in 1977 as the result of medical complications from interrogations by the secret police after he was arrested for being involved in the Charter 77 movement in Czechoslovakia. Register at the following URL.
For more information, contact Catie-Reagan Palmore at palmorecr@vcu.edu or visit https://humanitiescenter.vcu.edu/events/meet-vcus-authors-aspen-brinton-phd.html.
'Health Care Workforce Diversity: Does It Matter?'
Tuesday, Apr. 20, 2021 from noon to 1 p.m.
Anushree Vichare, MBBS, MPH, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Health Policy and Management, The Fitzhugh Mullan Institute for Health Workforce Equity, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, will discuss health care workforce diversity as part of VCU's Department of Health Behavior and Policy Research Seminar Series. Questions: http://hbp.vcu.edu. Register at the following URL.
For more information, contact Mary Johnson at johnsonme6@vcu.edu or (804) 628-3443 or visit https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUoce-prDItE9LaI4Y0ugB3MISpjLkbpnww.
Let's Make This Queer: Enhancing Pride in Our Bodies
Wednesday, Apr. 21, 2021 from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
University Counseling Services will present a discussion aimed to increase awareness about experiences of body discrimination in the LGBTQIA+ community, understand factors that inhibit self-love and provide strategies for combating body dissatisfaction for LGBTQIA+ folks and allies. Register at the following URL.
For more information, contact Carlie C. McGregor at mcgregorc@vcu.edu or visit https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMvcuiqrTspH9GDFfLNd_PdvSL4IdgXZuWm.
Planning for Your Financial Future: Student Loan Survival
Thursday, Apr. 22, 2021 from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Join the peer coaches from the Money Spot to learn about paying back student loan debt. Register at the following URL.
For more information, contact the Money Spot at themoneyspot@vcu.edu or visit https://vcu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ezgWSbmlQAWp3xO3IsLquA.
Make a Book for Photo Display or Journaling
Wednesday, Apr. 28, 2021 from noon to 1:15 p.m.
The Health and Wellness Library will host a bookmaking workshop in conjunction with Library Preservation Week. Nora Bloch, VCU Libraries Collections Care librarian and conservator, will demonstrate how to make a booklet for displaying photos or journaling. Register at the following URL.
For more information, contact Dana Ladd at dlladd@vcu.edu or (804) 828-2432 or visit https://vcu.libcal.com/event/7626474.
Human Resources Essentials
Thursday, Apr. 29, 2021 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
VCU's Center for Corporate Education will present its Human Resources Essentials program online for Spring 2021. Interested in entering the HR field? Get an introduction to the principles of Human Resources. Full-day sessions will be offered April 29 and 30. Visit the following URL or email corp-ed@vcu.edu for more information.
For more information, contact Carrie Hawes at cjhawes@vcu.edu or (804) 828-3165 or visit http://go.vcu.edu/corped.
Registration Open for VCU Summer Learning Academy
Monday, Jul. 12, 2021 at 8 a.m.
Registration is open for the Office of Strategic Engagement’s VCU Summer Learning Academy. The academy explores critical topics in education, preparing educators to create a culture of educational excellence and equity in schools through innovative techniques. Over 50 different sessions will be offered this summer. Register at the following URL.
For more information, contact Leslie LaBrie at labrielu@vcu.edu or visit https://ose.soe.vcu.edu/professional-learning/summer-learning-academy/.
Notices
VCUDine April Events
VCU's Shafer Court Dining Center has a number of special events planned for April. They include National Grilled Cheese Day, April 12, 11 a.m.-close; Plant Forward Earth Days at Shafer and AVO, April 20-22, see hours of operation; Surf & Turf Special, April 22, 11 a.m.-close; and National Pretzel Day, April 26, 11 a.m.-close. Questions: Follow @VCU_Dining.
For more information, contact Lauren Hay at dining@vcu.edu or visit http://vcu.campusdish.com.
Support Survivors: Sign the Pledge
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. VCU's Police Department is committed to the Start by Believing campaign, which encourages believing survivors when they disclose assaults. To sign the pledge, visit the following URL and use campaign hashtag #VCUBelieves. VCU Police has a dedicated victim-witness coordinator, Ofc. Jasmine Merricks, as well as victim-witness officers on all shifts who can speak with survivors about reporting options.
For more information, contact Ofc. Jasmine Merricks at jnmerricks@vcu.edu or (804) 828-6365 or visit https://www.startbybelieving.org/pledge/.
Spring Commencement Reminders
Spring graduates are invited to submit their grad photos or have their family and friends submit a congratulatory video clip. The photos and video clips will be used in the universitywide virtual commencement on May 15. Information on how to submit the photos and video clips and other commencement updates can be found at the following URL.
For more information, contact Office of University Events at UNIVevents@vcu.edu or visit https://www.commencement.vcu.edu.
New Episode of What the Well Podcast
Join the Social Norms Think Tank as the group discusses springtime during a pandemic, how to take a break with no spring break, self-care, intuitive eating and healthy sleep. Find the podcast on most podcast streaming sites or visit the following URL.
For more information, contact Kendyll Graham at grahamk4@vcu.edu or visit https://shows.acast.com/what-the-well/episodes/spring-into-wellness.
Seeking Talent for Virtual Concert
Amnesty International at VCU is recruiting talent for its virtual Jamnesty concert. Details can be found at the following URL.
For more information, contact Myia Samuels at samuelsma@vcu.edu or visit https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc66GmuBFV3xhtimNzfsWvD9wxwCIDdKA5hcHezA3FuTTZwQQ/viewform.
SGA Appropriations: Upcoming Funding Deadline
The Appropriations Fall 2021 Semester 2021-2022 annual funding deadline is 11:55 p.m. April 30. Members of student organizations interested in funding from the SGA Appropriations Committee for those funding periods should visit the committee's Ramsconnect page and fill out the corresponding funding form. For semester requests, visit http://cglink.me/2dV/s39260. For annual requests, visit http://cglink.me/2dV/s39266. Before submission, review bylaws that can be found at the following URL.
For more information, contact SGAfunding at sgafunding@vcu.edu or visit https://sga.vcu.edu/.
Applications Open for Student Mentors in Multicultural Connections and Advisement Program
VCU's Multicultural Connections and Advisement Program is seeking student mentors (sophomores, juniors and seniors) interested in actively supporting underrepresented identities. Apply at the following URL by April 12.
For more information, contact Kim Green at greenk2@vcu.edu or visit https://omsa.vcu.edu/.
Volunteers Sought for Alcohol Study
VCU's Institute for Drug and Alcohol Studies is inviting volunteers aged 21-55 who frequently drink alcohol to participate in a research study to add to the science for developing new treatments for people with alcohol use disorder. To find out if you can volunteer for this study, contact study4u@vcu.edu or call the following telephone number to complete a prescreen questionnaire. All research is confidential and volunteers are paid for their time.
For more information, contact Mandy Adams at msadams@vcu.edu or (804) 827-3784 or visit https://idas.vcu.edu/research/.
Other resources
VCU Libraries workshops
See a schedule of workshops and classes that teach how to use collections and databases.
LinkedIn Learning @ VCU
Navigate a vast library of online video tutorials to supplement teaching, learning, and professional development.
RamsConnect events
View all of the student events happening on campus and register for events that interest you.