12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

The Black History Month committee will host a virtual panel event to showcase a diverse spectrum of Black professional women and their experiences. Members of the VCU community will be invited to share questions with the panel. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact LaDarius Thompson, Ed.D., at ldthompson@vcu.edu or visit https://thecommonsvcu.com/BlackGirlBoss.

12 p.m. to 1 p.m.

VCU's C. Kenneth and Dianne Wright Center for Clinical and Translational Research will continue its grant-writing series with a session conveying the significance of your research to reviewers. Join Amanda Hall, Ph.D., VCU's director of community-engaged research and special projects, who will discuss best practices for writing a lay abstract and grant impact statement that convey the potential benefit to society of your research. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Pam Dillon, Pharm.D., research liaison, at pmdillon@vcu.edu or (804) 827-1519 or visit https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0scOGppj8tHNeOnrl8oTjq1l7z0iK6pB0g.

3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Learn about the creative possibilities of game development tools, from games made with paper cutouts to sound art with GameBoys. The session includes a short presentation by Tammy DuPlantis about her work and process as well as a short demonstration on programming using GameBoy emulators. No experience is required. The event is hosted by the VCU Libraries Workshop. Click on the following URL for the Zoom link.

For more information, contact Gregory Kimbrell at kimbrellgg@vcu.edu or (804) 393-2951 or visit https://www.library.vcu.edu/about/events/2020-2021/wednesdays-in-the-workshop.html.

4 p.m. to 5 p.m.

For clinical research pursuits to be successful in this environment, researchers have had to adapt to a new normal of health care delivery. Join Ben Van Tassell, Pharn.D.; Richard Sterling, M.D.; and Shelly Orr, Ph.D., RN, as they discuss best practices and discuss screening, consenting and recruitment into clinical trials during COVID-19. The session, hosted by VCU's C. Kenneth and Dianne Wright Center for Clinical and Translational Research, is part of the monthly series, "Clinical Research in the Time of COVID-19." Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Lauren Harris at Lauren.Harris@vcuhealth.org or visit https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEvfuCurDoiEtZ_yj1w5ax2tobomGY_Gxiu.

6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The VCU Writing Center will present an online workshop via Zoom. The event will focus on the tools necessary to write strong, logical, structurally sound work. The Zoom link is hosted on the center's events page at the following URL.

For more information, contact Trey Burnart Hall at hallbr@vcu.edu or visit https://writing.vcu.edu/events/.

6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Storytelling and Healing and Democracy Matters at VCU will host the virtual storytelling event, "I Know Where I Have Been: Student Stories of Black Resiliency," in conjunction with Black History Month. Student presenters will share personal stories, narratives and testimonies of lived experiences, with discussion and Q&A. Register for the Zoom link at the following URL.

For more information, contact Elysia Lin at lineh@vcu.edu or visit https://vcu.zoom.us/j/97403531494.

7 p.m.

Professional students from a variety of different medical backgrounds will discuss their journey and share tips at an event hosted by United Healthcare Network. Undergraduate students will have an opportunity to ask questions about the application process and workload. Click on the following URL for the Zoom link.

For more information, contact Suzannah Brook Boaz at uhcnatvcu@gmail.com or visit https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83935503246?pwd=NURGZHl4WTBBcUVLNmVleWx1b29mUT09.

Thursday, Feb. 25, 2021 from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Pulitzer Prize-nominated journalist Chip Jones will discuss his new book, "The Organ Thieves: The Shocking Story of the First Heart Transplant in the Segregated South." Jodi L. Koste, head of the VCU Health Sciences Library Special Collections and Archives, will join the conversation. Email the following address for the Zoom link.

For more information, contact Gregory Kimbrell at libdevelop@vcu.edu or (803) 393-2951 or visit https://www.library.vcu.edu/about/events/2020-2021/community-zooms.html.

Thursday, Feb. 25, 2021 from noon to 1 p.m.

The Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence will present a panel on becoming involved with the scholarship of teaching and learning. Panelists will provide practical examples of projects they have done and answer questions about how you can become involved. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Tiffany Freitas at freitast@vcu.edu or visit https://forms.gle/6qSFsvxQghrAZKdu5.

Thursday, Feb. 25, 2021 from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The College of Humanities and Sciences will host a Zoom webinar featuring Brian D. Smedley, Ph.D., co-founder and recent executive director of the National Collaborative for Health Equity. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Tyler Conrad at conradtl@vcu.edu or visit https://vcu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_-3r_ScgySguXrshmCqkqSw.

Thursday, Feb. 25, 2021 at 3:30 p.m.

VCU's National Scholarship Office will host a virtual informational session about the Fulbright Scholarship, an award that provides funding for research, study and teaching opportunities abroad. Juniors, seniors and graduate students from all majors are encouraged to join. Questions: Email natlscholar@vcu.edu. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Meredith Sisson at mrsisson@vcu.edu or visit http://blogs.vcu.edu/natlscholar.

Friday, Feb. 26, 2021 at noon

In support of America Saves Week, join VCU Human Resources and Fidelity Investments for an introduction to the first steps in investing. Learn key investing concepts, common investment types and how to choose your investment approach. Register in Talent at the following URL.

For more information, contact Cindi Phares at cphares@vcu.edu or (804) 828-1521 or visit https://bit.ly/3czaBie.

Tuesday, Mar. 2, 2021 from noon to 1:30 p.m.

Ryan Dennis focuses on African American contemporary art with an emphasis on socially engaged practices, site-specific projects and public interventions. He will give a lecture for the Wavelength online series, which brings together artists, designers, curators and scholars. Wavelength is a collaboration involving VCUarts, the ICA at VCU and VCUarts Qatar. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Stephanie Stanton at stantons@vcu.edu or visit https://icavcu.org/events/wavelength-ryan-dennis/.

Tuesday, Mar. 2, 2021 from noon to 12:45 p.m.

Join the Office of Student Experience as nurse practitioner Joy Zeh will discuss the terms and practices associated with caring for HIV-positive patients. She will also focus on the timeline of HIV and biases related to treating this population. The session is designed with health sciences students in mind. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Office of Student Experience at studentexp@vcu.edu or visit https://www.pubapps.vcu.edu/vphs/OSEReg/Form.aspx?EventTypeID=13.

Tuesday, Mar. 2, 2021 from 5:30 p.m. to 6:15 p.m.

Join the Office of Student Experience as guest speaker Karen Gilliam discusses loan forgiveness options and provides available resources to professional and graduate students. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Office of Student Experience at studentexp@vcu.edu or visit https://www.pubapps.vcu.edu/vphs/OSEReg/Form.aspx?EventTypeID=12.

Wednesday, Mar. 3, 2021 from noon to 1 p.m.

VCU's Biomedical Engineering Department will host Kent Leach, Ph.D., Professor, Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, Davis. He will discuss "Tools for Empowering Cells as Engineered Tissue Building Blocks." 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_2KTPtiISTUGUIaDT-dvPBg.

Wednesday, Mar. 3, 2021 from noon to 1 p.m.

Students in VCU's School of Pharmacy will discuss proper medication and prescription drug safety at an online program hosted by the Health and Wellness Library. Register 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/7561587.

Wednesday, Mar. 3, 2021 at 5 p.m.

"Transcripts" is a new podcast whose aim is to put the transgender movement in context. Using oral histories from the Tretter Transgender Oral History Project at the University of Minnesota, hosts Andrea Jenkins and Myrl Beam introduce listeners to the trans activists working to build a more just world. This panel, sponsored by the VCU's Department of Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies, will feature activists from across the country. Questions: https://gsws.vcu.edu/news/transcripts-podcast-panel-putting-the-transgender-movement-in-context-.html. Click on the following URL for the Zoom link.

For more information, contact Levi Walter at gsws@vcu.edu or visit https://vcu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEkcOmsqzwvEt0TvAuynox4VXfX5DQrMe-X.

Thursday, Mar. 4, 2021 from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.

The Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence and Technology Services Learning Systems will present a workshop on advanced Kaltura features. Learn how to build out channels, playlists and groups. The session will also focus more on advanced Kaltura uses such as live streams, zoom integration and editing videos in Kaltura. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Tiffany Freitas at freitast@vcu.edu or visit https://forms.gle/9epyhAkxMHBuDbg37.

Tuesday, Mar. 9, 2021 from noon to 1 p.m.

Paul Perrin, Ph.D., VCU associate professor and director Health Psychology, will discuss his research into social justice in disability and health at a meeting of the Central Virginia Chapter of the Society of Clinical Research Associates. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Shirley Helm at shirley.helm@vcuhealth.org or visit https://vcu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEldOmrrjMvG9MYmhrrOW3eliMtcORGD975.

Wednesday, Apr. 7, 2021 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

The purpose of Safe Zone is to reduce anti-queerness, cissexism, transphobia, biphobia and heterosexism at VCU, thereby making the campus a safer and freer environment for all members of the community regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity and/or gender expression. Register at the following URL and search "Safe Zone."

For more information, contact C.J. Polihronakis, Ph.D., (he/him), at safezone@vcu.edu or visit http://training.vcu.edu.

The Cabell First Novelist Award, organized annually by the VCU Department of English and VCU Libraries, is soliciting volunteer community readers to help with its Spring 2021 judging process. Community readers will read one to two novel submissions (as assigned) and provide feedback via an online form between February and March.

For more information, contact Michelle Goshen, Cabell Fellow, at cabellfn@vcu.edu or visit http://firstnovelist.vcu.edu.

Human Resources will present "Retiring With the VCU Optional Retirement Plan." These sessions are open to VCU faculty and VCU University and Academic Professionals, not VCU Health System employees. Questions: Email VCU Benefits at benefits@vcu.edu. Register for this Zoom session at the following URL.

For more information, contact Alexis Hobbs at hobbsad@vcu.edu or (804) 827-1723 or visit https://vcu.csod.com/ui/lms-learning-details/app/event/c9921b6a-d526-48c3-ac2f-b5a913a231f0.

VCU Human Resources will present "How to Retire With the Virginia Retirement System" for VCU employees. These sessions are open to VCU employees only, not VCU Health System employees. Questions: Email benefits@vcu.edu. View upcoming sessions at the following URL.

For more information, contact Alexis Hobbs at hobbsad@vcu.edu or (804) 827-1723 or visit https://vcu.csod.com/ui/lms-learning-details/app/event/cf698494-7201-467a-8b5b-c8739911e503.

The President's Awards for professional and administrative distinction, which honor VCU and VCU Health employees for outstanding performance, achievement and service excellence, are open for nominations. The deadline is Feb. 28. Details: VCU Human Resources Reward and Recognition website.

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

TEDx is returning to VCU on April 10. TEDxVCU, sponsored by The Commons, is seeking out big ideas worth hearing from students, staff, faculty and alumni. A diverse and idea-driven lineup is sought, including talks and performances from a wide variety of voices in the university community. Questions: https://vcu.campusgroups.com/tedxvcu/home/. Applications are being accepted through March 5 at the following URL.

For more information, contact Justin Raibolt at jraibolt@vcu.edu or visit https://forms.gle/Ba5oBY3ypUpsx1sy8.

Nominations are being accepted for the 2021 Presidential Awards for Community Multicultural Enrichment. The VCU and VCU Health System communities are invited to nominate a faculty member, staff member, academic or administrative leader or organization, or a student or student organization. Nominations are due by March 10 at the following URL.

For more information, contact Division for Inclusive Excellence at inclusive@vcu.edu or visit https://president.vcu.edu/nominations/pacme/.

VCU's Office of Continuing and Professional Education offers flexible online learning for the VCU community and members of the public. Choose from bookkeeping, computer skills for the workplace, counseling and behavioral health topics, customer service, event planning, Excel, Google Analytics, paralegal studies, play therapy, podcasting, supervisory and leadership, WordPress and test prep for the GMAT, GRE and LSAT, ACT and SAT, and MCAT, PCAT and DAT.

For more information, contact VCU Office of Continuing and Professional Education at ocpe@vcu.edu or (804) 828-1322 or visit https://ocpe.vcu.edu/courses/.

VCU's Health Promotion and Well-Being Center (The Well) offers stress management and mindfulness appointments for students. Sign up for a free, 50-minute Resilience Lab appointment at the following URL with a Well professional to learn tips to mindfully manage stress.

For more information, contact Mia Liadis at liadisa@vcu.edu or visit https://thewell.vcu.edu/programs/resilience-lab/.

VCU's Recreational Sports Outdoor Adventure Program will host a climbing challenge, March 1-31. Climbers are challenged to set a personal record or compete against friends to climb a total of 2,900 feet to ascend the 35-foot high face of El Capitan on the Cary Street Gym Climbing Wall. Climbers can help the OAP reach its goal of climbing 29,035 vertical feet to the peak of Everest. All levels of experience are welcome. Register at the Climbing Wall.

For more information, contact Sam Albert at outdoors@vcu.edu or visit https://recsports.vcu.edu/programs/outdoor-adventure-program/climbing-and-bouldering/#march.