1 p.m.

Join RecWell's Graduate Assistant Brittany Beal for a 15-20 minute guided meditation session in Room 250, James Branch Cabell Library, 901 Park Ave. Drop in, relax and de-stress your mind as the semester comes to an end.

For more information, contact Sue Robinson at srobinson26@vcu.edu or visit https://www.library.vcu.edu/about/events/2021-2022-ongoing/study-well-fall-2021.html.

Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2021 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

It's the last chance to purchase a 2022 Dogs on Call calendar and support the teams who visit patients and staff at VCU Health and meet with students at VCU. The calendars, $10 and $12 by credit card, will be available at the MCV Campus, Main Hospital, first floor, main kiosk. In-person purchasers receive a stuffed toy. Order online at the following URL.

For more information, contact Barbara Klucik at barbara.klucik@vcuhealth.org or (804) 827-7297 or visit https://chai.vcu.edu/gift-support/calendar-sales/.

Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2021 from noon to 1 p.m.

VCU's C. Kenneth and Dianne Wright Center for Clinical and Translational Research and the Health Sciences Library will present a lunch research seminar via Zoom. Research Data Librarian Nina Exner, Ph.D., will give an overview of key changes in the new NIH Policy for Data. She will also suggest some habits to start now to facilitate a smooth transition to the new policy. Questions: http://www.cctr.vcu.edu. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Pamela Dillon, Pharm.D., research liaison, at pmdillon@vcu.edu or visit https://vcu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMkdeqopzkuGtUUIjRXrnfz28V6urHM7OHN.

Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2021 at 3 p.m.

Are you interested in working with other students across different disciplines? Are you fascinated by creating solutions to complex problems? Have you always wanted to start a business or nonprofit? Attend an informational session via Zoom to learn about undergraduate certificates at the da Vinci Center. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Lloyd Young at youngel3@vcu.edu or visit https://connect.business.vcu.edu/register/ug-dec-8.

Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2021 from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Learn how to develop a clear, focused and complex question when beginning a research project. Register for the Zoom link at the following URL.

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

Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2021 at 7 p.m.

Faculty and staff appreciation night will be observed with discounted tickets at the Siegel Center for the game against Jacksonville State. Click on the following URL for special ticket offerings.

For more information, contact Rebecca Piner at pinerre@vcu.edu or visit http://vcuathletics.com/staffdeal.

Thursday, Dec. 9, 2021 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Collaboration Services presents Google Drive: Collaboration in the Cloud. Keep all your work in one secure place with online file storage in Google Drive. Learn how to share with others and access on any computer, smartphone or tablet. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Dr. Gee at drgee@vcu.edu or visit http://go.vcu.edu/gogoogle.

Thursday, Dec. 9, 2021 at noon

Join VCU's Wright Center for Clinical and Translational Research for its Leadership and Career Development series, in which participants will hear strategies on how to build an elevator pitch and how to disseminate and brand their message while selling their research to a varied audience (academic and non-academic). John Ryan, Ph.D., will speak. He is a professor of biology and the associate vice president in the Division of Research Development. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Rob DiRenzo at direnzor@vcu.edu or visit https://vcu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYsfuuspzoqGtOJRWsSy8RVsDobrTv_6Lqu.

Thursday, Dec. 9, 2021 from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.

VCU's Global Education Office welcomes students, faculty and staff to engage with counterparts from Kien Giang University, Vietnam through Cultural Conversations. In one-hour sessions on Dec. 9, Dec. 16, Jan. 6, Jan. 13, Jan. 20 and Feb. 10, participants can connect and learn about aspects of our respective countries and experiences by attending one or more discussions. Questions: https://global.vcu.edu/students/community/cultural_conversations/#:~:text=Cultural%20Conversations%20engages%20VCU%20students,%2C%20language%2C%20music%20and%20tourism. Sign up at the following URL.

For more information, contact Audrey Emiko Short at aeshort@vcu.edu or visit https://tinyurl.com/VCUCCVietnamDec2021Feb2022.

Friday, Dec. 10, 2021 at noon

Join the Center for Interprofessional Education and Inter Health Professionals Alliance for an interest meeting via Zoom for the National CLARION Competition. This is a student case competition for health professional students, enabling them to achieve a 360-degree perspective on patient safety in today's health care system and how it might be improved. Student teams, consisting of four students composed of at least two disciplines, are given a case and charged with creating a root cause analysis. The team presents its plan to a panel of interprofessional judges that evaluates their results in the context of real world standards of practice. The local VCU winning team competes at the national level for scholarship and prizes. Click on the Zoom link at the following URL.

For more information, contact Melissa Burton at mhburton@vcu.edu or (804) 828-2898 or visit https://zoom.us/j/94811204215.

Sunday, Dec. 12, 2021 from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.

The Grace and Holy Trinity Episcopal Church Vocal Ensemble; the RVA Street Singers, directed by Robin Rio and accompanied by Mark Koontz; the Voices of Zion Choir from Hood Temple African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, accompanied by Will Griffin; and the Greater Richmond Children’s Choir, directed and accompanied by Crystal Jonkman and Pete Curry, will participate in a community carol sing at Monroe Park. Food trucks will arrive at the site 3 p.m.

For more information, contact Robin Rio at rrio@vcu.edu or visit http://ghtc.org/caroling.

Tuesday, Dec. 14, 2021 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Take a break with holiday themed music, decorations, fresh baked goods and a hot chocolate bar at an event sponsored by VCU's Pharmacology and Toxicology Student Organization. The event will be in the lobby of the Robert Blackwell Smith Building, 410 N. 12th St. Participate in the bake swap by signing up at ramsconnect, donating $5 via cash or Venmo (Alaina-jaster13) and bringing a baked good to the event. Your item can be swapped with someone else's. If you don't sign up, extra baked goods will be available for purchase.

For more information, contact Alaina Jaster at jastera@vcu.edu or (586) 229-3902 or visit https://vcu.campusgroups.com/pharmacologyandtoxicologystudentorganization/rsvp_boot?id=1377832.

Are you a first-generation student, a low-income student or a student with a disability? If your answer is yes, apply for TRIO/STEM Student Support Services at the following URL for enhanced academic advising, one-on-one tutoring, career workshops, financial education counseling and social and cultural enrichment activities.

For more information, contact Chimene Boone, Ph.D., at ctboone@vcu.edu or visit https://trio.vcu.edu/student-support-services/.

VCUDine has a number of special events for December at Shafer Court Dining Center. They include O-Mori Rotating Restaurant (through Dec. 10, 11 a.m.-close); Vegetarian Pad Thai with premium options (through Dec. 10, 11 a.m.-close); Midnight Breakfast (Dec. 8, 8 p.m.-1 a.m.), Seafood Bash (Dec. 13-17, 11 a.m.-close), Registered Dietitian’s De-stress (Shafer Lobby: Dec. 14, noon 2 p.m.). For menus, follow @VCU_Dining or visit the following URL.

For more information, contact Lauren Hay at dining@vcu.edu or (804) 828-1148 or visit http://vcu.campusdish.com.

VCU Transform is the living-learning program. VCU Transform works to create space and support for students to explore leadership potential and become a community changemaker. Build skills through a specialized curriculum, activities and a community-focused residential experience in the West Grace North residence hall. Apply at the following URL.

For more information, contact Kaylynn Hill at hillk8@vcu.edu or (804) 828-1048 or visit https://students.vcu.edu/departments/leadership-and-involvement/vcu-transform/.

Are you graduating in December? Students Today Alumni Tomorrow wants to see your grad cap decorations. Submit a picture of your cap to be entered to win one of the following: a $50 gift card to Barnes and Noble, a VCU diploma frame or a VCU sweatshirt. Entries are due by Dec. 10 to the following below or email to the following email address.

For more information, contact Taylor Jackson at jacksontl4@vcu.edu or visit https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdfur-XY-JskSFzZwcy1-1DNza-nGN86hDlP-tTm3VsJapj6A/viewform?pli=1.

Are you concerned about your teen’s weight? We can help. TEENS is a research program that includes a four-month family-based lifestyle intervention – all conducted virtually – for teens ages 12 to 16 who are overweight or obese. The program is offered by Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU. It includes weekly, virtual group classes for teens and parents that cover topics such as healthy eating, physical activity and goal-setting. Teens also participate in live exercise sessions conducted online by personal trainers.

For more information, contact Sarah Farthing at teens@vcuhealth.org or (804) 827-8336 or visit http://www.chrichmond.org/TEENS.

This study is seeking individuals between the ages of 18 and 35 years who have GAD or symptoms of GAD. The purpose of this research study is to examine the effect of GAD symptoms on blood vessel function during acute exercise and in response to exercise training. This study will be conducted at 500 Academic Centre on VCU’s Monroe Park Campus. Principal Investigator: Ryan Garten, Ph.D., Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences.

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