1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The VCU community is invited to experience the Hope Booth, a three-minute interactive, immersive experience that delivers artistic messages of hope in the form of remodeled phone booths. The Hope Booth project is pioneering a world where no one goes unseen. Come by Park Plaza (914 Park Ave., behind Hibbs Hall).

For more information, contact Joslyn Bedell at jdbedell@vcu.edu or visit https://www.hopebooth.com/what-is-hope-booth.

2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

United Healthcare Network will host a bake sale with brownies and cookies from 2-5 p.m. March 22 and March 23 at the Compass outside Cabell Library.

For more information, contact Sharmeen Sattar at uhcnatvcu@gmail.com.

4 p.m.

The Association of Students with Disabilities and Chronic Conditions will host a discussion via Zoom on intersectionality and why it matters. Register on Ramsconnect for the Zoom link.

For more information, contact ASDCC at asdcc@vcu.edu.

6 p.m.

Relay for Life at VCU is having an in-person meeting and Text-a-Thon in Virginia Rooms C-D, University Student Commons, 907 Floyd Ave. Get volunteer hours, hear about the organization's new leadership opportunities and earn Hope Points for the Kaplan Course Scholarship competition.

For more information, contact Yumna Rahman at rahmany@vcu.edu or (804) 621-3573 or visit https://linktr.ee/RelayatVCU.

6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The School of Education Office of Strategic Engagement will host a virtual information session for prospective career switcher candidates. Learn about this accelerated route to teacher licensure at the following URL.

For more information, contact Cassandra Stanley at stanleyc3@vcu.edu or visit https://ose.soe.vcu.edu/signature-programs/career-switcher-program/.

8 p.m.

Hear the VCU Jazz Orchestra II, professor Toby Whitaker conducting, perform in a free concert at Sonia Vlahcevic Concert Hall at the W.E. Singleton Center, 922 Park Ave. The concert will also be livestreamed at the following URL. At press time, audience members and performers will wear masks; performers will also cover the bells of all aerosol-producing instruments. Music by Nat Adderley, Duke Ellington, Jacob Gittelman, Thad Jones, Oliver Nelson, Snarky Puppy and Billy Strayhorn will be featured.

For more information, contact Antonio Garcia at ajgarcia@vcu.edu or visit http://go.vcu.edu/concerthall.

Wednesday, Mar. 23, 2022 from noon to 1 p.m.

What does it take to compete in the recently legalized cannabis industry in Virginia? What are the best ways to effectively navigate policy concerns and regulations across this uncharted landscape? Preparing Virginia for the business side of marijuana is no small task. Join regulatory experts Kelly L. Donovan and Tricia L. Harper for a virtual presentation hosted by the Wilder School to learn about the processes, challenges and legal implications for successfully launching a new industry in the commonwealth. Register for the Zoom link at the following URL.

For more information, contact David Slipher at slipherd@vcu.edu or visit https://vcu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_UB4x9DHbTfKIH5zu0lSUjA.

Wednesday, Mar. 23, 2022 from noon to 1 p.m.

The Research Career Community will virtually host Everett Worthington, Ph.D., Commonwealth Professor Emeritus, who will share his insights on forgiveness from decades of research. Worthington has studied forgiveness around the world, including self-forgiveness and forgiveness in interpersonal relationships. He will share a dozen practical lessons to stimulate, educate, and motivate his audience to deal with life's injustices. Register for the Zoom link at the following URL.

For more information, contact Alanda Perry Jones at researchcc@vcu.edu or visit https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUtfuuoqTkuE9a_UmSM0Vo7aSy5kHlklZOk.

Wednesday, Mar. 23, 2022 from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Larong pambata is tagalog, the national language of the Philippines, for kid games. People all over the world have grown up playing games that have made an impact on their childhood. Some kid games across different cultures are played similarly, have different rules or are just unique to that culture. Join the Cultural Exchange team at the Pace Center, 700 W. Franklin St., for the opportunity to play some Filipino kid games.

For more information, contact Niara Gray at graynr@vcu.edu.

Wednesday, Mar. 23, 2022 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Join the VPM and ICA Community Media Center for a free, virtual Q&A session from podcast audio engineer Rob Byers ("Criminal," "All Things Considered," "Morning Edition"). Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Stephanie Stanton at stantons@vcu.edu or visit https://icavcu.org/events/cmc-audio-rob-byers/.

Wednesday, Mar. 23, 2022 from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Naloxone/Narcan Lay Rescuer Training of Trainers includes the basic level lay rescuer training and prepares participants to become a REVIVE! instructor. This course, which will be held at the Rams in Recovery Clubhouse, 1103 W. Marshall St., will cover the administrative requirements to lead REVIVE! training. Register at the following email address.

For more information, contact Jennifer Hall at lawjl@vcu.edu or (804) 586-7746 or visit https://recovery.vcu.edu/.

Wednesday, Mar. 23, 2022 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.

In this week's episode of P.R.I.M.E. (Professional Health and Related Interests Mentoring Experiences) Connections, medical students from VCU's chapter of Student National Medical Association will speak virtually on the application process, insight into daily life at VCU School of Medicine and answer questions. Questions: https://sites.google.com/view/vcuprime. Register for the Zoom link at the following URL.

For more information, contact Riddhi Shah at shahrk2@vcu.edu or (434) 942-7556 or visit https://vcu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJItdu-upzspHtxMvu1nr2ib8xU9lEtu4Xwx.

Wednesday, Mar. 23, 2022 from 7:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Take an hour to decompress and engage in some mindful creativity. This week, take a bit of clay and mold it into something new at the Pace Center, 700 W. Franklin St. Snacks of tea crackers, chips, and tea will be provided.

For more information, contact Rachel Z. at zahradkarl@vcu.edu.

Thursday, Mar. 24, 2022 from noon to 1 p.m.

Chris Lemmon, Ph.D., associate professor and associate chair, biomedical engineering, will discuss the National Science Foundation’s application and review process as part of a grant-writing series sponsored by VCU's C. Kenneth and Dianne Wright Center for Clinical and Translational Research. Questions: http://www.cctr.vcu.edu. Register for the Zoom link 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/tJwlfumpqToqGtYJ766aj5Aw4Eq05u_6ML5p.

Thursday, Mar. 24, 2022 at noon

The Catholic Student Association at VCU School of Medicine will hold a lunch lecture in Room 3-101, James W. and Frances G. McGlothlin Medical Education Center, 1201 E. Marshall St. Free food will be provided.

For more information, contact Andrea Nguyen at amnguyen@vcu.edu.

Thursday, Mar. 24, 2022 from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.

RamBikes will host a Fix-a-Flat Workshop at 1106 W. Broad St. (near the intersection of Harrison and Broad streets) for bicycle riders of any skill level. Participants will get the experience of swapping out and patching a tube. Discover the difference between a flat caused by road debris and a flat caused by low air pressure.

For more information, contact Carter Barker at rambikes@vcu.edu or (804) 828-2453 or visit https://bikes.vcu.edu/events/.

Thursday, Mar. 24, 2022 from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Join VCU's Office of Multicultural Student Affairs for a Womxn's HERstory Month presentation. OMSA's guest speaker will be Mari Julienne, Education and Outreach Specialist with the Library of Virginia, who will touch on lesser known, but nevertheless important, womxn of RVA throughout HERstory. Register for the Zoom link at the following URL.

For more information, contact Brandi Daniels at danielsb@vcu.edu or (804) 828-6672 or visit https://linktr.ee/vcuomsa.

Monday, Mar. 28, 2022 at 5:30 p.m.

Join Collective Corazón to virtually address the disparities within the Latinx LGBTQ+ community that affect accessibility to health care. The discussion will be led by LGBTQ+ and Latinx student speakers and Matilde Moros, Ph.D. Register for the Zoom link at the following URL.

For more information, contact Daniela at collectivecorazon@gmail.com or visit https://vcu.zoom.us/j/94972185869.

Monday, Mar. 28, 2022 at noon

Learn more about impending changes in the pharmacy profession and health care as a whole in the next Center for Pharmacy Practice Innovation hybrid seminar. Hear from Anandi Law, Ph.D., Western University of Health Sciences, on ways health care professionals can best respond to these changes. Free CE credit will be offered. The session will be held virtually via Zoom and in person in Room 545, Robert Blackwell Smith Building, 410 N. 12th St. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Madeleine Wagner at cppi@vcu.edu or visit http://bit.ly/CPPISeminars.

Tuesday, Mar. 29, 2022 from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Join staff from VCU's da Vinci Center to learn about the Master of Product Innovation program, designed for creative thinkers and doers from a wide range of undergraduate backgrounds who want to ideate and launch innovative products, projects, and initiatives in the world’s most leading-edge companies. Register for the Zoom link at the following URL.

For more information, contact Erika Boltz at boltzef2@vcu.edu or visit https://connect.business.vcu.edu/register/MPI032922.

Tuesday, Mar. 29, 2022 from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

VCU's da Vinci Center for Innovation will host a casual networking event by RVA NOW at Shift Retail Lab, 1235 W. Broad St., geared toward college students and recent graduates who wish to learn more about RVA's growing entrepreneurial scene. Register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Erika Boltz at boltzef2@vcu.edu or visit http://bit.ly/3wdwRIl.

Friday, Apr. 1, 2022 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

VCU Transform will host a blood drive in Room 1030J, West Grace Street Student Housing – North, 830 W. Grace St. Schedule to give blood at the following email address.

For more information, contact Kaylynn Hill at transformllp@vcu.edu.

Saturday, Apr. 2, 2022 at 8 a.m.

VCU's Center for Biological Data Science announces that registration for BNFOthon 2022 is now open. This 24-hour hackathon will take place over the weekend of April 2-3 at Harris Hall, 1015 Floyd Ave. Students with any experience from any year and major are encouraged to take part in a weekend of hacking, networking, food and prizes. Learn more and register at the following URL.

For more information, contact Molly Creighton at bnfothon@vcu.edu or (757) 754-0460 or visit http://rampages.us/bnfothon.

Thursday, Apr. 7, 2022 from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.

VCU's Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence will present a virtual workshop in which participants will learn how to use a narrative framework to keep students engaged for an entire semester. Register for the Zoom link at the following URL.

For more information, contact Tiffany Freitas at freitast@vcu.edu or visit https://forms.gle/M8K789TPH1oER1JC6.

Thursday, Apr. 7, 2022 from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.

How does ability and disability impact your daily life? Do you wonder how that differs for others? Come engage with students, faculty and staff in an upcoming RAMmalogues session about ability and disability. Share your experience with neurodiversity, physical and mental disabilities or ways that you’ve come to understand ability and disability in our society. Bear witness to what others have to share in open dialogue. RAMmalogues is a space for intercultural, multigenerational and community-wide dialogues around who we are and what matters to us. The session will be in Room 250, James Branch Cabell Library, 901 Park Ave. All faculty, staff and students are invited, but registration is limited to 25, so register now at the following URL to reserve your spot.

For more information, contact Jan Altman, Ph.D., at IExcel@vcu.edu or visit https://inclusive.vcu.edu/iexcel/rammalogues/.

Friday, Apr. 22, 2022 from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.

The Enrichmond Foundation will host an outing to restore the Historic East End and Evergreen cemeteries on Earth Day, April 22. Sign up with The Commons at the following URL to reserve a spot.

For more information, contact Nico Orsini at orsinin@vcu.edu or (908) 828-3475 or visit https://cglink.me/2dV/r1552377.

Tuesday, May 24, 2022 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

The theme of the conference will be "Navigating the Future.” The event, to be held at the Academic Learning Commons, 1000 Floyd Ave., will showcase how the General Administration Career Community can support one another cross-departmentally and cross campus to promote growth and professional relationships. Submit proposals by April 11 at the following URL.

For more information, contact Christina Davis at daviscl7@vcu.edu or visit https://forms.gle/sFhc5BkcjLNvgKcu5.

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 VCU Benefits at benefits@vcu.edu. View upcoming sessions at the following URL.

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

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 at the following URL.

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

The Basic Life Support with First Aid blended learning course is intended for health care providers responding to cardiac and breathing emergencies. The course specializes in skills in CPR, AED and First Aid, along with elements of communication and adaptability when responding to emergencies. The blended course features two virtual interactive sessions in preparation for the instructor-led classroom skill session. Register by March 28 at the following URL for the April 5 class.

For more information, contact Noah Rogers at rogersn2@vcu.edu or visit https://recsports.vcu.edu/programs/certifications/arc-bls/.

VCU Continuing and Professional Education, in partnership with the School of World Studies, will hold live online Cultural Competency and Language Classes for VCU and VCU Health employees and community members for one academic credit. Intro to Conversational Spanish I is May 24-July 12. Intro to Conversational Spanish I and II and Language and Culture: Francophone World begin the week of Aug. 29 and run through early December. Contact HR for tuition benefit or education assistance eligibility.

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

The Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation has launched a new website for the One VCU Research Strategic Priorities Plan. Visit the site at the following URL to learn how the future is being shaped through transformative innovation.

For more information, contact Emily Komornik at komornikea@vcu.edu or visit https://research.vcu.edu/.

View VCU's digital badging page for information on continuing education opportunities that lead to web-enabled, verifiable digital badges. Areas include alumni relations, business, education, engineering, health professions, health sciences, inclusive excellence, innovation, pre-law, REAL research and creative inquiry, social work and VCU professional development (provided by VCU Online).

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

VCU Libraries is conducting a quality survey to improve its services. The survey should take five to 10 minutes to complete. The subject line will read: "Share your ideas to improve VCU Libraries." Faculty respondents are eligible to win one of two $500 professional development stipends and each completed survey will result in a $1 donation to the VCU Student Emergency Fund.

For more information, contact Sue Robinson` at srobinson26@vcu.edu or visit http://go.vcu.edu/libraryquality.

We are inviting male and female Type 2 diabetes patients with painful diabetic neuropathy ages 18-75 to participate in a research investigation of a new treatment to alleviate pain and examine its effects on pain perception. In addition to the new treatment, this study involves completing surveys and undergoing tests to evaluate perceptions of pain. Volunteers will be compensated for their time. Participants are only required to come once for the study. The study is conducted within the VCU Neuromuscular Rehabilitation Engineering Lab. Questions: Email Bhushan Thakkar at the following address or Edmund Acevedo, Ph.D., FACSM, at eoacevedo@vcu.edu.

For more information, contact Bhushan Thakkar at thakkarbs2@vcu.edu or (804) 300-5578.

… Ready, SET, Health. Researchers at VCU are looking for young women interested in changing their diet and physical activity routine to enroll in a new study. Eligible participants will receive a free program designed to help them meet their goals for healthy living. The study requires two in-person data collection visits (one before the program and one after), but the entire four-month program is conducted completely online.

For more information, contact OPT for Health - VCU School of Medicine at optforhealth@vcuhealth.org or (804) 827-2250 or visit http://www.readysethealthvcu.com.