Dr. Artis has the distinct honor of serving as the first-female president for two higher education institutions: first Florida Memorial University in Miami, Florida and now Benedict College in Columbia, South Carolina. On June 22, 2018, HBCU Digest selected her as the “2018 Female President of the Year,” and on August 9, 2018, Columbia Regional Business Report recognized her as one of the “2018 Women of Influence.” Click here to read more.

The Virginia Union University men's basketball team welcomed Richmond area elementary students back to class after classes started on Tuesday, September 4.

The Panthers, along with members of the Virginia State University cheerleaders, welcomed students back at Spartan Academy and Ratcliffe Elementary. "It was great having the opportunity for the team to go out and welcome the students back to school at Spartan Academy and Ratcliffe Elementary," said VUU Head Men's Basketball Coach Jay Butler.

"The kids were excited to see us and we love going out in the community to support the youth." VUU tips off the 2018-19 men's basketball season on October 23 when they meet Duke University in an exhibition game in Raleigh, N.C.

I spent the month of August at the Vermont Studio Center (VSC) in Johnson, Vermont, researching and writing a collection of poetry. I was selected from a pool of 1,500 applicants and received an artist's grant to attend based on the strength of my application. VSC hosts a rotating roster of approximately 52 visual artists and writers from around the world each month. All VSC residents receive a private bedroom in a house with shared bathroom facilities, a private studio space with wireless Internet access, and three meals a day. Throughout the month, there is also a robust calendar of optional community activities including resident slide nights, resident readings, open studio nights, and our 'Visiting Artists & Writers' program where visiting artists share their own work, offer craft talks, and workshop with participants in one-on-one meetings. My manuscript, Marrow, imagines the People's Temple, a congregation of American men, women, and children who emigrated to Guyana and were coerced into drinking a cyanide-laced grape drink by their leader, Jim Jones in 1978. Over 900 people died, and before the attacks of September 11th, 2001, the event marked the largest loss of American civilian life. The manuscript imagines the individuals outside of the event of their death and attempts to contextualize the congregation by especially considering the influences of place and time on the member's lives and decisions. Early drafts and discussion of Marrow appear in the Jonestown report and can be read here. The early draft of the manuscript was a finalist for the Crab Orchard Review First Book Award and the updated draft will be seeking a publisher again in the spring.

Tobias Morgan joined our community as a full-time, residential administrator on Saturday, September 7th. His robust experience in higher education will be significant in moving forward the University’s Strategic Plan and developing students with his commitment to students as citizen leaders in a global society.

Morgan joins Virginia Union University from Kentucky State University (KSU), where he served as the Director of Campus Life. Prior to KSU, he served as the Interim Director, Associate Director, and Assistant Director of Student Life & Activities at Howard University; Assistant Director of Student Activities at Loyola University, Maryland; and a Resident Director at Coppin State University.

As Dean of Students/Director of Residence Life and Housing, Mr. Morgan will be responsible for the leadership, planning and overall management of residence life programs, student conduct, and student housing. He will oversee the care and crisis services, as well as strategic planning initiatives for the campus that relates to student success and safety.

As Director of Admissions, Biggs serves on the leadership team of the Division of Enrollment Management and Student Affairs. She is responsible for campus wide recruitment strategies and initiatives and works with campus administration to implement methods of attracting and retaining a highly qualified and diverse undergraduate and graduate student body. She is expected to build and maintain contacts with students, parents, high schools, churches, community colleges and organizations throughout Virginia and the nation.

• Interested in volunteering for the American Diabetes Association? Interested students should sign-up in The Office of Student and Civic Engagement; Kingsley Hall, Suite 301.

• Are you teaching a course that could offer service to the community as a means of extending lessons learned beyond the bounds of the classroom, for the good of the community? Click here to learn more.

• Join the Virginia Treatment Center for Children for their Open House, Saturday, October 20th. Click here to learn more.

• Mark your calendars for the 2018 Fall Civic Engagement Fair. Click here to learn more.

• The Association of Black Cardiologists will be returning to Richmond with the Spirit of the Heart health education weekend on October 12 – 14th. The public Health and Education Fair will be held at The Richmond Convention Center on Saturday, October 13th, from 11a.m. – 3p.m. This will be family fun event and is free to the public. Volunteers are needed to assist with registering guests, managing giveaways and more. Available shifts are: 8:30 -11a.m. for set-up, 11a.m. – 1p.m. & 1p.m. -3p.m. for vendor check-in, food, kids zone, health screenings, production stage etc. and 3p.m. – 5p.m. for breakdown. If interested, please sign-up in the Civic Engagement office located in Kingsley Hall, Suite 301.

• Virginia Union University will sponsor The Annual Lucille M. Brown Community Youth Bowl on Saturday, October 20th, 2018. Area youth in grades K- 12 are invited to attend “Free of Charge”. Activities include campus tours, information sessions on preparing to attend college, poster art and writing contests. Volunteers are needed to assist with checking in groups, distributing tee shirts, serving as group leaders, conducting college tours, serving as runners, etc. This is a fun day and a great opportunity to meet and greet future Unionites!!! Volunteers may work in shifts of 8a.m. – noon, noon – 4p.m. or 8a.m. - 4p.m. Many volunteers are needed!!! Sign-up today in the Civic Engagement Office ASAP!!! Volunteers can earn up to 18 service credits!!

• Volunteers are needed to volunteer at the State Fair of Virginia. Free Parking and State Fair Tickets are being offered in addition to lunch tickets for full day volunteers. Click here for more information.

Faculty are encouraged to include information related to Title IX and their reporting obligations in their syllabi each semester. This helps students make informed choices about with whom they share information if they disclose incidents of sexual misconduct. Title IX reporting sample: Please note that if you disclose an experience related to sexual misconduct (including sexual assault, dating violence, and/or stalking, sexual harassment or sex-based discrimination, your professor is obligated to inform the Title IX Coordinator (titleix@vuu.edu) of all shared information, including your name. The University will take initial steps to address the incident(s), protect, and, support those directly affected, and enhance the safety of our University community. The Title IX coordinator will work with you to determine the best way to proceed. Information shared in class assignments, class discussions, and at public events does not constitute an official disclosure, and faculty and staff do not have to report these to the Title IX Coordinator. Any other disclosure to faculty and staff needs to be reported to the Title IX Coordinator. For more information: https://www.vuu.edu/titleix 

This event promotes graduate education to underrepresented students in engineering. Participants will connect with faculty, participate in lab tours, and learn how to fund their graduate degree. There is no cost to attend and meals are included. For more information, please contact Jasmine Crenshaw at jasmine.crenshaw@virginia.edu

 

September 9 - Convocatum Est
September 20 - Convocation 
September 21 - 8:00am - 5:00pm | HBCU-UP National Science Foundation Day. Click here to register.
September 26 - Public Relations Taskforce Interest Meeting. Click here to learn more.

 

Click here for the full list of events on our University calendar. To submit an event, click here.