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February - 2025

Feb 13	White Poverty: How Exposing Myths About Race and Class Can Reconstruct American Democracy Brock Commons 12:00 p.m. - 12:50 p.m. Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove challenges the perception that poverty in America is primarily a Black problem. In his work with Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II, White Poverty calls for a new “moral fusion movement” to unite impoverished Americans across racial lines, countering divisive political narratives.
Feb 18	Black History Trivia Blocker Auditorium 7:30 p.m. Black Student Union (BSU) hosts Black History Month Trivia competition
Feb 20	Queer Pluralism in the Buddhist Ethical Universe Brock Commons 12:00 p.m. - 12:50 p.m. Buddhism is often celebrated as a tradition rooted in compassion and tolerance. This perception is reinforced by modern examples from Japan, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Taiwan, where Buddhist communities have embraced visible practices of inclusivity for lesbian, gay, and transgender individuals. But has this always been the case? Have Buddhist communities historically embraced gender and sexual diversity? To explore these questions, Lehrer examines third-century CE Sanskrit and Pali monastic texts attributed to the historical Buddha, alongside later medical and legal commentaries outlining the criteria for ordination as a Buddhist nun or monk. He highlights how ancient Buddhist texts distinguished biological sex from gender as a social and psychological identity. These distinctions, however, also served religious and cultural purposes by defining the boundaries of normative gender and sexual experiences—boundaries that have evolved significantly over time. Tyler Lehrer, Ph.D., serves as assistant professor of history at Virginia Wesleyan University. For more information, contact the Robert Nusbaum Center at 757.455.3129 or NusbaumCenter@vwu.edu.
Feb 20	Black History Month Bingo Black History Month Bingo 7:00 p.m. Test your knowledge and play Black History Month Bingo
Feb 21	Black Mental Health Providers Showcase Kramer Lounge 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Connect with Black mental health professionals while exploring the importance of culturally affirming care and the impact of representation in mental health
Feb 27	Gas Masks, Classified Ads, and Bread Crumbs: How Children's Stories of Black History Cross Divides Blocker Auditorium 12:00 p.m. - 12:50 p.m. In an interview and reading, author Shana Keller shares her passion for inspiring children through stories that address pivotal incidents in American history and highlight historical African American role models, encouraging young readers to envision leadership rooted in curiosity, perseverance, and responsibility.
Feb 28	Deke Sharon A Cappella Festival Goode Fine and Performing Arts Center 6:00 p.m. Pitch Perfect Producer Deke Sharon, VWU Vox Vera, and a capella ensembles from High Schools in the region present the closing concert of the festival.

March - 2025

Mar 3 - Apr 4	Advising Weeks for Fall Registration
Mar 4	Women Working in the Arts Pearce Suite, Batten Center 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. The Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies Program is hosting a panel discussion titled, "Women in the Arts." The panel will feature Alison Byrne, Executive Director of the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art, and Reneé Duval Fairchild, Chief Philanthropy Officer for the Chrysler Museum of Art (and VWU Alumna!) This Women's History Month event is free and open to the campus community.
Mar 6	Spring Career, Internship & Volunteer Fair Jane P. Batten Student Center 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Students and alumni from all majors and academic levels are invited to participate in this event. Employers will share information about hiring processes and timelines, current/future needs as well as information about available opportunities and skills needed. Details and Participating Employers can be found in Handshake Career Portal. Contact Alice Jones, Director of Career Development for additional Information at ajones@vwu.edu. Learn More
Mar 11	The Weaponizing of Religious Identity in Contemporary American Politics Brock Commons 12:00 p.m. - 12:50 p.m. In his prescient “Faith, Nationalism, and the Future of Liberal Democracy” (2021), David Elcott highlights how religious identity has been used and weaponized to fuel the rise of illiberal, nationalist, and populist democracy. For more information, contact the Robert Nusbaum Center at 757.455.3129 or NusbaumCenter@vwu.edu.
Mar 13	The Grand Collaboration: Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and the invention of Religious Freedom Brock Commons 12:00 p.m. - 12:50 p.m. Steven Green’s “The Grand Collaboration: Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and the Invention of Religious Freedom” (2024) is the first in-depth exploration of the mutual endeavor of Jefferson and Madison to secure freedom of conscience and the separation of church and state. Steven Green, Ph.D., is the Fred H. Paulus Professor of Law and an Affiliated Professor of History and Religious Studies at Willamette University. For more information, contact the Robert Nusbaum Center at 757.455.3129 or NusbaumCenter@vwu.edu.
Mar 17 - 21	Spring Break
Mar 27	Defining Womanhood: 75 Years of The Second Sex and Its Impact Across Disciplines Blocker Auditorium 12:00 p.m. - 12:50 p.m. This panel celebrates the 75th anniversary of Simone de Beauvoir’s groundbreaking work, “The Second Sex,” examining its influence across disciplines. Virginia Wesleyan scholars from political science, psychology, sociology, English, and gender studies reflect on how the book first shaped them and its continuing relevance in understanding identity, power, and gender dynamics. For more information, contact the Robert Nusbaum Center at 757.455.3129 or NusbaumCenter@vwu.edu.

April - 2025

Apr 3	Pixar's Inside Out and Ethics: Understanding Emotions Across Life Stages in a Multidisciplinary Conversation Brock Commons 12:00 p.m. - 12:50 a.m. In an age where emotions play a larger role than ever, three Virginia Wesleyan professors—drawing from philosophy, cinema studies, and psychology—explore the films’ insights on moral decision- making, emotional identity, and life transitions. Come for a fun conversation and leave with a deeper understanding of the interplay between emotions, ethics, and development, along with practical insights on managing emotions in your own life. For more information, contact the Robert Nusbaum Center at 757.455.3129 or NusbaumCenter@vwu.edu.
Apr 3 - 5	Spring Mainstage Production - A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare Joan and Macon Theatre, Susan S. Goode Fine and Performing Arts Center 7:30 p.m. This unique retelling of Shakespeare's classic is a collaboration between the VWU Theatre and Music programs. The fairies groove a cappella and the visual vibe can only be described as "far out, man." Join us for a spring production full of Peace, Love, and (Mis)Understanding.
Apr 4 - 5	Spring Alumni Weekend
Apr 6	Spring Mainstage Production - A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare Joan and Macon Theatre, Susan S. Goode Fine and Performing Arts Center 2:00 p.m. This unique retelling of Shakespeare's classic is a collaboration between the VWU Theatre and Music programs. The fairies groove a cappella and the visual vibe can only be described as "far out, man." Join us for a spring production full of Peace, Love, and (Mis)Understanding.
Apr 10	Seeing is Believing?: Navigating Visual AI in a Changing World Blocker Auditorium 12:00 p.m. - 12:50 p.m. During this hour, VWU professors explore some of the challenges posed by visual AI and highlight its substantive and creative applications through tools like Co-Pilot, Sketchbook, Midjourney, and Clips. The program also demonstrates how using more descriptive prompts in Adobe applications leads to better visual results. Join us as we think critically about this rapidly evolving tool and reflect on ways to navigate the ever-changing challenges of visual AI in practical and meaningful ways. For more information, contact the Robert Nusbaum Center at 757.455.3129 or NusbaumCenter@vwu.edu.
Apr 11	Virginia Wesleyan Camerata Concert Goode Fine and Performing Arts Center 7:30 p.m. Virginia Wesleyan Camerata, under the direction of Bryson Mortensen, presents their annual spring concert.
Apr 11	We Are Phoenix by Timothy Takach Goode Fine and Performing Arts Center 7:30 p.m. Virginia Wesleyan Camerata presents the Virginia Premiere of a new work by Minnesota Composer Timothy Takach. We Are Phoenix illuminates the analogy between humans and our planet: we both suffer loss and devastation and yet rise again and again, becoming stronger each time.
Apr 17	VCIC WORKSHOP: The Hidden Costs of Groupthink: Leadership That Builds Inclusive Teams Pearce Suite, Batten Student Center 12:00 p.m. - 12:50 p.m. This workshop offers opportunities for participants to consider their decision-making process and explore best practices for replication. Meagan Starks, MA, MEd, is the Director of Hampton Roads Programs at the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities (VCIC). For more information, contact the Robert Nusbaum Center at 757.455.3129 or NusbaumCenter@vwu.edu.
Apr 21	Easter Monday Holiday Monday labs meet another day-TBA
Apr 24	Climate and Crisis: Preparing Physicians for a Changing Planet Brock Commons 12:00 p.m. - 12:50 p.m. As an emergency-medicine physician, Aaron Hultgren has been at the front line in many situations involving health care. As an Emergency Medicine doctor at Bellevue Hospital in NYC, he was on the front line of the fight against COVID. In this talk, he shares the importance of physicians being climate informed as the changing world shapes how we need to address new medical issues. For more information, contact the Robert Nusbaum Center at 757.455.3129 or NusbaumCenter@vwu.edu.
Apr 25 - 26	Juke Vox - Spring Concert Goode Fine and Performing Arts Center 7:30 p.m. Join Vox Vera for a fun evening of contemporary acapella music, from the Beatles to Stevie Nicks and more!

May - 2025

May 1	Virginia Wesleyan Orchestra Spring Concert Goode Fine and Performing Arts Center 7:30 p.m. The Virginia Wesleyan Orchestra, will complete its first year under new musical director, Alexander Chen, with a Spring concert full of traditional classics and new modern works.
May 2	Spring Honors Convocation
May 2	Academic Symposium: Global Religion and Social Justice: A Symposium of Student Research Brock Commons 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. This panel features four case studies by VWU students in a 300-level course, Religion and Social Justice, and highlights the interplay between faith and activism. Each presentation showcases students’ primary historical research, examining how religious ideas, practices, and commitments influenced—and were influenced by—social justice activism and advocacy. The projects explore diverse topics from various global contexts, demonstrating how religious communities have engaged with issues such as racial and gender equality, economic and environmental justice, and the pursuit of human dignity, in the pursuit of a more just world. For more information, contact the Robert Nusbaum Center at 757.455.3129 or NusbaumCenter@vwu.edu.
May 2	VWU Jazz Ensemble Spring Concert Goode Fine and Performing Arts Center 7:30 p.m. Under the direction of Cory Franklin, the VWU Jazz ensemble will perform well known jazz standards, Funk, and Latin Jazz favorites.
May 8	Reading Day
May 16	Batten Honors College Capstone Ceremony
May 16	Baccalaureate
May 17	2025 Spring Commencement
May 19	Online Summer Session Begins
May 27	Traditional Summer Session Begins