Events and Announcements

Attend The Tolerance Project

The starting point of all meaningful discourse is tolerance. Founded by world-renowned designer-illustrator-artist-activist Mirko Ilic, The Tolerance Project  is a bold initiative that showcases the work of over 130 internationally famous designers communicating their thoughts on tolerance. 

Ilic discusses the project, its posters and visual persuasion in the Health & Life Sciences (HLSB) basement on Tuesday, March 17, at 5 p.m. The posters are on display in the HLSB rotunda and in the lobby through Friday, March 27. Questions? Contact Krista Humphries at khumphri11@su.edu. 

Participate In Sims Home Interior Decorating Contest

Do you spend your free time making Sims or creating masterpieces of homes? Either way, this is a chance for you to showcase your interior decorating skills! Entry is free for anyone who owns Sims Free Play or Sims 4. Esports Experience for Professionals (EXP) is opening doors for those who have as much fun playing Sims as others do Call of Duty or Fortnite. Fill out this questionnaire to be entered and await an email regarding entry. The questionnaire is a chance to create a fair playground for all so if you don’t own all of the packs, let EXP know in the form! The form closes on Thursday, March 12, at 11:59 p.m. If you have any questions, please contact EXP Vice President Kitana Jervis at kjervis132@su.edu.

SUN-e Adopts Spring Break Publication Schedule

During the week of spring break (Monday, March 9, through Friday, March 13) SUN-e will only be sent on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. SUN-e resumes daily distribution on Monday, March 16.

Send news and information for SUN-e announcements to the Office of Marketing & Communications at omc@su.edu at least 24 hours in advance of the publication date. Send all event information to eventscalendar@su.edu for listing on the university’s calendar.

Adjusted Spring Break Hours

Please note the adjusted hours of operation during spring break. Normal hours of operation resume on Monday, March 16.

Alson H. Smith, Jr. Library

• Friday, March 6, open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Saturday, March 7, open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 
• Sunday, March 8, closed
• Monday, March 9, through Friday, March 13, open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Saturday, March 14, closed
• Sunday, March 15, open from 3 p.m. to midnight

• Saturday, March 7, closed
• Monday, March 9, through Friday, March 13, open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 
• Saturday, March 14, closed

• Closed

• Friday, March 6, open for dinner from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• Saturday, March 7, through Sunday, March 15, breakfast is from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.; brunch is from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.; dinner is from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.

• Friday, March 6, open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Saturday, March 7, and Sunday, March 8, closed
• Monday, March 9, through Friday, March 13, open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Saturday, March 14, closed
• Sunday, March 15, open from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. 

• Friday, March 6, closes at 7 p.m.
• Saturday, March 7, and Sunday, March 8, closed
• Monday, March 9, through Friday, March 13, open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Saturday, March 14, open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Sunday, March 15, open from 10 a.m. to noon

Attend Care Team Week Events

Care Team week takes place Monday, March 16, through Friday, March 20. During this week faculty and staff are presenting on a variety of topics ranging from threat assessment to the student of concern process. In addition, the Care Team is featuring a student-only session this year with a SafeTalk (suicide prevention) program. These presentations provide great opportunities to learn more about various topics that pertain to the student of concern and Care Team process. Below is a list of topics and the presentation schedule for the week. If you are interested in attending session(s), please sign up in advance. Please email Matthew Coats at mcoats@su.edu for the session(s) that you are interested in attending. 

Referring students to counseling is Monday, March 16, at noon, in the Brandt Student Center, Room 118. Learn what conditions warrant a referral to counseling, how to appropriately refer students to counseling services and what to expect after the referral process. This session is open to faculty and staff. 

SafeTALK training is Monday, March 16, from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in Halpin-Harrison Hall, Stimpson Auditorium. This training program teaches participants to recognize and engage persons who might be having thoughts of suicide and to connect them with community resources trained in suicide intervention. SafeTALK stresses safety while challenging taboos that inhibit open talk about suicide. Seats are very limited (30 participants) and will go quickly, please register as soon as possible. For more information, or to register for this program, please email Dean of Student Success Dr. Suzanne O’Driscoll at sodrisco09@su.edu. This event is open to students only.

Threat Assessment is Tuesday, March 17, at noon, in the Brandt Student Center, Room 118. Learn how to gauge behavior and determine threat level with the aid of the National Behavioral Intervention Team Association (NaBITA) Threat Assessment Tool. This event is open to faculty and staff.

Student of Concern Basic Training is Wednesday, March 18, at 4 p.m. in the Brandt Student Center, Room 118; and Thursday, March 19, at 4 p.m. in Henkel Hall, Room 109. Learn about what happens if there is a student of concern: how to get a student help and report concerns, and what kind of situations are good to report. This event is open to faculty and staff. 

Illegitimate Tasks is Friday, March 20, at noon, in the Health & Life Sciences Building, Room 120. A look into illegitimate tasks as a source of stress for students and professors. These tasks threaten the self in various ways, including impeding performance, impacting student and professional identity, and by sending social messages. This event is open to faculty and staff.

Enjoy Conversations Over Tea

Enjoy the conversations over tea series from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 24, in the Alson H. Smith, Jr. Library, where Director of Music Therapy Studies Anthony Meadows, Ph.D., and Professor of Biopharmaceutical Sciences Craig Richard, Ph.D., will discuss their work. Questions? Contact kevans1@su.edu

School of Education & Leadership Doctoral Candidate Prepares To Defend Dissertation

Sarah Toland, a candidate for the degree of Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership, will defend her dissertation, “Gender and Barriers to the Superintendency: a Survey of Virginia Superintendents and School Board Members,” at 4 p.m. on Monday, March 9, in the Bowman Building, Room 210. The committee is made up of Associate Professor of Quantitative Methods Sarah R. Daniel, Ph.D.; Department Chair & Professor of Hispanic Studies Bryan Pearce-Gonzales, Ph.D.; and Adjunct Associate Professor of Education Administration Lisa Pluska, Ed.D. Members of the Shenandoah community are invited to attend.

Register To Learn To Climb With Soar

Spend Saturday, March 28, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., reaching new heights with the Shenandoah Outdoor & Adventure Recreation (SOAR) Learn to Climb trip at Sport Rock Climbing Gym in Sterling, Virginia. Whether you are an avid climber or have never put on a harness in your life, there is fun to be had for all difficulty levels on this trip. SOAR departs at 11 a.m. sharp and returns to campus by 7 p.m. after grabbing dinner on the way back to Winchester. There are nine total spots available. The trip includes a full day of climbing, as well as a belay certification class for newcomers. Climbing harnesses and belay devices are provided by SOAR, and climbing shoes can be rented from the gym if desired, although it is not a requirement. Register on the climb sign-up form. Once you have registered, SOAR will contact you with any additional information required and to confirm your spot on the trip or the waitlist. For more information, contact Shenandoah Outdoor & Adventure Recreation at suoutdoors@su.edu. 

Attend Coronavirus (COVID19) Panel Discussion

REMINDER: Swing By The Graduate Admissions Information Table

Shenandoah University’s Office of Graduate Admissions is hosting an information table in the Brandt Student Center today, March 4, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Information about all of Shenandoah’s graduate programs will be available as well as opportunities to register for upcoming open houses. For additional information or to speak with an admissions counselor, please contact SUGradAdmissions@su.edu.

REMINDER: Attend Herbal Medicine Approaches For Anxiety, Depression And Other Mood Disorders

Learn about herbal medicine approaches for improving stress tolerance and a variety of mood disorders from noon to 1 p.m. on Thursday, March 5, in the Brandt Student Center, Room 123, (Borden Student Associations Center aka B–SAC). The discussion includes which commonly available herbs work for these issues and which don’t, products to look for online that are not sold in stores and herb-drug interactions. Anti-stress teas are available for employee attendees. This event is free and open to Shenandoah University faculty, staff and students. Please RSVP via this link. Feel free to bring your lunch or grab it from the Brandt Student Center Hornet Grill. If you are not able to attend the session in person, you can stream live via Google Meet. For more information, please contact Danna Sharp at dsharp@su.edu. 

REMINDER: Sign Up For This Unique 2020 Bus Tour

On Friday, April 10, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Shenandoah University is leading a bus tour from Winchester to Richmond to “educate and inspire” students to better understand the political process and civil discourse. The group consists of 40 students (20 conservative-leaning and 20 liberal-leaning) who will travel with two Shenandoah alumni who are current delegates in the Virginia General Assembly, Wendy Gooditis (D-10th) and Chris Collins (R-29th). The group is stopping in both rural and an urban settings to explore issues of addiction and poverty and how different political ideologies address these issues. This trip is free (meals and transportation included), and students are required to apply in advance. The deadline to apply is Monday, March 9. For more information, contact Director of Civic Engagement Keith Jones Pomeroy at kjonespo@su.edu.

Register For The Out Of The Darkness Campus Walk

The Out of the Darkness Campus Walk to benefit the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is on Saturday, March 21, and registration opens at 9 a.m. Registration is held at the entrance gate to the track (next to the parking garage) and the walk begins promptly at 10 a.m. This event is open to anyone interested in participating. There is no registration fee, but walkers are asked to register. Each walker is encouraged to set a minimum fundraising goal of $100. Suicide is estimated to be the second-leading cause of death among college-age Americans, according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. This is why Shenandoah University and Winchester’s Concern Hotline host the Out of the Darkness Campus Walk. For further questions, contact Associate Professor of Psychology Rodney Bragdon, Ph.D., at 540/409-1975 or rbragdon@su.edu.

Exercise is Medicine On Campus Kick-Off Event

Updated Student Hospitalization/Parental Notification Policy

Student Hospitalization/Parental Notification

In the event, a university employee (faculty or staff) or student learns a university student is in the hospital (or a similar facility) to receive medical services, then the university employee/student should immediately submit a student of concern form on which they provide the requested information, and include a cell phone number for the hospitalized student if practicable. 

If after hours, the employee/student should contact the Department of Public Safety (“DPS”) at (540) 678-4444. DPS will immediately notify the Dean of Students (“DOS”) or their designee. Once notified, the DOS (or their designee) will promptly make the inquiries and gather the information that will allow them to take the step(s) they believe to be in the best interest of the student and/or other members of the university community, consistent with applicable law and university policy, including without limitation:  Attempting to contact, and potentially visiting, the hospitalized student; Consulting with the Director of the Wilkins Wellness Center and/or the Director of the Counseling Center; Attempting to notify the parent(s) and/or emergency contact (“EC”) of the hospitalized student unless the DOS (or their designee) believes such notification would not be in the best interest of the student; and Attempting to contact the hospitalized student’s on-campus roommate(s) and/or professors. 

To protect the hospitalized student’s privacy, any notification provided to the parent(s)/EC, roommate(s) and/or professor(s) may be limited. For example, the DOS (or their designee) may simply advise the parent/EC the hospitalized student is safe, but that the EC should contact the student as soon as possible. The DOS (or their designee) may advise a roommate the hospitalized student is safe, but will not be staying in his/her room for [fill in period of time]. The DOS (or their designee) may advise the hospitalized student’s professors that the student will not be in class for [fill in period of time] and may discuss the student’s options for dealing with the missed classes.

Policy Effective September 6, 2019.

Updated Tobacco and Nicotine Products Policy

  Tobacco Products, Nicotine Vapor Products, or Alternative Nicotine Products:

Virginia is one of several states that raised the legal age to purchase tobacco and nicotine products in an effort to reduce the number of people who become addicted to such products, and to improve public health. Virginia Code Section 18.2-371.2 prohibits the use and possession of tobacco and nicotine products by people less than 21 years of age. In response, Shenandoah University now prohibits the use and/or possession of tobacco and/or nicotine products for people less than age 21. Violations of the tobacco/nicotine policy will fall under Shenandoah University’s progressive discipline system in which succeeding violations entail more serious consequences, including possible suspension and dismissal from the university.  

The following is Shenandoah University’s policy on tobacco products and nicotine products, including nicotine vapor products and alternative nicotine products, for students, and other individuals on campus, less than age 21:

Tobacco Products, Nicotine Vapor Products, or Alternative Nicotine Products – use and possession: The use or possession of tobacco products, nicotine vapor products, or alternative nicotine products by any student, or other individual on campus, less than age 21 is prohibited. As a result, such products may not be stored anywhere on campus by those under age 21. 

Tobacco Products, Nicotine Vapor Products, or Alternative Nicotine Products – paraphernalia: 

Possession of tobacco products, nicotine vapor products, or alternative nicotine products paraphernalia is prohibited for students, and other individuals on campus, less than age 21. Such items include, but are not limited to, empty tobacco/nicotine containers or packaging, vaporizers and accessories, cigarette butts, spit cups/bottles, posters, or items with tobacco/nicotine messages/logos, etc. An exception to this paraphernalia policy may be made by university officials for artistic performances and/or other approved educational uses.

Providing Tobacco Products, Nicotine Vapor Products, or Alternative Nicotine Products and/or paraphernalia to individuals under 21:  

Providing tobacco products, nicotine vapor products, or alternative nicotine products and/or paraphernalia to anyone on campus who is less than 21 years of age is prohibited.

Exceptions:

This policy does not prohibit students, or other individuals on campus, who are 21 years of age or older, from using/possessing tobacco/nicotine products. However, such individuals are still bound by Shenandoah University’s anti-smoking policy which prohibits smoking and vaping in any university building or within thirty (30) feet of any of any entrance or window.

This policy does not apply to tobacco products, nicotine vapor products, alternative products or related paraphernalia utilized by, or provided to, a student or other individual on campus, less than 21 years of age, in an on-campus performance, or for an educational purpose, permitted by a Shenandoah University faculty or staff member.

Make Fancy S’mores With SOAR On Sept. 20

Shenandoah Outdoor & Adventure Recreation is making fancy s’mores in front of the Brandt Student Center from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 20. Come on out and learn how to make a banana boat, s’more taco, apple caramel delight, and much more!

For more information, contact SOAR Coordinator Katie Hecker at khecker@su.edu or call 540/542-6533.

Follow Shenandoah Conservatory On Social Media

Follow Shenandoah Conservatory on social media for announcements regarding upcoming performances and events as well as updates on students, faculty and alumni. In addition to inspiring artistic and scholarly excellence among students, the conservatory provides numerous educational and community engagement opportunities for the campus and surrounding communities throughout the region. Shenandoah Conservatory produces hundreds of performances annually and hosts an array of internationally acclaimed performing artists throughout the year. 

Follow Shenandoah Conservatory on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Nominate Your 2019 Homecoming Court

Homecoming 2019 is only a few weeks away, and you need a Homecoming Court of students who best represent their classes and the university! Students interested in being a part of the 2019 Homecoming Court can self-nominate or nominate their peers via the  2019 Homecoming Royalty Nomination Form. Students nominated should exemplify the spirit of Shenandoah. The form is open until 5 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 13. Nominations are not complete until the form has been filled out and a professional headshot from the individual nominated has been sent to Student Life Communications Coordinator (SLCC) Kaitlin Bell at kbell2@su.edu. Those nominating will not be providing the headshots. Once nominated, the SLCC will email that individual to request the photo as well as a short bio. Headshots should be of only the individual being nominated, should be on a plain background, should be a high resolution .jpeg and should not be a selfie. All nominee expectations and campaign guidelines are outlined in the 2019 Homecoming Royalty Nomination Form.

For more information, contact Kaitlin Bell at kbell2@su.edu.

Eventscalendar@su.edu Is Easy To Remember, Essential To Use

Everyone who plans any university-related performances, athletic events, lectures, meetings or special events must ensure their events are on the university-wide master calendar. The master calendar lets others know about your events, helps you schedule events and helps you avoid conflicts, too.

To share your event information, you only need to remember eventscalendar@su.edu.

When submitting items to the Events Calendar, please allow at least 48 hours notice for posting. The following information needs to be submitted with your request:

1. Title of the event
2. Where the event is (building/room number)
3. Start time and end time
4. A brief description of the event (Example “Come to the annual outdoor tournament! Sponsored by SOAR, this will be a chance for you to get to know other new students on campus. Prizes will be given to those who finish in first, second, and third places.”)
5. How much the event costs 
6. Registration link or link to additional information (if applicable)
7. Contact information if anyone has questions (Name and email address)

Send details at least three days in advance, but seven days, a few weeks or even a month are better. Then, allow at least 48 hours for the event to be added to su.edu/events. This calendar automatically generates calendar content for the SUN-e, the Shenandoah University app and more.

So, use eventscalendar@su.edu whenever you’re hosting an event.