Repurposing solar eclipse glasses

Through a partnership with Astronomers Without Borders, the University’s Sustainability Office donated nearly 5,000 pairs of eclipse glasses to reduce waste and help others enjoy future celestial experiences. Read more about the program.

Visit the ThorLabs Mobile Photonics Lab

The ThorLabs Mobile Photonics Lab will be at Rochester on Thursday, October 24, from noon to 4 p.m. and on Friday, October 25, from 9 a.m. to noon parked here on the River Campus. The Thorlabs Mobile Photonics Lab offers students a hands-on experience with photonics equipment used to measure, study, and harness the power of light.

Online sexual health program

Do you feel like you didn’t learn enough about sexual health before coming to the University or in your time spent here already? Join the 21-day online program Sex Ed 101 to learn the basics of sexual health. Find more information and join at any time.

HR Intercom highlights myURHR training and more

This month’s issue of HR Intercom, a newsletter with information about Human Resources programs and materials, includes information on training to prepare for the myURHR go-live in December, Open Enrollment, and more.

Open Enrollment is ending soon

Action is required during Open Enrollment for many of the University’s benefits including changing your health care plan, electing to contribute to a Health Savings Account (HSA) or Flexible Spending Account (FSA), and electing to increase or decrease your coverage. You have until Wednesday, October 30, to enroll or change your benefits. Visit the Open Enrollment website which features 2025 benefits highlights, how to enroll, frequently asked questions, webinar and Q&A session schedules, and more.

Apply for a postdoctoral fellowship in suicide prevention

The Center for the Study and Prevention of Suicide in the Department of Psychiatry is accepting applications for its T32 postdoctoral fellowship in suicide prevention. Now in its 25th year, the training program is supported by an institutional National Research Service Award training grant from NIMH. It provides two years of stipend support and related benefits for early career investigators committed to careers in suicide prevention research. Learn more about the fellowship, including its faculty mentors, and apply here.

Halloween events at College Town, Fitness Center

Enjoy free food and drink samples, giveaways (tees, bags, swag), and a Zumba class, plus bakery treats, fry cakes, and cider for purchase on Thursday, October 24, from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at 34 Celebration Drive in College Town, formerly Shine Bright. Find more details here.

On Saturday, October 26, College Town transforms into Halloween Town from noon to 2 p.m. Trick-or-treat at participating businesses—costumes are encouraged. Learn more and find a list of activities here.

Pirate-themed Scare Fair

The River Campus Libraries invites you to an afternoon of eerie pirate-themed festivities in Rush Rhees Library for this year’s Scare Fair, on Friday, October 25, from noon to 4 p.m. Complete the library’s scavenger hunt and ascend to the top of the Rush Rhees Library tower. Tower tour/scavenger hunt tickets are limited and will be made available to the first 300 adventure seekers. (Please note: tower access is weather-dependent). Other attractions include free fall snacks, therapy dogs in the Welles-Brown Room, games, crafts, and the chance to win prizes.

Kafka Prize reading with Ye Chun

This year’s recipient of the Janet Heidinger Kafka Prize for Fiction is Ye Chun, for her novel Straw Dogs of the Universe. Attend a reading followed by a Q&A and book signing with snacks and drinks on Friday, October 25, in Sloan Auditorium and Munnerlyn Atrium in Goergen Hall.

Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy virtual open houses

As the application season for the fall 2025 semester begins, the Family Therapy Training Program will be hosting virtual open houses for anyone interested in pursuing a master’s in marriage and family therapy. The open houses will take place from 3 to 4 p.m. on October 25, November 22, and December 6. Find more information and register.

Annual Fine Craft Show and Sale at MAG

Find ceramics, jewelry, fiber arts, and more at Memorial Art Gallery’s annual Fine Craft Show and Sale, November 1–3. Purchase tickets to the opening party on Friday, November 1, from 6 to 9 p.m. and enjoy live music, hors d’oeuvres, a cash bar, the opportunity to mingle with the artists, and early access to the show and sale before it opens to the public. Tickets are also available for Saturday, November 2, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. or Sunday, November 3, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Meditation class for the Black community

“Meditative Guide for Us” is a class from the Mindful University Project designed specifically for the University’s Black community. Led by Deontae McLachlan, the experience draws from personal insights to help participants manage racial stress, cultivate self-care, and enhance inner strength. The class is open to Black-identifying students, staff, faculty, and allies. Register here for the session that begins on Saturday, November 9, via Zoom from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Students who fully attend the session series will receive their choice of a meditation cushion or yoga mat, or choice of books Stay Woke: A Meditation Guide for the Rest of Us or For Indigenous Minds Only: A Decolonization Handbook.

Veterans Day 5K Run is back

Run, walk, or jog in the Veterans Day 5K run, presented by the University’s NROTC units and Veterans Alliance, to show your pride and honor those who have served and continue to serve the country. Register to join in-person at Fauver Stadium on November 12 or to run, walk, or jog virtually from anywhere to complete the 5K anytime from November 4 to 12.