September 26, 2025

The Radford University Highlanders Pipes and Drums had a successful recruiting turnout this fall, with nine new beginner bagpipers and six new drummers, growing the pipe band from 12 to 29 members. New musicians come from across the campus and the community, including students, faculty and community members from Radford city. Come out to the Radford Highlanders Festival on Saturday, Oct. 11, to hear them perform.

The annual Halloween Treat Trail, hosted by the Radford Chamber of Commerce, is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 30, from 4-6 p.m. in downtown Radford. Student organizations and university departments are invited to participate with a “Trunk or Treat” station using either a vehicle or a table. Participating organizations and departments must be set up by 3:30 p.m. and may not leave before 6 p.m. for the safety of the children.

With limited spots available, you are encouraged to RSVP as soon as possible to secure your place. Approximately 1,000 children are expected to participate this year.

Those who participate with a vehicle:

Those who participate with a table:

Connected Communities is a new department in the Division of Student Affairs with a goal of providing educational and social experiences for students and employees. All members of the Highlander community are welcome to engage in events and programs, all of which can be found on RU Involved.

Connected Communities is available in two locations on the main campus: Heth Hall 157 and Trinkle Hall 160.

Please stop by, meet the staff, use the spaces for casual connections and refer students to resources. And don’t forget the department’s tagline: “Come as you are!”

The Radford University College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA) is hosting a weekend of art exhibitions, shows and performances. Mark your calendars to join CVPA for these upcoming events:

Do you want to have a meaningful conversation about what’s happening in the world while enjoying treats from Arabica?

The Office of Faculty Development invites all faculty, staff and students to the next installment of the Common Grounds discussion series on Wednesday, Oct. 1, from 4-5 p.m. in McConnell Library’s ILC-B classroom on the third floor.

This month’s discussion topic will be, “What does safety, belonging and free expression on campus and beyond mean to you right now?”

Did you know that you have access to a collection of digital medical and health sciences books?

Included in the Radford University Libraries’ almost 300 databases, AccessMedicine (requires your Radford University login) contains medical textbooks, examination and procedural videos, patient safety modules, practice guidelines, self-assessments, customizable patient education and many other visual health sciences-related tools and resources.

This database has applications for a variety of health science fields as well as general use and reference.

Academic Technologies is offering training opportunities on the following topics in October. Training is open to faculty, staff and students. All sessions are in Walker Hall 275 on the main campus, with the option to join remotely.

The Highlander Center for Character and Public Impact (funded by a grant from the Educating Character Initiative) is up and running at Radford University. The center will have an opening for its physical space later this year, but its activities are happening now. It offers workshops related to classes, clubs, and athletic teams on topics such as building character, professional identity, professional ethics and dialogue across differences.

For example, the center is hosting a reading group on Cultivating Virtue in the University beginning Oct. 28. You can register for that group online now.

The center offers these kinds of workshops directly to your students or can train you to provide them. Likewise, civil discourse tools, such as the Constructive Dialogue Institute’s Perspectives online program, are available to anyone in the Radford University community through the center.

The Radford University Office of Sponsored Programs and Grants Management invites all employees to the upcoming Hanover Research webinar “Developing Relationships with Private Foundations” on Friday, Oct. 3, at 11 a.m. via Zoom.

In this one-hour session, led by Hanover managing grants consultant Rob Guroff, you will:

The presentation will emphasize the importance of internal coordination prior to engaging foundation funders and the benefits of a long-term relational approach. Time will be allotted to help participants plan foundation outreach and cultivate existing foundation relationships.

This fall, the AI Community of Practice at Radford University will continue its discussion sessions for employees and students on the opportunities, challenges and future of AI in higher education. Each Zoom-based session highlights a different perspective, from practical teaching strategies to broader questions of ethics, literacy and human-centered learning. Mark your calendars for these upcoming sessions.

As part of the Radford University Office of Sponsored Programs and Grants Management’s Internal Funding initiatives, the Interdisciplinary Research Team Project Development Award aims to foster collaborative, cross-disciplinary research and scholarly activity in the following focus areas:

The goals of this award are to:

The Halloween Spooktacular art show now has an official name: “Art from the Crypt.” This show is open to students, staff and faculty, and accepted works will be on display at the Spooktacular on Thursday, Oct. 30.

This year’s theme is gothic horror (especially werewolves). Think “dark forest” and “haunted castle” and you have the vibe.

The Radford University Center for Accessibility Services (CAS) is excited to bring back Calm Day on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026.

Alongside campus partners, CAS will create a peaceful, low-pressure atmosphere with stress-relief activities, self-care opportunities and low-pressure ways to explore campus resources. This event raises awareness of Highlanders with disabilities, both visible and invisible, and highlights the services offered by CAS and its campus partners.

CAS is inviting colleges and departments to host activities or volunteer to support existing ones. Please complete a short survey to indicate if and how you would like to participate in Calm Day by Friday, Oct. 10.