March 20, 2026

April 6 is National Tartan Day, commemorating the signing of the Declaration of Arbroath (or the Scottish Declaration of Independence) in 1320. The reason it’s so important is that the American Declaration of Independence was actually modeled on the Declaration of Arbroath, and quite a considerable proportion of the Founding Fathers were of Scottish descent (almost half of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, and nine of the 13 governors of the newly established United States, were Scottish). 

So, grab your Tartan and join the Highlander community in celebration on
Monday, April 6.

It isn’t a secret anymore. After being named Blue Ridge Outdoors Top Adventure College in 2025, Radford continues to be a destination university for students who value adventure, exploration and connection to the outdoors. The competition is underway for 2026, and we want to retain our title as a premier adventure college. We need your help. Cast your vote now to help keep Radford on top.

How does the tournament work?
Blue Ridge Outdoors asks readers to pick their favorites in a 32-school bracket brawl. Colleges and universities meet in head-to-head matchups, and the school that receives the most votes advances to the next round.

Voting for the first round of 32 began on March 16 and ends on Sunday, March 29, at 11:59 p.m., so be sure to place your vote today.

For the first time since jumping to the NCAA Division I level in 1984, there will be a postseason women’s basketball game in the Dedmon Center. After finishing second in the Big South during the regular season to secure the auto bid to the Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT), the Radford University women’s basketball team will host Morehead State on Friday, March 20, at 7 p.m. Let’s pack the Dedmon in support of our Highlanders in postseason play.

The reception and awards ceremony for the Radford University Juried Student Art Show will take place on Friday, March 20, from 4-6 p.m. in the Tyler Gallery (located next to BT’s on Tyler Ave.)

The event is free and open to the public and features the presentation of awards ranging from $200 to $2,500, including the Presidential Award, Andrew Ross Photography Award, graduate and undergraduate prizes and honorable mentions. There will be refreshments and a chance to meet our talented student artists. It’s a great way to cap your week.

The Radford University Highlander Center for Character and Public Impact invites all employees and students to the next installment of the Common Grounds discussion series on Tuesday, March 24, at noon in the third-floor boardroom at Radford University Carilion in Roanoke, 101 Elm Ave. Coffee, tea and bakery goods will be provided by Arabica Cafe and Bakery.

This month’s discussion topic will be “Exploring Access to Women’s Reproductive Health in Southwest Virginia.”

Common Grounds events aim to build our community’s capacity to converse and collaborate across differences. This series is sponsored by the Highlander Center for Character and Public Impact and the Civil Discourse Working Group. This event is also co-sponsored by the Waldron College Health Advocacy Committee and the Dr. Raymond N. Linville Center for Interprofessional Education and Practice.

The University Scheduling Office is excited to announce Ad Astra, a new centralized room/space scheduling system launching on Wednesday, April 1.

Whether you need to reserve tabling space, a meeting room or coordinate a multi-room conference, this new system makes it easy to schedule any space on campus. There will be three separate portals – one each for the main campus, Radford University Carilion in Roanoke and SELU in Radford.

The following training sessions will be offered via Zoom prior to launch to help the Radford community learn how to use the new system:

You can also reference these PowerPoint presentations for any questions that you might have:

The scheduling office is also available to help coordinate your event needs, including facilities, parking and catering. 

Did you assign a paper or project to your students in which they used library resources? Each spring, University Libraries hosts the Winesett Awards to recognize creative and original library research by Radford University students.

Over $5,000 will be awarded in three divisions: lower (first-years/sophomores), upper (juniors/seniors) and graduate. Class projects completed in spring 2025 through fall 2025, as well as in-process spring 2026, are eligible.

Applications are due by Monday, March 30, at 11:59 p.m. An awards luncheon and ceremony will be held to announce the winners on Friday, April 17, from noon to 1:30 p.m.

For more information, contact Tony Pepper or Barbara Tait. 

Arco Paul, an associate professor in the Radford University Doctor of Physical Therapy program, was recently recognized by the Academy of Neurologic Physical Therapy (ANPT) for his outstanding and sustained professional service within the Stroke Special Interest Group (SIG).

Since 2021, Paul has worked with the Stroke SIG to advance evidence‑based stroke rehabilitation. He created accessible research summary reviews, developed educational video case studies on high‑intensity gait training and worked with ANPT’s Student Corner to establish social media education.

Paul’s dedication and hard work continue to advance stroke rehabilitation at Radford University and across the discipline.

Next time you are in the Artis Center, look up. On display now are several metal ribbon sculptures by Roanoke-born artist Dorothy Gillespie.

Gillespie is an important part of 20th-century American sculpture history, and many of her colorful abstract works are part of the Radford University Art Museum’s permanent collection.

Almost everyone who visits McConnell Library on the main campus in Radford walks through the Reading Room on their way to their ultimate destination. The Reading Room offers the front desk and its friendly staff, gorgeous architecture and portraits of former university presidents and other administrators, but there’s more. Have you ever stopped to examine some of the library materials on the shelves in the Reading Room? Some of these collections are permanent, and some have rotating themes throughout the year.

You may already be familiar with the Popular Reading collection, which contains both fiction and nonfiction books – often bestsellers that you’d also find in a bookstore or a public library. Next to Popular Reading, you’ll find a display of horror-themed materials, including fiction and nonfiction books and DVDs of TV shows and movies. Following that section is a display of some of the newest additions to the physical library collection. There are many more new titles shelved elsewhere in the library and, of course, available online.

On the other side of the Reading Room, near the Bird Room, the shelves are filled with books and DVDs on fascism. Adjacent to that area, you’ll find a selection of The Beehive, Radford University’s yearbook. Warning: it’s easy to lose track of time once you sit in a lounge chair and start perusing these old annuals.

Finally, centered under the portrait of Radford University’s first president and the library’s namesake, John Preston McConnell, is the Radford Authors collection. Publications by current faculty members are showcased there. These, and all other materials displayed in the Reading Room, are available for checkout. If you see something that catches your eye, take it over to the front desk, and library staff will be happy to check it out to your account.

Radford University, Danville Community College sign agreement to strengthen transfer pathways for students

In Memoriam: Sandra C. “Sandy” Davis

Radford students become national parks explorers, researchers over spring break trek to western U.S.

University analytics center rebrands and relaunches to help illuminate its field

Radford University Board of Visitors
to meet
March 19-20, 2026

Radford University receives $2.5 million gift from Virginia Credit Union to establish Financial Success Center

Radford University outperforms national retention trends for Pell-eligible students

Highlander Highlights:
Week of
March 9, 2026