October 23, 2026

National Chemistry Week is an annual public awareness event coordinated by the American Chemical Society to highlight chemistry's vital role in everyday life. The 2026 week is observed from Oct. 18-24. The Radford University Department of Chemistry will host a potluck lunch to celebrate the week on Friday, Oct. 23, from noon to 1:30 p.m. in the Reed-Curie Atrium. Everyone is welcome.

In addition, the chemistry department will observe Mole Day on Oct. 23, from 6:02 a.m. to 6:02 p.m. Celebrated annually, Mole Day commemorates Avogadro's Number: 6.02 x 1023. This number – called a mole – is a basic measuring unit in chemistry. Mole Day typically falls during National Chemistry Week.

Whether you’re an employee, a student or an alum bringing family back to campus, you’ll enjoy a full schedule of gatherings, special celebrations, athletics and live entertainment at Radford University Homecoming 2026, Thursday, Oct. 22, through Saturday, Oct. 24, on the main campus in Radford.

Soak up the breeze and sail into a smooth afternoon of free live music by the Camel City Yacht Club at the Artis Center courtyard. Shore excursions include the legendary “What’s Under the Kilt?” beverage port (cash bar), alumni T-shirt giveaway, food and a lively Radford Row showcasing departments and student organizations. All are welcome to join this great Highlander tradition.

The Radford University Military Resource Center is offering an opportunity to recognize veterans and active-duty service members in your life this Veterans Day. You can submit their stories online, and the center will thank them for their service by including their stories on signage posted on Monday, Nov. 9, during the Field of Flags event on Moffett Lawn.

Whether living or deceased, or a veteran or on active duty, your contribution ensures they are recognized for their commitment and service. Individuals submitted by Monday, Nov. 2, will be included on the signage during the Field of Flags event.

Join the Highlander Center for Character and Public Impact at the next Common Grounds discussion of the semester on Tuesday, Oct. 27, from 4-5 p.m. in LCb classroom (McConnell Library 380) on the main campus in Radford. The topic will be “Reproductive Rights in Virginia’s Midterm Election.” This open conversation will explore Virginia’s proposed amendment to “(i)protect the freedom to make personal decisions about prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, birth control, abortion, miscarriage management, and fertility care; (ii) protect doctors, nurses, and patients from being punished for these decisions; and (iii) allow for restrictions on access to abortion during the third trimester of pregnancy except when the patient's health is at risk, or the pregnancy cannot survive.”

Common Grounds is a facilitated discussion aimed at building our community’s capacity to converse and collaborate across differences. All students, employees and members of our community are invited to participate. Coffee, tea and treats from Arabica Cafe will be provided.

The Radford University Office of Sponsored Programs and Grants Management will host an opportunity to collaborate with community partners on grant-seeking on Thursday, Oct. 29, at noon.

Community partnerships can strengthen proposals, expand resources and make your work more compelling to funders. Building these relationships requires trust, shared goals and clear communication. This session will show you how to identify the right partners, structure collaborations that benefit all parties and craft proposals that demonstrate collective impact. Speakers will include Kristina Weaver, managing grants consultant at Hanover Research, and Clinton Doggett, senior grants advisor at Hanover Research. Registration is required to participate.

Get ready to embrace the crisp autumn season with the annual CommonHealth fall movement event – The Turkey Trot Challenge. From Nov. 1-30, all state employees are invited to join a month-long celebration of wellness and community through movement.

Throughout November, participants will track their daily intentional movement. The goal is simple: add 20 more minutes of intentional movement on 25 out of 30 days in November. 

Let’s make this fall a season of strength, balance and renewed energy, one movement at a time. Register by Thursday, Nov. 5.

With the New York Times Academic Pass, University Libraries patrons have full access to the New York Times website and smartphone app. You can access The New York Times on- or off-campus for a current, reputable news source. Through the New York Times website, you will also be able to save and share news articles and set up your own news alerts.

Information about how to access the New York Times can be found on the University Libraries website. Once registered, employees will have four years of full access, which you can re-authenticate. Student users will have access until Dec. 31 of their graduation year.

University Libraries formerly had access to the New York Times Historical Newspapers through ProQuest. However, Academic Pass has greater coverage, ranging from 1851 to present.

The Radford University Office of Parking Services is announcing upcoming parking lot closures in support of events taking place on the main campus in Radford.

In support of a Floyd High School visit:

In support of the Unlocking Big Words event:

In support of the College of Visual and Performing Arts Trunk or Treat:

Alternate parking suggestions include, but are not limited to, Lots E, DC, BF, IM and BL. Please see the Radford University parking map for these locations and for additional alternate parking lots for use.

Parking access remains available with a valid disabled parking placard or disabled license plate in handicapped spaces or regular parking spaces.

Parking Services appreciates your understanding and support of these updates and events on campus.

LibKey Nomad is a browser extension that helps connect you directly with University Libraries’ electronic journals while you’re searching sites like PubMed and Google Scholar.

It’s fast and easy to install and puts full-text articles right at your virtual fingertips. LibKey Nomad works with Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari and other popular browsers. You’ll find download instructions for your browser on their site, and you can always ask a librarian for help if you need it. 

The Radford University Office of Research and Creative Scholarship will host a reading group this fall and spring, focusing on the book “How the Word Is Passed” by Clint Smith. The group will meet on Thursdays, from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. in the CITL conference room in McConnell Library on Oct. 29, Nov. 12, Feb. 4, Feb. 25, March 11 and Apr. 1.

Ever wonder who lived and worked on the land that is now Radford University before the institution was founded in 1910? Join Tiesha Martin, associate director of the Office of Undergraduate Research and associate professor in the Department of Health and Human Performance, and Geoffrey Pollick, chair and associate professor in the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, in partnership with the Radford University Community History Research Collective and the Highlander Center for Character and Public Impact, for a reading and discussion of Clint Smith’s acclaimed exploration of how Americans remember, interpret and teach the history of slavery.

Part of a Jessie Ball duPont Fund-supported project examining the university’s pre-founding connections to slavery, this group invites participants to consider how history shapes our communities today. Free copies of the book will be available through CITL (McConnell Library 270) for those who can attend at least four sessions. Colleagues and students at the Roanoke location are encouraged to participate and should contact the facilitators for options.

Looking for comprehensive business research in one place? ProQuest One Business brings together more than 130 million documents from leading resources, including ABI/INFORM, Accounting, Tax & Banking Collection, Business Market Research Collection, Entrepreneurship Database, J.P. Morgan Research, thousands of e-books and videos and much more.

The platform provides access to over 2,400 journals and magazines, hundreds of news sources, thousands of e-books and videos and more than 200,000 company reports from trusted providers such as GlobalData, Mergent and Plunkett Research.

Enhanced with new business and corporate thesauri and advanced indexing, ProQuest One Business makes it easier than ever to find precise, relevant information, including SWOT analyses, financial forecasts, industry reports and detailed company intelligence.

The Radford University McGlothlin Center for Global Education and Engagement invites the Highlander community to join them for a Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday, Nov. 19.

This gathering will be an opportunity for students and employees to come together, enjoy a shared meal and celebrate the spirit of gratitude and connection.

Registration is required. The time and location will be announced soon to those who sign up.

Let your students know that they can earn money and fame by participating in the second annual McConnell Library Student Art Showcase Nov. 9 to Dec. 11. A reception for this showcase will be held on Friday, Dec. 4, from 2:30-4 p.m.

The Best in Show winner’s art will be purchased for $300 and added to the McConnell Library’s permanent student art collection. All artwork should be gallery-ready, but loaner frames are available for 2D works and glass display cases are available for 3D works.

Submissions are due Sunday, Oct. 25, and should be emailed to Nathan Popp at npopp@radford.edu. Artists can submit up to three entries, and entry information should include title, medium, dimensions, year created and display needs. 

Participants can also include an optional artist’s statement. Images of the entries should accompany the submissions and should be named with the artist’s last name and corresponding entry number (for example smith-1, Smith-2, etc.)

Find out how Radford students, faculty and staff are finding their place and shaping tomorrow – together.

Highlanders in the News: Week of Oct. 12, 2026

Radford festival celebrates its heritage with bagpipes, brawn and a bit of Scottish weather

Career and Internship Fair helps students in their journey

Virginia Western and Radford University sign 3 new agreements to create seamless transfer for medical laboratory science degree

Radford University sets high mark in undergraduate research program