March 6, 2026

We have the highest rate of deposits among undergraduate applicants in the month of February for the last four years, with 612 deposits. Total graduate student applications are up 20%, with 2,286 this year vs. 1,898 last year.

The entire Radford University community is invited to join in celebrating Traditions Week from Monday-Thursday, April 6-9.

Traditions Week is a fun-filled week of class-specific events that recognizes each class of Radford University undergraduate students and their accomplishments. All students, employees and families are welcome at each fun event, which are free and offer something for everyone.

Students affiliated with each class at the events will be given their exclusive class gifts when they stop by.

Mark your calendars for these Traditions Week events.

Friday evening will also feature a concert on the main campus in Radford in the Bondurant Auditorium. Tickets will be available at the Ticket Hub.

Join the Highlander Center for Character and Public Impact for a VA 250 Public Square Debate at Radford University. This “Braver Angels” style debate will take place on Monday, March 16, at 6:30 p.m. in the Bonnie Auditorium on the main campus in Radford.

Radford University is one of a few colleges across the Commonwealth of Virginia hosting a public square debate in which audience members will debate the resolution “The American Dream is Alive and Well.”

This event is open to the public and is co-hosted by the Radford University Department of Political Science, New River Community College and the Highlander Center for Character and Public Impact. A dessert reception will follow the debate. Please mark your calendars and invite your students.

Department of Music Professor Matthew Cataldi will perform on piano twice on Wednesday, March 11. You can hear selections of Chopin and Liszt in a shortened version of his program entitled “Myths and Moonlight,” from 12:15-12:45 p.m. in the Artis Center Performance Hub as part of the Midday Music concert series.

At 7:30 p.m., Cataldi will revisit this music in a full recital in the Davis Performance Hall in the Covington Center. Both performances are free and open to the public.

Radford University’s Connected Communities will host this spring’s Supper Club event on Sunday, March 15, and is seeking four enthusiastic volunteers to serve as table hosts. Table hosts guide engaging discussions with a group of six students. Participants can expect thoughtful dialogue, good food and plenty of laughs. The menu will include Italian-themed family-style dining, accompanied by great conversation and meaningful connections with students.

To volunteer as a table host, email connectedcomm@radford.edu.

An email was sent to all work study supervisors on Monday, March 2, with details on nominating a student for the 2025-2026 H.S. (“Buddy”) and Janet N. Johnston Outstanding Student Worker Awards.

Two undergraduate students and one graduate student will receive awards. Each nomination requires a minimum of two letters of reference, and all information is submitted via a Qualtrics form. This form must be submitted online along with all required materials by Friday, April 3.

Selection of recipients and determination of award amounts will be conducted by a committee within the Radford University Foundation, and awards will be distributed by the end of the spring 2026 semester.

Nominees for the award should:

Looking for a creative start to your week? Join the Radford University Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning (CITL) for Maker Mondays, a lunchtime make-and-take meet-up for Radford employees and students. Bring your lunch, work on a craft and enjoy relaxed conversation with fellow makers while learning something new.

During March, we’ll be creating a spring basket made from a cardboard box and two upcycled t-shirts – a fun project that combines creativity and sustainability.

Each session will be on Mondays, from noon to 1 p.m. in the CITL lab in McConnell Library 231 on the following dates: 

Attending all three sessions is encouraged, but video instructions will be available so you can catch up if you miss a session. Registration is required, and space is limited, so sign up and join us for a creative lunchtime community.

Join University Libraries in welcoming Jim Triesler, director of education at the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, as he presents “College Life in Virginia During World War II” on Thursday, March 26, from noon to 1 p.m. in the third-floor boardroom at Radford University Carilion in Roanoke. Lunch will be provided.

During the weeks following the attack on Pearl Harbor, Radford College adapted to war. As food rationing was instituted, students created a cookbook featuring sugarless desserts made with sugar substitutes.

Under the leadership of Radford’s librarian, the Radford College community participated in the National Victory Book Campaign to collect 10 million books for military personnel. All the while, students studied, attended movies and dances, volunteered in hospitals, got married, wrote letters, entered the workforce and strived to preserve our way of life.

On Wednesday, March 11, two new art shows will open at Radford University, hosted by the College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA). In the Covington Gallery, the annual High School Art Show will take place, exhibiting works from talented high school students from across the region.

Opening the same day in the Art Museum on Tyler (next to BT’s) is the Radford University Juried Student Show, featuring works from graduate and undergraduate students with prizes and awards. Join us for the opening reception from 5-7 p.m. in the gallery. There will be refreshments. Both shows are free and open to the public, and both run through April 3.

The third annual Radford Community Fest is coming on Saturday, Aug. 22, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and the application is now open to reserve a booth for the event. Radford University departments, programs, units and clubs are invited to participate.

The application link can be found on the Radford Community Fest 2026 website under “Vendor Application.”

This is a great opportunity to celebrate the beginning of the fall semester, meet folks from the city of Radford and surrounding communities and enjoy an incredible day with about 3,000 visitors.

For more information about the event and securing a booth, email info@radfordcommunityfest.com.

The Radford University Office of Sponsored Programs and Grants Management is partnering with Hanover Research to offer the webinar “Re-Imagining Broader Impacts in Grant Writing” on Thursday, March 26, at noon via Zoom. 

The articulation of broader impacts remains a critical component of federal grant proposals, but recent policy changes have significantly reshaped how applicants should approach this aspect of their proposals.

This session will present strategies for designing and communicating broader impacts that align with current federal priorities, including practical ways to demonstrate project relevance and impact for a wide audience.

The Radford University McGlothlin Center for Global Education and Engagement is an approved passport acceptance facility by the U.S. Department of State. It accepts applications for new passports (no renewals) and offers passport photos.

For more information, visit the Passport Services webpage on the Radford University website. You can also contact the McGlothlin Center via email at globaled@radford.edu.

The Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program’s 2027-2028 competition is now open. Consider advancing your faculty professional development by applying to one of the many prestigious Fulbright opportunities.

Types of Fulbright Awards include:

From March to August, the Fulbright office will be offering a suite of webinars and office hours to showcase country and discipline-specific awards while answering applicant questions. They have consolidated and updated the application steps and requirements and recommend bookmarking this page for easy reference. The deadline to apply is Tuesday, Sept. 15, at 5 p.m.

The Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program offers over 400 awards in more than 135 countries for U.S. citizens to teach, conduct research and carry out professional projects around the world. College and university faculty, as well as artists and professionals from a wide range of fields, can join over 400,000 Fulbrighters who have come away with enhanced skills, new connections and greater mutual understanding.

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

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