September 18, 2026

Mark your calendars for these upcoming opportunities and scroll down to read more about them in this issue of CONNECTED.

Starting in fall 2027, new students with a 3.0 GPA in high school are eligible for direct admission to the prelicensure Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.

The Radford University Office of Advancement invites the campus community to come together in support of our scholar-athletes Tuesday-Wednesday, Sept. 22-23, for RAD Giving Day.

Scholar-athletes are students first, pursuing degrees across every college. This year, they posted a collective GPA of 3.45. That kind of balance – competing at a high level while excelling academically – doesn't happen by accident. Your gift on RAD Giving Day helps fund the support scholar-athletes need to keep succeeding, both in the classroom and in competition. 

Early giving is now open. Make your gift now or help your favorite team unlock a challenge gift next week. Don’t forget to share RAD Giving Day posts to help us reach even more alumni, friends and fans.

Radford University will conduct separate tests of the Radford Alert emergency notification system on Tuesday, Sept. 22, on the main campus and at our Roanoke locations. Tests will occur between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Employees and students will receive notifications based on their campus affiliations. Please note that if you travel between campuses, you may receive multiple alerts for different locations.

Radford Alert is used to communicate critical information with the university when:

All Radford employees and students are automatically enrolled in Radford Alert to ensure they receive emergency messages via cellphone calls, SMS messaging and personal email addresses. Employees and students will receive Radford Alert notifications as long as they are registered with the university.

The university also communicates emergency information through VoIP telephone reverse announcement (main campus only), desktop notifications, campus email, social media and outdoor siren system. More information about Radford Alert technology is available on the Radford Alert webpage.

Students and employees can view their information on file by visiting OneCampus and selecting “Update Phone Number” and “Update Email Address.” Individuals are strongly encouraged to log into OneCampus to verify contact information before the upcoming test.

Radford University fosters a comprehensive culture of care that prioritizes the holistic well-being and success of every community member.

It's such an important part of who we are that it is one of the themes of our Strategic Plan, 2026-2031.

We create supportive environments where students and employees feel valued and empowered to thrive through proactive, coordinated support systems.

Behind what may seem like a simple tradition, like the new class photo, there are teams of employees planning, preparing and working together to make it happen, because our students are worth it. That’s the Radford experience. That’s our culture of care.

You can watch a video now of this year's class photo and all the work behind. 

Through a partnership led by the New River Valley Regional Commission, the City of Radford and Radford University are working together with Downtown Strategies to shape the future of downtown Radford. The resulting five-year action plan will focus on practical, community-driven actions that support economic vitality, strengthen connections between downtown and campus and create near-term wins that contribute to a shared long-term vision for the community.

You are invited to be part of the process. A stakeholder input session will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 23, from noon to 1:30 p.m. at The HUB@Radford University, 1000 E. Main St. in Radford. Please RSVP if you plan to attend.

You can also share your input via an online survey, available through Wednesday, Oct. 7.

As of Sept. 15, Radford University's undergraduate non-degree admissions process has transitioned from the Office of the Registrar to the Office of Admissions, reflecting a collaborative effort between both offices to enhance the overall student experience.

Through close partnership, the Admissions and Registrar teams have streamlined application and registration procedures and automated key components to reduce processing times, increase efficiency and provide clearer support for students.

The new undergraduate Non-Degree Admissions webpage is available now.

The Radford University Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning (CITL), along with campus and community partners, will host the Fall 2026 Word Festival throughout October. This is the eleventh year CITL has hosted this event.

The Word Festival contest involves students making short, live-action videos (20 seconds or less) in which they express the meaning of a particular word to the viewer. Words are derived from an archived list of the New York Times Word of the Day [PDF], and definitions must be derived and cited from Merriam-Webster Online, Cambridge Dictionary Online or Dictionary.com.

More information and submission guidelines and deadlines are available on the CITL website. 

In addition to messages distributed through the Radford Alert system, students and employees can download the free Radford Safe App from the Google Play or App Store. This app sends important safety alerts and provides instant access to campus safety resources.

The app offers safety tools and resources for university community members and visitors, enhancing the current safety efforts on campus and in the surrounding communities. Many of the features offered by Radford Safe work in both on- and off-campus locations.

As a reminder, Ghazala Hashmi, lieutenant governor of Virginia, will explore Appalachian folklore and tradition with more complex themes of social and political commentary in the lecture, “Songs of Appalachia: A Lecture by Lt. Gov. Ghazala Hashmi,” on Wednesday, Sept. 23, at 11 a.m. in Davis Performance Hall at the Covington Center on the main campus in Radford.

Advance registration is required. You can also use the registration form to suggest questions for discussion. Learn more about this event on the Radford University website.

Mark your calendars to join the Radford University Division of Enrollment Management and Strategic Communications for an informative campus enrollment webinar on Friday, Sept. 25, from 1-2:15 p.m.

Dannette Gomez Beane, vice president for Enrollment Management and Strategic Communications, will be joined by Ben Hagan from EAB to discuss key data points from national trends.

The seminar will include a 45-minute presentation, followed by time for questions. Participants can attend via Zoom at https://radford.zoom.us/j/93357153590 after logging in to your Radford University Zoom account. The session will also be recorded.

Ahead of this seminar, you can view a short recording that includes some high-level recruitment information for Radford University, as well as information about this fall’s open houses for prospective students and their families.

The Radford University Center for Career and Talent Development’s Career Closet is in urgent need of men’s and women’s professional clothing (all sizes) for students attending the Career Fair on Thursday, Sept. 24, and other career-related opportunities.

The center is seeking new or gently used professional clothing that you would wear to an interview, networking event or workplace, including suits, jackets/blazers, dress slacks, dress shirts/blouses, dresses, ties/belts and professional shoes. All donated items should be clean, in good condition and ready to wear.

Donations can be dropped off at the center on the third floor of Russell Hall during business hours, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The McGlothlin Center for Global Education and Engagement invites the Highlander community to the annual Study Abroad Fair on Thursday, Sept. 24, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Bonnie Plaza (Rain location: Bonnie lobby).

Participants will learn about study and internship opportunities overseas for students; connect with other faculty who are engaged in international experiences; explore funding, fellowships and research opportunities; or simply get guidance on obtaining a passport.

Whether you’re just beginning to think about engaging internationally, or consider yourself an expert in all things international, stop by to get your questions answered and see how the McGlothlin Center for Global Education and Engagement can elevate your international interests.

In support of the President’s Legislative Session:

In support of the Fall 2026 Career and Internship Fair:

Alternate parking suggestions include, but are not limited to, lots E, DC, BF, Z, IM and BL. Please see the Radford University Parking Map for these locations and for 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.

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

All Radford University faculty are invited to Ales, Trails and Research Tales on Wednesday, Oct. 7, from 4:30-6:30 p.m. at Radford University’s Selu Conservancy.

Take time to learn about or get (re)acquainted with Selu at this social while enjoying snacks and drinks. Take a hike. Take a tour. Connect with colleagues.

An RSVP is requested. Those who RSVP will receive one free drink ticket, and a cash bar will also be available. 

A brief program will take place at 5 p.m., and you are welcome to spend the remaining time exploring all the Selu Conservancy has to offer and mingling with colleagues. This event is a collaboration between the Division of Academic Affairs and the Division of Student Affairs.

Great research often happens at intersections. Across disciplines. Across methods. Across departments. Across ways of thinking. But cross-disciplinary collaboration does not happen well just because people from different fields are in the same room. It takes shared language, clear expectations, strong communication and practical strategies for working through the complexity that can come with bringing different perspectives together.

To help you develop cross-disciplinary collaboration strategies at Radford, the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) and HigherEd+ will host a joint live webcast featuring the course “Best Practices in Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration” on Thursday, Oct. 8, from 2-3:15 p.m.

During this live online session, the full professional development module will be broadcast and will provide an opportunity for participants to engage with the content in real time. This module is part of the CUR Higher Education Professionals Digital Badge Program. It will explore how faculty, mentors and students can:

The session will be presented by Jay P. Singh, a Fulbright scholar and internationally award-winning executive director of HigherEd+, with over 95 peer-reviewed publications and books spanning psychology, psychiatry, law, medicine and higher education.

The Radford College Band traces its roots to the early 1940s and became a formal organization in 1949 under the direction of C.J. Hersh. One of the band's most recognizable traditions began on May 2, 1953, when Scottish Highlander kilts were officially adopted as part of the uniform and debuted during the annual May Day celebration.

By the 1980s, the band’s focus gradually shifted from parade appearances to concert performances.

This evolution was accompanied by changes in the uniform, moving from the ornate formal attire of earlier decades to clothing better suited for concert settings. While the look changed, the spirit and tradition of the Highlander band remained strong.

Radford University Archives and Special Collections is proud to preserve this rich history. Among the artifacts in its collections is an original Radford College Band uniform worn by student Caroline Robinson. This semester, visitors can view the uniform on display in the Archives Reading Room on the fifth floor of McConnell Library.

The exhibit is free and open to the public during regular library hours. Designed by Radford student Emma Hogsten, a senior majoring in interior design and an intern with Archives and Special Collections, the display offers a unique opportunity to explore a remarkable chapter of Radford's history.

Stop by and discover how generations of Highlanders carried Radford pride from campus stages to some of the nation's most celebrated parades and performances.

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

Radford University opens doors to future nurses with expanded direct admission

Can an undergrad student do all that? ‘Yes, that’s Lily’

Education students get a glimpse of Bahamian teaching, culture

Music major finds harmony in her higher ed reprise

Objects, images tell Radford University’s history

Central Virginia Community College joins Tartan Transfer, opening new pathways for students in its 60th anniversary year