January 31, 2025

Newly enrolled fall 2024 Pell-eligible students were retained from fall to spring at the highest rate (91%) in 15 years.

It’s almost time for RAD48, which kicks off at noon on Tuesday, Feb. 4. RAD48 is Radford Athletics’ official giving day – an opportunity for Highlander Nation to come together to support student-athlete success.

For 48 hours, you are invited to choose the fund or program that resonates most with you.

The university brand survey that was distributed on Monday, Jan. 27 will be open through Friday, Feb. 7. If you received multiple invitations to participate in the survey based on your different relationships with the university (employee, student, alumni), please respond to the survey that reflects what you consider to be your primary affiliation.

The survey is designed to measure people’s perceptions of our university and help us better tell our story to attract the next generation of Highlanders. Your opinions are important to this effort.

On Jan. 17, Chrome River, Radford University’s travel and expense management system, changed its name to Emburse Enterprise (Emburse). Only the name, logo and colors have changed. The processes and procedures are the same.

We are currently updating our documents and web pages to include the new name. This process may take a few weeks to complete. We appreciate your patience while we complete this project. If you have questions or concerns regarding the name change, contact the Office of Accounting Services at 540-831-7614.

The Radford University Office of Accounting Services will offer Emburse (Chrome River) travel and approver training in February:

To attend a session, e-mail travel@radford.edu with the subject line “Training.” In the body of the e-mail, indicate if you would like to attend the Emburse (Chrome River) travel training session or the Emburse (Chrome River) approver session. You may also indicate in the e-mail that you would like to attend both sessions.

Each Zoom session is limited to 20 participants. Once your e-mail request is approved, you will receive a link to attend the requested session.

The Office of Marketing and Communication plans to develop self-serve templates that can be used by employees across campus to meet some of their communication needs. The templates will reflect new branding elements with designated spaces for people to add their own copy and visual elements, including images and graphics. 

We would like to request your feedback via a short survey to help guide our decision-making on this effort. The survey asks questions on several topics, including what types of templates would be most useful to you and the best software platforms to create templates in for ease of use. It will take 5 minutes to complete.  

Thank you for providing your opinion. Please respond to the survey by Friday, Feb. 14. 

All Radford University faculty are invited to the Spring Faculty Social at the Selu Conservancy on Friday, Feb. 28, from 4-6 p.m.

This opportunity to learn about or get reacquainted with Selu will feature live music, snacks and drinks. The conservancy will be available for exploration, or you can stay warm inside and connect with colleagues.

An RSVP is requested.

Those who RSVP will receive one free drink ticket. A cash bar will be available as well. A brief program will take place at 4:30 p.m., and those who attend may spend the remaining time exploring Selu Conservancy.

This event is a collaboration between the Radford University Office of Academic Affairs and Division of Student Affairs.

The Midday Music concert series continues on Wed., Feb. 5, from 12:15 - 12:45 p.m. with Ed Knoeckel performing on piano in the Performance Hub of the Artis Center for Adaptive Innovation and Creativity.

This free 30-minute concert is open to the public as well as the university community. Feel free to bring lunch and enjoy the music. Watch for more lunchtime concerts in the coming months.

The McGlothlin Center for Global Education and Engagement is hosting its annual International Culture Night on Thursday, March 6. The organizers are in search of additional performers for the event. If you are interested in participating or would like more information, please e-mail globaled@radford.edu.

Diversity Travel, Radford University’s travel management company, has switched to a new telephone system. This change was made to enhance their day-to-day operations and the service they offer.

Their e-mail address has not changed: rushmore@diversitytravel.com.

Join the Office of Faculty Development for a compelling three-part series examining Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s seminal work, “Why We Can’t Wait.” This series delves into King’s profound assessment of the Civil Rights Movement, exploring its critical transition from the struggle for civil rights to the emergence of Black Power.

Through contextual analysis and thoughtful dialogue, participants will uncover the timeless lessons and evolving strategies of resistance and empowerment that defined this pivotal era, expanding the traditional confines of his often-misunderstood legacy. This group is open to faculty, staff and students.

The Martin Luther King Jr. book examination group will meet monthly for one hour in a hybrid setting. Please make sure you can attend at least two of the meetings below before you register. 

Participants are encouraged to be part of this series in person, but a Zoom option will be available. Zoom information will be sent to registrants prior to the meetings.

After registering, participants may pick up a book from the Radford University Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning (CITL), located at McConnell Library 271.

Contact Merrie Winfrey, CITL instructional designer, for more information.

Did you know that musician and composer Yasmin Williams is a Radford University Governor’s School alumna?

She recently appeared on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.”

The Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholarship (OURS) is offering a regular faculty and student support seminar series called the OURS: Research Ready Series. These seminars are open to all Radford University students, faculty and staff.

The first meeting of the month will be focused on faculty support, and the third meeting will be focused on providing student support. Meetings will be offered both in person and via Zoom. In-person meeting locations are listed with each event below, as well as Zoom link information.

As a reminder, OURS is available to meet individually or with groups across campus and can be contacted at ours@radford.edu, at 540-831-7203 or by visiting Whitt Hall 118-126. OURS can also run workshops on various professional development areas for classes or research teams. These include the above and writing abstracts and elevator pitches.

As a reminder, the Center for Career and Talent Development is hosting two expos to help students find jobs, internships and graduate school opportunities. Let your students know about these events and encourage them to attend. 

Welcome back to a new year at Radford University. As we step into another exciting semester, our Highlander spirit is strong, and our community is ready for all the opportunities ahead. Make this year one of collaboration, inspiration and success.