May 24, 2024

All faculty and staff members are welcome to dress in their Highlander spirit gear on Fridays, beginning Friday, May 31 and running through Friday, August 9. While participation in Spirit Fridays is optional, it gives our university community the opportunity to show our pride throughout the summer months.

As we proudly wear our Highlander spirit gear, it’s important to be mindful of the university dress code, which states that, “All employees of Radford University should always dress professionally. Please consult your supervisor for your department’s specific attire.” Additionally, supervisors will be able to provide guidance regarding events and meetings held on Fridays in which such apparel may not be appropriate.

We look forward to seeing you support the university by dressing in your favorite Highlander spirit gear.

The website redesign project team is still on schedule to launch Phase 1 on June 11. Phase 1 will feature 2,200+ webpages, including those representing the university as a whole, such as the homepage, About, Locations, Rankings and Accolades, Our History, and Mission, Vision and Core Values. Phase 1 will also include enrollment-focused pages, such as Student Life, Visit and Admissions, as well as about 80 academic program pages. Following June 11, we will launch Phase 2 of the project, which will continue throughout the summer. This will include all remaining webpages, from colleges and academic departments to centers, institutes and administrative units. 

The team is currently meeting with deans and vice presidents to provide updates on the following project elements:

For more information on these and other project elements, please visit the Website Redesign Project webpage and review the June 2024 and Onward section. Marketing and Communication will continue to provide project updates in the coming weeks.

Jill Thompson, PT, DPT, OCS, associate graduate faculty in the Radford University Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program, has been recognized with the Community Service Award from the Virginia Chapter of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA-Virginia).

Thompson is receiving the award based on her longstanding service to the Bradley Free Clinic in Roanoke. The clinic provides free medical, dental, behavioral health and pharmacy services to patients with low incomes, who are uninsured and those with Medicaid who live in the Roanoke Valley and surrounding areas.

The APTA-Virginia Community Service Award honors physical therapists and physical therapist assistants who demonstrate a commitment to health and wellness-based community service by addressing issues related to societal welfare.

The award recognizes individuals who demonstrate the physical therapy core values of compassion, social responsibility and altruism through a commitment towards philanthropic activity, raising awareness of social determinants of health and the needs of marginalized populations. The recipients inspire patients, clients, students and communities by demonstrating how physical therapy can impact community needs.

Kevin Chui, P.T., D.P.T., Ph.D., program director and professor for the DPT program, said, “Thank you, Dr. Thompson, for your commitment to the health and wellness of the greater Roanoke community and the PT Program at Radford University.”

Are you beginning to wonder what you will do with the family on those long summer days? Or maybe you’re starting to plan for a few special date nights without the kids.

The City of Radford Summer Concert Series offers something for everyone. Be sure to check out the calendar of events today and make plans to attend an event or two.

Mark your calendars for this exciting fall 2024 semester kickoff event at Radford University!

The entire Highlander community is invited in person or via Zoom to hear from Radford alum and president of Dollywood Eugene Naughton ’89 on Friday, Aug. 16.

This event will feature door prizes. Watch for more details coming soon about this event.

The spring edition of Radford, the Magazine of Radford University is now available. Print copies are available in locations across the main campus in Radford and our learning locations in Roanoke.

If you can’t get your hands on a print copy, you can read the latest magazine online. This issue is focused on Radford’s culture of care, including stories that bring our five brand pillars to life:

Radford University faculty and staff are invited to participate in Summer at Selu.

This new program is an opportunity to spend some time to connect with nature, be in community and practice well-being.

During the hours listed below, Selu will be open to you to bring your meal and a blanket for a picnic lunch; bring a journal, a camera or your preferred art supplies; or hike the trails (maps are provided).

Family members are welcome — kids included. Unfortunately, pets must stay at home. Bathroom facilities will be available. You do not need to RSVP. Selu is available rain or shine. Please consult your supervisor for questions regarding time away from the work site.

Summer at Selu Hours

For more information, contact Tricia Smith at pssmith1@radford.edu.

As part of Radford University’s partnership with the Taubman Museum of Art in Roanoke, some exciting events are planned for June.

All Radford students, faculty and staff are automatically members of the Taubman Museum. Click a link below to learn more about specific events. 

Facilities Management and Marketing and Communication have revised the process for requesting wall wraps and clings, as well as wall-mounted signs, yard signs and event signs. You can find a link to a diagram of the new process on the Facilities Management homepage just under the Facilities Management Request form, or view it here.

The Pete Dye River Course of Virginia Tech, an athletic partner of Radford University, is offering a special rate to Radford faculty and staff. The initiation fee is waived, and the annual dues are $2,500 for family memberships and $1,800 for individual memberships. This is a substantial reduction from general membership rates.

The memberships include:

The family membership allows access to the course for the member’s spouse and children under the age of 25.

Just because it’s summer doesn’t mean that things slow down in the New River Valley and the Roanoke Valley. In fact, this summer will be hopping on both main campus and Radford University at Carilion (RUC) in Roanoke. Below are some of the events happening in June.

Radford University Conference Services would like to remind everyone that many of these groups comprise high school students and are sponsored by the Virginia Department of Education and Radford University. To identify these guests, they will be wearing red Conference Services name tags/lanyards around campus.

In addition to these activities, there will be construction this summer at the following locations on the Radford University main campus: Peters Hall, Martin Hall, the Artis Center for Adaptive Innovation and Creativity, and various parking areas where sealing will be taking place.

Watch for more information on these events and activities, and help us welcome everyone to our Highlander communities.