April 25, 2025

This week, the new Carnegie Classifications were released putting Radford University as an Opportunity Colleges and Universities – Higher Access, Higher Earnings and as Professions-focused Undergraduate/Graduate-Master’s Large/Medium. We are proud and honored to have this designation as we embark on the new strategic plan, mission and vision.

It’s almost time for Radford University’s Spring Commencement ceremonies, with the graduate ceremony taking place on Friday, May 9, and the undergraduate ceremony on Saturday, May 10.

Details about all commencement ceremonies and recognition events are now available on the Spring Commencement page on the Radford University website.

On the page, you’ll find links to:

Please note the new clear bag policy for all who attend the ceremony and share this information with students and their guests, as necessary.

With the Thundering Herd still whimpering in our wake, the Highlanders have set our sights on a showdown with the Mountaineers of App State in the next round of the Top Adventure College competition, brought to you by Blue Ridge Outdoors. Vote before April 29 to help punch Radford's ticket to the big dance and a chance to claim the title as the Top Adventure College!

Radford University is proud to sponsor Community School’s 2025 Strawberry Festival in Roanoke, Friday-Saturday, May 2-3. Featuring the work of local artisans, along with shortcakes, sundaes and chocolate-dipped strawberries, the festival is one of Roanoke’s most popular events, signaling the beginning of summer and the festival season for the Roanoke Valley.

The Radford University Center for Diversity and Inclusion invites the Highlander community to the Multicultural Celebratory Ceremony on Friday, May 9, at 7 p.m. in the Bonnie Auditorium.

This biannual tradition celebrates graduates and their cultures by presenting them with a stole of their choice to be donned by a loved one or friend. This is an opportunity for graduates, family and friends to celebrate a joyous milestone.

After 18 years of dedication, hard work and countless contributions, it’s time to bid a fond farewell to Allison Pratt, associate vice president of Enrollment Management and director of Financial Aid. As she embarks on her next journey, the Department of Enrollment Management and Strategic Communications (EMSC) will celebrate Allison’s time with Radford University and express our gratitude for her incredible work serving the Highlander community.

All Highlanders are welcome to join EMSC for Allison’s farewell gathering on Friday, May 2, from 3-4:30 p.m. in the Covington Center’s Scartelli Atrium. Refreshments will be served.

Academic Technologies is offering training opportunities for all employees that dive into the innovative features and enhancements of the new Outlook. Whether you’re a seasoned user or new to Outlook, this training is designed to help you navigate the updates, improve productivity and make the most of the revamped interface and functionality.

Additionally, if you need help making your PDFs, documents, PowerPoints or D2L shell accessible, contact Academic Technologies at acadcomp@radford.edu to set up a one-on-one session to help.

Have you herd? McConnell Library is hosting a petting zoo on Tuesday, April 29, from 1-3 p.m. Hop over to the library lawn to meet some new furry and feathered friends. The petting zoo is part of the library’s 38th Stressbuster event.

For more information, call the library's front desk at 540-831-5364 or e-mail frontdesk@radford.edu.

The Staff Senate will host picnics in both Radford and Roanoke to celebrate the start of summer. Everyone is invited to join these events for fun, food and a chance to relax. Preregistration is requested for both events.

When submitting purchase requisitions in eVA, all items are reviewed by the branding team to ensure they meet brand standards. The team works to review the submission by one business day.

To ensure timely approval, please note: If you are purchasing promotional materials, giveaways, signage or other custom items, please attach the artwork for each item or a PDF of approval from the branding e-mail for reference. If purchases do not include the university name, logo or brand elements, please note that in the comments. REQs that do not have the requested attachments or notes will be rejected at the branding level and require resubmission.

The Radford University’s Office of Accounting Services would like to remind everyone about two important deadlines that are swiftly approaching for fiscal year-end processing.

Please make certain that invoices, Emburse (Chrome River) expense reports and other charges submitted have sufficient adjusted budget balances available. All vendors must be properly established in Banner and Cardinal, the state system, before an invoice can be paid. Invoices with July due dates submitted for payment by June 6 may be paid with the available current fiscal year’s (FY25) budget.

Starting Thursday, May 1, the new online Access Request form will replace the Banner/Admin Access Request PDF form used for requesting access to Banner and other campus systems.

This new Kuali Build form will streamline the process by using more intelligent workflow routing and tracking. The submitters will be able to see where the request is and will get automatic notifications about approval and completion.

To ensure a smooth transition, Radford University’s Office of Information Technology Services is offering training sessions for both individual staff members who submit these requests and supervisors who will review and approve them.

Be sure to take advantage of this training before the new process goes live – no registration is necessary. All 30-minute sessions will be conducted via Zoom and will be held for submitters and supervisors/approvers on:

Radford University’s Office of Accounting Services will offer the following training sessions during May.

Please note that training will not be provided by Accounting Services during June.

The McGlothlin Center for Global Education and Engagement (MCGEE) invites study abroad, faculty-led proposals for the 2025-26 academic year. A faculty-led program is a great opportunity to lead a group of students in gaining international experience, enhancing their academic knowledge and developing cross-cultural understanding.

A few quick highlights:

The Radford University College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA) will be hosting the following events this month:

Radford University is transitioning from PeopleAdmin to PageUp for performance management and applicant tracking in accordance with the Commonwealth of Virginia’s contractual obligations. This transition will bring several important changes that the Office of Human Resources wants to make sure you are aware of. Please review the following key details:

The 2026-27 Fulbright U.S. Scholar Competition is now open, offering a number of awards to choose from. For a full list of award offerings, visit the U.S. Scholars Awards Search.

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

For any questions, please contact Ismael Betancourt, assistant provost for Global Education and Engagement, at ibetancourtvelez@radford.edu.

With warmer days ahead, it's a great time to step outside and enjoy the campus in full bloom. Whether it's a walk between meetings or a quiet moment in your favorite spot, we hope you're finding time to recharge and take in the beauty that surrounds us.