The Magazine of Radford University Spring 2024

Community service led Ethan Hobart to an exciting, hands-on healthcare field.

A message from

President Bret Danilowicz

During Homecoming festivities in October 2023, I introduced a two-year strategic plan for Radford University that articulated how we will best serve our students and their communities.

At that time, we revealed a new brand for our institution, including a dynamic new visual identity and five pillars that define the Highlander experience: Excellence That is Easily Accessible; Centered on Those We Serve; Freedom to Learn From Experience; Active Learning and Active Doing; and Ready for All Life’s Roles.

The principal question addressed in our new plan and branding was ‘What makes Radford University distinctive?’ A significant part of that answer is our culture of care.

Those who learn, teach and work at Radford extend their hands to those in need, both inside our university and beyond. In this issue of our Radford magazine, you will learn how far our culture of care has reached.

Psychology graduate students are enhancing mental health services for young people in our region, including fellow Highlanders, through the Center for Assessment and Psychological Services. Our Master of Science in Athletic Training program is an emerging degree addressing the shortage of qualified athletic trainers and preparing them to provide care in schools and clinics. Scottish Rite has a long tradition of supporting our free summer programs to children with speech and language disorders. Those programs are powered by students in Radford’s SpeechLanguage-Hearing Clinic, who work, serve and benefit from Scottish Rite’s research funding and scholarships.

In 2023, Radford nursing celebrated 50 years of graduating professionals with a steadfast commitment to the well-being of others. This year, the School of Nursing became the College of Nursing, establishing Radford University as the commonwealth’s only fouryear public institution to offer a college wholly devoted to this critical profession. More about our history of nursing education, our accomplished graduates and the college’s future can be found on page 4.

Radford’s faculty members are dedicated to teaching and conducting research with students that improves lives across the globe. We feature Associate Professor of Biology Laura Gruss, who is studying the biomechanics of head load carriage in developing countries, focusing on girls and women in Zambia who haul heavy loads atop their heads for miles each day. Her research work involves Radford students, with plans of traveling to Africa to collect relevant data and provide recommendations that will enhance quality of life.

You will be amazed by the stories of Radford alumni who have reached impressive heights as health system administrators, university faculty members, nonprofit directors and doctors who work across the nation and world to improve lives. Highlanders are transforming their communities and making the world a better place.

Anticipation is building for the opening of the Artis Center for Adaptive Innovation and Creativity later this year. Modern instructional studios and performance halls will be available for our arts programs alongside instructional and clinical laboratories for health science students. On page 26, you’ll learn about how integrated learning among these fields in the Artis Center will create life-changing outcomes for future patrons and patients.

Private support raised through TOGETHER – The Campaign for Radford University has made many of the stories you will read in the following pages possible. This historic campaign will conclude on June 30, 2024. Thousands of alumni, faculty, staff, parents, friends, foundations and corporations have positively impacted our students by supporting the TOGETHER Campaign and its $100 million goal. Next fall, First Lady Kay and I look forward to celebrating the generosity of donors to the TOGETHER Campaign and recognizing the power of philanthropy for our students.

Kay and I are honored to share with you the culture of care demonstrated by our students, faculty, staff and alumni.

Tartan Proud,

President Bret Danilowicz

BRAND PILLAR ONE

At Radford University, we believe that everyone deserves a highquality, affordable education delivered in an intimate learning environment. Our small, tight-knit community is nestled near the Blue Ridge Mountains. We are big enough to provide incredible resources yet small enough that students can easily access them. Our community is small enough that students are seen and heard — our faculty get to know their aspirations, struggles and ambitions — yet big enough to offer diverse perspectives and experiences that help our students grow into well-rounded people and successful future professionals.

State Council of Higher Education for Virginia and Virginia Board of Nursing approve creation of nursing program

First nursing students admitted

11 charter students graduate

years of

50 Radford Nurses

By Justin Ward ’10, M.S. ’23

Radford’s newest college celebrates a legacy of compassion and care

Creation of the School of Nursing

Roanoke site established and Master of Nursing (MSN) program added with a concentration in home health nursing

School of Nursing becomes part of Waldron College of Health and Human Services

Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.) program begins and MSN programs are closed

1997 2010 2006

Fifty years. Half a century. That’s how long it’s been since the inaugural class of nursing students graduated from Radford University. A milestone that marks not just the passage of time but a legacy of excellence, compassion and dedication to the art and science of nursing.

Today, the College of Nursing celebrates the profound impact it made on local and global communities. Pictures on the walls of Waldron Hall show only a few hundred of the thousands of nurses who have earned a cherished and recognized degree from Radford.

Funding allocated to create clinical simulation centers in Radford and Roanoke

As the university community reflects on the past, embraces the present and looks toward the future, this is a moment to honor the visionaries, educators, practitioners and students who have shaped this remarkable journey.

“As someone who has spent their entire career in the New River Valley, I have witnessed firsthand the profound impact of Radford University nursing graduates,” said Wendy Downey, interim dean of the College of Nursing. “The word ‘impact’ doesn’t even begin to capture it. Our graduates are the backbone of healthcare in this region and beyond.”

Countless Radford nursing graduates have made a difference in the healthcare landscape. From bedside care to leadership roles, Radford nurses have consistently demonstrated excellence and compassion in their practice, earning the respect and admiration of their peers.

A legacy of excellence

The legacy of nursing excellence at Radford University is rooted in a commitment to quality education, innovative practice and community engagement.

“Our nursing program has been known for producing exceptional graduates for 50 years,” Downey said. “When other health systems outside of our region are calling and asking for our students, it speaks volumes about the quality of education we provide.”

Radford nursing graduates are sought after across the Commonwealth of Virginia and beyond. Their reputation for clinical competence, critical thinking and compassionate care precedes them, making them valuable assets to healthcare organizations nationwide.

ALUMNI HIGHLIGHT: Amy Woods ’08, D.N.P. ’15

Amy Woods ’08, D.N.P. ’15, serves as the chief nursing officer at LewisGale Medical Center, overseeing all clinical nursing staff and ensuring the delivery of safe, quality patient care. With LewisGale being a Level II trauma center licensed for 506 beds, Woods' role is pivotal in managing the facility’s complex operations. She credits Radford University, particularly the Doctor of Nursing Practice executive track, for equipping her with the essential tools and perspectives she needs. Woods' fondest memory of Radford lies in its supportive culture and the guidance provided by mentors. Proud to be a Highlander, she values Radford’s reputation in Virginia and nationally. Woods wholeheartedly recommends Radford to students aspiring to pursue a career like hers, emphasizing the fulfillment that comes from making a daily impact on others’ lives.

2012

D.N.P. program receives full initial accreditation

A testament to resilience

Throughout the challenges and triumphs of the past 50 years, Radford nurses have remained resilient, embodying the spirit of service and dedication.

“During times of crisis, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, our nurses have been at the forefront, serving as healthcare heroes,” Downey said. “Whether administering vaccines or providing companionship to isolated individuals, Radford nurses have shown incredible resilience and compassion.”

The pandemic underscored the vital role of nurses in healthcare delivery. In the face of unprecedented challenges, Radford nurses rose to the occasion, demonstrating their readiness to tackle adversity with courage and compassion.

Simulation center named for Jo Ann Bingham

The College of Nursing’s Clinical Simulation Center has been named in memory of New River Valley native and trailblazing local business owner Jo Ann Moorehead Bingham.

Due to Bingham’s abiding interest in healthcare, she made an estate gift to support the center’s mission of producing competent and compassionate clinicians who meet the needs of local and global communities.

The Clinical Simulation Center, with sites on Radford University’s main campus and at the Roanoke Higher Education Center, provides simulated, realistic healthcare environments for students and educators in the New River and Roanoke Valleys.

–Wendy Downey

The word ‘impact’ doesn’t even begin to capture it. Our graduates are the backbone of healthcare in this region and beyond.”

“The generous gift from the Jo Ann Bingham trust will help provide the highest quality clinical simulation experiences for College of Nursing students for years to come through funding for faculty development, training and certification in clinical nursing simulation; simulation research; and employment of part-time Standardized Patients to build upon student soft skills, such as communication with clients,” said Wendy Downey, interim dean of the College of Nursing.

A pioneering young woman, Bingham began a successful career in real estate with the launch of her business, Mountain View Realty, which served Radford and the surrounding areas. Throughout her career, she was recognized with many awards for her work in real estate as well as her charitable contributions. She gave back to her community by supporting many scholarships at Radford University and New River Community College.

Her legacy of helping others will live on through this generous estate gift to the Jo Ann Bingham Clinical Simulation Center. To learn more about making a planned gift that will help Radford University students for generations to come, visit our website.

www.radford.edu/planned-giving

The evolution of nursing education

In the 1960s, Radford College embarked on a mission to develop a nursing program, laying the foundation for what would become a pillar of nursing education in the region. Following approval of the program by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia and the Virginia Board of Nursing in 1966, the first undergraduate nursing students were admitted three years later and went on to graduate in 1973.

Over the years, the program expanded rapidly. The commitment to excellence in nursing education led to the initiation of a track for registered nurse students (RN-to-BSN) in 1986, catering to the diverse needs of the nursing community.

In 1988, a significant milestone was reached with the establishment of the Roanoke Higher Education Center site, signaling a strategic partnership between Radford University and Carilion Roanoke Memorial

The

Hospital. This collaboration laid the groundwork for innovative approaches to nursing education, including the introduction of graduate programs in nursing, such as the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and advanced practice concentrations.

The journey continued with the launch of the Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.) program in 2010, pioneering distance-learning formats and setting new standards for nursing education in Virginia. Through strategic initiatives and partnerships, such as the nursing clinical simulation centers, Radford University positioned itself as a leader in nursing education, providing state-of-the-art facilities and experiences for students across the region.

In early 2018, Carilion Clinic and Radford University announced a merger with Jefferson College of Health Sciences (JCHS). After 18 months of collaboration, Radford University Carilion (RUC) enrolled its inaugural class in fall 2019. RUC hosts the Accelerated BSN program, along with MSN concentrations in family nurse practitioner and nursing administration, and serves as the college’s second traditional BSN program location.

In 2020, the School of Nursing hired its first dean. The school became an independent academic unit in 2021, separating from Waldron College of Health and Human Services. Nursing at Radford University continues to expand its student body, faculty and program offerings, impacting patients regionally and nationally. Educational programs evolve in response to healthcare needs and

ALUMNI HIGHLIGHT: Jeanne Armentrout ’81

Armed with a Radford University nursing degree, Jeanne Armentrout ’81 blazed a trail in healthcare leadership. As chief administrative officer at Carilion Clinic, her responsibilities range from overseeing human resources to marketing, diversity and health equity. Armentrout’s unconventional career trajectory reflects adaptability.

Starting in nursing, she transitioned to education and then seamlessly integrated into human resources, leveraging her clinical background. Her ascent to the executive realm began in 2011, thanks to her ability to combine clinical insight with administrative expertise. The proud Radford alumna’s commitment extends to serving on the Board of Visitors. Reflecting on her nursing school days, she values the rigorous program and the camaraderie formed during clinicals. Her advice to aspiring professionals emphasizes embracing diverse experiences and the dynamic nature of career paths. Armentrout established the Simmons Family Scholarship to honor her parents Bill and Ruth. The scholarship will support a student pursuing a degree in health sciences.

first class of nursing students enrolls at Radford University Carilion

School of Nursing becomes independent academic unit

2021

State Council of Higher Education for

Virginia approves name change to College of Nursing

advancements in technology on a global scale.

And just this year, the School of Nursing became a College of Nursing.

A legacy of impact

All the way from the charter Class of 1973 to the graduates of today, Radford nurses have exemplified excellence, compassion and leadership in every aspect of their practice.

Radford nursing alumni make a difference in communities around the world. Through international partnerships and immersive experiences, students have gained invaluable insights into global healthcare systems, enriching their perspectives and shaping their future practice.

During times of crisis, Radford nurses have demonstrated fierce dedication and resilience in the face of adversity. From providing vaccines to offering companionship to isolated individuals, Radford nurses have embodied the spirit of service and compassion, reaffirming their commitment to the well-being of others.

Looking toward the future

As the newly minted College of Nursing celebrates half a century of nursing program graduates, those involved in planning its strategic future envision it guided by its past with a mission to prepare enlightened, caring nurses who will meet the diverse needs of local and global communities.

“As we look towards the future, we remain committed to preparing compassionate professionals who will meet the evolving needs of our world,” Downey said. “Our goal is to continue shaping the future of healthcare through education, research and community engagement.”

With a focus on innovation and collaboration, Radford nursing is poised to lead the way in addressing the healthcare challenges of the 21st century. Guided by their mission to serve, Radford nurses will continue to make a difference in the lives of individuals, families and communities worldwide.

That legacy of excellence, compassion and dedication is at the forefront as the celebration of 50 years of nursing leadership at Radford University unfolds. Reflections of a long, storied past serve as a poignant reminder of the profound impact of Radford nursing graduates in the community, the nation and the world.

New College of Nursing — a statewide precedent

The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia recently authorized the new College of Nursing, a name change also approved by the Radford University Board of Visitors. This is the only public institution in Virginia to have a separate College of Nursing.

The College of Nursing is led by Interim Dean Wendy Downey, and has learning locations in Radford and Roanoke, Virginia.

“It feels like a monumental achievement for the College of Nursing in a 50-year history where we have gone in and out of being in a college, but never solely nursing,” Downey said. “I have heard from numerous alumni who have just said, ‘This has been a long time coming.’”

With nursing becoming a separate college, Radford University places the profession of nursing and nursing education at the level of prestige they deserve.

“I really feel like we are setting a new precedent for nursing, not only in the Commonwealth of Virginia, because we are the first public institution of higher education in Virginia to have a College of Nursing, but also in the U.S.,” Downey said.

The creation of this separate college emphasizes the importance of nursing and the need for well-educated and practice-ready nurses in the world. It also continues Radford University’s devotion to the consistent evolution of educational programs in response to the healthcare needs, delivery mechanisms and technology advancements in the region, Commonwealth, nation and world.

act

Biologist Laura Gruss researches the biomechanics of head load carriage in the women of sub-Saharan Africa

By Chad Osborne

omen and young girls in Zambia and remote locations around the world trek miles each day carrying heavy loads of water, food and other necessities. Not with their arms, but on top of their heads.

You’ve likely seen videos and photographs of this incredible display of balance and wondered, how do they do that?

It seems so effortless.

“The women of sub-Sahara Africa often don’t use their hands at all,” explained Radford University Associate Professor of Biology and evolutionary biologist Laura Gruss. “They are very good at it.”

They have to be good; their families and communities depend on their steady and consistent work.

Over the course of a couple of million years, Gruss explained, “Carrying has been an integral part of being human. People go out and hunt for food, pick berries or dig up roots, gather firewood and take it back to share with everybody else.”

For years, women and girls as “young as 6, 7 or 8 years old,” Gruss noted, have carried much of the responsibility.

Many of the women do more than carry heavy loads – sometimes it’s around 30% of their body weight – atop their heads. Often, they have a baby on board, too, strapped to their backs.

EXCELLENCE THAT IS EASILY ACCESSIBLE

Gruss and a couple of research colleagues – one from the University of Massachusetts and the other from Seattle Pacific University – have a particular interest in studying the efficiency of these female load carriers, the biomechanics of head load carriage and the impact and toll the loads can place on the human body.

“We want to study changes in the movements and energetic efficiency of walking with a load on the head and carrying a load on the head while also carrying a baby, which is also very common,” Gruss said. “Not many studies have looked at how movement actually changes when a woman is carrying a load on her head, and no one has ever looked at the kinematics of carrying a load while also carrying an infant.”

Gruss and her colleagues also plan to examine how carrying these heavy loads can change a woman’s biomechanics when walking with other people since women typically walk together, which can affect walking speed and mechanics.

“We don’t always get to choose how fast or slow we walk, which means that we are not always walking at our most efficient,” Gruss noted. “Look around anytime and anywhere, and you’re usually going to see people walking with someone else, especially if they have children.”

To get started, Gruss and Radford students began a pilot study in the fall 2023 semester with hopes of securing a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to purchase necessary research equipment and fund a trip to Zambia for her and two students to do further research.

Inside the Center for the Sciences biology labs, students practiced walking with a 10-liter bucket of water on their heads. Gruss allowed them to use their hands to steady the heavy load. They also walked, with and without the buckets, alongside a partner. Students videoed the walks and collected data measurements to determine how head load carriage affects speed, walking stride and energy consumption.

“If there is extra energy being used on carrying water,” said Angelina Walters, a senior anthropological sciences

major from Winchester, Virginia, “it can take away energy needed for growth and repairing the body” from the physical exertion.

They have to be good; their families and communities depend on their steady and consistent work.

The work may “allow us to help prevent injuries of people who carry heavy loads each day,” added student researcher George Copeland of Salem, Virginia.

While the students are busy with work that may improve the lives of others, they, too, are reaping longterm rewards from the research.

“It is very important to me that Radford offers such impactful research opportunities for undergraduate students,” Walters said. “As a fourth-year research student, I feel prepared and confident to understand research processes, present research and collaborate on projects.

“These opportunities,” she continued, “have helped shape my undergraduate career and have helped prepare me to move on to further education and long-term careers.”

The data being collected will go a long way toward furthering the research by applying for the NSF grant that will help pay for a trip to Zambia in 2025 and a cameraless equipment system that can accurately measure each the location, angular momentum and position of subjects’ body segments.

“We are hoping that by documenting the biomechanics of head load carriage, it could help advise health policy,” Gruss said. “The girls can’t simply stop their responsibilities to the families and communities, but if we can gather and introduce better information out into the public – about how this affects women and young girls –then better and more informed healthcare policies can be made to protect them.”

ALUMNI HIGHLIGHT: Kwabena Osei-Sarpong ’05

Kwabena Osei-Sarpong ’05 has dedicated much of his life and career to improving our planet through thoughtful innovation, leadership, philanthropy and green technology. The founder and CEO of the awardwinning sustainability and renewable energy firm, RIFE International, began his journey as a business major and difference-maker here at Radford. His proudest achievements on campus included igniting the Radford chapter of the international organization Enactus and providing plans and financial management tools for two city businesses. “The organization we founded during my term at Radford served as inspiration for starting my own company and is a reminder of the institution that gave me the tools I needed in order to succeed.” Osei-Sarpong won the 2021 Radford University Outstanding Alumnus Award.

By Pam McCallister

Radford Cares

Infant & Toddler Connection

University-based agencies and programs offer a lifeline for children and families in the region

Families with infants and toddlers who face developmental challenges need expert support and services. Radford’s School of Teacher Education and Leadership (STEL) offers hope for parents and children through the Infant & Toddler Connection of the New River Valley.

Radford University serves as the local lead agency for Infant & Toddler Connection as well as the central point of entry – meaning it takes all referrals to evaluate each child’s eligibility, according to Kathy Pierson, the agency’s director.

“We average 215-230 children in the program on any given day,” Pierson said, adding that last year the program received 424 referrals from doctors, parents, daycare centers and social services.

Aligned with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the Infant & Toddler Connection offers crucial early intervention to children not developing as expected or facing medical conditions affecting their development. All eligible children and their families, regardless of financial constraints, have access to these resources. Children may be deemed eligible if found to have 25% or greater delay in any area of development.

The Infant & Toddler Connection’s approach extends beyond clinical intervention, emphasizing children’s active participation in family and community activities crucial for holistic development.

“All services are provided in the natural environment – typically the home because we coach the family on how they can help their child learn, grow and develop,” Pierson said. Each family gets a service coordinator/case manager, and the agency contracts with speech, physical and occupational therapists as needed to work with the children and families.

In addition, students in STEL’s Early Childhood Special Education program have completed internships with the program throughout its 20+ years of existence. Many former students have gone on to work with the agency, including Gabrielle Sisson ’13, M.S. ’14, a service coordinator.

“Working with families in early intervention was my dream from the moment I heard about the program in my second year of college,” Sisson said. “Seeing the children make progress and helping families work towards their goals are the most rewarding and enjoyable parts of my job.”

For more information about the Infant & Toddler Connection of the New River Valley or to make a referral, contact Kathy Pierson at 540-831-7529.

By Mark Lambert

Twenty years ago, 48 of the 50 states in the U.S. had programs to provide basic parental training for families who were fostering or adopting children in the social services system. The Commonwealth of Virginia wasn’t among them.

Consortium for Resource, Adoptive, and Foster Family Training

While training wasn’t legally required for families at the time, most states realized that helping parents by providing basic parenting education could lead to improved outcomes for children by helping shape stronger foster, adoptive, respite and kinship families. This was especially true for those children with inherited substance abuse issues, behavioral problems and/or trauma.

In 2003, Virginia got on board, and the Consortium for Resource, Adoptive, and Foster Family Training (CRAFFT) initiative was born, founded as a joint project of the Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) and Radford University, Norfolk State University and Virginia Commonwealth University.

“The original idea was to leverage universities and colleges as a resource to help with training because higher education institutions had better government relations, in-kind funding and professional expertise,” recalls Susan Taylor, CRAFFT coordinator for the Piedmont region. “These universities were chosen to participate because each had a master’s level social work program, and that’s where they wanted to draw the knowledge from to train parents.”

The CRAFFT training is five to seven weeks, but the coordinators have autonomy to adjust the program length and curriculum as needed — like they did when portions of the program became virtual during COVID-19. They found that adult learners actually preferred the online method and have stuck with it.

Around 2008, Virginia made the training mandatory before a parent could foster or adopt a child.

Rhonda Roop, CRAFFT coordinator for the western region, says that the ability to mold the program to meet the needs of parents has been essential to its success.

And COVID, as bad as the pandemic was, gave VDSS and CRAFFT the chance to pause and look at what was working and what wasn’t.

“One of the things we’re doing now that we weren’t doing 20 years ago is working more with the birth parents in addition to the adoptive or foster parents,” Roop says. “It’s critical that foster parents support the relationship between the children and their birth parents. They’re required to, but we know it’s essential for the children’s development and growth.”

The CRAFFT program administered through Radford University is overseen by Diane Hodge, director of Radford’s School of Social Work and a professor in the program. Hodge has coordinated the program for a little over a decade and works closely with both Taylor and Roop. She helps manage the approximately $200,000 in federal passthrough dedicated to the grant each year.

Effective this year, the Families First Prevention Services Act delinks funds earmarked for foster care so they can support children’s needs without putting them in the foster care system. In other words, someone who takes in a child through kinship or respite would, for the first time, be eligible to get money to help care for that child.

In addition to adjusting to the training to work with new kinds of resource parents, the CRAFFT coordinators are also bracing for an increase in the number of foster children entering the system over the next five to 10 years.

Whatever the world throws at the CRAFFT coordinators and social workers across Virginia, it seems like this special group of people will make the best of it and evolve to meet the needs of countless children in times of crisis.

“What is the thing that will help kids be able to overcome and do better to get out of this generational cycle?” Hodge asked. “A lot of it is simply having someone – anyone – who cares. A teacher, a social worker, a parent – one little moment of caring can make a huge difference to a child in bad circumstances.”

Through the professional development offered to educators through its Training and Technical Assistance Center (TTAC), Radford’s School of Teacher Education and Leadership helps break down barriers to learning for children and youth with disabilities in the surrounding region.

“Because public schools are tasked with meeting the academic, social and mental wellness needs of diverse students,” said co-director Mac McArthur-Fox, “much of the work of TTAC is directed toward helping schools manage complex change to ensure educators have the skills and support necessary to ensure all students have the opportunity to achieve.”

within schools and in the region. Principal investigators for the center are Tamara Wallace, dean of the College of Education and Human Development, and Associate Professor Darren Minarik.

By Pam McCallister

Training and Technical Assistance Center

One of seven regional centers in Virginia sponsored by the state Department of Education, TTAC at Radford supports education for students with disabilities by equipping teachers with tools and strategies to address diverse learning needs. The center’s professional development is offered via remote technologies and in person, both at the school and division levels and through larger regional and statewide events. TTAC services are typically provided at no cost to educators.

The center’s 11 coordinators provide training and job-embedded coaching to general and special educators at both the school and division levels across a wide range of content and practices, including behavior support, literacy and math instruction, selfdetermination and inclusive practices such as co-teaching. From adaptive technologies to specialized teaching methods, the center helps teachers create inclusive environments where every student can thrive.

Coordinators work with teams, facilitating problem-solving and decision-making within schools and divisions to help identify and prioritize areas of need, develop plans for change and assess improvement over time, said co-director Ginni Bussey.

Through TTAC’s workshops, seminars and ongoing training sessions, teachers can gain valuable insights into the latest research and evidence-based practices for inclusive education, enhancing their teaching skills and helping foster collaboration among educators

TTAC has been a chief resource for Southwest Virginia schools preparing to implement the Virginia Literacy Act (VLA), which goes into effect for the 2024-2025 school year. The law mandates that all K-8 teachers and reading specialists undergo professional development focused on reading instruction and its associated research. TTAC’s support has included collaborating with division leadership to formulate district-level reading plans; facilitating communities of practice for reading specialists; and providing training to hundreds of teachers in evidence-based literacy instruction.

The VLA emphasizes the crucial role played by reading specialists in each division, guiding and coaching their colleagues in new curricula and best practices in literacy instruction. However, this requires a different skill set for many reading specialists — one focused on working with adult learners rather than young students.

To address this need, the Radford TTAC has been collaborating with the literacy leadership team at Roanoke City Schools over the past two years to design and implement a semesterlong coaching academy for the division reading specialists. The primary objective of this academy is to equip new coaches with the most effective strategies to support teachers in their schools as they implement new learning, use new forms of assessment data and aid readers who aren’t making sufficient progress.

Feedback from the program has been positive, according to Program Coordinator Lauren Catherwood-Ginn, with participants praising the immediate usefulness of the skills they learned and the insight they gained in coaching and offering support to teachers in literacy instruction.

“I learned so much about coaching and taking teachers through a coaching cycle,” said Rosemary Rincon, a reading specialist with Roanoke City Schools.

By Pam McCallister

Virginia Inclusive Practices Center

Within the School of Teacher Education and Leadership at Radford University, a visionary project leads the commonwealth in the development of inclusive practices – the long-term strategy of mainstreaming students with disabilities to build a better classroom education for all.

The Virginia Inclusive Practices Center (VIPC) originated from work done on the Radford campus since the early 2000s in preparing teachers for an inclusive approach, which began with teaching interns collaborating and co-teaching with special education interns.

“We’re still the only program in Virginia that does that,” said Liz Altieri, VIPC co-director. “We’re kind of a little bit of a hidden gem because we’ve been doing this collaborative, co-placed model for 15 years now.”

The VIPC has built on that early work to become a statewide leader in supporting inclusive education through professional development and classroom work with teachers. Today, the program works with educators all over Virginia, including projects in Waynesboro City Schools and, closer to home, the Montgomery County and Giles County school systems.

Karen Douglas, VIPC co-director, described the efforts in Montgomery County: “They’ve always provided inclusion, but they needed kind of another jump start. They needed to take it to the next level and to really see changes in student test scores. So right now, we are providing quite a few professional developments to their teachers, principals and instructional coaches.”

“We’ve gone in and provided some professional development, and we’ve also gone in and done some observations and provided teachers with some feedback: ‘Hey, here’s some ideas of how to better include students with disabilities and how to adapt materials for them so they can be more successful within your classroom, academically and socially.’

“What we try to push for is that all students, no matter what their disability is, should be included for the majority of their day,” Douglas said.

The matter is especially urgent at this moment, Altieri and Douglas agree. Across the state, “students with disabilities are still having incredibly limited academic success, at least as measured by the standards of learning assessments,” Douglas said. “And it’s gotten much worse during COVID-19. And since the pandemic, schools are getting pressure from the Virginia Department of Education to do something different, to do something better.

Despite all the goodwill and hard work from all sides, the message of inclusion hasn’t universally sunk in, the two educators say.

“There are still many school divisions that take kids with any kind of visible difference and put them in a separate classroom in the back of the hall,” Douglas said. “It might make it easier for people behaviorally, at least they think it does.”

The outcomes, however, tell a different story: “We’re seeing that young people with disabilities are graduating high school and they’re sitting at home. And they’re not working but they can work. Even kids with milder disabilities are significantly underemployed and unemployed. And so, the message is one that we are still working on... It’s really a cultural change. Segregation – we no longer accept segregating people on the basis of the color of their skin. But we still think it’s OK to do it on the basis of ability and disability.”

Douglas and Altieri are adamant that the data backs up inclusion practices – that inclusion provides a rising tide that lifts all boats. And the implications of inclusive practices echo far beyond graduation.

“If students are interacting more and have friendships now – then, when they own a business, and somebody comes to them who might have a disability, they’re going to be more apt to hire them because they know individuals like them,” Douglas said. “So, it’s going to help everybody in the long run.”

BRAND PILLAR TWO

Students come first at Radford University. We are dedicated to providing a personalized, well-rounded and affordable education that matches the needs and aspirations of each student. We have a variety of academic programs, career-focused experiences and comprehensive support services that help students reach their potential and excel in their chosen fields. We also maintain a culture of care, respect and inclusion that values the diversity and dignity of every member of our community. Radford University serves our local communities as well as business and industry across the commonwealth and the nation by providing them with compassionate and career-ready professionals.

YEARS OF COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY

By Pam McCallister

The year 1973 was an eventful one full of political, social and cultural change across the nation and the world. The campus in Radford was no exception, as Radford College stepped into the future with a new co-ed identity and intensified academic ambitions as it approached university status.

1973 also saw the foundation of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders (COSD), soon to become a signature program of Radford’s and a key player in the university’s community outreach.

“I’m humbled at the thought of how many children and adults with communication disorders have received services from our alumni over the past 50 years,” said Diane Millar, chair of the department. “It is heartwarming to think about so many faculty and students over the course of a half century who have spent time in our program, all with a single shared passion to serve and advocate for individuals.”

The profession of speech pathology began in the early 1900s with so-called “speech correctionists,” who focused on stuttering and oral speech for individuals with hearing impairments, Millar said. At Radford, basic survey courses in communication disorders

were first taught during the 1972-1973 academic year. The courses were offered in the speech and theatre department of the School of Arts and Sciences, housed in Porterfield Hall. Three master’s-level faculty members started the bachelor’s degree program in 1973, and the department name became Speech, Theatre and Communication Disorders. The first B.S. and B.A. degrees for communication disorders majors were awarded in 1975.

From its early days, the program was centered on serving adults and children in the community around Radford, keeping it on pace with the many changes in the field of communication sciences and disorders. Millar said one of the department’s greatest strengths is its on-campus clinic, a learning space where students practice implementing the therapy strategies they learn in their courses.

Our clinic has two purposes: to provide opportunities for our students to begin their clinical practice and to serve our community.”

“Many of our 60-80 clients are unable to access services due to limited resources, and we are very grateful donor support has allowed us to provide therapy at no cost to the client,” Millar added. “We have children who attend our clinic after school, we provide services to toddlers at the Radford Early Learning Center, and our Radford University Brain Injury (RUBI) Center serves adults who have experienced a wide range of brain injuries. We also provide a support group for individuals in the community who have experienced brain injuries and their family members. In the summers, we offer a wide range of intensive pediatric programs, all supported by the Scottish Rite Masons of Virginia.”

The department’s association with the Scottish Rite also recently celebrated an anniversary – 30 years of a glowingly successful partnership. The enduring alliance has seen the Scottish Rite contribute over $1 million to the cause, a testament to its commitment

to fostering communication skills in children and supporting the next generation of professionals in the field.

The Scottish Rite’s generosity has allowed the clinic, designated as a RiteCare Clinic, to offer specialized summer programs to preschool and school-aged children. These programs provide a lifeline for youngsters with communication challenges. The transformative impact of these initiatives is best exemplified through the stories of children who have emerged from the clinic with newfound confidence in their ability to communicate effectively.

The summer programs are more than just a respite for children; they represent a dedicated effort to bridge gaps in speech and language development. Through tailored activities, hands-on therapies and the support of skilled clinicians, children not only improve their communication skills but also form connections with their peers in a nurturing environment.

“The Scottish Rite Masons of Virginia are one of the most generous, caring and active groups of individuals with an interest in language and literacy,” Millar said. “They have provided funding to support student clinical research fellowships, donations of toys and supplies to our clinic and funding to support our clinical services. Each year, they join us for a luncheon on campus and participate in our summer program.”

The Scottish Rite Masons are a true inspiration for our students and our faculty, a wonderful reminder of the power of service.” –

Beyond the direct impact on children, the Scottish Rite’s benevolence extends to graduate students pursuing studies in communication sciences and disorders. The partnership has facilitated the creation of research and service scholarships, empowering the next wave of professionals to delve into groundbreaking research and contribute to the community.

Looking ahead, the university and the Scottish Rite remain steadfast in their commitment to advancing the field of communication sciences and disorders and increasing the program’s excellence.

“One of our goals as a department has been to increase our faculty-student research collaborations at both the undergraduate and graduate levels,” Millar said. “Honors students have the opportunity to complete a capstone research study under the supervision of a faculty member with a shared interest. In addition, undergraduates who are not a part of the

honors program also have many opportunities to dip their toes in the research arena through independent studies. Our faculty and students have collaborated on a wide range of projects, regularly presenting at local, state and national conferences.”

COSD students continue to have an impact after graduating, serving their communities through the hands-on expertise they began gaining as undergraduates.

“We are in awe of so many of our alumni,” Millar said. “Many have continued to stay connected to our program as clinical supervisors for our graduate students. Alumni have regularly returned to the classroom as guest speakers to share their experiences since graduating and talk about their specialized clinical practice. We have had students become directors of rehabilitation services, traveling therapists and business owners. We are so proud of their successes.”

In a way, the evolution of the field is bringing COSD full circle – close to its origins in the performing arts department, as the university gears up for the opening of the Artis Center for Adaptive Innovation and Creativity.

“We partner with music therapy in our on-campus clinic, and faculty in the music department teach portions of our graduate course in voice,” Millar said. “We would love to continue to grow our relationships with faculty and students in art, dance and music because the arts have so many beneficial applications in therapy and rehabilitative services.”

Through innovation and dedication, COSD and its graduates look ahead to a bright future, with its 50th birthday a celebration of everything that’s to come.

“I am in my 19th year in the department,” Millar said. “When I think about how much we have grown and strengthened as a department up to this point in time, I am truly delighted imagining our evolution over the next 50!”

ALUMNI HIGHLIGHT: Dodie Woodard ’98

Dodie Woodard ’98 was an aspiring speech-language pathologist when she got to Radford University. A native of Alleghany County, Virginia, Woodard quickly found that campus life suited her smalltown sensibilities. After graduation, a master’s degree and years of practice, Woodard pursued her interest in pediatric feeding and swallowing disorders, eventually forming Pediatric Therapy Services (PTS). Over the past seven years, PTS has served “over 1,300 children and counting.” Woodard herself provides speech, language and feeding services to 20-25 families a week. As a student, working with children and adults with speech and hearing difficulties was central to her curriculum.

Now, she enjoys helping graduate students in Radford’s COSD department embrace their roles in the community.

SAVES*

A CRUCIAL RESOURCE FOR STUDENTS NEEDING SUPPORT BUILDS ON ITS RECOVERY WORK

By Chad Osborne

he text message still elicits strong emotions for those who have read it.

“Some random stranger called me today and changed my whole life,” recalled Brian Lusk, M.S. ’13, paraphrasing the message.

The text, sent to Student Health Services, came from a Radford University student “who really needed to get help,” recalled Lusk, director of Radford University’s Substance Abuse and Violence Education Support Services, or SAVES as it is commonly known.

“The student had been really struggling with [substance] use, and people had been trying to convince the student to go to detox,” Lusk explained further, “because if they just stopped what they were using, it would have been dangerous. They could have gone through withdrawals and possibly died from it.”

Many people, including the student’s parents, were involved. Amid the tension, Lusk and SAVES Assistant Director Cora Taylor ’09 asked Reed Yearwood, a recovery support specialist, to talk with the student. “It was Reed,” Lusk said, “showing up to talk

with someone he had never met and sharing his experiences with the student. It convinced the student to go to detox and stop using in a safe way.”

I still get chill bumps thinking about that text.”

The encounter demonstrates the power of SAVES, a campus organization that offers programs and services to aid and educate Radford University students in areas such as substance abuse, sexual assault, dating and domestic violence, stalking and bystander intervention. It strives to reduce negative consequences related to substance abuse and/or violence through campus-wide initiatives that address these issues and promote student success.

“I think when most people think of SAVES, they

think of the educational requirements, courses that students have to go through when they're coming into university,” Lusk said. “Such as alcohol education, sexual assault awareness, Title 9 regulations and so forth. But SAVES is so much more than that. I see SAVES catching a lot of students that historically, on college campuses, who have fallen through the cracks, so to speak.”

Substance use/misuse is common on college and university campuses around the United States, and it can result in a number of personal and academic problems. The good news is, many higher education institutions, just like Radford, employ the needed resources to build and operate programs that offer supportive and caring guidance.

One particular service SAVES provides is the Radford Recovery Community, which gives students a safe, comfortable environment for recovery so they can better succeed academically, attend to their emotional and physical well-being with trained professionals and connect socially with other students in recovery and allies to students in recovery.

“It’s a safe place on campus for them to be,” Taylor said about the community’s recovery-themed housing, located inside a Radford University residence hall. “It’s a way to put our students together on campus to make sure they are with like-minded individuals.”

Additionally, there is a recovery lounge in Heth Hall. “Students have unlimited access to it,” Taylor noted. SAVES also provides group counseling sessions and SMART Recovery meetings, which are open to everyone.

The recovery community is relatively new and has plenty of room to expand. A recent grant will allow that expansion to happen.

In August, Radford University received $160,277 from the Virginia Opioid Abatement Authority (OAA) for SAVES to extend the recovery program’s outreach and awareness, overdose prevention, healthcare screening and connections. The grant also will be used to implement a “warm hand-off” process and provide support for a new living-learning facility.

Radford was one of 16 entities in Virginia to receive a portion of the $10,961,013 awarded for opioid abatement and remediation efforts. The approved projects, OAA said, “were selected through a competitive process and included a review of proposals submitted by the agencies.”

“This is an opportunity to really help people stay on a path that is going to create a better life and opportunity for them,” said Taylor, who came to work at her alma mater partly for the opportunity to grow the recovery community. “I truly believe that if we help

CENTERED ON THOSE WE SERVE

students find their passion and find the things that bring purpose to their lives, they will go out and change the world.”

Taylor's personal connection to substance use recovery adds a deeper layer to her commitment to the cause. The youngest of six, she witnessed her brother's struggle with substance use disorder during his college years. Her own experience and belief in the transformative power of education drive her dedication to helping students navigate this challenging period.

The grant has allowed SAVES to hire more staff members, and it will provide funding for three scholarships.

“Most people come to a fork in their lives with their [substance] use, and the key timeframe is the college age, 18 to 24,” said Lusk, who noted he and Taylor worked at community service boards before joining the Radford staff and have seen the benefits of a supportive university community.

SAVES helps those who are students here at Radford make better choices to get in a better direction in their life and maybe not go through some of the things that other folks have.”

The education and services SAVES provides is a powerful tool toward a better life “because not only can students be in recovery,” Lusk continued, “but they can actually receive an education that is going get them employment, help them truly support themselves and stay on that positive path and keep making those good choices, and be able to strive and be successful.”

Brian Lusk, M.S. ’13

CAPS SUPPORTING STUDENTS AND FUTURE SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS

By Chad Osborne

adford University’s Center for Assessment and Psychological Services (CAPS) operates on two important missions.

Both of them have established the center as a vital agent for mental health support and professional training in the psychology field.

One of those missions guides CAPS to offer highquality and affordable mental health services to Radford students and the university community, as well as families and children throughout the New River Valley. Since CAPS opened on the Radford University campus in 2008, it has provided assessment and mental health services to more than 600 college students, children, families and adults.

“We usually work with children who are preschool age through college undergraduate age,” explained CAPS Director Emily Dove.

“And those services, for example, might include a comprehensive

evaluation for concerns related to learning disabilities, autism, ADHD, anxiety or other mood disorders.”

Other services CAPS offers include face-to-face pediatric and college individual and group counseling as well as parent and professional training.

“We also provide to those families and students services like executive function coaching, which helps them learn skills for managing time, organization, planning and learning skills,” Dove noted. “Additionally, CAPS has provided trainings for parents and teachers within the community, as well as supported low- or no-cost services and resources by obtaining grant funding.”

Services are offered on a sliding scale based on gross income, but Dove acknowledges those reduced fees can still be a hurdle for many individuals seeking help. “We would really like to be able to provide more pro bono work,” she said, “or significantly reduce fees for services.” CAPS is continuously seeking financial resources, grants and donations to help reduce those costs.

Offering those community-based services leads to the second CAPS mission, which is to “provide evidence-based training experiences for our graduate psychology students,” Dove said. Those students are enrolled in either the school psychology or the counseling psychology graduate programs within the College of Graduate Studies.

Students in the school psychology program train through CAPS, getting clinic practicum experience in the first year of the three-year program. This means they complete, under the supervision of licensed school psychology faculty members, comprehensive neurodevelopmental psychoeducational evaluations for children and college students throughout the region.

“Those individuals receiving the evaluations –college students, children, parents and teachers – get an understanding of their personal strengths and weaknesses,” Dove said, “as well as resources to enhance their learning and everyday lives.”

In year two of the school psychology program, students complete a yearlong practicum in a local school setting. The third year is spent in a full-time internship in a school district anywhere in the United States. The students keep in regular contact with Radford faculty and CAPS staff, “but they essentially function as a school psychologist in that district,” Dove explained.

“The training experiences gained in CAPS not only provide graduate students high-quality training that utilizes the latest tools and technologies but also offers

them unique experiences to highlight when seeking further internships and future employment.”

School psychology students graduating into the profession play a critical role in addressing the nationwide concern within the field.

“There is a significant shortage of school psychologists across the country, and particularly in Virginia and Southwest Virginia,” Dove said.

“The shortage stems, in part, from an increased recognition for the need of school psychologists. The goal is to have a school psychologist for every 500 students, but we have some work to do to meet that goal since current ratios are estimated to be one school psychologist per 1,127 students.”

Also, Dove said, “People are becoming more aware of the wide range of assessment, mental health and consultation services school psychologists can provide, and that drives excitement about increasing the need for school psychologists in schools.”

Given the concerns for the mental health of those living and learning in the New River Valley, Dove would also like for CAPS to expand its services for community members.

“We have a very long waiting list for our services, and we have a lot of motivation and drive to meet those needs and expand our services even beyond what we are,” Dove said.

The roadblock toward expansion is resources. “We want to maximize the type and amount of services provided, as well as provide more clinical research opportunities. To do so, we need more donations and funding to develop more resources.”

Dove continued, “What I really would like people to understand is helping us expand those resources financially allows us to really expand the mental health services we offer and to train more students to provide these much-needed services in the community.”

CR EATIVE ENERGY

The Artis Center brings healthcare and the arts together

By Justin Ward ’10, M.S. ’23

ooking at the skyline of Radford University’s campus, a new center of creativity and innovation rises, promising to reshape the landscape of arts education.

The Artis Center of Adaptive Innovation and Creativity, slated for a grand opening in fall 2024, stands tall as the new home of the College of Visual and Performing Arts. With 178,000 square feet of space, it is set to become the largest academic building at Radford University, heralding a new era of interdisciplinary collaboration and artistic exploration.

Tim Channell, interim dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts, is brimming with excitement about the possibilities that the Artis Center holds. “The nice thing about the building is it’s very interdisciplinary in nature,” he said. “When you go in, you’re not going to see a silo of theater and art and design. They’re interspersed throughout the entire building.”

The essence of the Artis Center lies in its ability to promote collaboration and integration among different artistic disciplines. Channell emphasizes the importance of motion within the building, with classrooms designed to showcase activity and creativity. “You’ll see motion all the time in the building,” he explained. “Classrooms are not just brick blocks; they have windows into the classroom, in the hallways, as well as outward-facing, showcasing works in progress.”

The design philosophy extends to the inclusion

of glass jewel boxes on the fourth floor, serving as dance studios where the outside world can witness dancers rehearsing and artists honing their craft. This transparency reflects the center’s commitment to breaking down barriers and supporting a deeper understanding of all forms of art.

Beyond its architectural marvels, the Artis Center aims to forge new connections between the arts and health sciences. When finished, the building will also house blended student spaces serving the Waldron College of Health and Human Services and the Artis College of Science and Technology. The center will be a hub for creative arts therapy, expanding opportunities for students and professionals alike.

“We’re looking to develop that intersection between the arts and health sciences,” Channell said. “It’s about looking at the entire individual and how the arts can contribute to healing and well-being.”

The center is named for alumna Nancy Eisenhart

Artis ’73 and her husband, H. Pat Artis, Ph.D., who gifted the university $6 million to support scholarships in the Waldron College of Health and Human Services, the College of Visual and Performing Arts and the Department of Athletics.

Holly Cline, chair of the Department of Design, is excited about the innovative spaces the Artis Center will provide. “I am most excited about the maker spaces and the learning stair and hub,” she said.

We will have state-ofthe-art facilities that will finally bring all the arts under one roof.”

James Robey, chair of the Department of Dance, echoes this sentiment, emphasizing the transformative potential of the Artis Center. “The Artis Center creates the space for us to transition from a culture of castles to one of a crossroads that will serve as a hub of creativity and innovation for the campus and the region,” he said.

As the opening of the Artis Center draws near, anticipation runs high among faculty, students and the broader community. Channell looks forward to the day when the entire College of Visual and Performing Arts can finally come together under one roof.

“There’s real excitement about getting in and being together as one college again,” he said. “It’s about creating a space that is more inviting and provides opportunities for creativity for everyone.”

With its visionary design and collaborative spirit, the Artis Center of Adaptive Innovation and Creativity will elevate the arts and health sciences at Radford University and far beyond. As the doors of this groundbreaking facility swing open, they usher in a new era of artistic excellence and interdisciplinary exploration.

Please contact Penny White at pwhite@radford.edu to learn more about naming opportunities available in the Artis Center.

ALUMNI HIGHLIGHT: MaryAnn Wilmot ’08

In the world of design, MaryAnn Wilmot ’08, Department of Design graduate, has created her own path as co-founder of Wilmot Design Studio, an architecture and interior design firm specializing in healthcare design. After graduating with a Bachelor of Science in design, she went on to gain certification as an interior designer and licensed architect. Her portfolio includes projects with Johns Hopkins Hospital, LifeBridge Health and Inova Health System. Recognized with the Healthcare Design Rising Star Award in 2019, Wilmot’s achievements include certification in evidence-based design and lean practitioner for healthcare from Johns Hopkins Medicine. Wilmot said Radford was pivotal in shaping her career: “The skills I developed throughout my education at Radford are continually reflected upon and used today. Skills that go beyond the study of design, to effectively connect and communicate with people in my professional field and larger community.”

President Danilowicz views construction progress at the Artis Center.

Freedom Learn Experience

BRAND PILLAR THREE

Within Radford University’s tight-knit, supportive community, students can explore a variety of pathways, experience occasional setbacks and find their way forward with confidence. Here, students can feel comfortable taking on new challenges and learning from their mistakes. Our students don’t back down in the face of difficulty — they embrace it as an opportunity to grow. We encourage students to approach failure with a positive mindset and a willingness to improve, which in turn allows them to build resilience, humility and other strengths that will serve them in their future professional endeavors.

GOOD in an EMERGENCY

COMMUNITY SERVICE LED ETHAN HOBART TO AN EXCITING, HANDS-ON HEALTHCARE FIELD

By Mark Lambert, M.S. ’97

When he was younger, Ethan Hobart didn’t know what he wanted to do for a career when he grew up. He was a curious and smart kid, interested in a lot of different things.

“I always thought I wanted to build things,” Hobart recalled, “so engineering was something I considered doing for college and then one day as a career.”

Hobart spent much of his childhood in Blacksburg, Virginia, but his family

moved to Cranbury, New Jersey, as he entered high school. He was looking forward to getting his high school diploma when he learned that his New Jersey school district required all students to complete 50 hours of community service.

“I didn’t know what I wanted to do,” Hobart said, “but I lived right across the street from a fire station in my town and thought there might be an opportunity there.”

Hobart went into it with the

mindset of doing his 50 hours and moving on. The more he got involved, however, the more he fell in love with the field of emergency services. He ended up volunteering multiple times per week for nearly three years until he graduated from high school.

“Being a volunteer in the fire department also meant that I worked closely with the EMS system in the same town,” Hobart said. “We would regularly respond to calls, assist in patient care and interact

with one another during community outreach programs and various educational events.”

When the time came for college, Hobart began researching possible opportunities for degrees focused on emergency services. Having lived in the New River Valley, Hobart was aware of Radford University Carilion (RUC) and the emergency services program offered there. After a visit, he knew it was the right choice for him.

“RUC offered what I wanted out of a college experience and was very close to all of the family and friends I had made over the years when I lived in Blacksburg,” Hobart said. As an additional bonus, Hobart’s mother and father moved back to Virginia shortly after he started at RUC, settling near Smith Mountain Lake.

Now in his third year in the emergency services program at RUC, Hobart’s favorite part of the program is the hands-on labs in which students practice their skills on state-of-theart mannequins during simulated emergency scenarios.

“They are a great learning tool for real-life situations,” Hobart said.

The emergency services program focuses on realism to ensure graduates are fully prepared for their careers beyond RUC. A fullsized ambulance simulator with everything an emergency medical technician (EMT) may need in the

field can be found in the program’s lab on the second floor of RUC.

Beyond the lab, emergency services students also have the chance to log up to 700 hours of clinical and field time.

“My favorite clinical rotation so far has undoubtedly been anesthesiology,” Hobart said. “On these clinicals, you work closely with anesthesiologists to manage a patient’s airway and sedation during surgery, and I always find myself learning something new each time I go.”

In his three years as part of the emergency services program, Hobart has excelled, even earning the chance to teach classes and labs he took as a firstand second-year student.

“Being able to go back and teach those courses was an amazing experience,” Hobart said. “It helped refresh the information in my mind, and I retained it even more than I did as a student. Teaching is definitely something I may want to do later in my career.”

In addition to taking classes fulltime, completing his clinicals and teaching, Hobart also volunteers at the Vinton Fire Department. In all of these roles, he often finds himself talking to current and prospective emergency services students.

“I always tell them the truth,” Hobart said. “This field is hard, demanding but rewarding. You have the opportunity to meet incredible people, do incredible things and make life-changing impacts for both yourself and the people around you.”

Hobart continued by saying that the program at RUC teaches its students not only how to become an EMT or paramedic but also how to become a proactive member of emergency services.

“It teaches you the behind-thescenes of EMS, as well as how far we have come as a profession and where we are heading,” Hobart reflected.

This field is hard, demanding but rewarding.”

– Ethan Hobart

After his expected 2025 graduation, Hobart plans to work for a while as a paramedic, then transition to graduate school.

“Once I have some real-world experience in healthcare under my belt, I want to go to physician assistant school,” he said.

“Then I plan on staying in the Roanoke area for as long as possible, caring for the health of this community.”

INDOORS The Great

NICK BEACH’S ‘DECOMPRESSION ROOM’ PUTS A SOOTHING NATURAL ENVIRONMENT WITHIN EASY REACH

By Chad Osborne

Experience speaks volumes. That’s a phrase Nick Beach learned in the U.S. Navy.

About every day of his 14-year military career, Beach awoke at 5:30 a.m., arrived at the aircraft hanger by 7 and toiled 12 hours as a hydraulics and flight control mechanic, working on F-18 fighter jets, assuring the safety of the pilots and everyone in the flight path.

“It was very stressful,” said Beach, now retired from the Navy and working toward a bachelor’s degree in psychology at Radford University. “If you are not doing your job as a mechanic, you run the risk of an aircraft going down over a civilian American population. So, it’s a little pressure – just a little – for everyone that works on those airplanes.”

When stressed, Beach finds himself attracted to natural settings, taking walks

through nature, observing wildlife. But those rural, woodsy environments with birds chirping and rivers bubbling over rocks aren’t always readily available.

“The reality of our world today is that we are becoming increasingly urban and suburban, and people are moving away from natural environments and into high-density population areas where they don’t have that exposure,” Beach said. “City parks are wonderful and beautiful, but if you can still hear the jackhammer a block away, it’s not exactly bringing forth that positive environment.”

Sometimes people just do not have the time or option to get outside and away from it all, and that awareness gave Beach a brilliant idea to bring nature inward.

“How do you bring these environments to people in a meaningful way,” Beach asked himself.

The answer for Radford students, faculty and staff, he hopes, can be found in a decompression room on the fifth floor of McConnell Library. “It’s a space anyone can use at any time when they are feeling anxious or stressed or in a negative emotional space,” Beach explained.

The theme of Beach’s room creation is nature, “because there is a field of psychology that looks at nature-based interventions, and it finds natural environments can be extremely soothing, even more so than a therapeutic environment.”

Once Beach developed the idea, he still needed a way to bring nature onto campus and into the library. He collected all of the needed sights and sounds during his journey with RARE Appalachia, a summer 2023 expedition by a group of Radford student researchers geared toward studying a variety of topics related to the region’s ecology, geology and cultural heritage.

Using high-fidelity video and audio equipment –“It’s all filmed in 4K, and the audio recordings are Dolby 7.1 ambisonic,” Beach explained – he recorded hours of scenes in various remote locations throughout RARE’s Southwest Virginia journey, places that have experienced little human impact.

Inside the room, which McConnell Library staff helped build, visitors are greeted by a large TV display accompanied by a surround-sound system, beanbag chairs and plants for a more relaxing feel. Visitors may select “a scene they want to relax in,” Beach said. Each recording is about 90 minutes.

Beach, who plans a lifelong career in psychological research, plans to take his idea beyond Radford University.

“My hope is that we could use this technology to

integrate into public and private institutions, where people would otherwise not get the opportunity to see these kinds of locations,” Beach explained. “Examples would be nursing homes, the Department of Veteran Affairs, mental healthcare facilities and even airports.”

The veterans Beach has spoken with about the room experience “are all very excited,” he said, to see to see what this room and environment look like in practice.

“Just taking these simple concepts and the simple tools and applying them to everyday institutions or systems could have the ability to give a resource to those that aren’t really well-adjusted to high stress environments,” Beach noted, “or that might need that escape from the world around them.”

Beach first began developing the project idea when he was a freshman at Radford, a time when he “didn’t feel competent or confident enough to pursue it,” he said, “but Dr. [Jason] Davis worked with me and gave me confidence to do it.”

“He and Dr. [Paul] Thomas have been more than encouraging for me to do this project and for me to pursue research before I graduate, and that’s important to me.”

The opportunities to do undergraduate research is one reason, Beach, a Goderich, Ontario, native who joined the U.S. Navy with a green card, chose to attend Radford as a non-traditional student.

“It’s amazing. It’s the highest possible expectation I entered academia with, to get that hands-on research experience,” Beach said.

“Experience speak volumes, and that’s what you get at Radford.”

ATHLETICS ROUNDUP FALL ATHLETICS ROUNDUP

Radford women’s soccer team nets another banner season

In early November, the Highlanders edged University of South Carolina Upstate in the Big South Conference championship. Ashley Loundermon scored the game-winning goal in the 71st minute to help secure the dramatic victory. The title is the ninth in the history of the women’s soccer program. The win also propelled Radford into a coveted spot in the NCAA Tournament against Clemson University. The Highlanders dropped a narrow 2-0 decision to the top-seeded Tigers, an eventual semifinalist, and finished the season with a 12-6-2 overall record. The Big South named head coach Ben Sohrabi its coach of the year, and numerous Highlanders earned individual awards.

2

Cross-country hosts Big South Championships

Radford’s men’s and women’s cross-country programs hosted the 2023 Big South Championships at Green Hill Park in Salem, Virginia, on a beautiful fall day, Oct. 5. The women’s squad bolted to a third-place finish in the 5K, and the men placed fourth in the 8K. Natalie Preston, a junior nursing major from Essex Junction, Vermont, was named the Big South Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

3

Men’s and women’s golf each bring home the hardware

The men’s and women’s golf teams produced some excellent performances on the links during the fall season, with both teams winning tournaments. The Radford men won the 14team River Run Collegiate on Sept. 12 at Davidson College in North Carolina. Senior Bryce Corbett earned the individual runner-up trophy. The women’s team secured victory at the Elon Women’s Invitational a week later on Sept. 19 at Alamance Country Club in Burlington, North Carolina. It was the first tournament win for the squad since 2010, and freshman Macy Pace of Salem, Virginia, won the title of Big South ScholarAthlete of the Year.

4

Radford hoops travels the globe

The Highlanders hoops teams started their respective 202324 seasons in globetrotting fashion, with the men holding court in Tokyo, Japan, in August and in Cancun, Mexico, over Thanksgiving break. Radford won the Cancun tournament and finished third in Tokyo, sophomore forward Ibu Yamazaki’s home country. Before the games tipped off in Tokyo, head coach Darris Nichols said, “This will be a tremendous opportunity for us to learn and grow on and off the court.” Radford’s women’s team also traveled over the turkey day break, playing games in the Puerto Rico Thanksgiving Clasico in San Juan.

5

Radford Athletics Hall of Fame

As current student-athletes competed, Radford Athletics honored stars of the past during Homecoming week in early October, inducting five new members its Hall of Fame. The 2023 inductees were Eddie Butler ’13 (baseball), Mickey Dean (softball coach), Martin Sayer ’09, MBA ’11 (men’s tennis, posthumously), Kristen Shifflett ’11 (softball) and Anthony Walker ’98 (men’s basketball).

ALUMNI HIGHLIGHT: Jane Everett Vitak ’19, D.P.T. ’22

For Jane Everett Vitak ’19, D.P.T. ’22, former Radford women’s soccer player, attending Radford University allowed her to pursue her goal of helping others through her physical therapy career without traveling far from home for college. After graduation, Vitak’s choice to return to Radford to study for her doctorate made perfect sense. Today, Vitak enjoys helping patients with a wide range of needs in the New River Valley. “I’m still serving my community, which was always important to me when I knew I wanted to go into healthcare,” Vitak said. “It’s been really special, getting my education there and then giving back to the same community that lifted me up.”

Learning Active

BRAND PILLAR FOUR

Radford University offers an education that encourages active participation, challenges students from the outset and provides early access to industry-aligned opportunities. As early as their freshman year, students get hands-on experience, conduct research and run simulations that go beyond what many internships or coops even offer. We bring the real world to our students on campus. Regardless of their major, every student at Radford University can engage in career-driven experiences that connect them meaningfully to their future profession.

Athletic

By Neil Harvey

Students in Radford University’s Master of Science in Athletic Training (MSAT) program follow a tight and accelerated schedule, but the payoff is quick and rewarding

t makes sense that a graduate program that focuses on sports performance, emergency response and health is, itself, fastpaced and demanding, with clear and accelerated rewards.

Students in Radford University’s Master of Science in Athletic Training (MSAT) program hit the ground running and move through their required courses in two years, earning a degree that prepares them to pass the Board of Certification examination.

Athletic trainers treat people of all ages, assessing and providing rehabilitation of musculoskeletal issues and, perhaps most crucially, they’re often the first to offer immediate treatment of sporting

injuries. They also work under the supervision of physicians to provide healthcare for clients in such settings as high schools, universities, hospitals and rehabilitation clinics.

Radford’s MSAT program is overseen by Director Sarah Rabe ’07, Coordinator of Clinical Education

Michael Moore ’95, M.S. ’97, and the Department of Health and Human Performance’s Angela Mickle – each a licensed athletic trainer (LAT) and certified athletic trainer (ATC).

Last summer, five students began their first semester in the program – a modest size, but the group agreed that the level of closeness increased their teamwork, heightened their hands-on exposure and facilitated interactivity with instructors.

Student Caitlyn Pharis said she liked the program’s structure because they tackle one course at a time, albeit at an accelerated rate.

“We were only in one class for a couple weeks, then we would switch to another,” Pharis said. “It’s nice because you only have to focus on that one class; you don’t have to switch gears, because some of the classes are pretty different. Not that it’s easy, but I prefer it this way.”

Pharis earned her undergraduate degree in kinesiology, then worked as a personal trainer, but a desire to do more for her clients led her to the program.

“I feel like it does give me more of an advantage than just personal training, because in personal training, if there were injuries, I had to stop or change the exercise completely or even refer them out,” Pharis said. “With athletic training, if they get injured, I’ll be able to treat them and see the whole recovery process and then get them back into the game.”

Another of the program’s participants is Ta’vyon Harris from Richmond, Virginia, who studied health and human performance. He also played college football and, in 2019, suffered an injury that required physical therapy. He now hopes to maintain his ties to the game by helping others.

“I’m passionate about athletic training,” Harris said. “And I want to make sure people know that if they’re taken out of sports, there are other things they can do.”

Together, from May until the beginning of August, the group tackled courses in Foundational Concepts in Athletic Training, Emergency Care and Planning, and Pathophysiology.

They converged each weekday at Peters Hall in a space that’s part lecture hall, part athletic training clinic. It looks like a place where a lot of work gets done, and it is.

“Every day is basically more than a week of class during the normal semester,” Rabe explained to the students early on. “It’s a lot, and we know it’s a lot. We expect a lot out of you. But we also support you as much as we can along the way.

“We're going to put the decisionmaking on you – to figure things out on your own,” she continued. “When you find something out on your own, you're more likely to retain it.”

That same week, Rabe showed the class the ins and outs of treating hypothetical cuts incurred by athletes during a game.

Using a red marker, she drew a laceration on the front of their calves. While that might seem easily treatable, there’s a special method for everything, even putting on rubber gloves to avoid contamination.

One by one, each student discovered that the dark brown Betadine disinfectant they used spilled down the patients’ legs, making a mess that was hard to wipe up with gauze pads, and though the “injured athletes” wanted to help, they weren’t allowed to.

“With every single class you’re going to take in this program, you have to learn by doing,” Moore told the students during their first week.

“You have to get involved and put your hands on people, and you have to be willing to fail,” he said. “It’s OK to fail; you learn a lot from failures. And then your failure will be less and less because you become a better athletic training student and a better clinical athletic trainer.”

ALUMNI HIGHLIGHT: Sean Burton ’06

Sean Burton ’06 has been an athletic trainer his entire professional life since his graduation from Radford. For the past 11 years, he’s been a clinical outreach trainer at Indian River High School in Chesapeake, Virginia. He oversees the treatment of each team, from football and wrestling to swimming. Burton found his passion in high school and was drawn to Radford for its athletic training curriculum. At the time of his board certification exam, it had roughly a 70% fail rate; Burton credits passing on his first attempt to the great direction and leadership of Radford’s program. Burton married his high school sweetheart, Michelle Burton ’07, a Highlander herself. They live in Virginia Beach with their two daughters.

MSAT students converge each weekday at Peters Hall in a space that’s part lecture hall, part athletic training clinic.

In her third year at Radford, has already accrued a string of scholarships, internships and accolades for her foods and nutrition research, and she hopes to target cardiovascular health.

By Neil Harvey

eah Ellis wasn’t even old enough to vote when she first became immersed in complex questions about human physiology –subjects like how inflammation within the body can help scientists detect and treat health issues like heart disease.

“By the time I was a junior in high school, I knew I wanted to do something in dietetics, with a concentration in cardiovascular health,” she recently recalled.

Now in her third year at Radford, Ellis, a foods and nutrition major from Fredericksburg, Virginia, is gaining extensive recognition for her abilities and accomplishments.

Last summer, she became the first Highlander accepted into Virginia Tech’s Translational Obesity Undergraduate Research Scholars (TOUR-Scholars) program, and she’s earned such awards as the Radford University Foundation’s Mary Kathryn Phipps Brewer ’49 Memorial Scholarship, the Highlander Distinction Scholarship and a National Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics scholarship.

More recently, she presented research before Radford’s Board of Visitors’ Academic Excellence and Student Success Committee and, in November, spoke at the university’s Day of Gratitude.

For Ellis, her work represents a quest she began as a child after she awoke one morning to learn her father had suffered a severe heart attack. In the years that followed, it would not be his last.

“My immediate response was: ‘How can I help?’” Ellis said.

Despite her youth, she started helping prepare family meals, as her father began a diet based on physician Caldwell Esselstyn’s 2007 publication “Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease.”

“That book changed my dad’s life and my life because it essentially described a study in which Esselstyn took patients suffering from cardiovascular disease and put them into a very strict vegan diet,” Ellis explained. “No oils, no fats, no sodium. Basically, no nothing.

“I read the book and figured out how to cook for my dad and do this alongside him. He stuck to that diet for about six months, and he’s had no problems since,” she said.

“That began my passion for dietetics. It’s also the reason I went vegetarian. I ended up going down the inflammation path because I wanted to see if there was a different aspect of cardiovascular disease I wasn’t aware of.”

That drive expanded in her freshman year, when she joined the Highlander Research Rookies program, which allows students to investigate their interests alongside faculty mentors.

In 2022, Ellis received a Student Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) for a project in which she developed a plan that could be used in evaluating blood plasmas, which can help predict a person’s chances of having inflammationbased health issues, like strokes and myocardial infarctions.

She then put her skills to work as the sole external representative tapped to join nine Virginia Tech students as a TOUR-Scholar, and from May through July, was part of an eightweek research study through Tech’s Department of Human Nutrition, determining how artificial sweeteners impact the glucose levels in adults at risk for developing Type 2 diabetes.

The program’s co-director, Deborah Good, described TOURS as a difficult summer internship: “Our expectation is that they get a strong project, that they’re working on a graduate level.

“My immediate response was:

– Leah Ellis

“Leah works really hard; she asks the right questions, and she’s not afraid to seek help when she needs it. She’s an amazing student,” Good said. “One thing that brings me joy is to see students succeed, and I know that Leah is one of those.”

Indeed, Ellis flourished in her work and was hired to stay on with the project, working about 10 hours a week on top of her current classwork.

“I am very excited that we have been able to have her continue to contribute to our research this fall,” said Associate Professor Valisa Hedrick, who mentored Ellis.

“One of the most outstanding qualities Leah possesses is her high capacity for understanding complex mechanisms, with a desire to dive deeper into unknown concepts. I have never worked with an undergraduate who has demonstrated such passion for research.”

As Ellis approaches her senior year, she’s applying for new internships and would ultimately like to work exclusively in research.

“What I’d really like is to become something like a food scientist or chemist for the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture).

“That’s research all day, all the time,” Ellis said. “Whatever I do, I would like my future career to have something to do with nutrition and food.”

By Sean Kotz

As a Highlander Research Rookie, music therapy student Ashley Glover tackles tough social issues

Even in high school, Ashley Glover, a Radford University sophomore from Midlothian, Virginia, had a strong sense of direction. For this future music therapist, Radford was a natural fit, but an invitation to apply for the Research Rookies program was a powerful part of the equation.

“I didn’t know what research I could do as an undergrad,” she said. She had already explored music therapy research and found publications by seasoned professionals

based on interventions and quantitative research.

“But they paired me with Dr. Jang,” Glover said, speaking of mentor, Sekyung Jang, an assistant professor of music therapy. “She really showed me there's a lot more I could do, starting with literature reviews and qualitative research.”

The Highlander Research Rookies program offers selected high-achieving incoming students a four-semester journey that fast tracks them in their fields with early introductions to professional standards and research methods.

Jang helped her settle on a research topic both professionally relevant and personally meaningful: she noted that mental health issues have been stigmatized in the Black community and that proportionally, the music therapy world is populated largely by white women.

This got Glover wondering about the experience of Black music therapists and what the future of such professionals might be.

She found that Black music therapists and mental health professionals deal with a variety of racially based social issues. Additionally, attitudes and expectations towards clinicians based on racial differences and similarities can leave a practitioner wondering just how they are perceived by their clients.

But Glover says she hears how these problems can be managed and overcome.

“I saw how, in certain environments, the clinicians were able to really thrive and were supported by other professionals who are not people of color.

“There's a lot of things that are beyond their control obviously, but they want to see more change, more safe spaces for their voice to be heard and just more proactive ways people can receive their services.”

Glover’s research will continue throughout the semester, but she’s already been able to present her work at the university Student Engagement Forum and address the Board of Visitors.

Additionally, Glover and Jang were selected as one of only 41 research teams nationally to participate in the Scholars Transforming Through Research (STR) program offered by the Council on Undergraduate Research. As part of STR, she advocated for the value of undergraduate research in Washington, D.C., before the legislative staff of our senate and congressional representatives.

Glover deeply appreciates the support she’s received from Radford and Jang. In addition to professional skills and development, she’s also learned something about herself and how to take the lead with self-assurance.

“In addition to the problem-solving, it’s also been nice to see how she’s built confidence from day one,” Jang said.

“She’s one of the best students I know.”

TRYING ANOTHER PAIR OF

By Neil Harvey

A new project by a pair of Radford researchers, “Walking in Stigmatized Shoes,” uses a virtual reality platform to potentially help others empathize with victims of anxiety and depression

People suffering from depression and anxiety disorders can often face additional hardships from the outside world – stigmatization and lack of empathy from others.

“People who are mentally healthy grossly underestimate the severity of clinical depression and anxiety, attributing it to a lack of willpower,” a pair of Radford University researchers recently wrote.

But how can someone actually get a true sense of how anyone else actually thinks or feels?

A new project, undertaken by Assistant Professor of Marketing Luke Liska and psychology major Josh Shimp, hopes to address that question through virtual reality (VR) technology.

It’s called “Walking in Stigmatized Shoes” and takes the form of a game in which the player, following color-based

clues, attempts to determine the paths a perpetually floating ball will take.

At the same time, orchestrated elements complicate that task – light levels and the floor design periodically change, and a disembodied voice offers mild criticisms.

“We’re not replicating the feeling of being depressed or having anxiety,” Liska explained. “We’re simulating the potential challenges and distractions one might encounter when managing simple tasks under the influence of anxiety or depression.”

Liska and Shimp hope to introduce at least 30 or more participants to the game and survey them after the experiment.

They have three primary questions they hope to answer: Can virtual reality effectively simulate the hardships of mental illness? Does experiencing the stress of the game affect the player's empathy? And can the simulation help counteract contemporary stigmas?

In order to do this safely, they’ve devised a survey to select suitable candidates for testing, using a standard scientific inventory to identify symptoms of depression and anxiety in applicants.

Liska and Shimp will soon present their work to Radford University’s Institutional Review Board for

evaluation. If it’s approved, the duo hopes to proceed during the spring semester.

Shimp, from Damascus, Maryland, is a Highlander Research Rookie and was recruited into the project to supervise data entry and behavioral analyses.

“I've done research since my sophomore year of high school,” he said. “That's one of the reasons I chose Radford, because they love research.”

As a child, Shimp was diagnosed with disruptive mood dysregulation disorder.

“That’s why I thought of having a VR game, to show people what it feels like, because I think if they were to see the lights as bright as I do, and hear the sounds as loud as I hear them, they’d understand a little better,” Shimp said.

Liska is hopeful “Stigmatized Shoes” will have that effect on an even broader level.

“This project is focused not just on research but also how we can more broadly impact our community and possibly beyond,” he said. “We’re really focused on having a positive societal impact.”

How can someone get a sense of how anyone else actually thinks or feels?

Assistant Professor of Marketing Luke Liska and psychology major Josh Shimp

READY FOR ALL

Life’s Roles

BRAND PILLAR FIVE

At Radford University, we believe in the power of personal growth and professional exploration. We guide our students to bright futures in rewarding careers by helping them develop the hard and soft skills required for success in the workplace and in life. Our students undergo transformative growth as they prepare for life after college, not only as professionals in their field but also as active citizens who are eager to make a difference in their communities and proud alumni who cheer on and support the next generation of Radford students. At Radford University, we empower our students to make a positive impact in all the roles they will play throughout their lives.

“To be honest, for much of those first four years, I didn’t know what I wanted to be,” she said. “Maybe I wanted to be a lawyer? Maybe a teacher? Maybe a hundred different things.”

One key undertaking during her senior year, however, sharpened her focus on the future.

“I knew I wanted to go into some form of business, and then I did an internship at Radford Community Hospital,” Carroll said. “It was actually in the marketing department, but the hospital was fairly small, so I got to really see the business side of running a hospital, and that’s what piqued my interest.”

Hospitals are like cities, she explained. Complex systems that require numerous types of professionals in order to function. Doctors and nurses, yes, but also accountants, public relations departments, data analytics, dieticians, food service workers, even engineers.

“Nearly every single job that can be done, you can do in a hospital,” she said. “It’s an industry, like any other, but I also love the idea that you could work in a business field while at the same time also doing nonprofit work, also being driven by a greater purpose.

“I think when you work in an industry that is as purpose-driven as healthcare, it really impacts your entire life. And it really has made me into somebody who realizes the importance of giving back and growing in your own community,” she said.

A guardian of the community’s health

By Neil Harvey

“There’s something humbling about being asked to speak at your alma mater,” Susan Carroll ’96 told the crowds during Radford’s winter commencement ceremonies in December. “I can tell you when I sat in your shoes, I didn’t think I’d ever be invited back like this.”

But, of course, a lot has happened since Carroll’s graduation – she is, today, the president of Inova Loudon Hospital in Leesburg, Virginia, while also serving as senior vice president of Inova Health System. Those positions represent the culmination of more than a quarter century of her patient service and her administrating, a pursuit that started professionally just two years after she left Radford.

In a recent interview, Carroll recalled that, like many young students, she explored a wide range of possibilities before she chose the path she ultimately followed.

“My perspective is that we are the guardians of the community’s health. My job is not just to think about what happens on a given day; I also have to think about whether or not we’re providing the best healthcare resources for the community in which I live.”

Carroll pays forward that sense of responsibility in other ways as well. She and her husband, Matt, have two sons – Turner, a college sophomore, and Cooper, a high school junior – who both perform volunteer work and, occasionally, they take it somewhat further than simply pitching in.

“My oldest son, Turner, signed up to be in the bone marrow registry,” Carroll said. “He called me and said, ‘Should I do this?’ and I said, ‘Absolutely.’

“Now, six months later, he’s going to be an anonymous bone marrow donor for an older man he doesn’t know, who doesn’t have any family that matches him, and Turner’s a match,” she added.

It’s a daunting task for Turner, who’s not yet 20, but it’s also representative of Carroll’s philosophy.

“We try to instill this belief that the more we give back to other people, the better our own lives will be,” she said.

Susan Carroll

Ronald Gunn

A healthcare leader powered by innovation

By Bailey Black

Ronald Gunn ’82 was recently named to the Top 25 Healthcare and Technology Leaders of Virginia list for 2023 by the Healthcare Technology Report. This distinguished list recognizes those who have demonstrated commitment to innovating in the healthcare technology space and prioritizing patient well-being.

Gunn serves as the chief operating officer for Kaléo, a U.S. pharmaceutical company dedicated to creating innovative healthcare solutions that protect and empower patients. In this role, Gunn provides oversight for development of new products, upholding product quality standards and efficient manufacturing operations, ensuring strict regulatory adherence and spearheading strategic expansion initiatives.

“Kaléo was founded by twin brothers,” Gunn said. “They had a real desire to come up with something better to help them with their severe food allergies. As young boys, they had to carry an epinephrine auto-injector with them, which wasn’t easy – it didn’t easily fit in their pockets – so they wanted to come up with something better. The first product we developed was a product we call Auvi-Q; it’s the length and width of a credit card and the thickness of a small cellphone.”

Only the Auvi-Q provides automated voice guidance that tells the patient, or those caring for the patient, how to use it. Gunn has received emails from parents, some allergists themselves, thanking the Kaléo team for developing this product. Many were shocked by how stressful an allergic emergency can be.

“They have said, ‘We don’t think we could have injected our child if it hadn’t been for those voice instructions.’ In some of our human factor studies, we have studied kids as young as 7 years old. Even a 7-year-old is able to use this without any help. It’s been very rewarding,” said Gunn.

In addition to pharmaceutical products, Kaléo also develops medical countermeasures (MCMs) with the same patient-first approach, which Gunn says is particularly fulfilling. MCMs are FDA-regulated products – like vaccines, drugs and devices – that can be used in the event of a potential public health emergency.

Gunn did not foresee this path when he began his pursuit of higher education. He did not know what he would study, but he did know where he would begin. Gunn applied to only one university – Radford. Growing up, Gunn spent a week every summer with his grandparents in Radford. His fondest memories are of walking downtown with his cousins to go to the movies and exploring campus and New River. Radford felt like home.

It was one of his favorite professors at Radford who guided him toward his area of study. He knew Gunn liked math and computer science, so he suggested statistics. It was a match. It was his statistics professors who steered him toward his next stop, which was graduate school at Virginia Commonwealth University, and that led him to the pharmaceutical industry. His first job after graduation was in research and development, doing statistics and data management for data collected from clinical studies. “It really kicked off my career, and I knew I was at the right place, doing the thing I truly enjoyed,” said Gunn.

He then went back to business school, which he believes was an important part of preparing for his current role. “The degrees I’ve gotten along the way have opened up a lot of doors. But as I’ve been thinking back on my career, a lot of what was just as valuable is what I learned outside the classroom.”

During his senior year at Radford, Gunn served as a resident assistant. “It put me way outside my comfort zone. I think I learned more about myself, and about people, in that one year as a resident assistant than I did in the other three years combined,” recalled Gunn. “It was a scary time – I was going to be separated from my friends – but I learned a lot from that experience. A lot of it was overcoming the fear of the unknown.”

Sarah Parsons

A scientist nurtured by strong mentorship

By Justin Ward ’10, M.S. ’23

Radford University has been a nurturing ground for excellence, and its alumni shine brightly in their respective fields. Among them is Sarah Parsons ’05, Pharm.D., a distinguished pediatric infectious diseases clinical pharmacy specialist at the Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters in Norfolk, Virginia.

Parsons is renowned for her expertise in the management of COVID-19 and associated conditions and non-tuberculin mycobacterium (NTM) in children. Radford University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in biology, played a pivotal role in her path to becoming a leading figure in pediatric pharmacy and infectious diseases.

“While at Radford, I was part of a student pre-med group led by Dr. Mary Roberts,” Parsons said. “Dr. Roberts was also my microbiology and immunology professor. I owe my

interest in infectious disease to her.”

The mentorship she received at Radford was instrumental in her professional development.

“This mentor group experience was immeasurably valuable,” Parsons said. “Students were assigned a mentor to provide guidance with program selection and throughout the application process.”

This support system instilled in her the confidence and skills necessary to excel in her journey towards becoming a healthcare provider and mentor.

Parsons’ journey continued as she pursued her Doctor of Pharmacy degree, building upon the strong foundation laid at Radford.

“Radford’s biology and chemistry departments do not receive the recognition they deserve,” she said.

“My knowledge and preparation were above average in comparison, and I felt well prepared.”

Armed with her education, Parsons embarked on a remarkable career trajectory, with numerous accomplishments and contributions to the field of pediatric pharmacy and infectious diseases. Her advice for aspiring pharmacists emphasizes the importance of perseverance, dedication and creating a niche within the field.

“If you want to practice as a specialized clinical pharmacist, be prepared to complete your doctorate followed by at least two years of a competitive residency and board certification,” she said.

Parsons’ commitment to excellence and innovation is evident in her current role, where she serves as the pediatric infectious diseases pharmacy specialist and co-leads the health system’s antimicrobial stewardship program. She participates in daily rounds and provides expert guidance in designing treatment regimens for complex conditions and educating medical teams, patients and families. Additionally, she provides specialist consultation for complex pediatric infectious disease cases worldwide.

Beyond her clinical practice, Parsons is actively involved in research, education and advocacy efforts. She has presented nationally and internationally on various topics related to pediatric infectious diseases and cystic fibrosis. Her contributions have been recognized with numerous awards and accolades, including the Virginia Healthcare Heroes Award in 2022.

Parsons exemplifies the spirit of Radford University’s alumni, showcasing the transformative power of education, mentorship and passion in shaping the future of healthcare. Her journey is an inspiration for current and future students, highlighting the endless possibilities that await those who dare to dream and strive for excellence.

Tony West Jr.

A pioneer using empathy as a superpower

By Chad Osborne

Working as a school psychologist can be an enormous challenge on its own. But, thriving in the field as a “double minority,” Tony West Jr., Ed.S. ’11, explained, has its own set of circumstances.

“There aren’t many Black men working as school psychologists,” said West, who serves as one of three lead psychologists in Gwinnett County Public Schools, one of the largest school districts in Georgia.

“A lot of times, people aren’t expecting a Black man to be sitting at the table. I don’t look like the last school psychologist,” West said, explaining the initial difficulties that are sometimes present when meeting with parents. “But I also feel like it’s my superpower because it helps me to understand people’s perspectives. I can maybe understand the struggles that they’re going through.”

Every day, West works directly with students, teachers and families, assessing students for potential disabilities, collaborating with educators and guiding parents through the complexities of their children’s educational journeys.

West has been working as a school psychologist for more than 11 years. He attributes his success, and the wealth of knowledge he passes on to children and their families and teachers daily, to the education he received in the “excellent” school psychology program at Radford.

“It nurtured me,” said West, whose legacy at Radford stretches back to his parents meeting as students on campus in the late 1970s. “The professors we had in the program were actually practitioners as well, and so they understood what it was like to work in schools.”

The Radford school psychology faculty, West continued, “were very supportive of my vision for my career. They prepared all of us in the program with the skills we needed and allowed us to be who we were. That is something I really appreciated about Radford.”

Now, a little more than a decade from earning his Ed.S. from Radford, West is engaging his superpowers to bring out the best in young school children.

“I really enjoy what I do,” he said. “I really enjoy just connecting with children and helping them be their best selves, and I enjoy connecting with parents and helping them to understand their child better. And I enjoy helping the school system serve children better.”

Kyle Burnette

Shep Roeper

Adventurers sharing strength and confidence

By Chad Osborne

One son loves water. Rafting and kayaking bring him joy. Another gets a thrill from rock climbing. While a third son simply enjoys outdoor adventures.

The parents of these boys – all three are on the autism spectrum – have found a place close to home offering programs for their sons to find their bliss through experiences in nature.

It’s called Beyond Boundaries, a not-for-profit organization that exposes individuals of all abilities and backgrounds to a plethora of challenging and exhilarating outdoor opportunities.

“We primarily work with four different populations,” said Shep Roeper ’08, who, along with fellow Radford alumnus Kyle Burnette ’08, founded Beyond Boundaries in 2015. “We work with people with disabilities – kids and adults – and we also work with underserved youth groups, people in substance abuse recovery and veterans.”

Based in Richmond, Virginia, and expanding to Roanoke, the organization, founded by two Radford University alumni, runs on the belief that firsthand, all-inclusive adventures can produce remarkable benefits and build stronger communities.

Much of that strength comes from the incredible boost in confidence program participants gain.

“I’ve seen it happen for several individuals and families,” Roeper said.

“It’s happened a few different times where I have talked with either participants or their families, and they have said they noticed an increase in confidence through the program, through trying new things and opening a different world of opportunities. The confidence, they say, has flowed into their everyday life. It has led to more confidence in relationships, socializing and being more verbal with friends and family. And it has given them more confidence in their careers or trying new careers.”

Beyond Boundaries has a “two-sided mission,” Roeper explained from his Richmond office. “Half of what we do, and why we do it, is getting people experiences they’ve never had before.”

Those could be hiking, rock climbing, boating, fishing, kayaking or white-water rafting. Beyond Boundaries offers them all and more.

“We will take someone who normally doesn’t spend much time out of their wheelchair and put them 40 feet in the air or put them on a raft through Class-3 rapids. They’re getting soaking wet, but they’re having nothing but thrills,” Roeper said, explaining the breathtaking rushes that participants experience. “They are having experiences outside of how they normally live, and that is pretty incredible to be a part of.”

The other side of the Beyond Boundaries mission “is equally important to us,” Roeper said, “it’s about creating an inclusive space where we get volunteers and community partners to help with the programs, allowing everyone time to socialize, bond and connect over a really fun activity, learn more about each other and learn how similar all of us really are.”

In 2024, Roeper said Beyond Boundaries will offer more than 250 programs and will serve more than 2,000 individual participants. About 300 will be repeat participants, meaning people find the organization’s programs rewarding, challenging and fun enough to keep coming back for more.

The idea to create an organization like Beyond Boundaries came to Roeper and Burnette while they were Radford students, and soon after they both completed internships with Environmental Traveling Companions, an outdoor accessibility organization based in San Francisco, California. After earning their degrees in Outdoor Recreation and Leadership at Radford, the two moved back to the Richmond area, looking for a similar group to volunteer with near their hometown.

“After doing research, we realized no such organization existed in the area,” Roeper recalled. “So, we said, ‘Let’s start something.’”

Using the skills they learned at Radford University, the duo did just that.

The journey thus far has been “incredibly rewarding,” said Roeper, who still has his hands in the day-to-day operations as executive director, everything from running programs to fundraising. Burnette serves Beyond Boundaries through community events as a member of the organization’s board.

“It’s so rewarding,” Roeper continued. “I get the opportunity to see people’s potential, to see someone trying something for the first time. And I have the opportunity to help change someone’s life, from doing something they didn’t think was possible to something they’ve done!”

Those opportunities Roeper and Burnette have now begun with the education, experiences and inspirations they found once they enrolled at Radford.

“We could have ended up at any college,” Roeper said. “But we ended up together at a college that had phenomenal teachers and a phenomenal program that really pushed us.

“And because of a few years at Radford University, we were given the knowledge and tools to create a great foundation for something that we are proud of because it has affected our community in a positive way,” he continued. “If it wasn’t for our time at Radford – and Kyle would say the same thing – this amazing organization, Beyond Boundaries, would not exist.”

Jason Rose

A visionary for value-based healthcare

By Lauren Papp

Long before Jason Rose ’93 worked to transform the healthcare technology industry, he lifted weights with his friends at Radford University’s Dedmon Center, worked at a part-time job near campus and attended classes at the university as a psychology major.

As an undergraduate, Rose wasn’t sure what he wanted to major in but ended up pursuing a degree in psychology. Rose knew he wanted to make a difference in people’s lives by improving their health, but he didn’t know what role would best allow him to pursue his goals.

After working at an inpatient mental health residential treatment center, Rose decided to pursue a master’s degree in health services administration from George Washington University. He wanted to change the healthcare industry on a macro level, using IT to improve outcomes, rather than working with just a few patients. Rose spent time at healthcare companies Cerner, Cap Gemini Ernst & Young and Ardent Health Services. He later became chief strategic development officer and executive vice president at Inovalon where Rose spearhead partnerships and initiatives that contributed to the company’s ongoing growth. February 12, 2015, marked a significant milestone for Inovalon. Rose and the rest of the executive leadership team traveled to New York City to successfully launch the company’s IPO. “It was a

fantastic career experience, to be on the floor of Nasdaq with the confetti and champagne for our IPO,” Rose said.

Despite enjoying the publicity of the IPO just hours earlier at 9:00 a.m. that morning, far away from the Wall Street buildings decorated with the faces of Rose and his colleagues, Rose remained hard at work selling the value of the product he had worked so hard to build.

“That first day, at 9 a.m., we’re doing all that exciting celebration, but at 2 p.m., I was in a conference room evangelizing what we were doing to another healthcare organization,” Rose said.

Rose’s vision for value-based care focuses on uniting people with the care they need by identifying gaps in the healthcare system through data-driven solutions. Drawing on his background in psychology, he recognizes the fundamental importance of addressing basic human needs.

“If you don’t have food, water [and] shelter, you’re not going to focus on getting the right doctor visits and drugs and things of that nature,” Rose said.

This principal, which mirrors Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, serves as a framework for his approach to improving health outcomes. As such, Rose’s products enable providers to connect patients with the resources they need to overcome social and economic barriers while delivering care more efficiently and at lower costs.

Rose took on his first role as CEO at AdhereHealth, a company that focuses on improving medication adherence.

Most recently, Rose was appointed CEO of Platform as a Service (PaaS) healthcare technology company Clearsense, which leverages massive amounts of hospital and managed care data to create solutions that improve quality and costs. He plans to continue to follow the curiosity that has guided his non-linear career path.

“The reason why I think I’ve been successful is I like to solve big problems,” Rose said. “I like to get folks to be collaborative, to work toward a common goal, and those are the types of projects and courses and work at Radford that, from an academic perspective, were really the foundation of how I built myself today.”

Now that Rose’s three children, Connor, Brenden and Meredith, have grown up and started their own paths, he and his wife of 25 years, Kimberly, enjoy spending time at their home in Nashville, Tennessee.

Rose also serves on the board of directors of Operation Song, a charity that connects acclaimed singer-songwriters with veterans to help them compose their own original songs. What do songs for veterans and healthcare solutions have in common? At his core, Jason Rose is committed to helping to heal others.

At J.P. Morgan Chase, Gill’s role extends beyond traditional financial responsibilities. He spearheads initiatives aimed at fostering diversity and inclusion, particularly focusing on advocating for individuals with disabilities and neurodivergent conditions such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia and dyspraxia.

“Our firm has the commitment to that space,” Gill said, highlighting J.P. Morgan Chase’s dedication to creating a workforce that reflects the diversity of the communities it serves.

For Gill, promoting diversity and inclusion isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s also smart business. “Having a diverse workforce is good for business,” he said. It’s a simple statement that means a lot for his work. By ensuring representation at all levels of the organization, J.P. Morgan Chase can better understand and meet the needs of its diverse clientele. Gill firmly believes that employees with disabilities and neurodivergent conditions bring a unique perspective and an entrepreneurial spirit that enriches the business environment.

A champion of diversity as good business

By Justin Ward ’10, M.S. ’23

In the bustling world of finance, where numbers often take center stage, Bryan Gill ’92 stands out as a beacon of inclusivity and diversity. Gill has carved a remarkable career path at J.P. Morgan Chase, one of the world’s largest financial institutions. Today, he serves as global head of its Office of Disability Inclusion as well as its first head of neurodiversity, roles that underscore his commitment to creating and maintaining an environment where every individual is valued for their unique abilities.

Gill’s journey from Radford University to J.P. Morgan Chase is nothing short of inspiring. Graduating in 1992 with a degree in economics, he experienced a profound sense of community and support while on campus.

“I always felt supported. I was surrounded by people who wanted me to be successful,” he said.

It was at Radford where Gill learned the importance of collaboration, teamwork and navigating challenges –skills that would prove invaluable in his professional life.

One of Gill’s proudest achievements is the establishment of J.P. Morgan Chase’s first intellectually and developmentally disabled hiring track. Through this initiative, individuals with conditions such as Down Syndrome, severe learning disabilities and traumatic brain injuries are integrated into meaningful career-level roles within the firm. Gill emphasizes that this is not charity; it is the hiring of valued contributors who advance the business with their talents and competencies.

In addition to his internal advocacy efforts, Gill is deeply involved in market-facing initiatives aimed at supporting the disability and neurodivergent communities globally. From providing financial literacy training to advocating for legislative reform and advancing self-determination, Gill is committed to creating a more inclusive society both within and outside the walls of J.P. Morgan Chase.

Gill’s passion for inclusivity extends beyond the workplace. Reflecting on his alma mater, he encourages current Radford students, especially those with unique differences, not to underestimate their potential. “There are employers like us who welcome your unique talents and support your growth,” he said.

As Bryan Gill continues to champion diversity and inclusion at J.P. Morgan Chase, his journey serves as a testament to the transformative power of embracing differences. With dedication and visionary leadership, Gill is not only shaping the future of finance but also paving the way for a more inclusive world.

Bryan Gill

’60s

Anita H. Prince ’69 was inducted into Marquis Who’s Who, which chronicles the lives of the nation’s most accomplished and noteworthy professionals from various fields. Prince was recognized for her expertise as an assistant superintendent for operations with the Virginia Department of Corrections. Prince also received the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award in 2023.

’70s

The Board of Education in Leonardtown, Maryland, appointed Mary Pat Smith ’73 as supervisor of instruction for elementary programs in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction.

Paula Crawford Squires ’76 published her second book, “A Different Kind of Courage,” in 2022. This nonfiction book chronicles the journey of Don Bridges Jr., one of the longestliving ventilator quadriplegics in the country. Squires first wrote about him while working as a reporter with the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

’80s

Wytheville Community College (WCC) awarded its Distinguished Service Award to Cynthia Jackson, M.S. ’81, during the spring 2023 concert of the WCC Choir, which was established in 2013 under her direction.

The president and chief executive officer of Kaleo, Ronald Gunn ’82 , was named to The Top 25 Healthcare Technology Leaders of Virginia for 2023. This list recognizes those who have demonstrated commitment to innovating in the healthcare technology space and prioritizing patient wellbeing in the Virginia area and around the world.

The Virginia Department of Health announced that Reisa Sloce ’83 is the new health director for the LENOWISCO and Cumberland Plateau Health Districts.

MaryLynn Magar ’85, vice president of HeartCare Imaging, Inc., was appointed to the Florida State Board of Education.

Alleghany Highlands Public Schools communication specialist Darrell Gleason ’85 was awarded a Publications and Digital Media Excellence Award from the National School Public Relations Association. His awardwinning entry, the Facebook post series titled “Black History Shapes Education,” honors Black history in the education systems of the Alleghany Highlands.

GOBEL, the world’s leading consulting and technology firm serving healthcare philanthropy, announced Michael Morsberger ’87 as its senior vice president and leader for its academic medicine practice.

The National Waste and Recycling Association announced that Kendra Allman ’87 is the new senior director of meetings and events. Allman previously served as the director of meetings and events for the National Stone, Sand, and Gravel Association.

Alice Frazier ’87, president and chief executive officer of Potomac Bankshares, Inc. and Bank of Charles Town, was appointed to the Board of Directors of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.

Mike Donnelly ’88 was named to the 2023 Atlanta 500, which is composed of the city’s most powerful leaders. Donnelly is the Wells Fargo branch banking regional executive in northern Atlanta. An active civic leader, he has held leadership positions with the Metro Atlanta Chamber, the Atlanta BeltLine Partnership, the Buckhead Coalition, the Woodruff Arts Center and the University of Georgia Board of Visitors. Donnelly is also the past chair of Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education and a past chair of Leadership Atlanta.

’90s

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy welcomed Ed Clark ’90 as the new superintendent of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail.

Radford City Schools named Adam Joyce ’90, Ed.D. ’22, M.S. ’09, as superintendent, effective January 2024. Joyce was previously director of instruction with Galax City Schools and former principal of Pulaski Middle and Dublin Middle Schools.

Paul Pickett ’90 was appointed to senior vice president and chief financial officer of Old Point Financial Corporation and executive vice president and chief financial officer of Old Point National Bank.

The Harvest Foundation announced the addition of Sandy Strayer ’91, Ed.D. ’22 , as the new health and education program officer. Strayer previously served as the superintendent for Henry County Public Schools.

Jim Minick, M.A. ’91, released his newest nonfiction book, “Without Warning: The Tornado of Udall, Kansas,” in May 2023. It received the 2023 Martin Kansas History Book Award.

Clayton Stanley ’91 was appointed to superintendent of Campbell County Public Schools in Rustburg, Virginia.

Erik Lensch ’92 was named to Business North Carolina’s 2023 Power List: Energy. Lensch serves as the chief executive officer of Leyline Renewable Energy, a business he started to finance the development of solar and biogas projects.

Jim Rudland ’92 released a novel, “Make It Stop,” in 2023. His previous book, “Corporate Rock Sucks: The Rise & Fall of SST Records,” was a Los Angeles Times bestseller and named a best music book of 2022 by Pitchfork, Vanity Fair and Rolling Stone.

Joe Morgan ’92 joined Heritage Financial Consultants, LLC, as a financial planning professional. Morgan is also a founding and managing partner at Blue Harbor Benefits, LLC.

Anthony Dowdy ’92 retired from Henrico County Police Division as a deputy chief in June 2021. He currently works for CarMax in asset protection and for NASCAR in security for Richmond Raceway. He resides in Powhatan, Virginia, with his wife, Anne.

Jennifer Morris ’92 joined Fifth Third Bank as a senior mortgage loan officer and vice president. She was previously with Wells Fargo Home Mortgage.

Rosemarie Rae ’93 is Loyola Marymount University’s new executive vice president and chief operating officer. Prior to this role, Rae served as the vice chancellor for finance and chief financial officer at University of California, Berkeley, where she has worked since 2014.

Chris Ramsey, M.S. ’94 , was named Christiansburg Police Department’s new police chief. Ramsey has served the department for more than 20 years.

Sarah Garner ’94 was named the new principal at Mount Vernon Intermediate School in Mount Vernon, Missouri.

Kevin Domby, M.F.A. ’94 , was appointed to executive director of public safety and chief of police for University of California, Santa Cruz.

Fred Abbamonte ’96 was included in Marquis Who’s Who, which profiles the nation’s most noteworthy leaders in various fields. Abbamonte was celebrated for his dedication to the mortgage industry. Currently, he is the chief executive officer of Shift 4 Consulting and the director of business development of North America for PatriotiQ.

ESPN reporter/host Marty Smith ’98 released his new book, “Sideline CEO: Leadership Principles from Championship Coaches,” on Sept. 26, 2023.

Curtis Campbell, M.S. ’99, is the new director of athletics at Roanoke College in Salem, Virginia. Previously, Campbell served as director of athletics at Morehouse College, Western Oregon University, Tuskegee University and Stillman College.

Christopher Settle ’97 was promoted to chief of police for the Town of Culpeper, Virginia. Settle has served the Culpeper Police Department since 1997 and has held the rank of major since 2015.

Chris Rakestraw ’97 of Louisville, Kentucky, earned his Doctor of Social Work degree from the University of Kentucky in May 2023. His capstone project was on engaging predominantly white churches in racial justice work. Currently, Rakestraw serves the University of Kentucky College of Social Work as a part-time instructor.

Travis Murphy ’98 is the new director of parks and recreation for Patrick County, Virginia.

At the 2023 awards banquet of the Virginia Health Care Association and Virginia Center for Assisted Living, Valerie Holden ’98 was named the Assisted Living Administrator of the Year. This award recognizes outstanding statewide leadership. Holden is the assistant administrator of Harbourway Assisted Living at Atlantic Shores in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

The Walton County Commission of Walton County, Florida, hired ARMY veteran Quinn Robertson ’98, MBA ’99, as the new county administrator.

’00s

Emily Joyce Hannah ’00, regional government manager for the MidAtlantic at WESCO Distribution, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who for her achievements and leadership. Who’s Who chronicles the lives of the nation’s most accomplished professionals from various fields.

Deborah Saunders ’00, MBA ’15, was hired by CST Group, CPAs, PC in Reston, Virginia, as an audit manager.

Roanoke College announced the appointment of James “JP” Pennix, M.S.W. ’01, as the new vice president for enrollment management.

The Amherst County Board of Supervisors appointed Jeremy Bryant ’01 as county administrator. Bryant previously served as the county’s director of community development and stepped in as interim county administrator prior to this appointment.

Keith Perrigan, M.Ed. ’01, is the new superintendent of Washington County Public Schools in Virginia. Prior to this appointment, Perrigan served as the superintendent of Bristol City Public Schools.

Comtech Telecommunications Corp. announced the appointment of space industry veteran Nicole Robinson ’02 as a chief strategy officer. Prior to joining Comtech, Robinson served as president of Ursa Space Systems, a leading satellite intelligence and data analytics provider.

David Betancourt ’02 wrote a “SpiderSmasher” story for Marvel Comics in “Edge of Spider-Verse #3,” published on June 21, 2023. He also wrote his first book, “The Avengers Assembled,” published on Aug. 29, 2023; a release celebration was held at Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in Washington, D.C.

Lisa Schlossberg ’03 was promoted to executive director of marketing and communications at Coakley & Williams Construction.

The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) announced the appointment of Ben Gilmer ’04 to its board of directors. Gilmer also serves as chair of the ISSF environmental stakeholder committee. Additionally, Gilmer was recently promoted from associate director to director of the large-scale fisheries program at The Nature Conservancy.

Melissa Smith ’03, M.S. ’05, released a book, “Authentically Grounded: A Guided Journal for Unraveling and Soothing Your Soul,” on May 31, 2023.

Karin M. Olivo ’04 received her doctoral degree from Capella University and wrote her dissertation on perspectives of e-leaders in remote working teams within the U.S. consulting industry. Olivo spoke on the results of the study at Booz Allen Hamilton and the National Institutes of Health, National Institute Allergy and Infectious Disease division.

George C. Hummer ’05 was named superintendent of Frederick County Public Schools. Hummer has more than 18 years of experience in public education and most recently served as the chief student support services officer for Stafford County Public Schools.

The Institute for Public Relations announced Hilary Fussell Sisco, M.S. ’05, as a new trustee to the board. Fussell is the editor-in-chief of the Public Relations Journal and a professor of public relations at Quinnipiac University.

Billy Johnson ’05 was appointed special agent in charge of commercial carrier enforcement for the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles in May 2023.

Brandon Turner ’05 was named director of economic development for Hanover County, Virginia. Turner, who joined Hanover County in 2018, previously served as the department’s deputy director.

Alliance Machine and Engraving hired Chris Merkel ’05 as national sales manager.

Christopher Speich ’06 is the new campus administrator at Alexandria City High School. Speich joined Alexandria City Public Schools in 2011 and has been serving as the lead administrator for specialized instruction since 2021.

Erika Tolbert ’06 was promoted from assistant tourism director to tourism director for Pulaski County, Virginia.

Tara Grant, M.S. ’03, M.S. ’09, is the new assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction for Pulaski County Public Schools.

Calling all members of the Class of 1974!

Start planning now to come back to campus during Homecoming 2024, Oct. 3-5, for a special celebration – your Golden Reunion. Reminisce with fellow classmates throughout the weekend and meet Radford University President Bret Danilowicz.

It’s not too early to let us know you’ll be here. We would love to have you join us as a volunteer for the reunion! Call the Office of Alumni Relations, 540-831-5248, or email alumni@radford.edu.

Robb Talbott ’06 is the new executive director of The Panida Theater in Sandpoint, Idaho.

Emily Wise VanderWoude ’06 was named to The Daily Record’s 2023 Leading Women Under 40 list, which recognizes women of tremendous accomplishment in their careers and involvement in their communities. VanderWoude is the director of leadership giving at Hood College in Frederick, Maryland. In 2023, she also received the Hood College Laughlin Administrative Achievement Award.

Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, the largest winery in the Pacific Northwest, announced the appointment of Ashleigh Sabold Lettiere ’06 as the new vice president, independent region.

Jennifer Johnson ’06 was appointed principal of Indian Valley Elementary School in the Floyd County Public Schools system in August 2022.

Kevin Pond ’06 was named chief of the Henrico County Department of Emergency Communications. Pond has served the Henrico County Division of Fire since 2008.

Jessica Cartwright Wisman ’08, M.A. ’10, received the Healthcare Hero Award at Carilion Clinic in 2023 for helping to save a patient’s life. Wisman is a speech-language pathologist at Carilion New River Valley Medical Center.

Ashley Meisel ’09 is the new dean of the Nursing and Allied Health Professions division at Harford Community College. Meisel has served in several positions at Harford Communit y College since 2012.

’10s

Kristen Jackson ’11 joined the Clinch Valley Health pediatrics team at Clinch Valley Physicians Associates in Richlands, Virginia. Jackson previously served as a charge nurse in the ICU/CCU.

Marlon and Jamilla (Gunter) Morrow ’12, M.S. ’13, announced the birth of their twins, Jrue and Jovi Morrow, on Nov. 22, 2023.

Alexi Weber ’12 started a new role as assistant manager - environmental science at Wetland Studies and Solutions, Inc. Weber married Taylor Smith ’11 in 2018 in Corolla, North Carolina, with several Radford alumni in attendance.

Surry County, North Carolina, announced the appointment of C. Jamie Edwards, M.Ed. ’12 , as director for the Office of Substance Abuse Recovery.

Connect Young Professionals, the young professionals organization of the Greenwood, South Carolina, Chamber of Commerce, honored Wesley Patterson, M.S. ’14 , at the “Greenwood Under 40 Stars” awards dinner in September 2023. Patterson is a physician associate at Greenwood Genetic Center.

John Jewell ’14 and Kenna Crane Jewell ’15 welcomed their daughter, Caroline M. Jewell, on July 11, 2022.

Lauren Faulkner ’15 appeared in the Lifetime Network television premiere of “Spring Break Nightmare” on March 16, 2023. This was the second time Faulkner has appeared on Lifetime.

Calvin Owens ’15 was promoted from program leader to outreach program coordinator for the City of Asheville, North Carolina.

Caleb Thomas ’15 and Scott Hendrickson ’17 founded Coastal Care 757, a local nonprofit that gives back to teachers in the Hampton Roads, Virginia, area.

Max Spracklin ’16 was named partner at Stitely & Karsetter, CPAs. Spracklin was promoted from director of outsourced accounting.

Rachel K. Smith ’16 took on a new role as a human resources specialist for the Defense Logistics Agency, the nation’s combat logistics support agency, in 2021.

Fluvanna County Public Schools appointed Kaitlyn Harlow-Burner, M.S.W. ’17, to be the new division-wide mental health coordinator. HarlowBurner has spent the last five years as a clinical social worker in pediatrics at UVA Health.

Tiffany Couch ’17 was appointed to clerk of court for Montgomery County, Virginia.

Out in National Security and New America recognized Iván Thirion ’18 on the 2023 Out Leaders List, which includes 50 LGBTQIA+ experts in U.S. national security and foreign policy. Thirion is a program analyst, U.S. foreign policy advocacy, for Open Society Foundations. He also serves as an advisory board member in the College of Humanities and Behavioral Sciences at Radford University.

Kalub J. Lambert ’18 of Virginia Beach, Virginia, was promoted from sales specialist to account manager - electrification, U.S. markets at ABB. ABB is a technology leader in electrification and automation.

Nicholas Kien ’18 married Emily Baukema on April 2, 2022, on Seabrook Island, South Carolina. They welcomed their firstborn child in 2023. Kien currently serves as petroleum scientist, supervisor, for the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources.

The National Council of Teachers of English and the Virginia Association Teachers of English selected Chelsea Stowe Curtis ’19 as a 2023 High School Teacher of Excellence honoree. She teaches English at Warrior Tech Academy in Henry County, Virginia.

James Curtis ’19 is the new training coordinator for the Piedmont Regional Criminal Justice Training Academy in Martinsville, Virginia.

The Craig County School Board swore in new superintendent Dwayne Huff, M.S. ’19. Huff previously served Grayson County Public Schools as the director and principal of the career and technical education center.

Charles (Chase) Edgar Thompson III ’19 graduated from the University of South Carolina School of Law in May 2023 and accepted a position with the York County Circuit Court near Rock Hill, South Carolina.

Department of Dance alumna Caitlin Potosnak ’12 joined the world-famous Radio City Rockettes in 2022.

’20s

Eric Guilbeau ’20 started a new role as associate brand manager at Sauer Brands, Inc.

Keegan Walters ’21 is the new principal at Lancaster Elementary School in Kilmarnock, Virginia.

Miriam Jones ’22 returned to her hometown of Riner, Virginia, to serve as the new art teacher at Auburn Middle School.

Cali Jacobs ’22 is the new program assistant for the Computing Research Association (CRA) Center for Evaluating the Research Pipeline (CERP).

Abigail Taylor ’22 is the new marketing director at Wilderness Country Club in Naples, Florida.

Tri Area Community Health announced that Juli Dellorso, M.S. ’22 , joined the staff at the Floyd Health Center as a behavioral health provider.

ALUMNI

’40s

Jamie M. Graybeal ’46 of Christiansburg, Virginia, Sept. 1, 2023.

Minneta C. Dickerson ’47 of Houston, Texas, May 11, 2023.

Sibyl E. Newton ’48 of Charlotte, North Carolina, Jan. 20, 2023.

’50s

Frances F. Clark ’50 of Farmville, Virginia, Feb. 19, 2023.

Dorothy “Dot” May Strader Moore ’50 of Manassas, Virginia, Nov. 27, 2023.

Martha F. Murray ’50, M.S. ’74 , of Troutville, Virginia, Oct. 6, 2023.

Jake E. Motley ’52 of Amherst, Virginia, Jan. 5, 2023.

Lillian F. Thompson ’53 of Herndon, Virginia, Jan. 24, 2023.

Rosemary Adams ’53 of Tucson, Arizona, Aug. 13, 2023.

Billie G. Farmer ’54, M.S. ’70, of Pulaski, Virginia, Aug. 2, 2023.

Laurel J. Thompson ’54 of Norfolk, Virginia, Oct. 22, 2023.

Lucille Cruise ’55 of Radford, Virginia, June 23, 2023.

Jean M. Philpotts ’56 of Marietta, Georgia, June 16, 2023.

Mary R. Allen ’56 of South Boston, Virginia, Aug. 28, 2023.

Ida D. Forbis ’57 of Mishawaka, Indiana, March 10, 2023.

Maryann Whitmore ’57 of Winston Salem, North Carolina, July 7, 2023.

Lucy E. McSwain ’57 of West Chester, Pennsylvania, Aug. 13, 2023.

Sandra D. Hamrick ’57 of Christiansburg, Virginia, Aug. 16, 2023.

Peggy A. Fields ’58 of Springfield, Virginia, Jan. 17, 2023.

Donna W. Thornton ’58 of Draper, Virginia, Feb. 27, 2023.

Wilma F. Coe ’58 of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, June 4, 2023.

Betty L. Sherrer ’58 of Oneonta, Alabama, Nov. 16, 2023.

Beatrice L. Bohannon ’59, M.S. ’72 , of Mt. Zion, Illinois, Dec. 23, 2022.

Maxine F. Dishon ’59 of Pulaski, Virginia, Sept. 12, 2023.

Nancy R. Wood of Roanoke, Virginia, July 12, 2023.

Addie M. K. Nunn of Galax, Virginia, June 9, 2023.

’60s

Nancy C. Jackson ’61 of Tazewell, Virginia, Feb. 17, 2023.

Greta R. Raines ’62 of Auburn, Alabama Aug. 10, 2023.

Carolyn M. Burlew ’62 of Glen Mills, Pennsylvania, Sept. 2, 2023.

Bonna R. Beamer ’63, M.S. ’77, of Dublin, Virginia, Jan. 10, 2023.

Evelyn S. McCormick ’63 of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, March 10, 2023.

Judy E. Turpin ’63 of Orange, Texas, April 8, 2023.

Barbara H. Layman ’64, M.S. ’83, of Arlington, Virginia, Jan. 31, 2023.

Lucille Kinkade ’64 of Sugar Grove, Virginia, May 26, 2023.

Anita M. Casey ’64 of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, July 13, 2023.

Ellen C. Moore ’64 of of Pulaski County, Sept. 6, 2023.

Barbara D. Ford ’64 of Roanoke, Virginia, Sept. 14, 2023.

Patsy A. Whitehead ’65 of Staunton, Virginia, March 1, 2023.

Linda L. Lubetkin ’65 of Arlington, Virginia, April 4, 2023.

Victoria B. Kirby ’65, M.S. ’66 , of Martinsville, Virginia, Nov. 20, 2023.

Mary E. Shanholtz ’65, M.S. ’71, of Christiansburg, Virginia, June 7, 2023.

Nancy E. Atkinson ’65 of Arlington Heights, Illinois, Nov. 3, 2023.

Donald L. Buckland, M.S. ’65, of Dover, Delaware, July 25, 2023.

Gwendolyn M. Taylor ’66 of Avon, North Carolina, March 29, 2023.

Ernestine L. Hancock ’66 of Roanoke, Virginia, Oct. 6, 2023.

Nancy G. Gloss ’66 of Fredericksburg, Virginia, Oct. 29, 2023.

Agnes I. Rasnake ’67 of Glen Allen, Virginia, April 20, 2023.

Marilyn S. Duff ’67 of Greensboro, North Carolina, Oct. 5, 2023.

Mary E. Turnbull ’68 of Williamsburg, Virginia, March 24, 2023.

Susan V. Minter-Compson ’68 of Danville, Virginia, May 1, 2023.

Patsy L. Skeen ’68 of Gulf Shores, Alabama, June 3, 2023.

Sandra B. Moore ’68 of Poquoson, Virginia, June 20, 2023.

Hazel L. Standridge ’68 of Rogers, Arizona, Oct. 26, 2023.

Sue L. Smith ’68 of Christiansburg, Virginia, Nov. 3, 2023.

Joyce E. Pugh ’68 of Floyd, Virginia, Nov. 16, 2023.

Pattye Landis ’69 of Rockingham, Virginia, Feb. 10, 2023.

Margaret A. Ward ’69, M.S. ’77, of Nakina, North Carolina, Sept. 16, 2023.

Richard E. Brewer, M.S. ’69 of Richmond, Virginia, May 5, 2023.

Ronald D. Skeens, M.S. ’69 of Peterstown, West Virginia, July 23, 2023.

Shirley V. Gray of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, June 27, 2023.

Sharron V. Starnes of Radford, Virginia, March 18, 2023.

’70s

Bobbie B. Hudson ’70 of Danville, Virginia, Jan. 17, 2023.

Sarah L. Armbrister, M.S. ’70, of Peachtree Corners, Georgia, Dec. 28, 2022.

Rita D. Irvin ’71, M.S. ’75, of Christiansburg, Virginia, Feb. 9, 2023.

Rosie S. Hogan ’72 of Roanoke, Virginia, Feb. 13, 2023.

Barbara E. Stein ’72 of Virginia Beach, Virginia, Aug. 20, 2023.

Patricia R. Sutton ’72 of Kingsport, Tennessee, Aug. 25, 2023.

Janice J. Fleming ’72, M.S. ’81, of Lynchburg, Virginia, Nov. 15, 2023.

Ceceila C. Munsey, M.S. ’72 , of Peachtree City, Georgia, March 26, 2023.

George W. Galloway, M.S. ’72 , of Dublin, Virginia, May 21, 2023.

Nancy E. Morgan, M.S. ’72 , of Narrows, Virginia, Nov. 27, 2023.

Sharon D. Caradonna ’73 of Poway, California, Dec. 19, 2022.

Shirley E. Snead ’73, M.S. ’78 , of Abingdon, Virginia, Feb. 13, 2023.

Joan N. Tripp ’73 of Roanoke, Virginia, March 20, 2023.

Linda J. King ’74, M.S. ’81, of Catawba, Virginia, March 19, 2023.

William M. Rafferty ’75 of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, June 14, 2023.

Thomas E. Toney, M.S. ’75, of Peterstown, West Virginia, June 14, 2023.

Rowe A. St Clair ’76 of Winterville, North Carolina, June 18, 2023.

Lawrence A. Sullivan ’76 of Radford, Virginia, Aug. 7, 2023.

Betsy J. Akers, M.S. ’76 of Princeton, West Virginia, Sept. 16, 2023.

Robert R. Sahagun ’77 of Great Falls, Virginia, Dec. 24, 2022.

Sandra P. Flora ’77 of Roanoke, Virginia, Oct. 21, 2023.

William R. Wright ’78, M.S. ’83, of Manassas, Virginia, Dec. 25, 2022.

Patricia M. Nicely ’78 of Charleston, South Carolina, April 5, 2023.

Frances E. Murrie ’78 of Copper Hill, Virginia, Nov. 26, 2023.

Barbara C. Doss ’79 of Dublin, Virginia, Sept. 15, 2023.

David M. Sable, M.A. ’79, of Narrows, Virginia, Feb. 25, 2023.

Peggy G. Tuell, M.S. ’79, of Marion, Virginia, April 10, 2023.

Carolyn L. Donchatz, M.S. ’79, of Columbia, South Carolina, Aug. 6, 2023.

Rachel Davis Fowlkes, Ed.D., of Abingdon, Virginia, passed away on April 1, 2023. She was serving her second term on the Radford University Board of Visitors and was the Board Liaison to the Radford University Foundation. Fowlkes was also the founding executive director of the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center, retiring in 2015 after 23 years of service. She was a strong advocate for empowering women in higher education and the workforce, and she was a role model to many. In that spirit of advocacy, her family has established the Dr. Rachel Davis Fowlkes Memorial Scholarship to support non-traditional students from Southwest Virginia pursuing a degree at Radford University.

’80s

Nancy G. D’Andrea ’80 of Warminster, Pennsylvania, Jan. 4, 2023.

Judd M. Feltner ’80 of Callao, Virginia, Nov. 7, 2023.

Brenda P. Lyons, M.S. ’80, of Christiansburg, Virginia, May 29, 2023.

Thomas J. King, M.S. ’80, of Floyd, Virginia, July 19, 2023.

Kathryn A. Fields ’81, M.S. ’82 , of Woodlawn, Virginia, Feb. 2, 2023.

Carol A. Wright ’81 of Boonsboro, Maryland, June 21, 2023.

Charles W. Housel, M.S. ’81, of Radford, Virginia, May 11, 2023.

Cecilia M. Yost ’82 of Fairfax, Virginia, March 30, 2023.

Katherine K. Miller ’82 of Shallotte, North Caroline, Nov. 23, 2023.

Jeffrey W. Wilson ’83 of Maryville, Tennessee, Jan. 20, 2023.

Brenda Horton ’83 of Woodlawn, Virginia, April 28, 2023.

James W. Coffey ’83, MBA ’84 , of Glasgow, Kentucky, June 12, 2023.

Lisa R. McBee ’84 of Manassas Park, Virginia, July 25, 2023.

Brian P. Cork ’84 of Milton, Georgia, July 25, 2023.

John M. Ford, M.S. ’84 , of Blacksburg, Virginia, June 30, 2023.

Jeanne L. Schrader ’85 of Bellefontaine, Ohio, Jan. 19, 2023.

Brenda S. Justice, M.S. ’85, of Pineville, West Virginia, May 29, 2023.

David W. Turman ’87, M.S. ’98 , of Charlotte, North Carolina, Dec. 22, 2022.

Wendy H. Rose ’87 of Virginia Beach, Virginia, April 3, 2023.

Mildred A. Sink ’87 of Williamsburg, Virginia, Aug. 27, 2023.

Christine A. Carson ’87 of Covington, Virginia, Sept. 10, 2023.

Donna M. Fisher ’88 of Max Meadows, Virginia, June 6, 2023.

John P. Prenger ’88 of Vichy, Missouri, July 1, 2023.

Anne S. DeFoe, M.S. ’88 , of Roanoke, Virginia, July 3, 2023.

Gerald W. Duncan, MBA ’89, of Blacksburg, Virginia, July 10, 2023.

’90s

Boyd D. Charles, M.S. ’90, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Aug. 15, 2023.

Susanne K. Scanlin, M.S. ’91, of Roanoke, Virginia, Dec. 27, 2022.

Mary A. Julg, M.S. ’91, of Sun City, Arizona, Jan. 8, 2023.

Susan W. Myers ’92 of Roanoke, Virginia, March 25, 2023.

Sharen M. Anderson ’93 of Staunton, Virginia, July 22, 2023.

Ray Tuck ’94 of Blacksburg, Virginia, Feb. 11, 2024.

Janis P. Burke ’96 of Floyd, Virginia, Sept. 21, 2023.

Walter A. Sheffield ’97 of Rocky Mount, Virginia, Jan. 25, 2023.

Rebecca N. Jones ’97 of Christiansburg, Virginia, Feb. 13, 2023.

Linda G. Rutherford ’98 of Christiansburg, Virginia, April 11, 2023.

Melva N. McNeill, M.S. ’98 , of Christiansburg, Virginia, April 21, 2023.

Chris Southwick ’98 of Warrenton, Virginia, Dec. 2, 2023.

David C. Scott ’99 of Vinton, Virginia, June 10, 2023.

Matthew S. Brunner ’99 of Pulaski, Virginia, Aug. 31, 2023.

’00s

Linda S. Cook ’00 of Richmond, Virginia, Aug. 9, 2023.

Patrick T. Sawicki ’00 of Reading, Pennsylvania, Sept. 11, 2023.

Jane L. Pixley ’00, M.A. ’04 , of Bethlehem, Connecticut, Oct. 18, 2023.

Tracy S. Smith ’01 of Bristol, Tennessee, July 13, 2023.

Karen M. Kastning, M.S. ’03, of Radford, Virginia, April 6, 2023.

Robert H. Williams, M.S. ’04 , of Wytheville, Virginia, Sept. 27, 2023.

Christin D. Funderburk ’06 of Culpeper, Virginia, Nov. 20, 2023.

Michael J. Gourley ’08 of Danville, Virginia, June 24, 2023.

Martin C. Sayer ’09, MBA ’10, of Christiansburg, Virginia, July 25, 2023.

’10s

Christy L. Bowman, M.S. ’10, of Cedar Bluff, Virginia, Jan. 30, 2023.

Lee A. Plummer ’14 of Augusta, Georgia, Aug. 19, 2023.

Cameron M. Jones ’16 of Roanoke, Virginia, Feb. 4, 2023.

Benjamin O’Geary ’17 of Raleigh, North Carolina, June 9, 2023.

Steven T. Journell ’17 of Pearisburg, Virginia, June 14, 2023.

Hunter S. Makowski ’17 of Virginia Beach, Virginia, Nov. 6, 2023.

Robert T. Krebs ’19 of Radford, Virginia, April 6, 2023.

Paulette A. Wright ’22 of Hillsville, Virginia, Dec. 21, 2022.

RETIRED/FORMER FACULTY AND STAFF

Charles K. Crowder of Radford, Virginia, Dec. 16, 2022.

Annette R. Rupe of Dublin, Virginia, Feb. 7, 2023.

Edward D. Jervey of Radford, Virginia, Feb. 10, 2023.

Monica G. Lawrence of Radford, Virginia, March 14, 2023.

James E. Nicely of Radford, Virginia, May 26, 2023.

Sheila S. Reyna of Blacksburg, Virginia, May 27, 2023.

Charles L. Hayes of Christiansburg, Virginia, July 6, 2023.

David B. Phillips of Radford, Virginia, Aug. 26, 2023.

Roberta L. Breeden of Radford, Virginia, Sept. 1, 2023.

Kevin West Bowers of Christiansburg, Virginia, Sept. 27, 2023.

Noel G. Lawson of Radford, Virginia, Sept. 29, 2023.

B. Faye Brandon of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, Oct. 22, 2023.

Eugene W. Carson of Blacksburg, Virginia, Nov. 24, 2023.

Etty Vandsburger, Ph.D., Dec. 6, 2023.

Robert Reese Jr. of Las Vegas, Jan 13, 2024.

Paul Harris of Asheville, North Carolina, passed away on Jan. 26, 2024. He spent an entire career dedicated to education and leadership. He became the vice president of student affairs at Radford University in 1990 and served in that position until 1999 when he returned to the faculty where he enjoyed teaching the next generation of higher education leaders. He retired from Radford in 2006. It is because of this dedication to future leaders, that he asked that people donate to the Paul Harris Leadership Scholarship to provide financial support to future leaders studying at Radford University.

My alma mater provided me with the knowledge and skills that allowed me to have a rewarding career as an educator. Giving back to Radford University is one way I can say ‘Thank you for the major role you played in my life.’”

Palma Clark ’73, M.S. ’77

Interested in supporting Radford University through your estate plan?

GIFTS FROM A WILL OR TRUST

Designating Radford University as a beneficiary in your will or trust is a simple way to secure your legacy, and it will not affect your cash flow during your lifetime.

RETIREMENT BENEFICIARY DESIGNATIONS

Naming Radford University as a beneficiary of a retirement plan, financial account or annuity is another easy way to make a lasting personal commitment.

LIFE INSURANCE

If you have an unneeded life insurance policy, you can donate it to Radford University and take an immediate tax deduction. You can also name us as a beneficiary of your policy.

OTHER GIFT OPTIONS TO CONSIDER

• IRA rollovers

• Charitable gift annuities

• Real estate gifts

Contact University Advancement by calling 540-831-7138 or emailing donor-relations@radford.edu to learn more about how you can make a difference!

RECOGNITIONS AND AWARD WINNERS

Outstanding Service Award

Mary Campbell ’71, M.S. ’71

Outstanding Alumnus

Brian Robinson ’93

Outstanding Philanthropist

Faye Marcum ’71

Outstanding Young Alumnus

Chance Smith ’12

Hall of Fame Inductees

Eddie Butler ’13

Mickey Dean

Martin Sayer ’09, MBA ’10

Kristen Shifflet ’11

Anthony Walker ’98

College of Humanities and Behavioral Sciences Distinguished Alumni

Marty Smith ’98

College of Education and Human Development Distinguished Alumni

Nancy Love ’75, M.S. ’76

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION Board of Directors

Kevin Rogers ’87, President

Dale Ardizzone ’85, M.S. ’86

GeGe Beall, ’82, M.S. ’90

Hilary Blackburn ’84

Tawanna Blassingame ’92

Pete D. Campbell ’92

Byron Chafin ’90

Stephanie Cifuentes ’05, M.S. ’06

Rita Davis ’80

Mike “Flip” DeFilippo ’90

Sherry Fisher ’85

Susan M. Furr ’86

Gina Gallagher ’85

Nicole Gwanzura ’12, MBA ’13

Landon Hinton ’13

Brandon Jackson ’10

Nana “T-Chee” Kum ’10

Nancy Manning ’65

Rebecca Phillips ’06

Lara Ramsey ’90, M.S. ’92

Tommy Slusser ’79

Tyler Swarmer ’16

Correy Watkins ’02

Our Alumni

Fondly, Kevin Rogers

Rowdy Red (’85-’87)

Radford University Alumni President

For more information on alumni activities and outreach:

P.O. Box 6915 | Radford University

Radford, VA 24142

Change Service Requested

There is still time to be part of TOGETHER: The Campaign for Radford University!

Make your gift today!