The Magazine of Radford University is produced by Advancement and Alumni Relations and Marketing and Communication.
EDITORS AND CONTRIBUTORS
Gabby Bailey ’23
Bailey Black
Blake Brady
Michelle Carlson ’08
Karen Casteele ’79
James Harman ’92
Neil Harvey
Ellen Hines ’18
Mary Beth Kegley
Sean Kotz
Mark Lambert, M.S. ’97
Pam McCallister
Riley Murtagh
Evan Musgrave
Chad Osborne
Lauren Papp
David E. Perryman, Ph.D.
Patrick Reed
Laken Dillow Rickey ’19
Laura Turk ’87, M.S. ’90
Justin Ward ’10, M.S. ’23
Penny Helms White ’85, MBA ’87
President Bret Danilowicz and First Lady Kay Danilowicz, Vice President of Advancement Penny Helms White ’85, MBA ’87, Natalie Preston and Kaylan Brown count down to reveal the record-setting total for TOGETHER – The Campaign for Radford University.
Table of
HOMECOMING 2024
ECONOMIC DRIVERS
ATHLETICS TOGETHER CAMPAIGN
25 YEARS OF ADVOCACY DAY
ALUMNI PROFILES
ENROLLMENT ON A ROLL
HIGHLANDERS IN ACTION
CLASS NOTES IN MEMORIAM
ROOTED IN RESEARCH
A message from President Bret Danilowicz
THE CONCLUSION OF TOGETHER – The Campaign for Radford University – offers a moment to reflect on the power of achieving an ambitious goal and to celebrate its impact on our institution.
That we exceeded our goal in the largest fundraising campaign in university history, at a time of significant disruption in the world and change at Radford University, is a bold statement about the pride of Highlanders in their institution.
TOGETHER’s success was made possible by many people who may consider their gift small or who have not previously made a gift. Of the 18,478 donors who made a gift, 66% made their first gift to Radford. More impressively, 39% of donations were $50 or less. Every gift made a difference.
In this issue, we will offer greater insight into the overall impact made by TOGETHER. We will also pay tribute to how our institution’s 7,700 students, 1,500 employees and more than 84,000 alumni make an impact on people and communities here in Virginia and across the world, every day.
Radford University directly impacts lives by delivering a high-quality, affordable education for our students. This fall, we experienced one of our highest rates of year-to-year new student growth in history. Pages 20-23 explain more about our newest class and how our alumni, many of whom are local educators, helped recruit these new Highlanders. We proved to students from all backgrounds, including honors students, community college transfers, military veterans, students who are 25 years or older and students from diverse populations, that at Radford, you will Find Your Place. Here.
From day one, we empower our students to develop a lifelong love for learning. In “Rooted in Research,” on pages 28-31, you’ll see why Radford is a destination for undergraduate research and how this can impact the world. Bismark Amofah ’17, a senior scientist at
AstraZeneca, found his place at Radford – playing for a nationally ranked men’s soccer team that won the 2016 Big South Conference Championship and developing as an expert in biochemistry. Today, Amofah is contributing to research that shapes vaccines that are administered globally; the seeds of his wide-ranging impact were planted at Radford University.
A top priority upon my arrival was forging partnerships among our university, the communities we serve and the Commonwealth of Virginia to promote economic success. We prepare talented students for successful careers and instill the importance of helping others. On pages 32-33, you’ll read about how Radford students like Eastern Shore native MacKenzie Wallace are coming from great distances to find their future career here in the New River Valley. Or how Allison Felix ’01, the COO of Cassaday & Co. in McLean, Virginia, works to line up internships and careers at her company and across the financial sector for Highlanders. Individuals like these are strengthening Radford’s impact locally and across the commonwealth.
It is my privilege to spotlight Radford University’s accomplishments and the stories of our incredible people. I hope this magazine inspires you to also make an impact.
President Bret Danilowicz
HOMECOMING WRAPUP
By Chad Osborne
Highlander Hype
Homecoming featured a new Highlander Hype celebration on Oct. 4 that included appearances by Radford alumni, athletes, coaches, President Bret Danilowicz and the Highlander mascot. Head baseball coach Alex Guerra ’11 was recognized for his life-saving actions in the New River on Sept. 10, helping to bring senior Cody Duncan to safety after a fishing accident put his life at risk. Guerra was presented with the Highlander Hero award by Danilowicz and joined by Duncan to accept the honor.
Golden Reunion
The Class of 1974 celebrated 50 years as Radford graduates with a special reception at the annual Golden Reunion. Over dinner, many classmates connected for the first time since their graduation and shared fun and heartwarming stories and songs from their time on campus. Members of the class were inducted into the prestigious Golden Reunion Society and classmates were awarded medallions by President Bret Danilowicz during the ceremony. Attendees wore nametags with photos that included their signature look from 1974 and were able to view their class yearbook with photos from their time at Radford with classmates.
Women of Radford
Donning pearls and fancy hats, alumni gathered in Kyle Hall for the annual Women of Radford luncheon, swapping tales and sharing laughs all while hearing from a special speaker, First Lady Kay Danilowicz. As they celebrated women on campus today and those from years past, the gathering was treated to a mini fashion show put on by the Department of Design. The event was used as a collection point for gently used handbags and purses that were later donated to a local charity.
Volunteer Luncheon
Each year at Homecoming, alumni are invited to the Alumni Volunteer Leadership Business Lunch to learn more about how they can serve their alma mater. It’s a terrific time to reconnect and hear about all the excitement happening on campus with current students and faculty and to learn more about the impact alumni are making in their communities and around the world. A small group of those alumni are honored each year at the luncheon with the Radford University Alumni Association Awards. The 2024 awards were announced during the Oct. 4 luncheon. The winners included Wyatt Toehlke ’18, Outstanding Young Alumni Award; Debbie Sherman-Lee ’73, Outstanding Service Award; Denny Van Pelt ’94, Outstanding Alumni Philanthropist Award; and Sean Peay ’91, Outstanding Alumnus Award.
Alumni Village
One of the most anticipated moments of Homecoming is the Alumni Village. This year’s event came with The Worx. That’s the name of the party/cover band that cranked out tunes and played a free concert while revelers celebrated togetherness with fellow Highlanders. Plenty of activities were available to occupy villagers throughout the afternoon, including a performance from the popular Highlanders Pipes and Drums Band, a parade of tents, a food truck, Ultimate Frisbee and a Ferris wheel. There was fun for kids, too, with free face painting, activity bags, balloon art and yard games in the Highlander Kid Zone. And if Homecoming wasn’t enough to get excited about, the event also served as a celebration of the end of the successful TOGETHER campaign.
CELEBRATING SOCCER
By Chad Osborne
This year, the Radford men’s and women’s soccer teams are celebrating anniversaries: 50 years on the pitch for the men and 40 for the women’s team competing in NCAA Division I. That’s a lot of adrenaline-pumping goals, spectacular saves and nifty passes mixed with hours of practice and training that resulted in extraordinary victories, with occasional heartbreak in defeat, but overall, immense success and joy through teamwork and camaraderie.
Radford women’s 40 years in NCAA Division I
Since its first competition in 1981, the women’s soccer team has produced enormous success through the dedication of the women who played, the coaches who mentored them and countless individuals who contributed to the program on and off the pitch. If there is a phrase that best describes the women’s team, it’s “unbelievable success,” said Tom Lillard ’79, who helped get the program on its feet and served as the first coach in the team’s history.
“We helped them get started, and you see what they’ve become,” Lillard said.
What they have become is a team that regularly fights for and wins conference championships.
Since the establishment of the women’s soccer team, the Highlanders have won a ton of games with a plethora of superstar student-athletes leading the way: Kim Walsh Stutzman ’83, Helen Negrey ’90, Nikki Porter ’05, Laura Topolski ’94, Sue Williams ’04 and Che’ Brown ’14, just to name a few.
In addition to 400-plus victories, the program has won nine Big South Conference championships, with the most recent occurring in 2023. In six different seasons, they won the conference regular season title and so far have made 10 appearances in the NCAA tournament, a lofty achievement that every collegiate athletics program aspires to.
Don Staley took over coaching the team in the mid-1980s, and “he helped set the stage for us moving to a much higher
level,” Lillard noted. “He did a tremendous job, and they made it to the NCAAs [tournaments]. He put us in the national spotlight. There is no other way to say it.”
For the past 28 seasons, coach Ben Sohrabi has been the team’s steady and stable guide. “You look at what Ben has done; that’s historic,” Lillard said. “Where they have been the past 20-some years under his direction is just beyond belief. He has had a storybook career.”
Men’s team golden anniversary
The Highlanders men’s soccer squad has tallied more than 400 victories and won seven Big South regular season championships, four conference tournament titles and advanced to the NCAA tournament in 1999, 2000, 2015 and 2016.
To say the program has come a long way since it first fielded a team a half-century ago is an understatement. That group of Highlanders “didn’t have a roster of full soccer players,” said Lillard, who played on the team, “but we were trying our best. We progressively got better.”
Coach John Harves, his players and others helped propel the team throughout the ’80s. The program climbed the ladder from NAIA membership up to the NCAA’s Division II before soon advancing to Division I. That rapid climb was part of President Donald Dedmon’s vision.
You can look at the record books and find an impressive array of achievements, like Dante Washington’s 82 career goals and keeper Aitor Pouseu Blanco’s remarkable 25 career clean sheets. And there are the victories celebrated at Cupp Stadium and various other venues the Highlanders set their boots in. Some of those have been big wins, like winning the 1981 state championship over Averett on Moffett Field.
“We never backed down from a tough schedule,” said Steve Arkon ’90, who played for the Highlanders from 1987-90, one of the winningest teams in the men’s program history.”
Certain games were great memories, Arkon said, but more importantly, “it was that immediate camaraderie with guys on the team, and we formed a bond early on, and that bond is still very tight. When I go back to campus for alumni weekend, I see groups that came in after me and they, too, have a tight bond.”
Jamal Haddad ’80 agreed. He played on those inaugural teams and recently watched his son, Noah, follow in his footsteps as a Highlanders soccer player. “I think it’s amazing and wonderful,” he said, thinking back on his years of men’s soccer. “We had a great time. It’s all about camaraderie and the people we met at Radford University.”
Cupp field named for Lillard
Throughout Radford soccer’s history, Tom Lillard ’79 has been a guiding and supportive figure, from playing on the inaugural men’s team and later serving as its coach to helping start and grow the women’s squad. To honor his extraordinary commitment, Radford University Athletics announced in the spring that the field at Cupp Stadium would be named in Lillard’s honor.
The field dedication ceremony took place during Homecoming 2024, but the initial announcement came on April 26 during the annual Red & White Gala. It came as a total surprise to Lillard.
“We got to the gala, and I started seeing a lot of people that didn’t make sense for them to be there – my old roommates and teammates – and I couldn’t figure out what the heck was going on,” Lillard explained. “Unbeknownst to me, they called me up there [on stage] and told me what they were doing. I was totally blown away. I did not expect that.”
As a student, Lillard played on the men’s soccer inaugural team and, after graduating, served as assistant then head coach for six seasons. He played a key role in propelling the team to NCAA Division I status and was instrumental in helping form the women’s soccer team at Radford in the early ’80s.
“Tommy was more than willing to coach us while he also coached the men’s team,” said Kim Walsh Stutzman ’82, a member of the women’s inaugural team and a leader in the fundraising effort for the field-naming initiative. “He helped us get started, and that was huge. We all just think the world of Tommy.”
Lillard worked in administrative roles with Radford Athletics until 2008 and was inducted into the university’s Athletics Hall of Fame in 2014.
He has seen and done a lot throughout his tenure. But beyond the victories and championships, it’s the relationships he has cultivated at Radford that mean the most to him.
“Those are lifelong memories and experiences,” he said. “I think the gala really made me look around that room and realize what so many of those people there meant to me. And I’m very proud of the generous contributors who supported the project. I can’t thank them enough. That was an unbelievable outpouring of support.”
spring sports recap
By Chad Osborne
Baseball
The Big South Conference recognized the achievements of five Highlanders with end-of-season awards following the 2024 campaign. Lead-off hitter Cameron Pittman was named second-team all-conference. The Suffolk, Virginia, native recorded a .357 batting average and led the conference with eight triples, the fourth most in the NCAA. Zack Whitacre garnered second-team all-conference and all-academic honors. Right-handed pitcher Drew Staley also was named to the all-conference second team, while teammate Conner Butler received honorable mention all-conference. Highlander lefty pitcher Breckin Nace was selected to the all-freshman team.
Golf – men’s and women’s
The men’s team drove, pitched and putted its way to the Big South Championship semifinals in late April, finishing in a tie for third. Bryce Corbett, Patrick Gareiss, Bobby Dudeck and Mike Grant received post-season conference recognition. The women’s team placed fifth at its conference championship, shooting a program-history low +54 over three rounds. Macy Johnson and Grace Addison made the conference’s all-freshman team.
Lacrosse
Five Highlander lacrosse players received post-season accolades from the Big South: Mady Cheney (second-team allconference), goalie Olivia Hunter (second team), Lauren Davis and Emily Strother (honorable mention), and River Rupert (all-academic honors).
Softball
The Radford softball squad finished the 2024 season with a 24-23 record, and Big South Player of the Year Lexie Roberts helped lead the way. Roberts recorded a .475 batting average, scored 16 runs and smacked three triples, topping the conference in each of those categories. The Mebane, North Carolina, native was also named to first-team all-conference and allacademic, while Kari Shedrick, Abby Wilson and Rachel Smith earned all-conference honors. In July, Radford Athletics announced former pro football player and twotime Super Bowl champion Kevin Fagan as the team’s new head coach.
Tennis – men’s and women’s
The Highlander women’s tennis team advanced to the Big South tournament semifinals in 2024. Michaela Stephens earned second-team all-conference for singles, and Emily Brandow was named to the all-academic team.
On the men’s side, Evan Edwards secured the Big South Conference’s Newcomer of the Year award after a successful inaugural season with the Highlanders. Teammate Guilherme Severin was named to the all-conference first team for singles play, and Charles Courteau earned a spot on the Big South all-academic team.
Track
Criminal justice major Chloe Wellings paced the women’s track team throughout the 2023-24 indoor and outdoor seasons. At the Big South Outdoor Track and Field Championships in May, she won the 10,000-meter race time of 34:39.29, establishing a championship meet record, and repeated as the 5,000-meter champion with a time of 16:47.59. MegAnne Gilmore recorded a personal best in the 1500-meter race to place in the top five. Jaslyne Robinson and Elyssia Fisher both recorded personal record times in their hurdles events.
Radford Athletics celebrates 40th anniversary in Division I
For the past 40 years, Radford University student-athletes have made their mark as competitors in NCAA DivisionI and as founding members of the Big South Conference. During that time, the Highlanders have won 53 Big South championships, second most among active participants. Radford also has won conference championships in 11 different sports. The women’s soccer and women’s basketball programs are the most decorated, having won nine and 10 titles, respectively. Highlanders have earned numerous individual honors: 149 student-athletes were selected as Big South player of the year in their sports, and 55 coaches received conference coach of the year accolades. In addition, Radford teams have made 47 NCAA tournament appearances and have had 23 players named All-American and 31 national scholar-athletes.
Radford student-athletes make conference honor roll
An impressive 85.5% of Radford’s 269 student-athletes made the Big South Presidential Honor Roll for the 2023-24 academic year – tops among conference schools. Student-athletes must maintain a 3.0 or higher GPA (on a 4.0 scale) during the most recently completed academic year to achieve this honor. This was the second time in past three years that the Highlanders took the top spot. In addition, 35 Radford student-athletes earned the Commissioner’s Award, given to those who earn a 4.0 GPA. Radford’s women’s soccer team placed nine players on the Commissioner’s Award list.
In January 2024, Highlander Meredith Page testified before the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Innovation, Data and Commerce Subcommittee in a hearing concerning student-athletes’ NIL “deal-making rights.” Her testimony at the Washington, D.C., hearing resulted from her work with the NCAA’s Division I Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), to which she had been appointed in June 2023. Most recently, the Highlander volleyball player and Murfreesboro, Tennessee, native was appointed to the committee’s executive team, becoming the first Radford and Big South Conference student-athlete to do so. She also serves as the Big South’s SAAC chair, as well as on the Knight Commission for Intercollegiate Athletics. “Serving on the NCAA Division I SAAC is a profound honor for me,” said Page, a management major at Radford. “It means being the voice for my fellow student-athletes, advocating for their well-being and shaping policies that impact not only current student-athletes but the ones who come after me.”
Wellings runs away with Big South honor
Women’s track athlete Chloe Wellings ’24 had a spectacular spring season for the Highlanders. The criminal justice major won Big South Conference championships in the indoor 3,000-meter and 5,000-meter events and the outdoor 5,000-meter and 10,000-meter races. Those feats marked only the second time in Big South history that an athlete swept all four events. In recognition of her outstanding accomplishments, the Big South named Wellings the conference’s women’s track athlete of the year for the 2023-24 indoor and outdoor seasons. The Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom, native is only the fourth Highlander to receive the award, following in the footsteps of Teresa Williamson (2014-15), Maurika Quarles (2004-05) and Kara Price (2000-01).
Highlander flies high with Toronto Blue Jays
“This is really happening,” Spencer Horwitz ’20 recalled thinking as his plane soared from Toronto, Canada, to Arlington, Texas, where he would soon make his Major League Baseball debut. Just four years removed from playing for the Highlanders, Horwitz was only hours from buttoning up, for the first time, his brand-new Toronto Blue Jays jersey with the No. 48 and his name stitched on the back. The Jays drafted the infielder in 2019, almost a year before he graduated from Radford with a finance degree. From draft day to the moment on the plane, Horwitz spent four years in the minor leagues, facing new challenges every day. “I definitely had thoughts of ‘What am I doing? Is this really working out?”’ he remembered.
When Horwitz arrived in the visitor’s locker room inside Globe Life Field, his new teammates congratulated him. He didn’t play that night or the next, but on Sunday, June 18, 2023, he was in the starting lineup, batting eighth as the designated hitter.
“My nerves really hit when I was on deck,” Horwitz said. “I had never played in front of that many people before.” In his first at-bat, he slapped a single to right field in the second inning. “It was really good to get that first hit out of the way,” Horwitz said.
His family was in the crowd, making for a truly exciting moment –and the perfect gift for his dad on Father’s Day. Playing primarily at second base, Horwitz finished the season batting .265, with 87 hits, 40 RBIs, 46 runs scored, 19 doubles and 12 home runs. In October, he was selected to MLB Pipeline’s All-Rookie Second Team.
Radford Athletics Hall of Fame
Radford Athletics honored some of its top athletes from the past during Homecoming week by inducting five new members into its Hall of Fame: Che’ Brown ’13 (women’s soccer), Roz Groce ’92 (women’s basketball), Alex Gregory ’09 (baseball), Nichole Beall ’12 (softball) and Greig Denny, who served as athletics director from 1996 to 2007 and as former baseball coach.
University’s most ambitious campaign culminates in record-setting total
By Bailey Black
The impact of this campaign wasn’t created through a single person or a single gift. The true strength of this campaign lies in the collective power of many coming together, each contribution amplifying the next. When we give as a community of Highlanders, our combined efforts will have a far greater impact than any single act of generosity could achieve on its own.”
President Bret Danilowicz
Jack and Sandra Davis, Chair of the Campaign Steering Committee, with President Bret Danilowicz
TOGETHER – The Campaign for Radford University is the largest and most ambitious campaign in the university’s history.
During the Campaign Closing Celebration on Oct. 5, 2024, the university announced that it had raised a record-setting $106,693,338 in support of Radford and its students.
This historic event, held in the newly opened Artis Center for Adaptive Innovation and Creativity, was attended by more than 200 of Radford’s most loyal supporters. The night featured musical and dance performances by current students,
inspiring stories from scholarship recipients and uplifting remarks from Vice President Penny Helms White ’85, MBA ’87, and President Bret Danilowicz. A captivating fireworks display served as the evening’s finale.
“In 2017, an ambitious $100 million goal was established. While we didn’t know what the next few years would bring at that time, there could be no more perfect campaign theme,” said White. “TOGETHER, we navigated unforeseen circumstances and world events. TOGETHER, we will celebrate an unprecedented achievement for this university.”
Radford University would not have been able to surpass its $100 million goal without the more than 18,400 donors who made gifts during the campaign. These donors made nearly 56,000 gifts in total, 39% of which were gifts of $50 or less. Every gift, no matter the amount, made a difference.
Kaylan Brown
Management major Kaylan Brown is the first recipient of the Pompa 757 Excellence Scholarship, created during the campaign by Russell Pompa ’84 and Lisa Pompa ’86. Unsure if Radford was the right place for him, Brown’s first semester was rocky until he was awarded a scholarship. Through this opportunity, he made life-changing connections with alumni, faculty and students and found his place, here, at Radford.
“Receiving the Pompa 757 Excellence Scholarship changed the trajectory of my college experience,” Brown said. “To everyone here tonight, I want you to know that the impact you have on students’ lives is truly priceless. It means more than words can describe to know that somebody believes in you.”
Common cause, collective effort saw many ways to give
Numerous successes and achievements were made possible by the generosity of donors.
During the campaign, the most successful crowdfunding initiative in the university’s history took place. RAD48 is a giving challenge in which donors have 48 hours to choose the team or area within Radford Athletics they would like to support. In 2023, more than $180,000 was raised in support of Athletics – more than double what had been raised the year before. Additionally, this challenge secured donors from all 50 states for the first time.
Many donors chose to make their impact by providing financial assistance in the form of scholarships. In fact, 51% of the money raised during this campaign specifically supported scholarships. Through this support, 178 new scholarships were created, bringing the total number of foundation and privately funded scholarships available to 662. Establishing a scholarship removes the financial barriers that prevent many students from being able to earn their degree. Scholarships also allow the university to attract and retain promising students, regardless of financial need.
Fully immersed in the spirit of giving, students made their mark during this campaign as well. The Highlander Senior Class Scholarship, created to support a rising senior, was fully funded and endowed by Radford students.
HIGHLIGHTS
18,478 donors 1,092 unique funds supported
39% were gifts of $50 or less
Another dedicated group of Highlanders demonstrated their commitment to the university’s future through planned giving. Ninety-nine new planned gifts were established during the campaign, totaling nearly $33 million. By including Penny Helms White ’85, MBA ’87
Natalie Preston
For nursing major and cross-country student-athlete Natalie Preston, college has been a balancing act. Coming from a family of six, with two siblings already in college, affordability was a key factor for Preston in choosing the right school. As a foundation scholarship recipient, she has been able to focus more on her studies and less on financial stress.
“As we try to balance a part-time job, classes, clinics, extracurricular activities and stress levels, how can we not think about how all of this would need to be paid back? How do we show up authentically?” asked Preston. “Because of the generosity of every individual in this room, students from all different backgrounds can come to experience college, get an education and focus on being present and absorbing the experience.”
Liz Altieri
Developing inclusive educators
Upon retiring from Radford University in 2024, Professor Liz Altieri established the Inclusive Educator Scholarship to provide financial assistance to a rising senior in the Inclusive Educator Teacher Preparation Program. Altieri worked diligently with colleagues to establish this four-year program that provides both elementary and special education licensure.
“Teachers need to be able to address all the intersecting complexities that children bring to school,” Altieri said. “It’s not just kids who have identified disabilities. There’s trauma, there’s poverty, there’s homelessness. If you want teachers who are prepared to work with all the kids in their classrooms, you need inclusive teacher preparation that focuses on not only providing good core instruction but also providing intervention, remediation and specialized instruction.”
To celebrate Altieri’s retirement, a crowdfunding effort was launched to ensure the scholarship would have an immediate impact. A dedicated network of Highlanders rallied together to raise more than $10,000 for the Inclusive Educator Scholarship. Additionally, Altieri established a planned gift to support her scholarship in the future.
Altieri dedicated her career to creating inclusive schools and communities. She is a founding faculty member of the Collaborative Co-Placed Elementary/Special Education Cohort and a co-director of the Virginia Inclusive Practices Center. During her tenure at Radford, she also brought in more than $700,000 in tuition funding for graduate students.
“I believe that teaching is a calling,” Altieri said. “It’s about the ability to touch so many lives through your teaching. That’s what makes it one of the greatest careers you can have.”
To support the Inclusive Educator Scholarship, please visit www.radford.edu/ inclusive-educator-scholarship. To learn more about including Radford in your estate plans, please contact Rebekah LaPlante at rlaplante@radford.edu.
Radford in their estate plans, these donors were able to leave a legacy that will endure far beyond the campaign’s lifetime.
The naming of the College of Nursing’s Clinical Simulation Center was made possible by an estate gift. Due to Jo Ann Morehead Bingham’s interest in healthcare, she made an estate gift to support the center’s mission of producing competent and compassionate clinicians. Now named the Jo Ann Bingham Clinical Simulation Center in her memory, her legacy will live on through the lives touched by nursing students and educators in the New River and Roanoke Valleys and beyond.
More than 27% of Radford employees gave during the campaign – a rate that is above the national average. Not only do faculty and staff demonstrate their commitment to students every day on campus, but they also give back to support the university’s future.
Rhett Herman, professor of physics at Radford, is one of the university’s consistent donors. He also encourages others to give. Herman leads the Arctic Geophysics Research Expedition, a biannual trip to Utqiagvik, Alaska, on which students develop their own research projects. However, this experience is expensive. To preserve this tradition of providing an unparalleled research experience to current and future students, Herman has led the charge on several crowdfunding projects that support the expedition and offset travel costs.
“This is another way that we can make a difference in our students’ lives and especially their future,” said Herman. “These types of beyond-the-classroom experiences are key for advancing their careers, and
Geoffrey Pollick of Radford University Highlanders Pipes and Drums
the number one barrier to students’ participation in these experiences is financial. We can make such a difference in overcoming this barrier by setting aside just a bit of each paycheck for them.”
Faculty, staff, alumni, parents, students and friends have come TOGETHER during this campaign for a common cause – supporting students. Whether it’s by making education more accessible, preparing students to excel in their fields of study, increasing academic engagement through hands-on experiences, giving student-athletes the resources they need or readying the university to seize unexpected opportunities and discoveries, students have been the focus.
This unprecedented generosity from Highlanders across the nation and around the world has already made an impact and will continue to shape the student experience for years to come.
“Education is a differentiator,” said Danilowicz. “It changes lives. It breaks down barriers and builds bridges at the same time. At Radford University, we are – and will remain – committed to keeping education accessible and affordable to all possessing the desire to attend.
“What Radford gets right is that community matters; success isn’t singular; there is power in collective effort; and that we, truly, are all in this TOGETHER!”
Mark and Joann Craig Supporting experiential learning
Scholarships play a key role in Radford University’s transformative educational experience, opening the door for deserving students to pursue their academic and professional dreams without taking on a financial burden.
Their firsthand experience as students at Radford inspired Mark Craig and Joann Craig ’83 to open doors of opportunity for future Highlanders. They established the Mark and Joann Craig Engaged Learning Scholarship during the TOGETHER Campaign to eliminate financial barriers for students pursuing experiential learning opportunities.
“Even though Radford is affordable, it’s still a big expense for many families,” Joann said. “We want to give someone an opportunity they might not have otherwise. I can’t imagine how different my life would have been had I not gone to Radford and gotten my degree.”
Since 2001, Joann has served as CFO of SAS Builders, Inc. and Campus Management Group (CMG). During this time, she has financed more than $200 million in nonrecourse loans and $100 million in recourse construction loans. She was appointed to the Radford University Board of Visitors in June 2023.
Mark spent 30 years in the marketing industry before focusing on residential and commercial real estate. He was an active member of the New River Valley Homebuilders Association, Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce and Rotary Club of ChristiansburgBlacksburg. At Radford, Mark participated in the adult degree program.
Coming from humble beginnings, Mark and Joann credit hard work, commitment and a well-rounded education with making their success possible. They also believe in “taking a leap of faith” and being willing to fail to succeed.
By creating a scholarship at Radford, the Craigs are empowering students to do just that – take on new challenges, explore different pathways, take risks, build resilience and learn from their experiences.
“The Radford experience makes a real impact,” Mark said.
Fireworks close the TOGETHER Campaign Celebration
Brian Robinson
Supporting first-gen business students
As a first-generation college student, Brian Robinson ’93 understands the transformative power a college degree can have on forging one’s own future.
Robinson is the head of Americas Prime Brokerage Sales, Equities Hedge Fund Segment and Equities Franchise Sales at Goldman Sachs, a leading global investment banking, securities, and asset and wealth management firm. In this role, he is dedicated to impacting clients, driving efficiency, scaling business and inspiring the people around him. He also serves on the Board of Trustees at the Guggenheim Museum and is a member of the Budget and Financial Planning Committee, the Audit Committee and the Communications Committee.
His commitment to inspire and help others led him to establish The Robinson Family Goldman Sachs Scholarship during the TOGETHER Campaign. This scholarship will support first-generation students in the Davis College of Business and Economics, where he studied finance.
“I’m glad I paid attention because I still use the concepts I learned,” Robinson said. “The academic program was rigorous and fair, the teachers were always accessible and I made lifelong friendships. I left Radford 30 years ago, but the experience is still impacting my life today.”
In 2021, Robinson shared his experience and advice with graduating Highlanders as the keynote speaker during Winter Commencement, and in 2023, he received Radford University’s Outstanding Alumnus Award for the remarkable contributions he has made in his field.
His dedication to his work and to empowering the next generation to pursue their dreams is clear.
“Help the people who need it most, transform the generations beyond, and make a real impact – that’s what I want to do.”
The Artis Center
On Sept. 20, the Artis Center for Adaptive Innovation and Creativity was officially dedicated during a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by several hundred people.
Named in honor of Nancy E. Artis ’73 and H. Pat Artis, Ph.D., this 178,000-square-foot, state-ofthe-art facility is a cornerstone of interdisciplinary collaboration. It is home to the College of Visual and Performing Arts and provides unique learning spaces for students in the Waldron College of Health and Human Services and the College of Nursing. Highlanders from a variety of disciplines across the university will use the facility to exchange ideas and engage in hands-on learning and problem-solving.
As the largest academic building on campus and the most significant capital construction project in Radford’s history, the Artis Center represents a tremendous commitment to the university’s future. Thanks to the Artises’ generosity, generations of Highlanders will benefit from the opportunity to learn, collaborate and innovate in this space.
As members of the TOGETHER Campaign Steering Committee, the Artises inspire others to give by leaning into their own motto: “Find a need and fill it.” Their gifts, focused on providing scholarships and enhancing student-focused facilities, are outstanding examples of this campaign’s commitment to changing countless lives and leaving a lasting legacy.
Nancy Artis graduated from Radford with a degree in biology and was awarded an honorary Doctor of Science degree in 2021. She formerly served on the Radford University Board of Visitors and Radford University Foundation Board of Directors, and she currently serves on the Artis College Dean’s Advisory Council. Pat Artis holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Virginia Tech, a Master of Science degree from Rutgers University and a Ph.D. from the University of Pretoria. Currently, he is a professor of practice in the Kevin T. Crofton Department of Aerospace and Ocean Engineering at Virginia Tech.
At the Artis Center dedication, the Artises offered one piece of advice to every current and future student who enters the building: “Your dreams are not large enough.” On behalf of Radford University, we extend a heartfelt thanks to Pat and Nancy Artis for their remarkable support during TOGETHER – The Campaign for Radford University.
Jim Stutts
Creating a life-changing legacy
Planned gifts allow donors to create an enduring legacy that will benefit students for generations to come. Jim Stutts ’78 and his wife, Cindy, made the decision to pay it forward by leaving a portion of their estate to Radford University.
“If Radford can affect future students as much as it affected me, I know it’s a good investment,” Stutts said. “Radford made such a positive impact on my life. The professors made sure that students had every opportunity to learn and grow and mature. When I graduated, I was fully prepared for my career path.”
A graduate of the recreation, parks and tourism program, Stutts retired from the Virginia Recreation and Park Society in 2021 after 40 years of service. He advocated for his alma mater throughout his career. While serving on the Radford University Board of Visitors from 1991 to 1999, Stutts coordinated visits to Southwest Virginia for members of the Virginia General Assembly to help them understand the needs of the university and surrounding area. Stutts also served as the Board’s rector.
In 2000, he received the Radford University Alumni Award for Outstanding Service. In 2021, he received the College of Education and Human Development’s inaugural Distinguished Alumni Award.
Stutts also has a family legacy at Radford with sister Lisa Peters ’87 and twin nieces Kelsey ’19, M.S. ’20 and Stephanie Peters ’19 having attended. “Radford is important to our family,” Stutts said.
By establishing a planned gift during the TOGETHER Campaign, Stutts ensured that students will continue to have the opportunity to pursue a transformative educational experience.
“I was very lucky to have discovered and experienced Radford,” Stutts said. “It was a life-changing opportunity for me. It makes us feel good to be able to pass that along.”
Enrollment
A collective effort ignites enrollment growth
By Neil Harvey
Radford’s Board of Visitors’ second meeting of the year in June was infused with a sense of prosperity and growth, brought on in large part by a forecast for significantly increased enrollment for the fall semester.
At the top of his quarterly report to the board, President Bret Danilowicz helped convey the mood by noting, “I do believe that a little bit of celebrating is in order today.”
With a total enrollment of nearly 7,700 students reported in September— an increase over last year—a quick tour through some of the final enrollment data bears that enthusiasm out.
In short: Year-over-year growth from fall 2023 includes a 28% increase in new freshmen and a 25% increase in new transfer students. Overall new student growth is boosted by 47% growth among students from Southwest Virginia, and enrollment by adults 25 years or older increased by 40% from previous years. Totals for first-generation and Pell-eligible Highlanders also achieved new heights.
Those achievements represent a collective effort, wrought by an array of such factors as the Radford Tuition Promise,
now renewed for a second year; the arrival in 2023 of Radford’s new Vice President for Enrollment Management and Strategic Communications Dannette Gomez Beane; the rollout of the school’s extensive rebranding; a newly redesigned website and several ambitious expansions in community outreach.
Considerable credit, too, has to go to a dedicated group within the university’s 84,000 alumni who – through programs like the Admissions Ambassadors and the Education Champions – donate their time, their energy, their knowledge and experience, and their enduring loyalty to Radford.
Alumni Admissions Ambassadors volunteer to reach out to high school students who have been accepted to Radford, and over the past year, they gave public talks, wrote thousands of personalized postcards and placed hundreds of calls to households.
Education Champions generally are secondary school faculty who act as Radford representatives and liaisons to the college-bound.
Here is a brief sampling of just a few of the alumni who support their alma mater through their volunteer work and service.
“Time to give back”
“That is great news,” Chad Burke ’91, of Chantilly, Virginia, said of Radford’s fall enrollment.
Burke, a retired Marine colonel who’s now a program manager for the Federal Aviation Administration’s DroneZone website, met his wife, Julie Burke ’91, when they were Radford undergraduates. Married in 1993, they now have three children.
Enrollment increase highlights Compared to 2023-24
25%
New transfer students
28%
New freshmen
40%
New students 25 years or older
47%
Students from Southwest Virginia
Radford Tuition Promise
Incoming freshmen and transfer students with Virginia residency whose families have an adjusted gross income (AGI) of $100,000 or less according to their 2022 federal income tax and a Student Aid Index (SAI) of less than $15,000 as determined by the FAFSA will receive federal, state and gift aid to cover the cost of their tuition at Radford University.
The Burke family
For the past few years, the Burkes have volunteered as Admissions Ambassadors, sharing their personal thoughts with students they hope will choose Radford.
“I just felt like it was time to give back,” Chad explained. “I got a lot out of the university and wanted to show my appreciation.
“Radford was a great start to my life, and it created a foundation of education and life lessons.”
Julie is a senior manager and North America Ventures & Acquisition Client Account HR Lead with Accenture, the company she’s worked for the past 25 years. She began volunteering as an Admissions Ambassador sometime around 2020.
“In the U.S. today, the college admittance process is not very personal anymore,” she said. “So I feel these individual connections, our postcards and calls, provide a personal touch that represents Radford well. I like to share my experiences at the school, specifically that all of my professors knew me by name, as opposed to sitting in a lecture hall with hundreds of people.
“My time at Radford was special; I met my spouse and so many lifelong friends there. Radford was right for me – not too big, not too little – and I think that size can also be a good fit for many other students.”
“They made me fly”
For Kathy Grimes ’75, giving back to her alma mater has practically become a second career.
A resident of Ocean City, Maryland – and an auxiliary officer for its police department – Grimes studied health and physical education at Radford, then taught high school and college for about 20 years.
Today, she’s president of the Delmarva Radford University Alumni Chapter and an extremely active booster, given to approaching anyone she spots bearing even the smallest of
“
I feel these individual connections, our postcards and calls, provide a personal touch that represents Radford well.”
JULIE BURKE ’91
Kathy Grimes ’75
Highlander gear.
“If I see a parked car that has a Radford sticker, I leave a note on it: ‘I’m Kathy, from Ocean City, and we have an alumni association here. Please contact me if you have any questions,’” she explained, adding that she has recruited for her chapter that way. “Wherever I am, I’m looking for stickers.”
That same focus goes into her work with prospective students. Although she composes up to 100 postcards a year, she’s careful to lend each one its own unique wording and to mail them simultaneously.
“These kids that are at the same high schools, hopefully the mail will get them there at the same time,” Grimes said, “I never want any of them to say, ‘I got a postcard from Radford’ and have somebody else say, ‘I didn’t.’”
Grimes also boasts an extensive Radford lineage – all four of her sons are Highlanders, as well as each of their spouses. She wants students and their parents to know she saw fit to send all of her children there, and as such, she said she can personally speak to the value of nine individual majors.
One key reason for her level of school spirit? Radford changed her life, she said.
“I wasn’t a straight-A student. I wasn’t a bad student, but I was a social butterfly. But there were a lot of opportunities to grow there. They took a mediocre student, and they made me fly,” Grimes recalled.
“And I found out Radford does that well, and I share that with the parents. They need to understand it’s not just the ‘A’ students that get all the opportunities, all the attention. It’s everyone.”
Pop-up video
Tony Johnson ’07 graduated and entered the working world at a crucial moment in technology – he received his diploma one month before Apple’s iPhone hit the market and forever changed the way people can receive information.
So there’s a symmetry to the fact that he forged a modern approach to his admissions ambassadorship. Now a real estate agent in Chesapeake, Virginia, Johnson recently supplemented his outreach by recording an on-camera testimonial to the young people considering Radford.
“Kids today, they do video,” he reasoned. “What’s a better way than video for them to see how excited you are? I think you can get to know people better if you see what their facial expressions look like.”
Johnson’s video is sent to prospective students who have been admitted.
“I’m reaching out to congratulate you on being accepted into the Highlander
It’s not just the ‘A’ students that get all the opportunities, all the attention. It’s everyone.”
KATHY GRIMES ’75
family,” he explains in his 73-second clip, clad in his school’s signature colors. “My Radford experience prepared me not only for success in my field but success in life in general.”
He also urges viewers to visit campus and congratulates them on their high school graduation.
“I just do it for the love of the school,” Johnson said.
Undisputed ‘Champion’
It’s only been five years since
Chelsea Curtis ’19 graduated from Radford, and today, she teaches English literature and composition at Magna Vista High School in Ridgeway, Virginia.
Curtis is both a Ridgeway native and a Magna Vista grad.
“I came back home,” she recently said. “It was strange at first, but at this point, I call my old teachers by their first names, so it’s not weird
anymore. It’s very cool.”
Curtis is also an Education Champion, an in-school advocate for her alma mater.
“For me, it’s finding a way to make college not so scary for students, and with my experience with Radford, and with it being fairly close to where I’m at, that’s easy to do,” she explained.
Much of that, she said, involves introducing students to opportunities in higher education.
Last fall, Curtis brought a group
of students to Radford’s campus, where they engaged with the English department, toured the grounds and had lunch at Dalton Hall.
She’s also imported experts to Ridgeway, such as admissions counselor Mark Shuman, who visited Magna Vista when her class was learning about resumes. Shuman offered firsthand information about preparing their materials for college and employment.
Another of her professors, Amanda Kellogg, MBA ’23, who previously served as a graduate programs coordinator at Radford, also sat in on one of Curtis’ classes. An associate professor with a doctorate in English literature, Kellogg provided feedback on the students’ Shakespeare projects but also gave them exposure of a higher variety.
“That was the first time a lot of my students met someone with a Ph.D.,” Curtis said. “It was the first time a lot of them heard about what a Ph.D. is, and I explained that you can get a Ph.D. in anything, anything you’re excited about in school, and be a doctor of it. It was a way of encouraging learning and saying, ‘Do what makes you happy.’”
“As an alumni, you want to know how to get involved, and you want to know what you can do to support the university other than donating money. You look into the programs Radford has and the initiatives that the alumni are doing, and you can find one that fits you,” she said.
“I was very excited to see this one, that fits me, because it involves my own students, and it’s just so special to me.”
Want to give back? For more information about volunteer opportunities for Radford University alumni, go to: https:// www.radford.edu/ alumni/volunteer.html.
Tony Johnson ’07
Chelsea Curtis ’19, center
AC TION
Students, alums alike dedicated to community service
By Mark Lambert, M.S. ’97 and David E. Perryman, Ph.D.
Since its early days as a normal school for women, Radford University has instilled a spirit of service among its students, employees and graduates who, in turn, have impacted local and regional communities through a variety of serviceoriented programs.
Highlanders have done everything from sewing surgical dressings, gowns and wound wipes for soldiers in world wars to petitioning to help save more than 4,000 acres of forest at Pond Ridge and Bent Mountain in Virginia. This legacy of service lives on today in the works of Highlanders on our campuses, as well as throughout Southwest Virginia and beyond.
Enhancing healthcare for underserved populations
Five Radford University students and one faculty member traveled to Cusco, Peru, in March 2024 for a nine-day service-learning trip that included students from MEDLIFE chapters at universities.
The students, from the physician assistant, nursing and biomedical science programs, are members of the MEDLIFE student organization of Radford University Carilion (RUC) in Roanoke. MEDLIFE is a nonprofit that partners with low-income communities in Latin America and Africa to improve access to medicine, education and community development projects.
Led by Brian Buccola ’09, PA ’16, physician assistant program director of clinical education and academic advisor to MEDLIFE, the Highlanders saw 641 patients in Paru Paru – a community in Cusco near the Apus mountains of Pisaq. They assisted with a range of procedures, including OBGYN exams, dental treatments and education about healthcare and general hygiene.
The patients seen during the trip rarely have access to such services.
“This trip brought me so much perspective on cultural differences and global healthcare, especially the need to advocate for access to medical care in underserved populations,” said Lauren Luther ’24, a biomedical science student who graduated in May.
“ This trip brought me so much perspective on cultural differences
and global healthcare.”
In addition to Luther, the other Highlanders included physician assistant students Mackenzie Tewksbury and Alyssa Woodward, biomedical science student Troy Stallard ’24 and nursing student Sofia Stallard.
Fostering communication and literacy skills in children
For 29 years, Radford University has hosted the RiteCare Clinic Summer Camp – a partnership between Radford’s Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic and the Scottish Rite Masons of Virginia. The Scottish Rite Masons provide financial support for the five-week day camps, which help children develop and enhance their communication and literacy skills. The program also offers graduate student clinicians invaluable training and experience.
Meredith Gwinn, a Radford student and recipient of a Scottish Rite Mason 2024 summer scholarship, said, “Working with these children has been so rewarding, and we have seen several members of our group not
only thrive but also independently start and hold conversations with others.”
Helping high school students prepare for their future
An initiative launched in 2023 through Radford’s business school has hosted more than 100 local high school students, giving five separate groups of young people the chance to see what campus life is like and to offer them workshops on practical and constructive topics such as time management, conflict resolution, career success, goal setting, starting a business and personal branding in an age of social media. Based out of the Venture Lab, the program is a partnership between the Davis College of Business and Economics and Junior Achievement of Southwest Virginia, which between January and April welcomed students from Botetourt, Carroll, Salem and Wythe County high schools, as well as Roanoke’s Burton Center for Arts & Technology.
Uniting alumni in service to communities
The alumni office launched a special initiative earlier this year, Alumni in Action, to showcase how Radford alumni make an impact on their communities. The program brings Radford graduates together to increase their engagement in the university while performing community service projects. Alumni in the Richmond and Roanoke areas recently united on two service activities as part of the 2024 Highlander Hometown Community Service Tour.
Richmond-based alumni Byron Chafin ’90 and his wife Nancy, Brandon Tusing ’16 and Michael Means ’05 joined Beyond Boundaries staff member Nate Knight and intern Carson Murff ’24 to lead a hike for the Autism Society of
Central Virginia at Powhite Park. Co-founded by Shep Roeper ’08 and Kyle Burnette ’08, Beyond Boundaries is a nonprofit organization specializing in guiding participants with disabilities, veterans, underserved youth and recovery programs on outdoor adventures.
The 2-mile hike down the rocky, root-laden trail made a big impact on all participants, who observed a variety of plants and trees as well as a few snakes and deer. The group carried trash bags along the hike to pick up garbage and other items that appeared to be out of place. At the end of the trail, the youth recounted their favorite parts of the hike while alumni-volunteers discussed what went well and ways to improve future activities.
On June 14, 18 alumni members of the Roanoke Alumni Chapter, whose class years ranged from 1966 to 2024, joined forces with Radford University staff and students for an afternoon of fellowship and community service at Feeding Southwest Virginia’s Salem Distribution Center. The organization’s mission is to nourish neighbors, engage community partners and develop solutions to address food insecurities. Led by Tina Weiner ’72, the Highlander team sorted, inspected and boxed 6,100 pounds of nonperishable food items for future distribution to the community.
While these projects are spearheaded by alumni chapters, the alumni office is gathering stories from alumni across the country to highlight their community service commitments. You can share your project by visiting 2024 Highlander Hometown Tour at radford.edu or calling 540-831-5248.
AC TION
Laura LeCroy Towns ’08, B.S. in biology
In 2009, Laura LeCroy Towns ’08 began volunteering with Dog Days of Charlotte, an organization that helps rescue dogs from high-kill shelters and place them in foster homes around the Charlotte, North Carolina, area. She says that her motivation was learning that shelters in North Carolina were euthanizing animals inhumanely.
“I, along with two others, was there from the beginning, pulling dogs for rescue, sending them to placement in foster homes, scheduling vet visits and coordinating transporting and pass-off,” Towns said. “At one point, we were saving about 100 lives a month. It was amazing.”
Towns says that she often made trips to shelters that left her in tears.
“I will never forget the way I felt having to leave some of those poor dogs behind,” she said. “I knew it was part of my calling in life. Shelters can only take so many animals in. Without rescue groups, all of those innocent lives would be euthanized.”
To this day, the 2008 Radford grad and Mechanicsville, Virginia, native says she still receives Facebook messages or e-mails with pictures of dogs the group helped save over the years.
Reggie Gilmore ’95, B.S. in criminal justice
As a 28-year veteran at the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department in Charlotte, North Carolina, Reggie Gilmore ’95 has a lot of experience and wisdom to pass along to the next generation. In 2012, the Madison County, Virginia, native started volunteering as a coach with the Police Activities League of Charlotte (PAL Charlotte), which provides opportunities for youth in the Charlotte community that foster their leadership and citizenship skills through academics, dedication, enrichment and athletics.
“In 2014, I was fortunate to be assigned to the position of athletic coordinator with PAL Charlotte,” Gilmore said. “I am focused on organizing and promoting eight different athletic programs that serve 500 youth per year, as well as coordinating program volunteers. I also coordinate a PAL youth mentoring program and act as a liaison between community organizations and our programs.”
Gilmore says that PAL Charlotte gives youth access to resources that they may not have at home. The officers involved also act as role models and provide guidance, build the children’s confidence and serve as positive influences.
“Now more than ever, it is crucial to mentor and influence youth and to teach critical skills like initiative, leadership, accountability and integrity,” he said.
Now more than ever, it is crucial to mentor and influence youth and to teach critical skills like initiative, leadership, accountability and integrity.”
REGGIE GILMORE ’95
Kevin Bugg ’85, B.S. in finance/insurance
Not long after Kevin Bugg ’85 joined the Smith Mountain Striper Club in 2021, he and two other members of the group founded Reel Connections for Kids to provide a vital connection between underserved children and adults. In early 2022, Bugg and his fellow club members organized a charitable fishing event as a service project. With the assistance of Lake Christian Ministries, the club connected 16 children with eight professional Smith Mountain Lake guides for a day of fishing, fun and fellowship. Following the success of the inaugural event, the club created a standalone nonprofit organization to better serve the community.
“The goal is for children to gain a useful skill, develop a lasting connection with Smith Mountain Lake, gain an understanding of the need for conservation and develop an appreciation for the need for safety on the water,” said Bugg, a Charlottesville, Virginia, native who now lives in Kernersville, North Carolina.
In May 2024, the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, in partnership with the Wildlife Foundation of Virginia, announced that Reel Connections was among 10 organizations to receive a 2024 Virginia Wildlife Grant. These grants fund organizations with a common mission of connecting people to the outdoors.
Barbara Thrush Lester ’67, B.S. in health and physical education
When Barbara Thrush Lester ’67, a retired family medicine physician, founded Joy House RVA in 2014, she says it was inspired by a vision God gave her. After seeing a foreclosure notice in the newspaper, she and her late husband, Ron, decided to look at the property. As the only bidders on the house, they were able to buy it “for a song.”
“It took a year to repair and upgrade the house for habitation, but God held our hands the whole way,” Lester said. “All the contractors answered my calls and showed up every day until their job was done.”
As renovations wrapped up, Lester learned that CARITAS, Richmond’s largest homeless shelter, needed housing for graduates of their program. She and her husband met with representatives from CARITAS and found that homeless women in Richmond had few opportunities for housing. With a clear purpose for their newly renovated house, the Lesters created Joy House RVA as a nonprofit home for women. In January 2016, the first four residents moved in.
The success of Joy House RVA is evident in the exponential growth of the organization, which now has three houses in operation, with a fourth scheduled to open this fall.
“I have learned so much through getting to know these resilient women,” Lester said. “They have strengths in ways most of us can’t imagine.”
By Justin Ward ’10, M.S. ’23, Chad Osborne and David E. Perryman, Ph.D.
At Radford University, research is more than an academic requirement – it’s a driving force behind the institution’s mission to create and disseminate knowledge that positively impacts the world.
Through rigorous investigation and creative scholarship, Radford students, faculty and alumni are making significant contributions to their fields and communities, both locally and globally.
Empowering communities through history and technology
Research at Radford is deeply integrated into the student experience, offering opportunities for undergraduates and graduates alike to collaborate with faculty on projects that address real-world challenges. Whether in a laboratory, in the field or through community outreach, students work side by side with professors to develop research questions, select methodologies, collect and analyze data and, ultimately, share their findings. This hands-on approach not only enhances students’ academic growth but also prepares them for lifelong learning and success in their chosen careers.
Jeanne Mekolichick, associate provost for research, faculty success and strategic initiatives, emphasizes the transformative power of research. “In addition to teaching our students how to explore specific questions and develop innovative solutions, we prepare them to embrace lifelong learning,” she said. “This is a continuous process that involves successes and failures, revealing new insights that beg new questions, ultimately leading to the discovery of connections where previously there were none. In this respect, research is a way of being in the world that prepares our graduates for fulfilling careers and enriching lives.”
One shining example of Radford’s impact is the Community Digitization Project, spearheaded by Professor of History Sharon Roger Hepburn and her students. This initiative helps communities and families preserve their valuable histories through digitization, providing a unique opportunity for students interested in digital archiving. The project, housed in the Department of History’s newly established Center for Archives and Digital History in Hemphill Hall, offers these services free of charge, underscoring Radford’s commitment to community engagement and historical preservation.
The center is more than just a facility; it’s a hub where students gain practical experience in digital archiving while serving the public. Hepburn and her students are committed to preserving an unlimited amount of material, ensuring that the stories of local families and communities are not lost to time. Their work exemplifies the university’s dedication to making a positive difference in society through research and innovation.
Protecting Virginia’s native species
In biology, Professor Karen Powers and her students are making significant strides in wildlife conservation. While her research began with bats, Powers has expanded her focus to include the Allegheny woodrat, a once-common species now at risk due to habitat loss, genetic isolation and parasites. Powers and her students are the only team in Virginia studying these native rodents, working alongside a multistate coalition to preserve them.
“ Research is a way of being in the world that prepares our graduates for fulfilling careers and enriching lives.”
JEANNE MEKOLICHICK
The research is physically demanding, requiring arduous hikes and explorations of caves across western Virginia. Despite the challenges, Powers and her students are passionate about their work, which not only contributes to the conservation of a threatened species but also provides students with invaluable hands-on experience in the field.
“We work collaboratively with many states to assist with recovery efforts – students see conservation in action,” Powers explained. This research not only helps protect Virginia’s natural heritage but also instills a deep sense of environmental stewardship in the next generation of scientists.
A student digitizes historic letters as part of the Community Digitization Project
Jeanne Mekolichick, associate provost for research, faculty success and strategic initiatives
Spreading the love of bees
Another area where Radford students are making an impact is in the study of bees, under the guidance of Associate Professor Chet Bhatta. Biology undergraduates are engaged in research that ranges from exploring bee community assemblages to studying the antimicrobial properties of beehive products. Their work is gaining recognition, with several students receiving awards for their contributions.
In December 2023, five undergraduate students coauthored a manuscript on bumble bee parasitism for the Journal of Natural History of Virginia. This achievement highlights the high level of research being conducted by Radford students and the university’s role in advancing knowledge about these vital pollinators. Through their research, these students are contributing to the scientific community while raising awareness about the importance of bee conservation.
Faith, health and research in Appalachia
Radford’s commitment to research extends beyond the laboratory and into the heart of the Appalachian region. Through the RARE Appalachia program, students have the opportunity to conduct original research while exploring the unique cultural and environmental landscape of Virginia’s Appalachian highlands. Nursing student Veronica Vann, for example, used this opportunity to investigate how faith leaders influence the physical and emotional health of their congregations.
“We know that more religious people tend to be healthier and have better health outcomes,” said Vann, a nursing student from Richmond, Virginia. “This has been proven over and over again. However, there isn’t much research on the causes of this phenomenon. I wanted to explore just one angle: how faith leaders directly affect health.”
During her research, Vann interviewed priests and pastors, discovering the critical role they play in community health, from organizing food banks to running halfway houses. Her work not only sheds light on the intersection of faith and health but also highlights the broader impact that Radford students are having on the communities they study and serve.
Paving professional research pathways for alumni
Many alumni — once bitten by the research bug at Radford — go on to earn doctorates and pursue researchrelated careers in academia or industry.
For Bismark Amofah ’17, a senior scientist in the biologics engineering department at global biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, a June 2013 phone call with then-Radford men’s soccer coach Mark Reeves set him on the path to a career in research.
A native of Ghana, Amofah had moved to England as a child to continue his schooling after his mother died. There, he was recruited to play on the Reading Football Club’s (Reading FC) academy team.
“Coach Reeves asked me about my family, my father, my brothers, my sister,” he recalled. “He showed care and concern for me as a person, first and foremost, not as a soccer player. And that helped me make my decision to go to Radford.”
Bismark Amofah ’17 began his research career as a Radford student (top photo). He went on to earn a Ph.D. and is now a senior scientist at AstraZeneca.
“ This wouldn’t have happened without
BISMARK AMOFAH ’17
When Amofah failed his first two exams in General Chemistry 1 — he had been out of school for two years during an apprenticeship at Reading FC following high school — Tim Fuhrer, an associate professor of physical chemistry, offered words of encouragement that inspired him to persist. He passed the course and went on to earn an A- in General Chemistry 2 the following semester.
As a sophomore, Amofah joined Fuhrer’s research lab, began to present research posters at conferences and secured a paid summer research job for the remainder of his time at Radford. Following graduation, he earned a Ph.D. in biochemistry at the University of Arizona and then decided to pursue a research career in industry instead of academia.
At AstraZeneca, Amofah works on a variety of research projects – from flu vaccines and COVID-19 antibodies to cancer drugs.
“This wouldn’t have happened without Radford,” he said. “From the day I stepped onto campus to the day I graduated, I was surrounded by a network of people who were pulling for my success, listening to me, advising me and guiding me in the right direction.”
Academic advisors in Radford’s chemistry department first sowed the research seed in the mind of then-freshman Donita Brady ’03, who today is the Harrison McCrea Dickson, M.D. and Clifford C. Baker, M.D. Presidential Associate Professor in the Department of Cancer Biology at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine.
“They were excellent resources who helped me select coursework based on my interests and encouraged me to explore undergraduate summer research programs,” said Brady, a 2003 Big South All-Academic Team softball player.
Chemistry faculty members Cindy Burkhardt and Francis Webster also helped shepherd Brady down the research pathway, piquing her interest through their instruction and writing recommendation letters for her summer research program applications.
This support helped open the door to Brady’s participation in the Carolina Summer Fellowship Program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
“By the time I graduated from Radford, I had fallen in love with research,” Brady recalled. “I really liked the process of formulating a new research question, testing a hypothesis and then becoming the first person in the world to collect and analyze a unique data set.”
Radford.”
After graduating from Radford as a chemistry major, Brady earned a Ph.D. in pharmacology at UNC-Chapel Hill. Today, she leads a diverse team of undergraduates, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and research staff investigating how different nutrients in a person’s diet can affect cancer cell communications. She also directs the IDEAL Research office, which cultivates a culture of equitable inclusivity across all Perelman School of Medicine education programs. Through this effort, Brady emphasizes the importance of a strong scientific foundation, curiosity, collaboration and community to a diverse group of learners, including summer undergraduate researchers, postbaccalaureate scholars, Ph.D. students and postdoctoral teaching and research trainees.
“Medicine has become so specialized today that no one is an expert in everything,” she observed. “Our ability as researchers to talk across disciplines, be open to other perspectives and make connections across differences are keys to success.”
Building a legacy of research excellence
Radford University’s Office of Research and Creative Scholarship plays a pivotal role in supporting the diverse research activities of students and faculty and preparing alumni to pursue careers in research. By securing grant funding, fostering partnerships with other institutions and integrating research opportunities into academic programs, the office ensures that research remains a cornerstone of the Radford experience.
Through their research, Radford students, faculty and alumni are leaving an indelible mark on the world, demonstrating the power of knowledge to effect positive change. Whether preserving history, protecting wildlife, conserving pollinators or exploring new treatments for a range of health conditions, the Radford community is living its mission to create knowledge that matters.
Donita Brady ’03, Ph.D.
Work-based learning creates win-win impact for students, employers
By Neil Harvey
ROM HIS FIRST DAY IN OFFICE , President
Bret Danilowicz has made clear that one of his top priorities is to promote economic interface between the university, the City of Radford and the greater region.
Last fall, he established that goal as one of the pillars of the university’s 2024-2025 strategic plan.
“The next two years will see a significant increase in university-business partnerships that provide work-based learning opportunities for our students,” Danilowicz said during his homecoming address in October 2023.
Since then, an array of awards, initiatives and people have come together to help that plan coalesce.
Grants open doors to work-based learning
Back in February, the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) presented Radford with a $100,000 grant from the Virginia Talent + Opportunity Partnership (V-TOP).
That money went into the Highlander Works Grant program to supplement work-based learning opportunities – primarily covering expenses that full-time students incur during internships, like transportation and housing.
“We funded 25 students who had internships in a variety of industries, including the arts, financial services, technology, manufacturing and health care,” said Lee
Svete, director of Career and Talent Development at Radford, which administers the program.
The SCHEV V-TOP funding provided those Highlanders an average of $3,000 each, amounting to competitive pay of about $20 an hour, as they held summer positions with companies like Brown Edwards, Regal Rexnord and the Salem Medical Center.
The remaining $32,000 assists student interns this fall.
Another grant, facilitated by The Division of Economic Development and Corporate Education and bestowed by the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), will support about 22 honors student researchers as they explore the best uses for the Radford Foundry, the West Main Street industrial site acquired by the city in 2023.
“The goal will be to develop an interdisciplinary approach ... with an eye toward how the city can make the most of the foundry now and in the future,” said Jason Davis, one of the professors leading the project.
“We’ll be making general recommendations, based both on the unique qualities of this property and rehabilitation projects from similar sites, and presenting that to city council.”
Internship experience on campus leads to bigger opportunity
MacKenzie Wallace, a native of Mappsville on the eastern shore of Virginia, came to Radford last fall to earn her master’s degree.
Over the summer, she interned with Radford’s Enrollment Management and Strategic Communications division and, through that position, took part in the NRV Experience –essentially a supplemental internship for local interns.
Hosted by Onward NRV, an economic development nonprofit, NRV Experience offers participants career development sessions and networking opportunities and it exposes them to the region’s businesses and unique attributes.
This year’s NRV Experience interns included students from the area in addition to natives of Illinois, New York and Tennessee.
From May into August, they attended sessions led by representatives from Radford, Virginia Tech and New River Community College and toured sites like Mountain Lake resort, the Floyd Center for the Arts and Claytor Lake.
Wallace will complete her studies in May 2025 and now intends to remain in the valley.
“I never thought I would want to work in higher education until I did the internships, and it has given me more of the will to stay here,” Wallace said. “And I realized I also like the area.”
Alumni
help pave the way for internships, full-time employment
Radford alumni have also helped open the door to full-time employment for other Highlanders by offering internship experiences. Allison Felix ’01 is a prime example of this.
Upon graduating, she got a job as assistant to the president of Cassaday & Co., the McLean, Virginia, wealth management firm.
Felix, a New England native, is still there today, now serving as chief operating officer and a managing partner.
She’s also a Radford University Foundation board member who has hired other Highlanders, such as Thomas Truluck ’19, an advanced strategies analyst, and Robert Blankenship ’20, a senior research associate.
“Robert was an intern here, and we ended up saying, ‘Don’t go back to campus, stay here and work,’” Felix said, recalling that Blankenship completed his senior year remotely while an employee.
The company’s president and CEO, Stephan Cassaday ’76, is a past member of Radford’s Board of Visitors. Cassaday has a staff of 86, roughly a dozen of which are Radford alums, including Alex Karkeek ’11, an Exeter, England, import who, last spring, became a U.S. citizen and remains a Virginia resident.
Other Radford alumni who joined Cassaday as interns include Christopher Young ’99, Sean Gallahan ’08 and Thomas Wagaman ’17. “It’s nice to feel that we partner in the life cycle of students, pushing them out into the workplace where they can give back not only to society but to the state of Virginia and Radford as a whole,” Felix said.
Mackenzie Wallace
Allison Felix ’01
25 years of ADVOCACY DAY
By Justin Ward ’10, M.S. ’23
ach January, a group of Radford University students embarks on a journey to Richmond, the heart of Virginia’s government. There, they don’t just observe the legislative process – they participate in it.
For 25 years, Radford University’s Advocacy Day has given students a unique opportunity to engage with lawmakers, advocate for their university and gain hands-on experience in state governance. This has turned into one of the longestrunning experiences of its kind among public institutions in the commonwealth.
Karen Casteele ’79, the current secretary to the Radford University Board of Visitors, remembers when it all began.
“I started at Radford in Government Relations, and on my first day, I told my then-boss, Vice President David Burdette, that we needed to get students to Richmond,” she said. The concept was simple but powerful: Who better to advocate for the university than the students who directly benefit from its programs and initiatives?
Advocacy Day was born from this idea. The event serves multiple purposes: elevating Radford University’s reputation, advancing
its legislative agenda and providing students with hands-on experience in advocacy and networking. The event has evolved over the years, but its core mission remains the same.
The advocacy experience
Sponsored by Radford’s Student Government Association (SGA), Advocacy Day gives students the chance to meet one-on-one with members of the Virginia General Assembly. Over the course of two days, students have small group meetings with individual delegates and senators, and opportunities to observe the legislative session from the gallery.
For many students, this immersive experience is transformative.
Among the first to experience this groundbreaking event was George Mendiola Jr. ’00, MBA ’02, who attended the inaugural Advocacy Day
Effective governance relies on listening to the voices of those it serves.”
GEORGE MENDIOLA JR. ’00, MBA ’02
and currently serves as a member of the university Board of Visitors. He vividly remembers the excitement of representing Radford University at the state capitol. “Radford Advocacy set a new standard, significantly influencing the General Assembly’s understanding of its institutions of higher education,” he said. “Effective governance relies on listening to the voices of those it serves. We emphasized that every dollar invested has a lasting impact, benefiting future generations long after legislators have moved on,” he said.
For Mendiola, this was more than just a trip to Richmond; it was the beginning of a passion for advocacy that would shape his future.
His participation in the first Advocacy Day laid the foundation for what has now become a quartercentury tradition. His experience echoes Casteele’s sentiments– students advocating for their university create a powerful, personal connection with lawmakers.
In one instance, after advocating to mandate the appointment of a nonvoting student member to the BOV, Mendiola learned lawmakers passed the legislation. “While others
Levar Cole ’02, L. Jason Miller ’02, Norleen Pomerantz, former Vice President for Student Affairs, and George Mendiola Jr. ’00, MBA ’02 (lower right) on the steps of the Virginia State Capitol
had advocated for this legislation, as far as we knew, no one had physically sat with legislators during the session to share our perspectives. It showed us that our presence and voices mattered more than we realized,” Mendiola said. His experience, like that of many other Advocacy Day alumni, shows how deeply the event has influenced generations of Radford students.
Colleen McNickle ’20, M.S. ’22, who attended the event five times, reflects on how Advocacy Day shaped her career path. Meeting fellow alumni like Denia Rauls ’18, who had already secured a legislative assistant position shortly after graduation, showed her that a job in government was a real possibility. “That impacted me because I was approaching my undergrad graduation and I saw that she had already landed on her feet working in state government,” McNickle said.
Advocacy Day, for her, represented a blend of personal growth and community-building. “Getting students involved in lobbying for their school not only gives students a
Advocacy Day allows students to personalize Radford to lawmakers in a way that might influence their decisions about higher education in our region.”
Jessica Wollmann-Reynolds ’19
heightened sense of community but also gives them their first exposure to the legislative process. Investing in students that way pays dividends for the school as well,” she said.
McNickle went on to double major in media studies and political science and later based her graduate thesis on female politicians. Today, she works in government relations, a career path she credits to her experiences during Advocacy Day.
Jessica Wollmann-Reynolds ’19 echoes the sentiment that Advocacy Day strengthens the Radford community and its ties to state lawmakers.
“Advocacy Day allows students to personalize Radford to lawmakers in a way that might influence their decisions about higher education in our region,” Wollmann-Reynolds said.
As a former student representative to the Board of Visitors and a leader in Radford’s SGA, she saw Advocacy Day as an opportunity to deepen her already strong involvement in the university community. “Even if we only had five minutes with a lawmaker, I was always impressed by the attentiveness they showed us,” she said.
The lasting impact of Advocacy Day
Over the years, Radford’s students have advocated for various university priorities, from building renovations to increased state funding of student aid. In many cases, they have seen the direct results of their efforts.
McNickle, for example, recalls lobbying for support for the Artis Center for Adaptive Innovation and Creativity during her time as
a student. Today, that building is a reality. “That is such a remarkable experience for a college student to get to have,” she said. “I also think statewide, we set the trend of having Advocacy Day and now all of these young people are getting involved in the government process in Virginia on behalf of their schools,” she said.
Beyond individual successes, the relationships built during Advocacy Day have had a lasting impact on the university. “Advocacy Day ensures that Radford is remembered when decisions about higher education are being made in the Virginia legislature,” said Wollmann-Reynolds. “I hope it reminds legislators of the concerns and priorities university students actually have and that they take those thoughts into their lawmaking.”
Casteele emphasizes that these relationships are built on consistency. “When we walk into meetings with legislators, they remember us from the year before,” she said. “That continuity is key. It helps us advocate more effectively for the university.”
What students can expect
Advocacy Day is more than just meetings—it’s a comprehensive learning experience that begins weeks before the trip to Richmond. Students selected to participate attend three mandatory training sessions where they learn about the structure of Virginia’s government, the issues they’ll be advocating for and the proper etiquette for interacting with lawmakers. They also develop their personal narratives, which they use to explain why Radford University matters to them and why it deserves the continued support of the state.
“We might only have five or 10 minutes with a legislator, but in those few minutes, we have to make an impression,” said Wollmann-Reynolds. In addition to individual meetings with legislators, students have the chance to observe floor debates, tour historic government buildings, and attend networking events with alumni and state officials.
Looking to the future
Over the past 25 years, Advocacy Day has proven to be far more than just a trip to Richmond. It’s clear that the event has become a big part of Radford University’s commitment to student engagement and experiential learning. By sending students to speak directly with lawmakers, Radford ensures that the voices of those most affected by policy decisions are heard. The alumni stories illustrate how impactful the experience can be. Whether it’s sparking an interest in government, as it did for Colleen McNickle, or providing a springboard to a successful career, like it did for George Mendiola Jr., Advocacy Day leaves a lasting impression.
As Radford University continues to send students to the state capital year after year, the legacy of Advocacy Day grows stronger. And with each new group of students, the university’s message to lawmakers in Richmond remains clear: Radford matters, and its students are ready to make a difference.
2024 2017
Adkins
Giving back to Radford
Bluebird Network CEO Jason Adkins helps MBA students take the next step
By Bailey Black
The Master of Business Administration (MBA) program at Radford University provides students with a solid foundation in core business disciplines — from operations management and marketing to accounting, finance and strategic management. Designed to meet the needs of working professionals, the program prepares students to fill a variety of leadership roles in public and private sectors of the global economy.
Jason Adkins, MBA ’98, is now the CEO at Bluebird Network. He credits the MBA program with opening the door to his successful career in telecommunications.
“After I got my MBA, I got an important promotion, and one of the reasons I got that promotion was because I had my MBA. That was one of the deciding factors,” said Adkins. “I feel like that stamp on my passport from Radford helped propel me forward, and now I’m lucky enough to be a CEO for the second time.”
Adkins moved to Roanoke, Virginia, after earning his undergraduate degree at James Madison University. When he decided to pursue his MBA, Radford had exactly what he was looking for – a hands-on program that accommodated working professionals.
“All the classes were very practical and very applicable for someone who was already in the workforce. All the professors did a great job of relating it to the real world,” explained Adkins. “They encouraged us to tell stories about what we were facing at work – real problems –and the class debated solutions. The coursework felt very current.”
Adkins served on the management teams at several telecommunications companies, including Windstream, Kentucky Data Link (KDL), TelCove, Conterra Networks and KMC Telecom, prior to landing his first CEO role at Unite Private Networks. As CEO, Adkins led the management team that grew Unite into a company with over $150M annual revenue. Cox Communications invested in Unite in 2016 and purchased it outright in 2023.
After enjoying a brief retirement, the 29-year fiber industry veteran went back to work in March 2024 to serve as CEO at Bluebird Network, a communications infrastructure provider and operator of two data
centers and more than 11,000 miles of fiber. Bluebird supports many businesses, schools, hospitals and other enterprises across the Midwest. As CEO, Adkins believes in leading by example.
Adkins has applied many of the lessons he learned at Radford throughout his career, from discussions about equitable compensation to leadership roles in group projects. This experience inspired him to establish the Adkins Family MBA Scholarship, which will provide financial assistance to working students from the Roanoke Valley, the New River Valley and Southwest Virginia who are pursuing their MBA.
“It was important to me to give back to Radford because Radford helped me in my professional journey,” Adkins said. “I chose to help students who mirrored my experience of going to school and working – that balancing act. It wasn’t easy to pay for tuition. By endowing a scholarship, I hope to help someone take that next step.”
Melanie Butler ’06, MBA ’09, MBA program coordinator and director of Academic Support, Engagement and Retention, emphasized the profound impact scholarships can have on graduate students.
“The cost of an MBA program can be substantial in this economy, even if the student is only taking one course at a time,” Butler said. “This burden can be even greater for those living in Southwest Virginia because the pay scale is lower in many cases. A scholarship could very well be a make-or-break opportunity for an MBA student. While some employers offer opportunities for continuing education, most students are still paying out of pocket. Even a small scholarship that covers part of the cost reduces the financial burden and lowers the barriers.”
The Adkins Family MBA Scholarship will support working students at Radford for many years to come.
“Radford did a great job of preparing me and launching me on my way. I’m not sure whether I’d be sitting in this chair today had it not been for Radford,” said Adkins.
“When you pick a school that’s the right fit for you, you can do anything.”
’88 Caccetta
Avoiding the comfort zone
Moving from challenge to challenge, Kelly Caccetta finds the pathway to success
By Neil Harvey
Kelly Caccetta ’88 has a clear memory of some great advice she got during her junior year at Radford, a recommendation she said has helped guide her ever since.
This was 1987. She was Kelly Tayloe back then, a Quest assistant taking part in student orientation, and one of her tasks involved appearing on stage in a sketch aimed at incoming freshmen, a comedic-but-instructional skit depicting the importance of early financial responsibility.
Her role? She played a check that bounces.
“I had this whole costume, like a check, and I’m bouncing up and down onstage in front of all these people and all my friends, and, you know, I was a little embarrassed,” Caccetta recently recalled.
“Get comfortable being uncomfortable,” Mike Dunn told her.
Dunn was director of New Student Programs at that time, and he’d worked with Caccetta during Quest and through her involvement in student government.
“He was pretty influential because he constantly taught us to challenge ourselves and put ourselves out there,” she said.
“He told me, ‘You will leave an impression,’ and he was right. During senior year, until I graduated, I still had people talking about that bouncing check. And that advice is something I’ve used throughout my life.”
Today, Caccetta – the mother of two adult sons and a resident of Wake, Virginia – is president and chief executive officer of CSSI, a Washington, D.C.-based company that provides safe and efficient transportation solutions to commercial and government clients, including the Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of Defense.
Tracing Caccetta’s career path from Radford to the present day reveals a profile of someone who has consistently avoided the shade of comfort zones.
After earning her bachelor’s degree in physical education, she completed her student-teaching through Radford City Schools, then taught at Walsingham Academy in Williamsburg, Virginia.
Caccetta’s larger interest in health, however, ultimately prompted her to study nursing, and she became a registered trauma nurse, spending more than a decade helping patients in the emergency room at Riverside Regional Medical Center and other hospitals in that area.
“The emergency room is fast paced and no two scenarios are the same,” she said.
After pivoting from the hospital front lines to work as an occupational health and safety nurse at the Gateway computer manufacturing plant in Hampton, in 1997, she leaped from medicine to business, managing that facility’s human resources.
Over the decade that followed, she worked at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility in Newport News, Virginia; the Argonne National Laboratory in Chicago, Illinois; and then headed back to the Hampton Roads region for a position at ITA International.
With human resources, she recalled, “That was where my corporate career took off ... I had no idea what the future would bring.
“I started at Thomas Jefferson as director of HR and ended up leaving as the associate director of business administration,” Caccetta said. “I ran all of the business functions of the lab, finance, contracts, security.”
In 2011, her upward trajectory led her to CSSI, where she leapfrogged from human resources director to three vicepresidential positions within six years before being named the company’s president in the summer of 2017.
Last September, Caccetta added CEO to her title, a designation that brings her story full circle.
“I started in education, and I just never stopped,” she said. “I used the teaching skills I had in nursing, and then used my nursing skills – you know, triage and listening and communicating – in the corporate world. And I just kept building it that way.”
“It puts me in a world of being comfortable with the uncomfortable,” she explained of her current position at CSSI. “I do a lot of public speaking, and I love building high-performance teams, and I love strategic planning, and I get to do all of that.”
She points to her Radford education as part of her starting line.
“It kind of laid the foundation for who I am today because it gave me opportunities to create ‘me’ in college,” Caccetta said.
“We go to college, and we don’t really know what we want to do or who we are, but I think the university helped me learn more about who I was ... and I think a lot of things I use every day as a CEO, I built upon starting at Radford.”
Turning dreams into reality
Radford’s “small campus with big opportunities” helped
Donika Patel achieve
a successful career in neurology
By David E. Perryman, Ph.D.
For Donika Patel ’05, D.O., an opportunity to attend the Southwest Virginia Governor’s School at Radford University as a junior in high school changed her life’s path.
Born in England to parents who were from India, Patel grew up in Wytheville, Virginia, where her parents ran a small family business. When she won a regional competition and then the statewide competition for the science fair project that she created for the Governor’s School that year, she was awarded a $20,000 scholarship to Radford.
“My family is humble and very hardworking,” Patel said. “When I won the competition and received the scholarship, my parents were thrilled. I never thought that a science fair project could be such a profound, lifechanging experience. But it provided the stepping stone I needed to ultimately pursue a career in medicine.”
Today, Patel has achieved her dream; she is a successful neurologist practicing at LeBauer HealthCare in Greensboro, North Carolina, with a family of her own. She and her husband have two children, and they have settled in a community not far from her roots in Southwest Virginia.
When Patel embarked on her Radford education, her path crossed again with Mary Roberts, a biology professor at Radford (now retired) who had served as a judge in the fateful Governor’s School science fair competition. Roberts played a pivotal role in Patel’s growth at Radford, serving as an advisor and teacher and helping the young student start a pre-healthcare club on campus.
“Professor Roberts was very supportive throughout my years at Radford,” Patel noted. “She was very kind and gentle but also very encouraging when I had the idea to start the club and later to go to medical school.”
Patel noted several highlights from her Radford experience, including the faculty and honors curriculum, as well as the extracurricular opportunities available to students. In addition to volunteering at RadfordFairlawn Daily Bread and the university’s Emergency Medical Services, she tutored athletes, was a member of the International Club and participated in an immersive medical mission trip to Australia hosted by the National Youth Leadership Forum. One of 80 college students
selected nationally for this opportunity, Patel and her peers visited the medical school at the University of Sydney (Australia), witnessed bush medicine in practice and learned about the Royal Flying Doctor Service, a nonprofit organization that provides health care services for those living in remote areas of Australia. Patel leveraged insights from this experience as part of her capstone project mentored by Richard Wyeth, an anatomy professor in the biology department.
When Patel began to think seriously about medical school, Wyeth wrote recommendation letters for her applications. Roberts helped her prepare for the MCAT entrance exam and apply for internships that would strengthen her application. Roberts also put her in touch with admission staff she knew at the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM) in Blacksburg, Virginia.
Toward the end of her medical school experience at VCOM, Patel applied for and was accepted into a neurology residency program at the prestigious Cleveland Clinic. At the end of the three-year program, her peers selected her as Humanitarian of the Year in recognition of the way she treated her patients and interacted with her fellow residents. She went on to complete a fellowship in neuromuscular medicine at the Cleveland Clinic before deciding to move closer to her home to embark on her medical career.
Diversity of culture and a sense of community are two attributes that distinguish Radford in Patel’s mind. “I will always cherish my memories of the multicultural day events we had each year, when students and their families celebrated the food, dance, music and dress of their native cultures,” she recalled.
“I was in school at Radford on 9/11,” Patel recollected. “But as a woman of color, I never felt intimidated. Even as students of color on campuses around the country were experiencing racism in the wake of that tragedy, I always felt safe and welcome.”
What kind of advice would Patel offer to a student considering Radford University today?
“Go check out the university. It’s a beautiful campus with amazing people. Talk to the students and faculty and staff. Radford taught me how to dream and then how to make it a reality. It’s a small campus with big opportunities. What more could you want?”
Retired faculty member and administrator Dave Moore dedicated more than 40 years of service to Radford University, describing campus as his second home. Inspired by the university’s continued success, Dave established a scholarship that he contributes to by using IRA’s required minimum distribution as a convenient way to donate tax-free gifts.
There are many ways to leave a lasting legacy by 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
To learn more about how you can make a difference, contact Rebekah LaPlante, director of gift planning, at 540-831-5167 or rlaplante@radford.edu.
’80s
Mitzi Dorton ’82 of Sharon Springs, New York, was a Literary Global Book Award finalist in both history and biography for her book “Chief Corn Tassel” (Finishing Line Press). Dorton created a history built around a collection of translated speeches from this 18th-century Cherokee Beloved Man, great orator and peace chief.
Catherine Heffner ’87 retired from Verizon Business in March 2024, having served as chief of staff, operations governance and strategy.
Kelly Caccetta ’88 is the new chief executive officer (CEO) of CSSI Inc.
’90s
Brent Smith ’90 was named senior director of customer success for the public sector at ServiceNow.
Angela Ratliff ’91, set decorator and costume specialist, was elected to the board of the Virginia Production Alliance (VPA) – Hampton Roads District.
John Rosato ’95 and Danny Rosato ’98 , creators of “The FireHippo Show,” were MUSE Awards winners in 2024. The show received three gold medals for creative media in the category of video animation.
Nicole Chapman ’96 was promoted to principal at J.W. Arnold Elementary School in Clayton County, Georgia.
Chris Parker ’96 was promoted to director of human resources for the City of Roanoke, Virginia.
Rebekah LaPlante ’99, M.S. ’01, is the new director of gift planning at Radford University.
’00s
Scott Linker ’00 retired at the rank of lieutenant colonel after 26 years of active-duty military service in the United States Army.
Tracy Fisher ’01, MBA ’24 , was featured in the CBS television series, “Blue Bloods.” Fisher played a doctor in season 14, episode 13, which aired on March 1.
David Rotenizer ’02 , executive director of the BlacksburgChristiansburgMontgomery County Regional Tourism Office, announced his retirement after 25 years of service in the tourism industry.
Emily Wise VanderWoude ’06 was promoted to senior director of advancement at Hood College in Frederick, Maryland.
Melissa Hassen ’09 began a new role as assistant athletics director for gameday experience and marketing services at the University of Richmond.
Sara Hawkins ’08 welcomed her second child, Creedence Hawkins Ross, on Nov. 7, 2023.
Gray Ellis ’11 and his wife, Sophia, welcomed their first child, Ronnie, into the world on Sept. 8, 2023.
Michael McBride ’00 completed his Doctor of Education degree in higher education administration and serves as the dean of student services and enrollment management at Virginia Highlands Community College. McBride resides in Damascus, Virginia, with wife Maria and three daughters, Madeline, Merida and Magnolia.
’10s
Andrew T. ’10 and Nora L. (McFaddin) Pruett ’15 announced the birth of their son, Wells Thomas, on April 18, 2024.
McKinzey Sayers ’13 is the new director of human resources (Americas) at Gambling.com Group.
Abbigail ’16 and DeKristopher Palmer announced the birth of Renzi Mae Palmer on March 25, 2024. Abbigail and DeKristopher met in Tyler Hall as students at Radford.
Bryce Schultz ’17 joined Electrolux Group as a senior credit analyst.
Nehemiah Bester ’18 was an associate producer on the PBS film “The Riot Report: A Presidential Commission Defied Expectations by Telling a Hard Truth,” which aired on May 21. Bester also serves as a communications strategist for the ACLU of Maryland.
’20s
Nikolas Robinson ’23 graduated from Air Force BMT (Basic Military Training) at Joint Base San AntonioLackland.
Nothing says, “I’m proud to be a Highlander!” better than a branded license plate.
Two new Radford University plates are available to order via the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles website and at DMV physical office locations. A portion of proceeds from Radford license plate sales will go to support scholarships for Virginia students. To order online, go to dmv.virginia. gov/vehicles/license-plates, click “Search/View Plates” and then enter “Radford” in the Search text field. We look forward to seeing these new Highlander plates on highways and byways across the great commonwealth and beyond.
IN MEMORIAM
ALUMNI
’50s
Geraldine Katherine McCroskey Stone ’52 of Bristol, Virginia, Dec. 9, 2023.
Frances Sue Crow Hayworth ’53 of Salisbury, North Carolina, Aug. 1, 2024.
Bronté Charles Foster ’54 of Radford, Virginia, March 14, 2024.
Rosemary Hoffman ’54 of Blacksburg, Virginia, May 30, 2024.
Virginia Ann Slate Bingman ’55 of Critz, Virginia, March 8, 2024.
Barbara Helvey Garst ’57 of Long Valley, New Jersey, Jan. 20, 2024.
Penny Jewell Willis ’58 of Weber City, Virginia, March 9, 2024.
Dorcas Via Roller ’58 of Cheyenne, Wyoming, April 7, 2024.
Carolyn Harr Eichelman ’58 of Salem, Virginia, April 21, 2024.
Bettie Frost Sax ’58 of Lynchburg, Virginia, May 5, 2024.
Norma “Ruth” Cantrel Earnest ’58 of Clarksville, Tennessee, May 26, 2024.
Anita Huff Marshall ’59, M.S. ’74, of Dugspur, Virginia, Dec. 7, 2023.
Anne Carolyn Hamm Taurus ’59 of Cheyenne, Wyoming, Dec. 24, 2023.
Marilyn Joanne Cooke Stevens of York, Nebraska, May 3, 2024.
’60s
Rebecca Mayhew Ridpath ’60, M.S. ’73, of Radford, Virginia, Jan. 11, 2024.
Lois Jean O’Bryan Altz ’60 of Portage, Michigan, Feb. 11, 2024.
Ellen Catherine Hackney Horner ’60 of Kennesaw, Georgia, March 3, 2024.
Ann Shirley Johnson Sangston ’61 of Richmond, Virginia, Dec. 19, 2023.
Susan “Sue” Ann Black ’62 of Bellevue, Washington, Feb. 23, 2024.
Edith Lucille Martin Ensley ’62 of Rose Hill, Virginia, March 19, 2024.
Martha Ann Kerns ’62 of Kinston, North Carolina, May 29, 2024.
Linda Elizabeth Sayers Stiner ’63 of Radford, Virginia, Dec. 29, 2023.
Sally Longacre ’63 of Durham, North Carolina, Dec. 31, 2023.
Brenda Hollandsworth Howell ’63 of Floyd, Virginia, April 17, 2024.
Shirley Janet Rector Haer ’64, M.S. ’73, of Bristol, Virginia, March 7, 2024.
Phyllis Jean Stanley Fish ’64 of Primm Springs, Tennessee, April 17, 2024.
Susan Marie Jessup Martin ’65, M.S. ’70, of Max Meadows, Virginia, June 21, 2024.
Elizabeth Rebecca “Becky” Day ’66 of Roanoke, Virginia, March 22, 2024.
Virginia “Jenny” Rae Colbert Huddle ’67 of Belspring, Virginia, Dec. 6, 2023.
Loretta Kinzer ’67, M.S. ’86 of Statesville, North Carolina, Dec. 27, 2023.
Nancy Brown McGhee ’67, M.S. ’70, of Martinsville, Virginia, April 22, 2024.
Mary Alice Swanson ’67 of Danville, Virginia, May 4, 2024.
David P. Helms, M.S. ’68, of Marion, Virginia, March 21, 2024.
Carol Kilroy ’69, M.A. ’70, of Arlington, Virginia, Feb. 12, 2024.
Lorraine Constantine Durrill ’69, M.S. ’78, of Blacksburg, Virginia, Feb. 17, 2024.
Robert William “Bill” Propst, M.A. ’69, of Berryville, Virginia, April 18, 2024.
Brenda Bird ’69 of Aiken, South Carolina, June 2, 2024.
Arthur Wiley Mullins, M.S. ’69, of Buchanan County, Virginia, June 28, 2024.
James Franklin Shrader, M.S. ’69, of Princeton, West Virginia, July 24, 2024.
’70s
Carolyn Annas Kelsey ’70 of Virginia Beach, Virginia, Feb. 29, 2024.
Karen Warner Denny ’70 of Roanoke, Virginia, June 13, 2024.
Robert LeRoy Bashore, M.S. ’71, of Forest, Virginia, April 8, 2024.
Jacquelyn “Jackie” Joyce Cantley, M.S. ’71, of New Castle, Virginia, April 26, 2024.
Paula Traylor Grady ’71 of McCormick, South Carolina, Aug. 7, 2024.
Wanda Leigh Price, M.S. ’72, of Blacksburg, Virginia, Feb. 20, 2024.
Peggy Louise Hearn ’73 of Dublin, Virginia, Jan. 6, 2024.
Shirley Stone Harris ’73, M.S. ’91, of Roanoke, Virginia, May 1, 2024.
Hubert Kyle Fletcher, M.S. ’73, of St. Paul, Virginia, May 3, 2024.
Frances Haynes Williams ’73 of Roanoke, Virginia, July 14, 2024.
Ruth “Micki” Morton McGuire ’74 of Hiwassee, Virginia, March 1, 2024.
Nell Frances Doss ’75 of Christiansburg, Virginia, Jan. 1, 2024.
Walter Benjamin “Benny” Keister, M.S. ’75, of Dublin, Virginia, March 23, 2024.
Maria Sculli DeWolf, M.S. ’75, of Greenville, Pennsylvania, March 28, 2024.
Daniel E. Karnes ’75 of Roanoke, Virginia, June 7, 2024.
Wanda Lou Caldwell Hypes ’76 of Pembroke, Virginia, June 27, 2024.
Karen Sue Bowman ’77 of Roanoke, Virginia, April 16, 2024.
Juanita Marie Thompson Wilson ’77 of Dublin, Virginia, Aug. 10, 2024.
Diane Eloise Ames ’78 of Temperanceville, Virginia, June 2, 2024.
Judith Maria Kiser, M.S. ’79, of Greensboro, North Carolina, Feb. 26, 2024.
Lisa DeMerritt Curlee ’79 of Richmond, Virginia, June 2, 2024.
’80s
Wayne Houston Caton ’80 of Winchester, Virginia, Feb. 23, 2024.
Dawn Harms Rutledge ’81 of Rixeyville, Virginia, July 7, 2024.
Lisa Dare Holland ’82, M.S. ’83, of Christiansburg, Virginia, March 19, 2024.
Parker Ernest Plumb ’82 of Winchester, Virginia, April 25, 2024.
Jaretta Capps Smith ’82 of Noblesville, Indiana, May 1, 2024.
Linda Lou Smythers Cox ’82 of Galax, Virginia, June 21, 2024.
Louis “Lou” Robert Soscia, Jr. ’82 of Occoquan, Virginia, July 29, 2024.
Sally Elizabeth Woody ’83 of Rocky Mount, Virginia, Jan. 3, 2024.
Thomas “Tom” Seymour Williams ’83 of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, July 2, 2024.
Paula Pillsbury Ellis ’84 of Dallas, Georgia, Jan. 31, 2024.
Shari Diane Lafone, M.S. ’85, of Hickory, North Carolina, May 13, 2024.
Harriet Martin Castanes ’85 of Union Hall, Virginia, May 14, 2024.
Peter F. Spencer ’86 of Covington, Virginia, Dec. 9, 2023.
Ann Marie Stewart ’86 of Richmond, Virginia, Feb. 11, 2024.
Cynthia “Cindy” A. Parker ’87 of Christiansburg, Virginia, Jan. 4, 2024.
Michael Steven Kirby ’88 of Floyd, Virginia, April 20, 2024.
’90s
Jeffrey Leo Norman, M.S. ’90, of Greer, South Carolina, Dec. 17, 2023.
Kristen Bierman Cook ’90 of Lynchburg, Virginia, May 3, 2024.
Brenda Joyce Ray Nayfeh ’90 of Ripley, West Virginia, May 13, 2024.
Kimberly Susan Ratliff Main ’91, M.S. ’93, of Fort Smith, Arkansas, March 4, 2024.
Linda Gibson ’91 of Charleston, South Carolina, Aug. 6, 2024.
Wyatt Nelson Thornhill ’92 of Salem, Virginia, May 20, 2024.
Teddy Allen Wilson ’92 of Leesburg, Virginia, June 5, 2024.
Sandra Lea Parson, M.S. ’92, of Blacksburg, Virginia, June 18, 2024.
Gregory Chapman Baker ’93 of Mechanicsville, Virginia, Feb. 21, 2024.
Nathaniel Ray Tuck Jr. ’94 of Blacksburg, Virginia, Feb. 11, 2024.
Jeri Lea Deel Barnett, M.S. ’96, of Roanoke, Virginia, July 6, 2024.
Kris Kehoe Southwick ’98 of Warrenton, Virginia, Dec. 2, 2023.
Michael Brian Shaffer of Clarksville, Tennessee, Jan. 25, 2024.
Radford University Dedmon Center 101 University Drive, Radford, VA 24142 • Dinner • Music
• Silent and live auction
Every gift strengthens our community and enhances the student experience, weaving a brighter future across all disciplines.
Whether you give to athletics, the arts, student research or emergency funds, your contribution creates an enduring fabric of support for the entire Highlander community.
As 2024 draws to a close, NOW is the perfect time to reinforce our unique and meaningful pattern. Your end-of-the-year gift isn’t just a donation – it’s a distinct thread connecting you to Radford’s legacy of generosity. Together, we can create a lasting impact that supports today’s Highlanders and ensures a stronger foundation for tomorrow.
Make your mark before the year ends at connect.radford.edu/give.
Connect, inspire and make a difference at the ninth annual Volunteer Summit
Saturday, February 22, 2025 www.radford.edu/vs25
Support Scholarships! Hit the links with us in 2025!
Tidewater Alumni Chapter
Virginia Beach National Golf Club Virginia Beach, Va. Thursday, May 29
National Capital Region
Evergreen Country Club
Haymarket, Va. Thursday, June 26
Richmond Chapter Meadowbrook Country Club Richmond, Va. Friday, Sept. 19
Find the details at www.radford.edu/alumni .
’00s
Helen Christine Castleman Taylor ’00 of Dothan, Alabama, March 31, 2024.
Ruth A. Wallace ’03 of Lorton, Virginia, Jan. 2, 2024.
Shannon Lee Munley ’03 of Ashburn, Virginia, Feb. 17, 2024.
Gregory Michael Novis ’03 of Wilmington, North Carolina, July 26, 2024.
Shannon Elizabeth Aldrich Pohlman ’04 of Poquoson, Virginia, Dec. 19, 2023.
Milton “Billy” Grey Farmer III ’04 of Bowling Green, Virginia, Jan. 19, 2024.
Tanya Lynn Bennett Opperman ’04 of Aldie, Virginia, May 21, 2024.
Ryan Mason Jones of Fairfax, Virginia, May 13, 2024.
’10s
Benjamin “Ben” Tucker Mace ’11 of Mount Jackson, Virginia, April 3, 2024.
Rosemary Lynn Ellis, M.S. ’12, of Christiansburg, Virginia, April 12, 2024.
Brandon Wayne Johnson ’14 of South Boston, Virginia, June 11, 2024.
Kelsey Nicole Latimer ’15 of Gloucester County, Virginia, April 10, 2024.
Kristina Ann Miller, M.S. ’15, of Durham, North Carolina, April 11, 2024.
CURRENT STUDENT
Casey James Reece of Blacksburg, Virginia, May 13, 2024.
CURRENT, RETIRED, FORMER
Etty Vandsburger of Seattle, Washington, Dec. 6, 2023.
Michael Vincent Vengrin of Christiansburg, Virginia, Dec. 9, 2023.
Ronald Lee Herring of Daleville, Virginia, Dec. 28, 2023.
Robert Reese of Las Vegas, Nevada, Jan. 13, 2024.
Mary Evelyn Bowden Petrey of Dublin, Virginia, Feb. 10, 2024.
Patricia “Patty” Harrison of Blacksburg, Virginia, March 3, 2024.
Janet “Susie” Milton of West Columbia, South Carolina, March 15, 2024.
Dennis Robert Cogswell of Richmond, Virginia, March 18, 2024.
Janet Wagner of Orland Park, Illinois, March 28, 2024.
Judy Kay Parnell Beebe of Radford, Virginia, March 28, 2024.
Randall Dwight Meade of Christiansburg, Virginia, April 5, 2024.
Ronald “Ron” J. Poulton of White Rock, New Mexico, May 10, 2024.
Donald “Don” Lee Champion of Raleigh, North Carolina, May 21, 2024.
Raymond Neal Linville of Clearwater, Florida, June 2, 2024.
Audrey Faulkner Boyd Knepper of Dublin, Virginia, June 2, 2024.
Richard James Rittenhouse of Blacksburg, Virginia, June 11, 2024.
William Davie Yerrick of Weeki Wachee, Florida, June 20, 2024.
Mary Chapman Moore Gearheart of Radford, Virginia, June 22, 2024.
David Lee Albig of Radford, Virginia, June 30, 2024.
Sidney “Al” Pearson, Jr. of Fairlawn, Virginia, July 3, 2024.
Dennis Grady of Boone, North Carolina, July 26, 2024.
John Grady DeVilbiss of Radford, Virginia, Aug. 1, 2024.
FRIENDS
Jerry Kenneth Jebo of Oviedo, Florida, Aug. 22, 2024.
A year of impact
Reflecting on our achievements and looking ahead
Dear Highlanders,
As we turn the pages of another year at Radford University, I am filled with immense pride and deep gratitude. As Gloria Steinem has said, “There’s no greater gift than thinking that you had some impact on the world for the better.” This sentiment resonates deeply as we consider the strides we’ve made – for academic excellence and profound societal impact.
This year, Radford University has reached new heights thanks to the spirit and dedication of our faculty, students, and, significantly, you, our alumni. Radford University grew its new freshmen enrollment by 28% over fall 2023 and new transfer student enrollment by 25%. Your support has helped propel our university forward, enabling us to launch innovative programs, expand our research capabilities and enhance our campus facilities–all to create an environment where current and future Highlanders can thrive.
Among the highlights, we celebrated the dedication of the Artis Center for Adaptive Innovation and Creativity, a multifunctional, cross-disciplinary space designed to bring the arts alive with integrated learning and research. This facility, equipped with cutting-edge technologies and sustainable practices, exemplifies our commitment to preparing students for the challenges and opportunities of the global marketplace. This project was made possible by the many generous contributions and active involvement of our alumni, led by a $5 million gift from Nancy E. Artis
’73 and H. Pat Artis, Ph.D., whose belief in our mission continues to fuel our progress.
Our alumni community outreach programs have also seen remarkable growth, with over 1,473 alumni volunteers significantly impacting the lives of existing and new students. From environmental initiatives to educational workshops, Highlanders have driven change and embodied the university’s ethos of service. Alumni engagement and mentorship have helped shape these ventures, inspiring our students to apply what they have learned and find exciting careers.
Last but not least, I must recognize alumni support for TOGETHER – The Campaign for Radford University. On Oct. 5, the Campaign Closing Celebration gala took place in the new Artis Center. More than 200 people were present as President Bret Danilowicz announced that $106,693,338 was raised (exceeding the goal) to support current and future students. Of the 18,478 donors, an impressive 57% were alumni donors, and campaign gifts were made by representatives of every class since 1944!
As we celebrate these achievements, we also look forward to the opportunities and challenges ahead. On Feb. 22, 2025, we hope you will join us by participating in the Volunteer Summit and cheering for Highlander basketball teams. Let us come together to forge new paths and continue our legacy of impact. Additionally, participating in alumni events will not only reconnect you with fellow Highlanders but also ignite the future successes of our students and community projects.
In closing, I want to express my heartfelt thanks for your continued passion and dedication. Every success story at Radford reflects your loyalty and belief in the power of education and our great university. Let us keep this flame of impact burning bright, for there is no greater gift than knowing we have contributed to the world for the better.
With warm regards and Highlander pride, Kevin Rogers ’87 President, Radford University Alumni Board
Register for the volunteer summit: connect.radford.edu/volunteer-summit
