The Magazine of Radford University Spring 2023

Spring 2023

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A PRESIDENTIAL PARTNERSHIP

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THE CAMPAIGN

SN A P OPEN

FIRST DOG Bainne Danilowicz, founding member of the Tartan Tails therapy dog program, stretches out in some nice, soft grass on campus.

CAMPAIGN STEERING COMMITTEE The Campaign Steering Committee is a dedicated group of Radford supporters serving as ambassadors for the TOGETHER campaign. Comprising alumni, friends and Radford University faculty and staff, the committee works diligently toward successfully meeting the objectives of the TOGETHER campaign.

PRESIDENT Bret Danilowicz, Ph.D. BOARD OF VISITORS Debra K. McMahon, Ph.D., Rector Jay A. Brown, Ph.D., Vice Rector Robert A. Archer Jeanne S. Armentrout ’81 Rachel D. Fowlkes, Ed.D. Jennifer Wishon Gilbert Mark S. Lawrence Tyler W. Lester ’15 George Mendiola Jr. ’00, MBA ’02 Lisa W. Pompa ’86 David A. Smith ’85, M.S. ’87 Marquett Smith ’85 Georgia Anne Snyder-Falkinham Lisa Throckmorton ’94 James C. Turk Kurt Gingrich, Ph.D. Faculty Representative Michaela Baker Student Representative

The Magazine of Radford University is produced by Advancement and University Relations.

EDITORS AND CONTRIBUTORS Bailey Black Taylor Blue Karen Casteele ’79 Laken Dillow ’19 James Harman ’92 Neil Harvey Mary Beth Kegley Mark Lambert, M.S. ’97 Margaret McCue Pam McCallister Evan Musgrave Chad Osborne Stephanie D. Overton Patrick Reed Robert Robinson Laura Turk ’87, M.S. ’90 Penny Helms White '85, MBA '87 Nate Wise

Sandra C. Davis, Chair William C. Davis Jennie T. Allman ’67 William L. Allman Nancy E. Artis ’73 H. Pat Artis, Ph.D. Robert L. Blake Marquett Smith ’85 Sandra Bond ’97, MBA ’00, AP Faculty Representative Stephan Q. Cassaday ’76, CFP Kelly D. Crisp ’04 Matthew B. Crisp ’04 Matthew T. Donlon ’82 Mary Moss Donnelly Vickie L. Felts ’76 Charles K. Felts Victor F. Foti Sr., CPA Jake Fox, Ph.D., Faculty Senate Representative Thomas E. Fraim Jr. ’87, Ex-officio Rebecca Ghezzi Brian E. James ’95 Bret Danilowicz, Ph.D., Leadership Council Representative Nancy Morris Love ’75 Jeff MacKinnon ’85 Faye Marcum ’71 Ronnie Marcum

Steven A. Marshall Amanda Martin Curtis J. Martin II ’92, J.D. Thomas D. McGlothlin, Ex-officio Heather Miano ’91, Presidential Appointment John R. Montgomery ’81, Ex-officio P. Buckley Moss, Ex-officio Mark R. Pace ’93 Mary Denton Roberts, Ph.D. Kevin M. Rogers ’87 Mark B. Simons ’95 C. Anthony Smith ’98 Raymond D. Smoot, Ph.D. Anna Lee Stewart, Ph.D. Maurice W. Stewart, Ph.D. Don Strehle ’78 Michael C. Williams ’93 Patti Williams Jon Wyatt Mary T. Wyatt ’63 Student Government Association Representative Karen Montgomery, Staff Senate Representative In Memoriam

George M. Harvey Sr. 1928-2021

RADFORD UNIVERSITY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS Kevin Rogers ’87, President Dale Ardizzone ’85, M.S. ’86 GeGe Beall ’82, M.S. ’90 Hilary Blackburn ’84 Tawanna Blassingame ’92 Pete Campbell ’92 Byron Chafin ’90 Rita Davis ’80 Mike “Flip” DeFilippo ’90 Sherry Fisher ’85 Susan Furr ’86

Gina Gallagher ’85 Nicole Gwanzura ’12, MBA ’13 Landon Hinton ’13 Greg Humble ’01 Brandon Jackson ’10 Nana T-Chee Kum ’09 Tom Lillard ’79 Nancy Manning ’65 Tyler Swarmer ’16 Correy Watkins ’02

SN A P OPEN

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inside

Homecoming Roundup Check out photos from Homecoming weekend!

Alumni Association Award winners Cynthia Hughes Smith ’69, Jesse T. Lynch ’14, Kathleen Harvey Harshberger ’80 and Eugenio E. Piñeiro ’79 with President Bret Danilowicz

F E AT U R E S

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A PRESIDENTIAL PARTNERSHIP The Inauguration of Bret Danilowicz as eighth president of Radford University

S E C TI O N S

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THE POWER OF COLLECTIVE GIVING How the five pillars of the TOGETHER campaign are transforming lives

36

GAME ON Radford’s esports program gets high scores from students

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UP FRONT

12

THE CAMPAIGN

24

PLANNED GIVING

32

THE ARTS

34

ATHLETICS

42

CLASS NOTES

W E WA N T TO H E A R F R O M YO U !

Let us know what you think of the stories and photos you find in The Magazine of Radford University. The magazine staff welcomes readers’ comments but reserves the right to edit letters or to refuse publication of letters considered libelous or distasteful. Space availability may prevent publication of all letters in the magazine. Please send your

letters to editor@radford.edu.

Radford University does not discriminate in the administration of its educational programs, activities, admission or employment practices.

PR ESI DE NSN T'SA PLEOPEN T T ER It’s hard to believe that Kay and I are nearly through our first year as members of the Radford University family. Starting new positions in a new community came with high hopes yet some uncertainty. Our experiences have far exceeded our hopes due to the people we have connected with on our campuses, in the city, and in the region we now call home. We knew the area was beautiful, and we have affirmed that the people in the community are wonderful too.

There have been many highlights in our explorations these first months. We’ve shared (a lot of!) coffee with our outstanding students and talented employees, met numerous new friends, participated in rich classroom experiences, taken part in community service at our main campus and Radford University Carilion, and enjoyed time with our wonderful alumni.

The fall semester culminated in my being able to congratulate each one of the nearly 700 new graduates who earned their degrees in December. Celebrating this milestone achievement with our newest Highlander alumni and their families is something that we will look forward at the end of each semester.

Anyone reading this magazine is aware of what makes Radford University a special place. Memories of the beautiful setting, close student-faculty connections, welcoming social environment, and spirited events remain with our graduates for life. We proudly maintain our reputation as one of Virginia’s most affordable public institutions, and we continue to focus our efforts on delivering a high-quality experiential education. To help prospective students and their families understand that affinity better, we are in the process of a branding study that will help all of us best tell the story of why Radford is a destination university.

You’ll notice some special photos at the end of the magazine. The first president of the institution, John Preston McConnell, Ph.D., was also Radford’s longestserving president. One of his lasting commitments to the women of the then Normal School was establishing scholarships and what we now call “work-study,” to make a degree affordable to all students. On Inauguration Day, I posed for a photo in homage to McConnell and reflected on how we must continue to provide affordable degree pathways for all who set foot on our grounds.

Radford University’s Together campaign links McConnell’s visionary commitment to our ongoing efforts to support students. The TOGETHER campaign is the largest fundraising initiative in university history, and the outstanding progress to date has been a testament to this commitment. What sets TOGETHER

Anyone reading this magazine is aware of what makes Radford University a special place. Memories of the beautiful setting, close studentfaculty connections, welcoming social environment, and spirited events remain with our graduates for life. apart from past campaigns is that it is entirely student focused. Whether the funds are for student research, scholarships, developing flexible learning pathways or anticipating future needs, all the dollars raised will be used to help Radford University students reach their full potential. No matter the amount, you can help create remarkable student experiences through this fundraising effort.

However, your greatest contributions may also be intangible. Since we arrived, people have constantly reached out to ask an important question – in what ways can I help support Radford University?

One way is for our alumni to continue the careers and lives that you are leading and tell the story of where you developed the skills that got you to where you are.

Throughout the commonwealth and the world, Radford University alumni stand out as award winners in their professional fields and as leaders in their communities.

We want you to share how the Radford experience shaped you.

We also believe in the power of shared expertise to prepare our students. Your knowledge and professional experience can provide a key touchpoint to real-world success. You can reach out to faculty members to offer a guest lecture opportunity. Or contact a dean to offer internship, shadowing and mentoring opportunities. These connections can be life-changing for everyone involved.

We hope that the stories in this magazine inspire you with Highlander pride and that each of you will be involved in moving forward a university that means so much to all of us and our students.

Tartan proud,

Bret Danilowicz, Ph.D. Spring 2023

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Bret +Kay

A PRESIDENTIAL PARTNERSHIP

By Patrick Reed

In the fall of 2021, Bret and Kay Danilowicz walked along Main Street in Radford as unassuming, typical visitors to a new city.

What they were seeking was an honest glimpse into a place that offered a lifechanging opportunity.

Bret, a Ph.D. in zoology and career academic leader who was in his fourth year as provost at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, and Kay, a speech pathologist, were in the late stages of realizing a shared long-term vision. They were considering a university presidential seat for Bret.

The couple’s plan was to go on a “secret shopper” tour of the city and region. To walk along Main Street. To visit Bisset Park. To feel the cool breeze of the New River, a contrast from the heat of south Florida. To indulge in the local cuisine. To make conversation with locals.

“We wanted to feel the vibe, walk the downtown area,” Kay said. “I always thought we’d be on the coast, being married to a marine biologist, but this was such an interesting place.”

“We knew this was a for-life move, right? And we don’t want to get it wrong,” Bret said.

“So, we tested out the community first and found the people to be a lovely, lovely group.”

Now he and Kay have their place among the group.

A seven-month national search culminated with the selection of Dr. Bret Danilowicz (pronounced dan-ILL-oh-vitch), the eighth president in Radford University’s 113-year history. The Board of Visitors made the official announcement on Dec. 9, 2021.

As an administrator, instructor and researcher with more than 25 years of higher education experience in the United States and abroad, Bret was intentional about their ideal landing place.

“I’ve always been at research institutions,” he said. “But my passion has always been about supporting students through graduation. And the more I learned about Radford, the more I learned it was a great fit.”

He found his place at Radford University after serving as provost and vice president for academic affairs from 2018 through 2021 at Florida Atlantic University. Bret oversaw the academic division of an R2 research institution that included a population of 6

The Magazine of Radford University

U P FRONT

I’ve learned is that we are “ What a distinctive institution, we’re surrounded by this remarkable environment and we’re a very sustainable campus.”

Bret Danilowicz, Ph.D.

Spring 2023

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Detroit, Michigan WIndsor, Ontario

Utica, New York

Radford, Virginia Stillwater, Oklahoma

Durham, North Carolina Statesboro, Georgia

Boca Raton, Florida Honolulu, Hawaii

First Dog Bainne

The Danilowicz family – from left, Bret, Kay, Teagan and Brynn – attends Homecoming.

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The Magazine of Radford University

more than 30,000 students, 1,300 faculty and staff members and 170 degree programs. His leadership, in alignment with FAU’s strategic plan, included a 14% increase in four-year graduation rates; top 50 rankings in U.S. News & World Report for social mobility and diversity of the student body; and a four-figure decrease in the cost of university attendance.

In his time at FAU, Bret focused on maintaining relationships with students, faculty and staff. He hosted bi-weekly “Coffee with the Provost” sessions to create an open dialogue. At Radford University, he began the “Espresso Yourself” series this fall with a focus on inviting students to the table for discussion.

“I love people,” Bret said. “And I think I’m at my most effective when I can lead everyone to work closely together.”

Prior to arriving in south Florida, Bret was dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, working as the chief academic and administrative officer for the college, part of an R1 land grant university. The college that Bret guided included over 6,000 students and more than 700 faculty and staff members. His

emphasis was on transparency in the financial stewardship of the college, cross-campus partnerships with other colleges and diversity initiatives that included the formation of the Center for Sovereign Nations, a focal point for engagement and student support of indigenous populations in Oklahoma.

Before his time at Oklahoma State, Bret spent eight years at Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, highlighted by four years as dean of the Allen E. Paulson College of Science and Technology. The seven years before that were spent at University College in Dublin, Ireland, where he served as associate dean and director of the environmental biology program.

A common thread at each of his academic stops has been commitment to teaching and student success. He held lecturer, associate professor and tenured professor positions while handling extensive administrative duties.

Bret’s academic career has been

Dublin, Ireland

tested out the “ Wecommunity first and

found the people to be a lovely, lovely group.”

Bret Danilowicz, Ph.D.

in service of his lifelong passion, marine biology.

“When I was a child, it was driven largely by Jacques Cousteau, who was on television as an underwater explorer,” Bret said.

“The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau,” a French import to American television beginning in the late 1960s, showed him the unseen depths of the world’s oceans. Summers for Bret and his family were spent on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, from sandy beaches in New Jersey to the rocky shores of Maine, where he explored the coastlines and carried a deep enthusiasm for the biological systems of the sea back to his childhood home in Utica, New York.

“I think I was about 10 years old when I decided what I wanted to do, after going through the early architect, astronaut, firefighter, policeman choices that kids make,” he said, laughing. “But it was all through television that I saw this world.”

Bret set to a field of study devoted to marine biology, beginning with a B.S. in biology from Utica College of Syracuse University (now Utica University) in his home state, and continuing with a Ph.D. in zoology from Duke University. Fellowships in marine biology at Duke and postdoctoral work at the Great Lakes Institute of the University of Windsor in Canada honed his expertise.

Research throughout his career ranged from study of the spawning of damselfish to analysis of Ireland’s oceanography during his time at University College.

His scholarship and leadership culminated in the arrival at an institution in Radford University that is keenly focused on maximizing the in-classroom experience.

“What I’ve learned is that we are a distinctive institution, we’re surrounded by this remarkable environment and we’re a very sustainable campus,” Bret said.

Since taking the helm at Radford University, the pursuit of his goals was not a solitary one. In addition to collaborating with talented faculty, staff, administrators and students to enhance the university, his plan was and is to lead alongside his wife of 29 years, Kay. Kay Danilowicz assumed the role of first lady of Radford University.

She works closely with Bret to help carry out his priorities and connect with communities both on the campus and in the city of Radford.

As it became apparent that a university presidency was possible for Bret, the couple decided that an opportunity like the one at Radford would be transformational in their relationship. The chance to collaborate in a presidency would allow them to become better aligned in their marriage and united in service to the community that they call home.

“I believe that he has the skills to make a real difference,” Kay said.

“And that difference is going to be made here in Radford.

“I am hoping that I can help him to be that president that he has studied to be, a visionary that’s necessary at this point in higher education.”

The decision didn’t come easy for Kay. A native of Oahu, Hawaii, she

U P FRONT

President Bret Danilowicz poses with Radford University students who were leaders for the Governor's School last summer.

President Bret Danilowicz and his already famous tartan jeep

Spring 2023

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Inauguration Day

Radford University officially inaugurated Bret Danilowicz, Ph.D., as the eighth president in the 113-year history of the institution during a warm ceremony on a chilly Friday morning, Sept. 30, 2022, on the McConnell Library lawn.

“Whoever thought a skinny kid with glasses and a sunny disposition would turn into a president with glasses and sunny disposition?” the new president joked on a not-so-sunny but festive 51-degree day to the gathering of students, faculty, alumni, Board of Visitors members and other representatives of the Highlander family sitting between him and the fountain at the center of campus.

After taking the oath of office, Danilowicz expressed gratitude to the Radford University community, as well as his own family – his wife, Kay Danilowicz; their children, Torin, Brynn,

earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Hawai‘i, Manoa, and a master’s in communication sciences and disorders from Wayne State University in Michigan. Kay then built her career as a speech pathologist in schools and preschool early intervention programs, later operating her own practice.

At Oklahoma State and FAU, she served as a supervising clinician in the speech pathology departments at both institutions.

Beyond her career, Kay’s energy was focused inward – on their four children, on building a home and on being friends and members of a community. The Front row, from left: Teagan, Kay, Bret and Brynn. “introvert” of the Back row: Cullen and Torin. Furry bookends, from couple, Kay knew left: Bainne and Koda. she would have to focus more of that energy outward and in lockstep with Bret.

“It’s very easy when you have a career and a family to forget the reason you got married in the first place,” she said.

To maximize their partnership and enhance their new home, Kay did what she does best – provide 10 The Magazine of Radford University

service to others. Specifically, through their trained therapy dog and family pet, Bainne.

Bainne (pronounced ban-ya), a 3-year-old boxer mix and one of the two Danilowicz dogs (along with Koda), has made weekly appearances from McConnell Library to the Dedmon Center and on the Radford University Carilion campus in Roanoke. Bainne is a part of the “Yappy Hour,” “Time to Paws” and “Pawsitively Coaching” events, designed to give Highlanders a chance to experience the resource that a therapy pet can provide.

“I think growing up in this day and age, with technology being at the forefront and doing things with speed, that it has become really important to focus on mental health because otherwise young people are going to struggle to stay focused and be successful,” Kay said.

It’s a component of the Radford University experience that the Danilowicz family is making permanent, following their leadership experience at Oklahoma State as part of the Pete’s Pet Posse program.

U P FRONT Teagan and Cullen; his parents, Ron and Lucy; and sister, Tanya.

On his 92nd day in office since taking the position on July 1, the president shared his goals for the university and provided insights into his personal themes of purpose, people, place and pride.

“We will build early and purposeful connections between learning and earning, degree and need, flexibility and career,” Danilowicz explained.

“Radford University has the responsibility to help meet workforce needs while preparing graduates to be nimble for future employment opportunities and for global citizenship.”

Elevating the support, experiences and outcomes for students are pressing priorities for Radford University, Danilowicz said. As those priorities are achieved, he said, “we will generate

“It was really helpful for student mental health and faculty and staff mental health,” Bret said.

Providing a resource like therapy dogs is one branch extended as part of the Danilowicz era at Radford University.

In charting a path forward, Bret will put his effort into several key areas, including clarity in branding and preparing students for success beyond Radford University.

“Although we are a distinctive place,” Bret said, “The question is, how do we brand ourselves to promote and celebrate our distinctiveness to people outside of the institution?”

After attracting a new population of Highlanders and giving them the tools to enhance their knowledge, Bret wants to ensure their potential is fulfilled with high-impact opportunities beyond the university.

“Having them understand that the experiences during their degree should link to what they’re thinking about for their career is essential,” Bret said. “Going to a university isn’t all about finding a job. We’re trying to graduate solid global citizens.

more stories of pride with each passing year.”

And, “with that expansion of pride comes my confidence that this university, through its employees, alumni and community network, will move Radford University assertively into the next phase of higher education needed by this region, the Commonwealth of Virginia and this nation,” Danilowicz said, standing in front of McConnell Library, a building named for Radford’s first president.

Stepping into the role of president, Danilowicz follows past leaders Brian O. Hemphill, Ph.D., (2016-21), Penelope W. Kyle, J.D. (2005-16), H. Douglas Covington, Ph.D., (1995-2005), Donald Newton Dedmon, Ph.D., (1972-1994), Charles Knox Martin Jr., Ph.D., (1952-72), David W. Peters, Ph.D., (1938-1951) and John Preston McConnell, Ph.D. (1911-37).

But I certainly want to see every one of our graduates employed or in graduate school. It’s on us as a university to put them in a position to be successful.”

Finally, Bret intends to foster a stronger relationship between the university and the city that he and Kay got to know during the “secret shopper” period.

“Because we live in a community together, we want to make that partnership,” he said. “I know it’s good for the university and for the students, but selfishly, it’s good for (Kay and me). So, I think that I Mike ’93 and Patti Williams can be effective in leading the city hosted President Danilowicz and the university to work more and friends for the Tartan Tour closely together. at English Meadows Farm.

“If you’re celebrating with each other, who wouldn’t want to live in that environment?”

The desire to create a welcoming place on both the Radford University campus and within the city and New River Valley region will be key in the steps that the Danilowiczes will take during Bret’s presidency.

Bret and Kay have come a long way since arriving from Florida as an anonymous couple enjoying a leisurely stroll through an unfamiliar community. The Danilowiczes have found their home.

Spring 2023

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12 The Magazine of Radford University

TH E CA M PAIGN

hen like-minded people come together to support causes they are passionate about, their support can elevate programs and initiatives to levels of remarkable achievement. Such is true when Radford University supporters and friends embrace the mission of our university and give of their time and financial resources to turn Radford’s goals into successes and dreams into realities. Working together, our impact has been significant, but the work continues.

Radford University embarked on an ambitious campaign to raise $100 million to support what we hold dear: educating our students.

TOGETHER – The Campaign for Radford University has garnered significant support and raised more than $90 million!

Since the campaign’s public launch in April 2021, your support has empowered us to create more than 140 new scholarships. We celebrate your commitment to ensuring access to a Radford education!

Many donors have given to support our priorities: Access and Opportunity; Academic Excellence and Research; Student Success and Engagement; The Athletic Experience; and Emerging Needs. You are proving that together, we can provide a foundation from which Radford University can grow and excel in educating today’s students and beyond.

We are engaged in a fierce pursuit to be the best educational provider for future leaders in fields that impact our communities and nation – education, healthcare and science and technology. We must continue to share the good work of Radford University through the people who are passionate about learning and working at Radford, those who engage with our many programs and those who are dedicated to ensuring our success by giving to support us where needs are critical and important to the university’s growth and student success. We must keep the momentum going!

In the following stories, you will learn about a few of Radford’s champions – those who are committed to ensuring Radford University’s success and who want to give our students an extraordinary educational experience – and about the impact of your generosity. Through these stories, we hope you will embrace the power of collective giving and be inspired to find a program or initiative at Radford that you can support. Together, we can change lives!

Sandra C. Davis, Chair Campaign Steering Committee

To learn more about the campaign, visit www.radford.edu/TOGETHER.

Spring 2023

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Heading PILL AR I

ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY

ABROAD

FROM COMMUNITY COLLEGE

TO L I L L E , F R A N C E , T R A N S F E R S T U D E N T T E ’A N A S C H M I T T

HAS MADE THE MOST OF HER HIGHLANDER EXPERIENCE

By Mark Lambert, M.S. ’97

W

hen Te’Ana Schmitt completed her associate degree in social science at Virginia Western Community College in the spring of 2021, she knew she needed to repeat her community college experience on the baccalaureate level.

The small class sizes had allowed her to bond with her professors and classmates while providing her with unique learning opportunities. She needed a small college feel with large university resources. Enter Radford University, where she transferred and began taking classes in fall 2021 as a communication major with a concentration in public relations.

“I attended a transfer student Quest session and was really impressed by what I learned,” Schmitt remembers.

“Radford is a smaller university versus others in the area, and that appealed to me. Plus, it’s close to home, which was an important part of my decision.”

Schmitt was interested in staying close to home because her mother lives in Roanoke, Virginia, and she needed that family support as a first-generation college student.

Community college had given her a taste of higher education, but the next step in her college experience would lead her into uncharted waters.

14 The Magazine of Radford University

“It was very much a struggle being the first in my family to go to a university because I couldn’t rely on advice from family members like other students could,” Schmitt said.

“My mother is my biggest motivator, and she encouraged me to go to college and work hard. That’s why I needed to go to school somewhere that was close to her.”

Schmitt also credits Radford University’s Harvey Center for Learning and Writing as a crucial part of her success. The center is a resource for students that offers free academic coaching, online resources and workshops to support the development of skills and confidence in navigating coursework. The services are led by fellow Radford University students, which can help build the same close bonds Schmitt had formed during her community college days.

“The Harvey Center has been my most valuable experience as a Radford student,” Schmitt said. “Working with other students has been an incredible experience, and those coworkers have become my closest friends.”

Schmitt said that the students and staff of the Harvey Center gave her the chance to open up about her struggles as a first-generation student, providing her with encouragement to continue working toward her goals.

“They were very understanding and sympathetic and told me to always come to them if I had any questions or concerns,” Schmitt recalled. “The center is an invaluable tool for the whole Radford community.”

Today, Schmitt is a senior who expects to graduate in spring 2023. However, her biggest adventure may have been last fall, when she was overseas for a study abroad semester in Lille, France, at the Institut des Stratégies et Techniques de Communication (ISTC).

“I took communication courses in English as my electives during my time at ISTC, and I also took a beginner French course,” she said. “That was certainly helpful as I navigated the language there.”

TH E CA M PAIGN

I worked extremely hard to receive those scholarships and they will allow me to be financially stable while building on my education.

It’s wonderful that Radford gives students the access and opportunity to have these experiences.”

TE’ANA SCHMITT

The trip was not Schmitt’s first time out of the country.

Her mother is German and she has family living in Germany, so she has been to Europe for visits a few times.

Studying abroad isn’t an inexpensive proposition, however, Schmitt received two scholarships to help with the trip and her living expenses during the fall semester. She was awarded the very competitive Gilman Scholarship, which provides scholarships to U.S. undergraduates with financial need for study abroad, and McGlothlin Study Abroad Award, a part of the McGlothlin International Education Fund established by the

ABOUT PILL AR I

Expanding scholarship support makes education accessible to bright, promising students.

Attracting the most talented students means a brighter future for the University. Support of this pillar will allow us to provide access and opportunity to deserving students.

McGlothlin family in memory of their mother, Sally Ann Cook McGlothlin ’36.

“I worked extremely hard to receive those scholarships,” she said, “and they will allow me to be financially stable while building on my education. It’s wonderful that Radford gives students the access and opportunity to have these experiences.”

Schmitt hasn’t decided on her exact career path once she graduates, but she has some ideas.

“I would love to move close to the ocean and work for the military since I enjoy traveling,” she said. “I’m an extrovert and love talking to people, which will fit perfectly with my communication degree.”

Schmitt also says she may explore opportunities to work internationally since she will have lots of experience doing just that after last fall.

“These paths are not set in stone,” she said. “But that is what’s great about this time in my life. I can do anything, and Radford University has helped me get here.”

More information about these types of scholarships and funds that help students have unique learning experiences can be found throughout the pages of this magazine.

Spring 2023

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Looking back PILL AR II

AC A D E M I C E XC E L L E N C E A N D R E S E A R C H

PAY I N G

THROUGH A GENEROUS G I F T, M A R I E WAT E R S

C A R R I E S O N A L E G ACY O F AC A D E M I C E XC E L L E N C E

By Mark Lambert, M.S. ’97

W

e’re all in this together.

That is a familiar refrain if you’ve known Marie Waters ’54, Ph.D., anytime throughout her time teaching in the Department of Psychology at Radford University. That time lasted for 30 years. If you count the four she spent as an undergraduate majoring in psychology – at the urging from a professor during her freshman year – she spent 34 years at Radford.

That’s “34 satisfying and productive years that have been spent in connection with the Radford psychology department,” she said.

Waters first came to Radford as a student and met a professor who would turn out to be one of the most influential people in her life – Minor Wine Thomas, Ph.D., the chair of the Radford Department of Psychology.

“At registration for the second semester, Dr. Thomas said to me, “Miss Waters, you did well in psychology in the first semester; why don’t you major in it?” Waters recalled more than a half-century later. “At that point, I was so flattered that someone would ask me to major in their discipline, I said, ‘Oh sure, sign me up.'”

It was a powerful message – from professor to student – that began paving a road of success for Waters and, ultimately, Radford and its psychology program.

While teaching at Radford, Thomas founded and ran the Mountain Empire Guidance Center. Waters worked part-

16 The Magazine of Radford University

F O R WA R D

time for him there while she was a student and learned from Thomas how to administer individual intelligence tests. That skill was a major factor in getting her enrolled in a graduate program at the University of Minnesota.

“I learned so well I tested out of learning to give intelligence tests in Minnesota,” she said.

Waters earned a master’s degree in psychology at Minnesota in 1962 and worked in the Dean of Students and Financial Aid offices there while she was enrolled in the program. One day, she was walking along a campus sidewalk when she ran into a man from the university’s placement office.

“Oh, Marie,” he said. “Your undergraduate school is looking for people for jobs, and you might be a fit,” Waters recalled. “I went back to my office, and I called thenPresident Charles Martin – because I used to babysit for him – and I told him I would like to apply for one of the open positions.”

Martin’s secretary set up Waters with interviews for each position all in one day, a tremendous act of kindness for the job candidate who had traveled more than 1,000 miles from Minneapolis.

“So, I went, got a new job and came back to Radford."

Waters taught in the Radford Department of Psychology from 1962 to ’64, returned to the University of Minnesota for her Ph.D. – she earned that degree in 1970 – and made her way back to Radford, where she was a faculty member from 1970 until her retirement in 1992. Waters taught introductory psychology, tests and measurements and psychological statistics. She taught almost every student who majored in psychology during her time at Radford.

She learned a lot about teaching in those early years, and much of that she attributes to Thomas. One of her goals as a teacher was to have the same impact on her students as she had gained from him.

TH E CA M PAIGN

Marie Waters ’54, Ph.D., pictured here in the Radford College 1954 yearbook, wanted the Department of Psychology to be able to, as much as possible, set its own scope of priorities.

“I sure hope I did,” she said, reflecting back and speaking about how much she missed teaching and her students.

“I also miss my colleagues,” Waters continued. “They were just nice, helpful people to be around. We helped each other. Students and colleagues were a good influence on me, and I tried to be a good influence on them.”

Now, years later, Waters decided to help the Department of Psychology in a different way, through a monetary gift. The funds will support teaching, research and departmental events and outreach with an emphasis on advancing the study of psychology.

ABOUT PILL AR II

Radford University produces students with high levels of knowledge, practical abilities and critical thinking skills. Our emphasis on academic excellence and research will result in students who are ready to excel in their fields of study. Support will provide opportunities for undergraduate research and more.

“The goal is to give the department the resources and flexibility to pursue activities and initiatives it considers important,” she said. “I want the department to be able to, as much as possible, set its own scope of priorities.”

To thank Waters and her generosity, the university held a small, intimate gathering on July 22, 2022, to celebrate with some of her former colleagues and current psychology faculty members. There, it was announced that Waters was naming the gift in honor of Thomas, her mentor and the man who created the Radford Department of Psychology in 1928.

“Today is about legacy, the legacy of our faculty and how they give of their time, their talent and their treasure,” College of Humanities and Behavioral Sciences Dean Matthew J. Smith, Ph.D., said at the ceremony. “It’s about the legacy of Dr. Minor Wine Thomas, who impacted generations of students. It’s about the legacy of Dr. Marie Waters, who in the latter half of the 20th century, did so similarly.”

Marie Waters ’54, Radford University President Ph.D. Bret Danilowicz also spoke at the event, reminding those in attendance that, in addition to teaching, Waters served as vice president for student affairs at Radford. “The most remarkable part,” the president said, “was that she broke the glass ceiling for women vice presidents of this university.”

Days later, Waters expressed gratitude for the president’s kind words. She also was grateful to a former colleague and good friend for helping bring the gift to fruition.

“This gift could never have been accomplished without the wisdom and experience of Dr. Hilary Lips,” Waters said of the former Department of Psychology chair and professor emeritus. “She put forth a ton of her time and energy.”

Waters is also grateful to current department chair Jeff Aspelmeier, Ph.D., who, as she said, has been essential in articulating the department’s goal and priorities.

“There was always a sense among the faculty in a department that we’re all in this together,” Waters explained. “We were all trying to do the same thing: find the truth and tell it as widely as possible.”

That was Thomas’ goal, too, and one of the reasons Waters is proud to honor his name with the gift.

“He was the one,” she said, “who got me started on my very happy life.”

Spring 2023

17

Ace PILL AR III

STUDENT SUCCESS AND ENGAGEMENT

AN

UP THEIR SLEEVES

FUND HELPS ASPIRING

T E AC H E R S COV E R CO STS OF TESTING

By Neil Harvey

S

ince its founding well over a century ago, Radford University has equipped countless students with the knowledge and skills they’ve needed to become teachers.

Now, the school is facilitating one alum’s efforts to provide aspiring educators with additional assets they need but can’t necessarily obtain through their studies or in the classroom – in particular, funds they can use to cover the registration fees for their mandatory licensing tests.

Across the state, those exams include the Virginia Communication and Literacy Assessment (VCLA); Praxis: Teaching Reading, Elementary; and Praxis II. The overall bill for students can reach or even exceed $500.

That's a financial hurdle that has long been on the radar of a Radford graduate and recent contributor to the school who – although she wishes to remain anonymous – is a teacher herself.

“Testing is becoming so expensive,” she said. “Future teachers have to take at least two tests and sometimes more, depending on their majors. Sometimes it's those little things that can hold a student back…. We’ve got to have a mechanism to help these students.

“Let's remove obstacles rather than putting them in their way.”

And that's exactly what she's doing. The seed money she recently donated to Radford’s College of Education

18 The Magazine of Radford University

and Human Development (CEHD) will go toward establishing a fund she’s named “Ace the Test.”

Through that program, students majoring in education – including music, foreign languages, health, physical education and other concentrations – now have the opportunity to receive monetary assistance the first time they take their tests.

“We will use this generous fund to provide undergraduate students who have demonstrated financial need and meet specific criteria, with vouchers to cover registration fees for licensure assessments,” said Debora Bays Wilbon, Ph.D., associate dean and director of field experience with CEHD. “Ace the Test's” primary donor doesn’t want to be named or receive credit for her gifts simply because she feels that attention should go toward a larger target.

“It’s not about me. It’s about helping the next generation of teachers,” she explained, adding that she is nonetheless pleased to offer assistance to other Highlanders.

“I love my alma mater and was very, very happy there.

Radford made me a teacher, and it has prepared and continues to prepare so many incredible educators,” she said.

There’s currently very good cause to help educators – according to a November 2022 report by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission, the current school year saw 10,900 teachers leave the profession across Virginia, while only about 7,200 first-timers were hired. The report also showed that as of midAugust 2022, there are 3,300 teaching vacancies across the state.

Within that troublesome climate, “Ace the Test” – while still a relatively new program on campus – has already helped its first Radford student.

TH E CA M PAIGN

Instead of worrying about paying for the registration fee, I had more time to study and prepare for the content on the test."

ALYSSA HOLLAND

Alyssa Holland, an elementary education major and first-generation college student from Stephens City, Virginia, earned her diploma in interdisciplinary studies in December 2022.

Holland’s goal was to return to her hometown and teach there, at the elementary school level. Late last

ABOUT PILL AR III

Radford University is committed to providing exceptional learning opportunities. Your support will ensure access to internships, student teaching, career and talent development and other measures to enhance the Radford experience for our students.

year, she had one final exam she needed to take to receive licensure, the RVE Elementary & Special Education test, and she learned she was eligible for a voucher through “Ace the Test.”

“It was extremely helpful to me,” Holland recalled.

“Instead of worrying about paying for the registration fee, I had more time to study and prepare for the content on the test.

“I can’t thank ‘Ace the Test’ enough for helping me out during my last semester at Radford,” Holland said.

That’s the kind of assistance that “Ace the Test’s” creator would like to see paid forward by Highlander students, alums and instructors as her fund grows.

“One person alone cannot finance this," the donor explained. "But together, we can help ease some of the challenges our future educators face."

For more information about “Ace the Test” at Radford University or to inquire about donating to the fund, contact Interim Vice President for Advancement and University Relations Penny Helms White '85, MBA '87, at pwhite@radford.edu.

Spring 2023

19

friends PILL AR IV

T H E AT H L E T I C E X P E R I E N C E

OF THE COURT

MEN’S BASKETBALL

P R O G R A M G E T S A G R E AT

ASSIST FROM JAMES AND SA R A TO U SSA I N T

By Chad Osborne

F

our quick passes – a few dribbles in between – and a quick layup between befuddled defenders set the Highlanders off to a quick start.

The bucket gave Radford a quick 2-0 lead just 18 seconds into a late February 2022 Big South Conference match-up with rival High Point University.

“Those two points set the tone for the game,” said Darris Nichols, Highlanders men’s basketball coach. And those points turned out to be the margin of victory for Radford in the 66-64 triumph.

Nichols didn’t call the opening play, named in the playbook as “Chicago 2,” but instead handed over that responsibility to a friend visiting the Dedmon Center that night.

“That game was awesome, and I got to pick the starting play which we scored on,” said a still-excited James Toussaint, M.D., months later. “It was pretty cool, and it was a great time.”

Toussaint, an orthopedic surgeon living and practicing in Gainesville, Florida, was in Radford that night with his wife, Sara. In addition to taking in a game coached by their friend, Nichols, they toured campus – “it’s so beautiful,” Sara said – the city of Radford and the surrounding area.

Their visit gave the Radford men’s basketball program a chance to recognize and honor James and Sara for their tremendous generosity to the program through a $100,000 gift they established.

20 The Magazine of Radford University

“We’ve known Darris and his wife, Courtnie, for a while, and they are incredible people,” Sara said. “We made the gift because we love supporting our friends, especially when they are doing as much good in the world as they are.”

The couples met when Darris and Courtnie worked at the University of Florida. Darris Nichols was an assistant basketball coach with the Gators. The Radford native spent six seasons in that role before being named Radford's eighth men’s basketball head coach in April 2021.

The Toussaints’ gift “means so much to our program,” Nichols said. “We are now able to enhance our studentathlete experience with things like suits for seniors, more meals for the team during the season and nutritional vitamins to keep them healthy. It means so much to me and the program, and I thank James and Sara for their generosity.”

The couple provided the gift, in part, James said, “because I wanted to minimize the barriers Darris has for success at Radford University. I wanted to help kick-start his success.”

The Toussaints are generous supporters of higher education, “focusing first on our alma maters,” James said, that being the University of Chicago for both. James attended medical school at New York University. “And then, we started looking around at university-based programs that fit our values.”

They have a tremendous heart for first-generation college students, as James and Sara were and as are about 32% of Radford University students.

“When we have the opportunity to help other firstgeneration students go to school, we want to support them,” said Sara, a successful sports marketer who serves on the board at The Marketing Jersey, focusing on soccer players from under-represented populations.

The Toussaints are also co-owners of the North Carolina Courage of the National Women’s Soccer League.

TH E CA M PAIGN

“Not having money should not preclude someone from getting a college education,” Sara said. “We feel strongly about this because of our own experiences.”

Part of those experiences comes from being the son and daughter of immigrants, Sara explained. James’ family is from Haiti; Sara’s mother came from Puerto Rico, and her father from Eastern Palestine, she said.

Sara’s parents raised her in Chicago, Illinois, where she got her first taste of basketball.

“I grew up in the Michael Jordan, Steve Kerr era when they were playing in Chicago, which is pretty cool now that Radford has an alumnus [Javonte Green ’15] playing

ABOUT PILL AR I V

Athletics is poised to make the next 10 years the most productive and exciting period in Highlander sports history. The Athletic Department’s strategic plan includes improving the student-athlete experience through hard work, integrity, passion, focus and accountability. Campaign efforts will provide financial support to help match our goals and will provide student-athletes with the proper resources to compete at the Division I level.

for the Bulls. Also, I played basketball for one year. I’m 5’2’’, and I wasn’t very good,” she joked.

Before the game on the night James and Sara visited Radford, the men’s basketball program did more than let James call the first play. In gratitude for the couple’s support, Radford Athletics named Nichols’ office The Toussaint Office. A red plaque hangs on the office door, emblazoned with the Radford athletics logo and an inscription that reads: Benefactors James and Sara Toussaint, Dedicated February 19, 2022.

“The entire visit was an awesome experience,” James said. “We felt very welcomed.”

The Toussaints hope their gift will help Radford “continue to build a program that provides interpersonal leadership and growth. Those things are very important to us,” Sara said. “And I know it’s important to Darris, for sure. In addition, Sara served as the keynote speaker for the 2023 “Champion Her Future” Leadership Dinner.

“We’re not just building these student-athletes for what they can do on the basketball court; we want to help them grow as people. We hope this gift will help build that for the current student population and help Radford attract even more top student-athletes. We want to help Darris and Radford recruit the best talent both on and off the court.”

All gifts, regardless of size, will make an impact. To support student athletes or your favorite team, go to thehighlanderclub.com.

Spring 2023

21

Emergency PILL AR V

EMERGING NEEDS

RESPONSE

HELPING HIGHLANDERS

FOCUS ON THE FINISH LINE

By Neil Harvey

O

ne of the few welcome upsides of an emergency is that, once the crisis is resolved, better ways of handling a problem often reveal themselves.

For example: An issue that arose in 2016, but eventually sparked a significant, beneficial and trendsetting initiative by the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD).

CEHD Dean Tamara Wallace recalled working with a student who was facing an unexpected financial obligation, one that could have snowballed into preventing him from completing his degree program.

“Although there were some resources available to the student through other university offices, it wasn’t enough to completely address the need,” Wallace said. “We ended up reaching out to financial aid to help us with options that would keep the student in school.”

Wallace said the experience inspired her to organize and establish a means by which CEHD could help its students directly. CEHD soon became Radford’s first college to establish its own emergency fund, which provides support for those needing general financial assistance not related to tuition.

It’s a valuable campus resource that, since its inception, is fueled by the generosity of Radford University’s donors.

“Our students are hardworking young people who do everything they can to meet their own needs, but sometimes there are situations where they need help mitigating challenges. This is what the fund is for,” Wallace said.

Over the past several years, CEHD has offered direct financial assistance to nearly 40 students, and has provided

22 The Magazine of Radford University

resources and gift cards to help cover food and other necessities. One of the students who got help was able to replace textbooks that were lost in a fire. Another needed money for car repairs, in order to commute to an internship one hour away; with the assistance she received, she completed her program and has since been offered a fulltime position with that organization.

“Dean Wallace was leading the way when she established this fund,” said Director of Annual Giving Carolyn Clayton.

“She was really doing it out of a place of deep care and concern. She has been able to save students and keep them on the path to graduation, whether it’s paying a medical bill or a month of rent.

“It’s just a way of saying, ‘We’re not going to let this challenge be your obstacle.’”

Clearly, the school’s numerous supporters agree.

During Radford’s 2021 “Build the Hive” crowdfunding campaign, Highlanders came together and gave to CEHD’s emergency fund in impressive numbers. CEHD’s fund won the university’s “Honeypot” award for drawing the most donors overall, an accomplishment that earned it an additional monetary prize courtesy of the Radford University Foundation.

The fund also achieved the “Sweet Start Challenge” for raising the most individual contributions on the first day of the drive, and it placed second overall on that year’s leaderboard for total amount raised. Donors were similarly generous in 2022 as well.

Radford University’s other individual colleges and offices have long offered options to help students leap across economic pitfalls, but the past several years have seen the rise of still more such opportunities.

The Artis College of Science and Technology launched its emergency fund in April 2020, and a year later, the Waldron College Student-Use Emergency Fund came into being.

TH E CA M PAIGN

This is in no way, shape or form supposed to be financial aid. This is to close that last-mile gap of economic needs that are created by, ‘I can’t afford the textbook,’ or ‘rents have gone up’ or ‘I am in a very sudden jam.’"

JOY BHADURY, PH.D.

Davis College Dean Joy Bhadury said he recognized a need in the spring of 2020 as the pandemic gained traction.

Part-time jobs that help countless young scholars cover their day-to-day costs became more and more scarce.

“It immediately became apparent to us that many of our students had become extremely adversely impacted,” Bhadury said.

The Davis College Advisory Board, a 25-member panel that offers business students guidance and various forms of support, came together to donate to unrestricted funds for emergency needs.

“This is in no way, shape or form supposed to be financial aid,” Bhadury explained. “This is to close that last mile gap of economic needs that are created by, ‘I can’t afford the textbook,’ or ‘rents have gone up’ or ‘I am in a very sudden jam.’”

Even as pandemic restrictions have mostly lifted, ABOUT PILL AR V Bhadury said the advisory board has additional donations on-hand and plans to keep offering this form of assistance Gifts to Emerging Needs will position Radford into the future.

University to seize unexpected opportunities and “Students’ needs will continue, and when they happen, the respond to new trends and discoveries. Your support need is very, very real, so this fund will continue,” he said. can launch new faculty and student initiatives, Direct gifts to https://inspire.radford.edu/help and select introduce new areas of study, bring fascinating “other” adding the college or fund of your choice. Contact speakers and artists to campus and purchase ruadvancement@radford.edu for more information about how to support these projects. equipment not yet invented or even imagined.

Those efforts, while still relatively new, have also benefitted significantly from financial assistance contributed during school crowdfunding efforts.

Other recent student resources include The School of Nursing Emergency Need, established in October 2020, and the Radford University Carilion Emergency Fund, which emerged in May 2021. The Division of Student Affairs also offers the Highlander Student Emergency Fund, to provide money toward food and housing.

The College of Visual and Performing Arts and the Davis College of Business and Economics increased their means of supplying help through their general funds.

Spring 2023

23

24 The Magazine of Radford University

PL A N NSN E DA G P IOPEN VING

The impact of

planned giving M

offett Hall, with its stately brick-and-stone façade, four pillars and cupola, brackets the residence hall quad of the same name and provides a picturesque backdrop upon entry to campus from Tyler Avenue. Inside, 350 students call it home each semester.

The building stands as Radford University’s physical tribute to Mary Ledger “M’Ledge” Moffett, Ph.D., who for 49 years (1913-1962) was a constant figure at a growing institution.

Despite standing just 5 feet tall, she wielded a unique power among Virginia educators, as the first woman to serve as dean of a state public institution, after being appointed dean of women in 1920.

Her influence went beyond the title.

Moffett earned a national reputation as a champion of women’s education and was revered locally for her wisdom, engaging personality and graceful dancing. By the time she retired from Radford College, Moffett was known for being the loudest voice and most familiar face on campus.

With all that she contributed to the institution’s growth, it was the legacy she put in writing in August of 1959 that carries significant weight at Radford University today. “After the foregoing bequests have been made, I bequeath the remainder of my estate to Radford College to be added to the Moffett Scholarship Fund,” Moffett wrote in her will.

Those words marked the establishment of Radford’s first planned gift, a program that has continued to add new donors who wish to leave their legacy. Planned gifts to Radford University can have an impact now and beyond your lifetime. Many offer tax savings, and some even provide you with income for life.

Deferred gifts like Moffett’s are recognized through the Society of 1910, which recognizes alumni and friends

who have generously included Radford University in their estate plans.

In the following pages are stories of individuals who have elected to make planned gifts. Kathryn Crawford Applegate ’85, Jordan Stidham ’16, MBA ’19, and Tina McKinney Weiner ’72 are alumni who used the skills they developed at Radford to make societal impacts as philanthropists, community nonprofit leaders and educators.

What the three have in common is the knowledge that their gift will make a difference in the lives of future generations.

Moffett believed the same and used the first planned gift to pay tribute to her inspiration.

“This is given as a memorial to my mother, Mrs. Mary S. Moffett,” M’Ledge wrote. “She believed in education as the chief source of real security and in the development of the spirit of a person as his chief source of personal happiness.”

By establishing a legacy that continues 64 years later, Dean Moffett made an everlasting impact across the university and will continue to do so for generations.

Spring 2023

25

Legacy

Leaving a

Kathryn Crawford Applegate ’85

O

By Bailey Black

ne of the many ways Kathie Crawford Applegate ’85 gives back is by supporting students at Radford University.

Applegate has recently established a scholarship for students studying interior design and included the College of Visual and Performing Arts in her estate plans.

Applegate is part of a family of Highlanders. Her son McKinley graduated from Radford in 2017 with a management degree, and her sister Anne graduated from Radford in 1989 with a graphic arts degree.

Each of them had a positive experience at Radford; this inspired Applegate to give back to ensure that future students would be given the same opportunity.

“I also want to know that when I pass, there will be a legacy established at Radford,” Applegate said.

26 The Magazine of Radford University

PL A N N E D G I VING

Her journey toward becoming a Highlander began during her college search in high school. The campus size, student population and mission for the future all appealed to Applegate.

“Radford was really looking for well-rounded students: people who had participated in community service and people who were going to get involved in clubs and organizations on campus. That appealed to me,” recalled Applegate, “and I feel like I made the perfect decision.”

As a freshman, Applegate knew exactly what she wanted to study: interior design. She paired that with a business minor to prepare herself for life after graduation. Her favorite class at Radford focused on barrier-free design, which taught the importance of making interior spaces more inclusive. Applegate has always been passionate about making the world better for others, and she has continued to pursue that mission throughout her life.

After graduating from Radford, Applegate began her career as an interior designer. A few years later, she went into business with her father, who worked in real estate. Having taken classes at Radford that focused on insurance and real estate, Applegate felt prepared to earn her real estate license. From there, Applegate worked in other design and marketing-related roles before deciding to stay home with her children until they reached middle school. She became active in her community in Midlothian, Virginia, serving on several boards and becoming involved in her children’s school.

In 2012, Applegate and her family moved to the Nashville, Tennessee area, where she became philanthropically involved with organizations like Thistle Farms, “a nonprofit social enterprise dedicated to helping women survivors recover and heal from prostitution, trafficking and addiction by providing a safe place to live, a meaningful job and a lifelong sisterhood of support.” She remains involved with other organizations like Healing Housing, a nonprofit residential recovery program serving women with limited resources throughout Middle Tennessee who are healing from addiction.

necessities to local homeless populations. Another is the Anna Maria Island Pup Rescue, Inc., which Applegate has been volunteering for since its inception two years ago. Fostering animals and helping them find their “forever homes” has been one of her most fulfilling endeavors.

When Applegate is not volunteering or giving back, she enjoys many hobbies, including creating art in multiple mediums; attending sporting events, concerts and the performing arts; repurposing old items found in thrift stores, estate sales and flea markets; traveling; entertaining; and spending time with family and friends.

“I realize how blessed I am to have been able to retire early, and I’ve found the best way to show my gratitude is by continuing to give back to my communities,” Applegate said.

This passion for giving includes supporting her alma mater. Applegate has enjoyed staying connected to Radford over the years, visiting her son on campus while he was a student, attending annual events and keeping in touch with her former roommates and sorority sisters from Sigma Sigma Sigma. The relationships she has built have strengthened her Highlander pride.

“I would encourage all alumni to get involved at Radford. It doesn’t have to be financially; it can also be through volunteering or speaking to students in class, even via Zoom,” Applegate said. “Radford was such a great experience for me. I loved it, my sister Anne loved it and my son McKinley loved it. It’s a great school. I hope that one day, maybe my grandchildren will go there too.”

In 2015, after being afforded the opportunity to retire, Applegate moved to Anna Maria Island, Florida, where she has continued to support local organizations she is passionate about. One of those is The Blessing Bags Project, which is dedicated to providing basic 27

Jordan Stidham ’16, MBA ’19

Breaking the cycle

of poverty

By Stephanie D. Overton

I

n recent years, a spotlight has shined on helping students with critical needs that stand between them and the opportunities a university degree can bring.

“Education is what saved me from repeating the cycle of poverty. Radford is the place that made me feel at home enough to push through the struggles of being a poor kid putting [myself] through school,” said Radford graduate Jordan Stidham ’16, MBA ’19.

“I grew up in a family where I was one of five kids,” Stidham said. “For a large portion of my early life, my mother was on her own. We lived in government housing and made ends meet with government assistance. My mother has a heart of gold and will give you the shirt off her back, and many times she did that to help me get through college.”

28 The Magazine of Radford University

PL A N NSN E DA G P IOPEN VING

For first-generation college students, the need for support often begins in high school. While some students are making campus visits, others lack the resources. Stidham was “one of the kids that fell through the cracks,” but he was determined to get a college education.

He was enrolled in community college when he learned about Radford University. He and his wife, Carley Stidham ’16, who he was dating at the time, both decided to attend Radford.

“Everywhere I turned, I met people that cared,” Stidham said of his arrival at Radford University.

“Things were not easy, but feeling at home made it achievable. You never know what someone is going through. You never know someone’s backstory and what they are trying to overcome.

One act of kindness can literally change someone’s life.”

“Even working three jobs, I struggled,” Stidham said.

“My funding didn’t cover all my costs needed for the year. But every single time I would go to Financial Aid, and they found a way. Any time I went to my professors, they would help me. No matter what roadblock I hit, someone was there to care,” shared Stidham.

There was a pivotal moment in Stidham’s senior year when the lack of money threatened his goal to finish college.

“After paying my rent and power, I had maybe $10 left for a two-week period and no food,” Stidham said.

“My mom drove to Radford and used her remaining food stamps to buy me food. I remember her handing me her power bill money.

“After I finished my last final, I just cried. I called my fiancee and my mom, and all I could say was, ‘We did it.’”

Stidham graduated with honors, earning a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in accounting and later an MBA. After Radford, he worked as a cost accountant before moving to the nonprofit sector, where he managed the finances for Community Housing Partners (CHP).

“CHP builds and manages housing for lowincome and critical need families and individuals.

I had literally come full circle in my life and was now working for a group that housed kids like me,” Stidham said.

He now serves as the director of finance and development at HOPE, Inc. in Wytheville, Virginia.

HOPE houses the homeless, low-income families, critical-need populations and anyone else needing a roof over their heads. The nonprofit organization also runs Open Door Café, which feeds over 750 kids per week through its HOPE Packs program and provides over $6,000 per month in free food at the café.

“I broke the cycle of poverty and now work every day to feed and house people in need,” Stidham said.

He feels a strong commitment to the career path he has chosen and to helping other students overcome the barriers to a Radford education.

He and his wife have established a planned gift that will benefit new generations of Radford University students.

“We chose to give back to help the next kid – like me – get through. I know the barriers that people in poverty face, and I know the impact my support can make,” Stidham said.

Spring 2023

29

Tina McKinney Weiner ’72

Transforming lives with the gift of education

I

By Bailey Black

n honor of her Golden Reunion year, her 50th anniversary as a Radford University alumna, Tina McKinney Weiner ’72 and her husband, Keith, have established a planned gift to support Radford University’s College of Education and Human Development (CEHD).

Weiner knew from a young age that she wanted to be a mathematics teacher. Roanoke natives, Weiner and her family, especially her father, had their eyes on Radford early on. Their excitement grew as she was accepted – the first in her family to go to college.

“I absolutely loved dorm life,” recalled Weiner. “I thought the campus was beautiful, and I had such a good time. I made a lot of friends, but I also did a lot of studying. It was truly growing up for me.”

30 The Magazine of Radford University

Some of the friendships Weiner made during her time at Radford have lasted a lifetime, including her little sister in Cotillion Club and her suitemate from Norwood Hall. During this year’s Homecoming weekend, she reunited with many friends from the Class of 1972 at their Golden Reunion. Weiner also attended one of her favorite Homecoming events, the annual Reminisce Radford breakfast, where she was honored with the College of Education and Human Development’s 2022 Distinguished Alumni Award for her service to the university and outstanding work in her profession.

In addition to meaningful friendships with her classmates, Weiner also made connections with professors that left a lasting impact on her career as a teacher, one being Janet S. Milton, Ph.D., Weiner’s precalculus professor at Radford. Milton went above and beyond to help her students, welcoming them to her home for tutoring and advising.

“I will never be able to repay her kindness,” Weiner said. “My goal was to be a teacher like she was – to put my students first. She was always willing to help, and that was the key. When you have good teachers, it’s easy to see those key characteristics.”

After graduating from Radford, Weiner began her teaching career at Lord Botetourt High School, where she taught mathematics. She also earned her master’s degree before transitioning into a new role as the math chairman at Patrick Henry High School in Roanoke.

“I did observations and helped teachers, which I loved.

Then I helped start what was called the Mentor Intern Program with Virginia Tech. I observed new teachers who already had their degrees and helped with their lesson planning. That’s when I realized I wanted to do more administrative work,” explained Weiner.

Her next position in Roanoke City Schools was assistant principal at Addison Middle School. She was able to learn the ropes of middle school education before the opportunity arose to become the Roanoke K-12 mathematics supervisor, where she remained for 12 years. Weiner then worked with the Virginia

Department of Education, assisting schools in the area of mathematics. She did workshops for teachers and worked with the mathematics specialist program – one of her proudest and most fulfilling endeavors, outside of teaching children. Based in elementary and middle schools, mathematics specialists are teachers who support their colleagues in promoting enhanced mathematics instruction and student learning. Weiner also taught at the University of Virginia as an adjunct faculty member.

Weiner retired in 2021 after 49 years as an educator, but her involvement continues as a supporter of Radford University. Though Weiner had spent time on Radford’s campus many times over the years visiting former students, she became reengaged through her involvement with CEHD as a member of the Leadership Council. Through this opportunity, she learned firsthand the needs of CEHD and wanted to help.

“I started realizing how much Radford had been a base for me, a jumping off point for my career. I always knew I received a good education, but I didn’t realize how truly lucky I had been,” Weiner explained.

“I like to think I’ve helped many kids as a teacher, but really, my kids have helped me. They have been my inspiration. We want to help the next generation have the opportunities I was fortunate enough to have. My husband and I truly believe that higher education is a stepping stone toward a productive and good life.”

This realization is what led them to leave Radford University in their estate plans. Weiner not only recognizes the impact her Radford experience had on her life but that Radford continues to transform the lives of students.

“I think Radford has a positive outlook,” Weiner said, “and I’m excited to be part of it.”

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Theatre fund extends the memory and generosity of an inspired graduate

By Neil Harvey

W

hen Tyler Humphreys ’92 came to Radford University, he was well into his 20s and on the older end of his class, but that extra mileage served him well.

It was the late 1980s, and he’d already served in the Army, launched a business and honed technical skills that dated back to his teens in Kilmarnock, Virginia, where he’d rewired his high school auditorium’s sound system.

At Radford, as he earned his degree in technical theater, Humphreys combined his knowledge with his love for theater, sharing the results with his classmates as well as countless Radford audiences.

“When he came to the university he was very impressed with the classes that the program offered,” his wife, Jody Humphreys ’90 of Christiansburg, Virginia, recently said. “They gave him the opportunity to learn about new technical applications and immerse himself in an environment that provided new challenges that fostered his innovation.”

The couple first met as students, in the lobby of Porterfield Hall, at that time the center of the College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA).

32 The Magazine of Radford University

SNTH A PE OPEN ART S

Tyler Humphreys '92 as the Hairy Man in the stage production of "Wiley and the Hairy Man"

“As far as the technical side of it, he was involved in every show that hit the stage while he was there,” she said. “Anything that had to do with electricity, lights, sound … he was part of it.

He was incredibly creative.”

Technical theater was a calling that didn’t fade over the decades after graduation, when Humphreys often traveled the New River Valley and beyond, into West Virginia and Tennessee, using his talents to help smaller churches find solutions to get the best audio-visual presentations on limited budgets.

Brian James ’95 of Christiansburg was a classmate of Humphreys, a freshman nearly a decade younger. They worked together on theater projects, first as students and later as colleagues in the same field.

“He was kind of like a big brother for me,” James recalled.

“One of the things Tyler was very big on was sharing his craft. He loved teaching, and he was a person who always made time to teach someone, if they needed it.”

In the wake of Humphreys’ death, in September 2021 at age 58, James found a way to memorialize his friend’s craft and generosity.

He created the Tyler B. Humphreys Support Fund for Theatre and Cinema, which provides help with lab fees and supplies to as many theatre majors as possible.

“Between the fall 2021 and spring 2022 semesters, it supplied close to $4,000. It covered makeup kits for 21 students, and those are about $75 each,” said Richard Dunham, chair of the Department of Theatre and Cinema. About 10 students obtained money for scene-painting supplies, with more receiving funds this semester.

“College students often feel they're on their own,” James explained. “This fund won’t be presented at a fancy award ceremony, but it's a way for students to know there are people willing to help. And sometimes in life, it's the basics that make a big difference.

“This was far from being solely my idea,” he said, adding that he drew inspiration from other alums and now hopes the fund will gather additional contributions and reach the level of an endowment.

“People sometimes want to give back, but can only afford $20, $30. So, this is a way for people to share their passion, and it’s easy to do,” James said.

Jody Humphreys believes her husband would’ve appreciated the fund’s goals, regardless of whose name was on it.

“The fact that Tyler has the ability, with this fund, to be able to give back to the students … is just a continuation of his legacy,” she said.

For more information about supporting this fund or to make a gift in honor or memory of a loved one, please call University Advancement at 540-831-5407.

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SPORTS RECAP

ONE

1. 78% OF STUDENT-ATHLETES EARN 3.0 GPA OR BETTER IN FALL 2022 It was another spectacular semester for Radford student-athletes, as an impressive 78 % of Highlanders earned a 3.0 GPA or better in the fall 2022 semester. On top of that, 60% of Radford’s student-athletes earned a 3.4 GPA or better, and 20% achieved a perfect 4.0 GPA. Thirteen out of 14 programs posted a team GPA of 3.0 or better, led by the women’s tennis team (3.84) and the men’s cross country team (3.61).

TWO

2. WOMEN’S SOCCER WINS BIG SOUTH TITLE

The Radford women’s soccer team capped a 12-4-4 season with a 3-0 victory over Gardner-Webb to win the Big South Championship and punch a ticket to the NCAA Tournament. Head coach Ben Sohrabi’s team outscored opponents 13-0 over a five-match win streak that culminated with the program’s eighth conference tournament crown. Five Highlanders earned Big South annual all-conference awards, including junior Helena Willson, who was named tournament MVP.

3. SHAQ JULES COMPETES AT FIBA AMERICUP Men’s basketball senior Shaq Jules competed at the 2022 FIBA AmeriCup for the U.S. Virgin Islands National Team in early September 2022. The FIBA AmeriCup is the most prestigious competition for senior men's basketball in the Americas.

Jules saw action in all three games for the U.S. Virgin Islands, including a tournamentbest eight points in the opener against Argentina. Jules got his first taste of game action with the national team in June for a series of friendly games. At the collegiate level, he averaged 5.8 points and 4.6 rebounds per game while shooting 61.9% from the field across 29 appearances for the 2021-22 season. He also represented the Highlanders on the Big South Conference All-Academic Team. And, he is having an outstanding 2022-2023 season.

34 The Magazine of Radford University

SN ATH A PLET OPEN IC S

FOUR

4. RADFORD ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME ENSHRINES FIVE LEGENDS Following a hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Radford Athletics Hall of Fame enshrined its 19th class during the fall Homecoming weekend.

Inductees, from left, Helen Negrey ’84 (women’s soccer), Patrinda Toney ’92 (women’s basketball), Jim Abbott ’95 (baseball) and Mike Ashley ’83 (sports information director), along with Art Parakhouski ’10 (men’s basketball), not pictured, were celebrated as those among the very best to ever represent the Highlanders.

FIVE

5. HIGHLANDERS THIRD IN 2022-23 BIG SOUTH SASSER CUP STANDINGS At the conclusion of fall semester action, Radford was in third place in the Big South’s Sasser Cup standings. In the women's all-sports standings, Radford sat in second place thanks to a women's soccer championship and high finishes in women's cross country and volleyball.

Highlander teams placed fifth in the men’s allsports standings, led by men's cross country performance. The Sasser Cup is awarded annually to the Big South member institution with the most overall athletic success.

SIX

6. RADFORD WELCOMES NEW COACHES

Alex Guerra ’11 was named head baseball coach in June 2022. The former Highlander infielder (2010-11) spent the past seven seasons as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at James Madison University. Guerra, who posted a .311 batting average with 94 RBIs during his 109 career games in red and white, is the seventh head coach in the program’s history.

Grace Reed ’16 was named women’s tennis head coach in September 2022, returning to Radford after leading Bluefield State to the round of 32 in the 2022 NCAA Division II championship. Reed, a Bland, Virginia, native, coached Radford High School to the 2016 state girls’ tennis championship. Formerly Grace Sarver, she played in three seasons (2013-16) for the Highlanders.

J.D. Shade began his first season as head coach of the men’s tennis team during the fall. Shade, an assistant coach at Elon University for the past three seasons, brings more than 10 years of experience teaching, coaching, and directing tennis clubs and resorts throughout the world.

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By C

had

Osb

orne

Game On RADFORD’S ESPORTS PROGRAM GETS HIGH SCORES FROM STUDENTS

TH E E X PE R I ENC E

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“ We know many students are gamers, and we are letting them know that we have created a space for them.”

D.J. Preston, director of Student Recreation and Wellness

One new space on campus is something you really have to experience to fully appreciate. Words and photos can convey only so much.

When you first walk into this space, it’s dark, except for the rapid action zipping around on numerous screens strategically placed in the room. Scores of students are here, but despite the activity, it’s surprisingly quiet. Noise-canceling headphones have a lot to do with that. There is a competitive energy flowing. LED lights display an array of colors around this 1,800 square-foot room, giving off an ultramodern feel while also evoking an ’80s arcade ambiance.

“When students walk in here, their minds are blown – parents, too,” said Doug Benedict, the assistant director of Radford University’s new esports center, located on the first floor of Cook Hall, and the program he and others around campus hope will draw and retain more students to Radford.

The center is the physical component of the esports program Radford has steadily built over the past couple of years to capitalize on the booming industry.

It has everything a gamer could wish for.

More than

students are competing on esports teams

15%

of Radford University students used the Esports Center during the fall 2022 semester

38 The Magazine of Radford University

Benedict’s eyes light up when he explains it all.

The center has 40 gaming stations with “really high-powered PCs,” he said.

Listening to him run through the specs would likely make anyone interested in gaming salivate. Those include, to name just a few, Alienware Aurora R13 PCs, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti graphic cards and I9 processors.

“This is some of the best stuff available on the market,” said Benedict, who was hired in February 2022 to help run the esports program.

“We are definitely on the first wave of the newest technology.”

And the best games! Valorant. Rocket League.

League of Legends. Super Smash Bros Ultimate. FIFA. NBA2K. “In reality, you can come in here and play any game you want,” Benedict explained. That includes old-school games like Pacman.

The esports center is designed to host tournament competitions. Teams are competing on two levels, a “varsity level,” Benedict said, and a club level. The former is competing against teams from other colleges and universities.

Team members can sit side-by-side in Radfordbranded gaming chairs while playing a tournament game against another school. Friends and fans can sit in the room and cheer on screens throughout the center. Plus, the computers in the center can stream their gameplay to the outside world, meaning fans can watch from their residence hall rooms, or in the library, or in Dalton Hall or anywhere.

TH E ESN X PE AP R I OPEN ENC E

164 “We want an audience similar to our basketball games and other sporting events on campus,” Benedict said.

The esports program, however, is about more than games. Much more.

Unifying students was an important factor when planning for the esports center and the program.

“This is about engagement,” said Benedict, who recently earned a master’s degree in higher education administration. “The first thing we wanted to look at was giving a population of students, those who play games, ownership over a part of their campus.

“So many students are gamers. It’s estimated that more than 4 billion people play some sort of game, and we know students are already playing games, and we know they are playing games in their dorms,” Benedict continued.

Some students are competing on teams beyond the boundaries of campus and using their experience on the national level. Chad Matthews, a senior biology student, has been ranked as high as 12th in the nation playing Valorant.

“We have the research to say that students engage more on campus when they have perceived ownership of a space,” Benedict added. “And, when they are joining organizations, they are 100 or 200 times more likely to graduate. Those numbers aren’t an exaggeration.”

During the fall semester, 15% of Radford’s students population checked in to use the center, and more than 100 participated on teams, Benedict said.

Just three weeks into the fall semester and the opening of the esports center, Esports club president Michaela Johnson had already noticed the overall positive impact the center was having on her fellow students and gamers.

“It’s amazing to walk in here and see students playing games, doing their homework and just hanging out and meeting new people. Having this center and that in-person contact is the No. 1 thing,” she said, slapping her leg with each word for emphasis.

The program has an academic component as well, easing the minds of parents who sometimes ask, “Is my student going to play video games all day?”

donors raised more than $5,000 for the esports program during the Highlander10 Challege in November 2022!

Those academics come in the form of the esports services minor, which was created by the Department of Recreation, Parks and Tourism (RCPT) and offered in collaboration with the Department of English. It focuses on play, community, team building, inclusion and event planning. The minor is designed to prepare students for careers in the ever-expanding field. The course list has three required courses – Introduction to Esports, Applied Issues in Esports, and Game Studies and Design. There are also six electives students must complete.

“There are tremendous opportunities for students involved in esports. Not only are there significant benefits economically for players, but also for merchandise and supporting key stakeholders,” said RCPT Associate Professor Josh Carroll, Ph.D., who teaches the intro to esports course. “Esports supports huge events that require planning and implementation, as well as keen design features to attract these audiences and spectators. There are also tremendous networking opportunities for our students between major sponsors, host sites, players, event planners and game designers.”

The minor has been a hit in its inaugural semester, with many students like Johnson, a senior psychology major from Warrenton, Virginia, adding it to their academic slate.

“I teach right above the new Esports Lounge, and I have had the class fill up, then we open more seats. It fills up again until a full classroom capacity prevents any more seats opening up,” Carroll explained.

When students hear the word “esports,” Benedict explained, they think, ‘Oh, I get to compete,’ but when I talk about esports, I talk about academics, a career as well as competition and media creation.”

And all of these components of the program serve as a tremendous recruiting tool for the university.

“We know many students are gamers, and we are letting them know that we have created a space for them,” said D.J. Preston, Radford University’s director of student recreation and wellness and one of the leaders who helped develop esports on campus. “Many students cannot afford this gaming equipment on their own, but we have it here, and that shows them that Radford University is investing in them and the things they like to do."

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GOLDEN R EU NION

The Class of 1972 celebrated its Golden Reunion during last year’s Homecoming. The Golden Dinner brought previous Golden Reunion classes together to celebrate the induction of the Class of 1972 into the Golden Reunion Society. Attendees also enjoyed dinner, singing and reflections. Proudly wearing their Golden Medallions, the Class of 1972 attended many other events throughout Homecoming weekend.

VOLUNTEER LUNCH

Alumni were invited to learn more about serving their alma mater as alumni volunteers at the annual Alumni Volunteer Leadership Business Lunch and Awards Ceremony in Kyle Hall. Not only does this event serve as both an educational and networking opportunity, it also honors recipients of the Radford University Alumni Association Awards. The 2022 recipients were Jesse Lynch ’14, Outstanding Young Alumnus Award; Cynthia Hughes Smith ’69, Outstanding Service Award; Kathleen Harvey Harshberger ’80, Outstanding Philanthropist Award; and Eugenio Pineiro ’79, Outstanding Alumnus Award. This event also provided an opportunity for Alumni Association President Kevin Rogers ’87 to thank more than 1,200 alumni volunteers for their work over the past year.

WOMEN OF R A DFOR D

The Radford University Alumni Association held its annual Women of Radford Luncheon. Alumni were invited to this event to reminisce about Radford’s history and celebrate the Radford women of today. This year’s attendees enjoyed a fashion show by the Department of Design and an inspiring speech, “Kindness and Humility are Signs of Strength,” by Jennifer Stanford ’93, CEO of Emergent Performance Solutions.

40 The Magazine of Radford University

A LUMNI

R E C A P

INAUGU R ATION

Radford University’s eighth president, Bret Danilowicz, Ph.D., was inaugurated on the McConnell Library lawn. Radford University alumni were well-represented, many serving as class ambassadors and on the platform party. President Danilowicz and First Lady Kay Danilowicz received gifts from the Alumni Association to thank them for their leadership.

A LU MNI V ILL AGE

For the first time, unexpected weather moved the weekend’s largest event, the Alumni Village, into Kyle Hall. Nine decades of alumni were represented, some traveling from as far as Brazil.

Alumni enjoyed a free concert by The Voltage Brothers, the Parade of Tents where student groups and organizations decorated tables to highlight their school spirit, a beverage area and food vendors.

Scan to view more photos from the weekend!

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CLASS NOTES ’60s Fred and Juanita Greene Colley ’64 celebrated their 60th Wedding Anniversary on August 24, 2022.

’70s Bernadette Senna Douglas ’76 was honored by the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce Executives Association with the 2022 Executive of the Year Award.

Recently retired from the Cleveland/ Bradley Chamber of Commerce after a 40-year career in the Chamber industry, Bernadette and her husband Rob Douglas ’78 reside in Cleveland, Tennessee. They have two children and four grandchildren.

Tom Schmidt ’77, M.S. ’78, has retired after more than 40 years as an industrial safety engineer in the commercial property and casualty industry and construction industry.

’80s Mitzi Dorton, M.S. ’82, published a new book, “Chief Corn Tassel,” available through Finishing Line Press, Georgetown, Kentucky. This is a nonfiction historical narrative about

Calling all members of the Class of 1973!

Start planning now to come back to campus during Homecoming 2023, Oct. 19-21, for a special celebration – your Golden Reunion. Reminisce with fellow classmates throughout the weekend and meet Radford University President Bret Danilowicz.

It’s not too early to let us know you’ll be here. We would love to have you join us as a volunteer for the reunion! Call the Office of Alumni Relations, toll-free 1-888-478-4723, or email alumni@radford.edu.

42 The Magazine of Radford University

the life and words of the Beloved Man, peace chief and great orator of the 18th Century Cherokees. She also has work in various literary journals and was a part of the anthology, “Rise” (Colorado Book Award, 2020).

Gloucester County, Virginia welcomed Carol Steele ’84 as its new county administrator. Steele has served as one of the deputy county administrators and as the acting county administrator since April 2021.

Robert Chappell Jr. ’85 has written a new book titled, “Rock Painting Therapy: A Soldier’s Journey to Improved Mental Health.”

Kathy Didawick ’85 joined Strategic Elements as a strategic partner, bolstering the firm’s business partnerships and political networks in Washington, D.C. and throughout the U.S. Previously, Didawick served as vice president of political and external affairs for the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.

Didawick has also worked for three U.S. Senators.

Jan P. Monroe ’85 was honored as one of two recipients of the 2022 Darrel Tillar Mason Excellence in Advocacy Award by the disAbility Law Center of Virginia (dLCV). Monroe was recognized at the dLCV Midsummer Night’s Gala at The Cultural Arts Center in Glen Allen, Virginia. This award is given to individuals whose work advances independence, choice and self-determination for people with disabilities. Monroe is the founder and executive director of STEPVA, which provides sensorybased theater and arts programs for individuals with disabilities.

CL A SS N OT ES

Kevin Wheeler ’13 married Julie Simpson at Blue Valley Vineyard and Winery in Delaplane, Virginia, on June 19, 2021 with many Radford alumni in attendance.

Lois Stewart ’87 has been inducted as a Fellow of the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (FAANA).

Stewart is the founding director of the new Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Nurse Anesthesia program at South College in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Sun Belle Inc. announced that agriculture marketing expert Jennifer Sparks ’87 joined their leadership team as director of marketing and communications. Prior to joining the team, Sparks served as the vice president of marketing and communications for the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council.

William Farrell ’88, President of Berglund Automotive Group in Roanoke, Virginia, has been appointed to the board of American National Bankshares Inc. Sam Harber ’88 has been elected Chairman of the Committee on Automotive Rubber Specification (CARS), a segment of the International Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). Harber is a senior applications development scientist at ZEON Chemicals L.P. Kelly Jarvis ’89 joined OneDigital, an insurance, financial services and human resources consulting advisory firm, as an employee benefits consultant.

Dana Stevens ’89 is the new principal of William Byrd Middle School. Stevens has worked for Roanoke County Public Schools in Virginia for 33 years.

’90s Scott Arthur ’91 has been appointed senior director of government sales and marketing at SDSE Networks in Reston, Virginia. Formerly a managing partner at Diversified Outlook Group, LLC, for 11 years, Arthur has also held senior roles at Conseqta Technology, QOMPLX, Voyager Labs and Oracle.

D.A. Davidson & Co. announced the opening of a new wealth management office in Blacksburg, Virginia, welcoming a three-person team of professionals with extensive financial services experience, including Martha Thomas ’91. Thomas has been working with Creamer Wealth Management, an advisor with D.A. Davidson & Co., for 13 years.

“Leadership in the Trenches: Proven Success Strategies for Middle Managers to Thrive in a System They Didn't Create,” a new book by Karen Brueckmann Hauschild ’91, was published in July 2022.

Corinne Gostel ’92, M.A. ’94, is the new vice president of human resources at Core Specialty Insurance Holdings, Inc. in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Matt Holloway ’93 has been named director of business development for Everglades Boats, a designer and builder of offshore fishing boats. Most recently, Holloway was senior key account manager for Navico, Inc., the world’s largest manufacturer of marine electronics.

Steve P. Fifield, M.S. ’93, published two new books: “Everyone Shoots” and “For The Love Of Gold.”

Michigan-based Health Alliance Plan (HAP) named Merrill Hausenfluck ’94 senior vice president and CFO. Hausenfluck joined HAP from Envolve Pharmacy Solutions, part of managed care company Centene Corporation’s specialty services division, where

F E AT U R E

Am Law 100 firm Polsinelli has announced the addition of public policy professional William H. Applegate ’90 to the firm’s Health Care Public Policy Group in Polsinelli’s Washington, D.C. office. Once an aide for the United States Senate, Applegate has honed his professional experience by assisting healthcare organizations and corporate clients in impacting and shaping the development of national and state health care public policy.

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Realizing Inclusive Student Excellence HIGHLANDERS RISE TOGETHER In the spring of 2021, several teams from across campus began research and meetings to decide on a focus for Radford’s Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP).

The QEP demonstrates the university’s commitment to student learning and success and is one of three major components of Radford University’s reaffirmation with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).* Merrie Winfrey, J.D., instructional designer and learning architect in the Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning and Sarah Kennedy, Ph.D., associate professor of chemistry, worked with a team to submit the topic “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion” to the QEP selection committee. Once this topic was selected, they began to lead the QEP development and wrote the document (with more than 40 Highlander collaborators) that went to SACSCOC in October 2022.

After months of conversation, focus groups and research, the QEP development team named the QEP, Realizing Inclusive Student Excellence (RISE) with the tagline, “Highlanders RISE Together.”

The QEP plan was inspired by the REALISE program that has been ongoing in the Artis College of Science and Technology since 2017. REALising Inclusive Science Excellence (REALISE) is a $1 million Howard Hughes Medical Institute funded program that provided faculty with inclusive

pedagogy training for redesigning STEM courses.

Curriculum reform included increased use of research in the classroom, incorporating active learning techniques, as well as faculty introspection and cultural awareness. The program also increased belongingness for our students through the peer mentoring program, REALISE Students. Fresh Fruit Fridays, de-stress events, STEM club fair, and Diversity in STEM series are all events that brought faculty and students together in the Artis College.

RISE has three main goals: students will successfully complete 100- and 200- level courses; students will experience a sense of academic belonging; and students will experience a sense of campus belonging.

These goals will be accomplished through two main components that are reminiscent of the REALISE program: 1. RISE Faculty Institute beginning spring 2024: In each year of the five-year QEP, 20 faculty members who teach 100or 200-level required courses will learn to remove barriers to learning; engage with students, diversity, and differences; and foster academic

belonging through inclusive and active learning pedagogies; and, 2. RISE Community Action Teams (R-CATs) – beginning fall 2023: groups of students and faculty members will examine disaggregated student success data and then collaborate to advance campus belonging within colleges, creating community through onetime and ongoing events.

The RISE QEP addresses several critical factors at Radford. It aligns with student success and enrollment growth goals in the university’s current strategic plan.

Research for a 10-year period of grade data for 315 distinct 100and 200-level courses showed definitive gaps in grades achieved when sorted by race. The plan will increase student performance and belongingness of all students.

And finally, research shows that with faculty development, inclusive and active forms of instruction will increase students’ sense of belonging and academic performance to close equity gaps.

Learn more about RISE at www.radford.edu/qep or contact Sarah Kennedy, co-chair of the QEP Development Committee, skennedy25@radford.edu.

*Every five years, Radford University must produce a compliance certification document, institutional summary form and QEP to be considered for reaffirmation with Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC.) The Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Quality Improvement, led by Jessica Stowell, works with faculty, staff and administrators to assess, report and utilize results of assessment for meaningful data-driven decisions for the university. All of this work funnels into the compliance certification document and the Institutional Summary Form.

44 The Magazine of Radford University

CL A SS N OT ES he served as CFO. A former crosscountry runner at Radford University, Hausenfluck was the 1993 Big South individual champion, 1993 Big South Runner of the Year and a two-time allconference honoree.

provider of low-code, adaptive case management software for government.

The American Cleaning Institute (ACI), the trade association for the cleaning products supply chain, announced the appointment of Corey Brooks Pace ’94 as director of legal affairs.

Martinsville City Public School

DNAnexus, Inc., leading provider of cloud-based genomic and biomedical data access and companion analysis software, announced the appointment of Stephen Nuckols ’95 as chief commercial officer.

Superintendent Zebedee Talley Jr. ’94 was commemorated for his service at the Virginia Association of School Superintendents (VASS) annual conference in Roanoke, Virginia. Talley received a gavel and plaque for his service to VASS as president for the 2021-22 academic year.

The Roanoke County School Board announced the appointment of Jill Lane ’95 as the new principal at Mount Pleasant Elementary School. Lane comes from Garden City Elementary School in Roanoke, Virginia, where she served as principal.

Andrew Gostel ’94 is the new executive services and transportation leader at GE Aviation in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Ruppert Landscape promoted Greg Franklin ’94 to vice president of fleet, facilities and safety. Franklin joined Ruppert Landscape in 2016 as director of fleet and facilities and took on oversight of the growing safety department in 2019.

Patrick Kannan ’94 is the new chief financial officer at AINS, the leading

Brian Carroll ’95 was promoted from major to chief of the Arnold Police Department in Arnold, Missouri.

Eric L. Merrill ’95 has accepted a new position as lead data warehouse architect at California Correctional Health Care.

Capt. Todd Brewster ’96 is the new chief of police for the Blacksburg Police Department in Virginia.

Kimberly S. Smith, M.Ed. ’96, associate vice provost for student success initiatives in the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, has been elected president

F E AT U R E

National Bank, a subsidiary of National Bankshares, Inc., a Blacksburg-based financial holding company, announced the promotion of Lara E. Ramsey ’90, M.S. ’91, to executive vice president and chief operating officer. Ramsey has been with national bank since 1996, most recently serving as senior vice president of administration. She graduated from Radford University with bachelor’s degrees in psychology and economics and a master’s degree in industrial and organizational psychology.

She is also a graduate of the Virginia Bankers Association’s School of Bank Management, the American Bankers Association’s Stonier Graduate School of Banking and The New River Valley Leadership program. Ramsey is also a certified senior professional in human resources.

of the American Association of Blacks in Higher Education. This organization advocates for the advancement of Black faculty, staff and students in the academic community.

Deborah Bell ’96 was hired as a criminal justice grant program specialist for the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services.

Christopher Ruggieri ’97, founder and president of Intrinsic Yacht & Ship based in Annapolis, Maryland, celebrated 21 years of the business as a leading yacht brokerage.

Dune Properties announced the addition of Brandy McMahon ’98 to its team of professional realtors in Isle of Palms, South Carolina.

ESPN college football reporters Marty Smith ’98 and Holly Rowe joined host Chris Fowler during the 88th Heisman Trophy Ceremony presented

by Nissan on December 10, 2022 at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City.

They were also joined by ESPN analysts and former Heisman Trophy winners Robert Griffin III, Desmond Howard, Tim Tebow and Andre Ware.

Otto Varela ’98 joined Pinnacle Financial Partners as senior vice president – credit advisor, National Capital Region. Prior to this, Varela served as vice president – CRE commercial credit underwriter and portfolio manager at Truist.

EAB hired Holly Yeatts Griles ’98 as account manager, fundraising and development. Griles comes to EAB from the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, where she served as consumer marketing manager and planning and production manager.

Prince William County Service Authority appointed Sandra Hardeman ’98 as the organization’s new chief people and talent officer. The Service Authority provides drinking water and wastewater services to homes and businesses in Prince William County. Prior to taking on this role, Hardeman served as the director of human resources for Brailsford and Dunlavey.

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GIFTS YOU CAN

A F FO R D GOOD NEWS! You can support Radford University today while preserving your assets for retirement and providing for your family.

Gifts You Can Give Now: • Gifts from a Will or Trust • Beneficiary Designations • Life Insurance • Real Property • Tangible Personal Property • Life Estate • Appreciated Securities • Business Interests, Closely Held Stock and Partnerships

Contact the Office of University Advancement to learn more about Planned Giving at Radford University and how you can make a difference now: Tom Lillard ’79, 540- 831-6172 or visit https://radford.giftlegacy.com.

CL A SS N OT ES

Laura Zebosky ’98 was appointed by the Roanoke County School Board as an assistant principal at Glenvar Elementary School. Prior to this, Zebosky was a teacher at Green Valley Elementary School.

’00s Inorganic Ventures, based in Christiansburg, Virginia, announced the appointment of Amanda Miller ’00, MBA ’02, to head of product strategy.

Miller previously served as director of sales and marketing for KlariVis, headquartered in Roanoke, Virginia, and as product line manager for Medeco in Salem, Virginia.

Beauty and fashion photographer Theodore Samuels ’01 hosted his first solo exhibit titled, “The Games We Play,” at The Major Owens Community Center in Brooklyn, New York from Nov. 28 to Dec. 1, 2022.

Tabitha Maggard Atkinson ’02 and Steven Atkinson ’04 welcomed their son Cooper Kyle Atkinson on Aug. 14, 2022.

The United Way of Southwest Virginia named Mary Anne Holbrook ’02, M.S. ’04, to the newly created position of vice president of community impact.

Ashley M. Finelli, MBA ’03, joined the Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA) as a research associate in the Information Technology and Systems Division of IDA’s Systems and Analyses. IDA, with headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia, is a nonprofit corporation that operates three federally funded research and development centers in the public interest.

Tabitha Maggard Atkinson ’02 and Steven Atkinson ’04 welcomed their son Cooper Kyle Atkinson on Aug. 14, 2022.

Kwabena Osei-Sarpong ’05, founder and CEO of RIFE International, was appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo to join the President's Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa (PAC-DBIA) for a two-year term. Osei-Sarpong was named Radford University’s Outstanding Alumnus in 2021.

Teresa Nicely, M.S. ’06, returned to Bonsack Elementary as a special education teacher who will be collaborating with first and third grade teachers. Nicely has taught at William Byrd Middle School for the past seven years.

The Davey Tree Expert Co. promoted Christie Blevins ’04 to director of regulatory, Wetland Studies and Solutions, Inc. (WSSI), a Davey company. Blevins started her career with WSSI as a summer intern in 2002.

The Roanoke County School Board appointed Valerie Close ’06 as the new principal at Mountain View Elementary School. Most recently, Close served as the assistant principal at Green Valley Elementary School.

Heather Cummings ’05 has joined Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby's International Realty as a Realtor in the Buckhead office.

Scott Cash ’06, M.S. ’09, was named Fort Defiance High School’s 202122 Teacher of the Year by Augusta County Public Schools. Cash serves

the exceptional learners program.

In addition to his leadership and sponsorship roles at Fort Defiance, he also serves as the golf coach and coordinates the annual Thanksgiving Day Project, which brings Augusta County high school communities together to deliver meals locally.

Sandra Clement, M.S. ’07, has been hired as the new principal of Pilot Mountain Elementary School in North Carolina. Clement joins Surry County Schools from Patrick County Public Schools in Virginia, where she had 32 years of experience as an educator.

Vanessa Capehart ’07 was named membership account executive with the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce on Hilton Head Island in South Carolina.

Greene County Public Schools has announced Donna Payne, M.S. ’07, as the new director of teaching and learning for the school division. For

Spring 2023

47

the past four years, Payne has served as principal at Ruckersville Elementary School. Prior to that, she served as assistant principal for Nathanael Greene Elementary School and Dublin Elementary School.

Aaron “Chase” Davidson ’07 has been selected as the new athletic director for James River High School. Previously Davidson served as athletic director for Bath County High School.

Caitlyn Scaggs ’07 launched her first book, “Worth It and Wonderful: Inspiration for Christian Women to Live Bravely and Boldly,” on Amazon in January 2023. Scaggs is a lifestyle blogger and currently serves as the executive manager for New Hope Girls.

The Alleghany Highlands School Board appointed Karen Staunton, M.S. ’07, M.S. ’13, as principal of Covington Middle School.

International law firm Perkins Coie announced that Betselot Zeleke ’07

was promoted from counsel to partner in its partner class of 2023. Zeleke is a member of the investment management practice.

national accounts. He is affiliated with several organizations, including DCBIA, Washington Building Congress and Kids Enjoy Exercise Now.

Patrick Beggs ’08 joined ConnectWise as chief information security officer.

Prior to this, Beggs served as the global head of cybersecurity operations at Cognizant Technology.

’10s

Katie Wishneff ’08 joined William Means Real Estate in Charleston, South Carolina as a realtor of distinction.

Wishneff ranks among the top 2% of realtors in Charleston.

Michael McBride, M.S. ’09, was promoted to dean of student services and enrollment management at Virginia Highlands Community College in Abingdon. McBridge and wife Maria have three daughters: Madeline, Merida and Magnolia.

Conor Brandquist ’09 was promoted from vice president to senior vice president, project executive at Clune Construction Company, a national, employee-owned general contractor.

Brandquist played a major role in developing some of Clune’s largest

Andrew T. Pruett ’10 married Nora L. McFaddin ’15 on March 26, 2022 at The Woodland Place in Vinton, Virginia.

Nora was also named annual giving manager of Good Samaritan Hospice, a nonprofit serving the Roanoke and New River Valley.

James McCune ’10 is the new vice president of acquisitions and development for Ripley Heatwole Company. Previously, McCune served as development manager for Breeden Construction.

Farm Credit of the Virginias welcomed Nathan Lantor ’10 to its South Boston branch as a loan officer. Previously, Lantor was a high school history teacher and alternative education director with Halifax County Public Schools.

He currently serves as an assistant basketball coach at Halifax County High School and runs children’s basketball camps during the summer.

Selvedge Brewing in Charlottesville, Virginia, welcomed Josh Skinner ’10 as its new head brewer. Skinner came to Selvedge from Champion Brewing, where he served as head brewer and director of brewing operations.

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48 The Magazine of Radford University

The Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs, a Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL) hockey team, welcomed Trevor McKinley ’10 as its new game operations and events manager. Prior to this new role, McKinley was a freelance graphic designer and manager at Fork in the Market.

Trey Kovacs ’11 was appointed a professional staff member on the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Education and Labor. Prior to joining the House staff, Kovacs was a senior campaign consultant to RWP Labor and served the Trump administration as a special assistant in the Office of LaborManagement Standards.

CL A SS N OT ES

the Alleghany Highlands Chamber of Commerce and Tourism in Covington, Virginia. Taylor previously served the chamber as the special projects and marketing coordinator.

Kevin Wheeler ’13 married Julie Simpson at Blue Valley Vineyard and Winery in Delaplane, Virginia on June 19, 2021 with many Radford alumni in attendance.

Hilton Willoughby ’13 was appointed director of food and beverage at Hyatt Place Chelsea in New York.

Brittany Mitchell ’13 joined East Tennessee State University as a student life coordinator for the Honors College.

Prior to this, Mitchell was a K-12 teacher in the Unicoi County School System in Erwin, Tennessee.

Josh O’Dell ’12 conducted a 90-person choir at Carnegie Hall in New York City in June 2022 as part of the 39th Anniversary Season of MidAmerica Productions. The choir included singers from the Roanoke Valley Children’s Choir, the Metropolitan Opera and the New England Symphonic Ensemble.

New River Community College in Virginia welcomed Kasey CantrellMcCowan, M.S. ’13, as an instructor of mathematics. Previously, McCowan taught at Buchanan County Public Schools, Piedmont Community College in North Carolina and Wythe County Public Schools.

Lyle Moore ’11 was added to the management team at Elliott Electric Inc. in South Boston and Danville, Virginia.

In her eighth year of teaching at St. Mary’s Ryken, Stephanie Bolin ’14 was named the 2022 Archdiocese of Washington Veteran Teacher of the Year.

Bolin leads the English department.

Becky Hawke, M.S. ’12, was promoted from assistant town manager to town manager of Matthews, North Carolina.

Josh O’Dell ’12 conducted a 90-person choir at Carnegie Hall in New York City in June 2022 as part of the 39th Anniversary Season of MidAmerica Productions. The choir included singers from the Roanoke Valley Children’s Choir, the Metropolitan Opera and the New England Symphonic Ensemble.

Former Radford University volleyball player Yacine Meyer ’12 is the new athletic director for Seabury Hall, a private college preparatory school for middle and high school students located on the island of Maui in Hawaii.

A Seabury Hall alumna, Meyer was a four-sport standout.

Andrew Johnson ’12 is the new band director at Liberal High School in Kansas. A former student at Liberal High School, Johnson has also served as the school’s bowling coach since 2015.

Donnie Secreast ’12 was selected as a U.S. Senator Phil Gramm Fellowship award winner by the Texas A&M University Graduate and Professional School. These fellowships are awarded to outstanding current doctoral students whose excellence in both research and teaching exemplify the meaning of scholarship and mentorship in the highest sense.

Leanna Rippey ’13, M.A. ’15, was appointed by the Roanoke County School Board as an assistant principal at Northside High School. Rippey comes to Roanoke County from a teaching position in Botetourt County.

Josh Taylor ’13 is the new director of marketing and special projects for

Afton Jamerson ’14, trauma program manager at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, was selected by the Delta Zeta Sorority as a 2022 recipient of the 35 Under 35 award. This award highlights Delta Zeta alumnae who are outstanding young professionals that have achieved success by making a significant impact in their industry.

Andrew Keen ’14 has been hired as the new finance director for the Town of Vinton in Virginia. Keen comes to the Town of Vinton from Blue Ridge Behavioral Healthcare, where he served as the budget and finance manager.

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Carrie Kessler ’14 is the new senior financial analyst for the Town of Vinton, Virginia. Previously, Kessler served as accounting assistant for the Girl Scouts of Virginia Skyline.

member of the men’s track and field team at Radford University, where he also began his coaching career as a volunteer assistant coach.

ValleyStar Credit Union announced Mendy S. Shaffer, MBA ’14, as its chief financial officer.

Shaffer joined the ValleyStar team in 2018 as the vice president of accounting and recently served as the interim chief financial officer.

Callie Ivanov ’14 is the new PEAP teacher at Bonsack Elementary School in Roanoke, Virginia. This is an Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Pre-K classroom for students with autism.

Ivanov is currently working toward her master’s degree in early childhood special education.

Vince Wyatt ’14 was named the new athletic director at Mountain Gateway Community College in Clifton Forge, Virginia. Wyatt was a standout

Katelyn Bailey ’15 is the new director of tourism for Maysville, Kentucky.

Trenton Miller ’15 joined Interstate Engineering’s Spearfish, South Dakota, office as a survey technician.

Amy Woods ’15 has been hired as the new chief nursing officer at LewisGale Medical Center in Salem, Virginia. Most recently, Woods served as the chief nursing officer at LewisGale Hospital Montgomery in Blacksburg, Virginia.

Christina Craig ’15 married Patrick Harvey in Glen Allen, Virginia on July 23, 2022.

Keela Dooley Marshall ’15 is the new executive director of the Floyd Center for the Arts in Virginia.

Kevin Cox ’16 has been named the new head varsity boys basketball coach at Christiansburg High School in Christiansburg, Virginia. Cox previously served as the assistant

varsity boys basketball coach and head junior varsity boys basketball coach at Christiansburg High School and as the assistant varsity boys basketball coach at Floyd County High School.

Sydney Moss Walters ’16 is the new executive director for the Lancaster by the Bay Chamber of Commerce in Kilmarnock, Virginia.

Ben Webster ’16 is the new deputy director of emergency management for Charleston County in South Carolina. Webster previously served as the regional emergency manager for the South Carolina Emergency Management Division.

Jordan Eagle ’16, an astrophysics graduate student at Clemson University, has spent the last two years at the Harvard & Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA) in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on a Chandra X-ray Center pre-doctoral fellowship. Eagle is completing her Ph.D. thesis on pulsar wind nebulae, which are descendants of massive stellar explosions, and the role they play in creating cosmic rays.

After receiving her Ph.D. from Clemson

Homecoming Oct. 19-21, 2023

Questions? Call the Office of Alumni Relations at 888-478-4723 or email alumni@radford.edu.

50 The Magazine of Radford University

CL A SS N OT ES

She is currently a teaching artist fellow through Massachusetts Cultural Council Creative Youth Development program and is an American Ballet Theatre certified teacher. Scruggs is also a teaching artist at Berkshire Pulse, the writer and digital content producer at Bard College at Simon’s Rock and a contributing writer for The Berkshire Edge.

Jessica McPeak ’19 became engaged to Nathan Burton in April 2022. She also accepted a new role as athletic trainer at Luray High School in Luray, Virginia.

Michael McBride, M.S. ’09, was promoted to dean of student services and enrollment management at Virginia Highlands Community College in Abingdon.

McBridge and wife Maria have three daughters: Madeline, Merida and Magnolia.

in Aug. 2022, Eagle continues her studies at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center as a NASA post-doctoral fellow.

F&M Bank welcomed Ben Thompson ’16 to his new role as a commercial relationship manager. Thompson joined F&M Bank most recently from the National Bank of Blacksburg.

Sara Cooper ’16 married Kevin Goldman ’15 on Oct. 17, 2020, at Rixey Manor in Rixeyville, Virginia.

The reception, held on Sept. 11, 2021, was attended by many Radford alumni.

Sara has also accepted a new position as library technician at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. The Waynesboro School Board appointed Ryan McLaughlin ’16 as one of the assistant principals of Kate Collins Middle School in Waynesboro, Virginia. McLaughlin has served as a special educator at Kate Collins Middle School for the past five years. He has been also been an assistant coach for the Waynesboro High School varsity football team.

Lauren Cox ’17 has been promoted to head athletic trainer at Ferrum College. Cox initially joined the Ferrum sports medicine staff in August 2019 as assistant athletic trainer and was promoted to associate athletic trainer in August 2021.

Iván Thirion ’18 was awarded the Bryce Harlow Foundation’s Fellowship Program for the 2022–2023 academic year. The foundation awards fellowships to graduate students in pursuit of a career in professional advocacy through government relations and lobbying. Thirion is currently pursuing his master’s degree in security studies at the Georgetown University Walsh School of Foreign Service.

Nick Mayhugh ’18, who was recently nominated for two ESPY Awards after a breakout performance at the Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020, was one of more than 600 U.S. Olympic and Paralympic athletes invited to the White House by President Joe Biden to celebrate their accomplishments in Tokyo and Beijing.

Emily Jenkins ’19 was named a Maryland Legal Services Corporation Housing Fellow at Mid-Shore Pro Bono, where the third-year University of Baltimore School of Law student works directly with staff attorneys to handle a variety of landlord and tenant matters.

Choreographer Fiona Scruggs ’19 announced that she will present her evening-length performance of “Chiaroscuro” at Chesterwood in August 2022. The performance will be danced by members of Qualia Dance Collective, the New England-based dance company founded by Scruggs.

Amy Christian, M.S. ’19, has been appointed assistant principal for Kate Collins Middle School in Waynesboro, Virginia.

’20s Amherst County, Virginia announced the hiring of Bradley Beam ’21 as its new director of public safety. Beam previously served as a battalion chief of the Williamsburg Fire Department.

Former Radford University volleyball player Jordan Coomes ’21 has joined Arkansas State University as an assistant coach.

Nathan Parker Rowland ’21 joined the University of Tennessee Medical Center as a registered nurse.

Anna Bui ’21 is teaching second grade special education at W.E. Cundiff Elementary School in Vinton, Virginia.

This will be her second year as a special education teacher.

Storm Mace ’22 is the new head varsity baseball coach at Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy in Washington, D.C. Mace was a member of the baseball team during his time at Radford University.

To submit a class note, please visit www.radford.edu/alumniupdate or call 1-888-4RU-GRAD. Photographs may be submitted as .jpg files with a resolution of at least 300 dpi. If you submitted a class note and it does not appear in this issue, please look for it in the next magazine.

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IN MEMORIAM ’40s

Garna C. Williams ’53 of Gainesville, Florida, Sept. 27, 2022.

Anne R. Wallace ’45 of Pulaski, Virginia, Oct. 29, 2022.

Vida J. Brasse ’54 of Arlington, Virginia, Sept. 4, 2022.

Elisabeth C. Collins ’46 of Scottsboro, Alabama, March 29, 2022.

Mildred K. Baird ’55 of Wytheville, Virginia, Nov. 28, 2022.

Joan F. Beamer ’55 of Columbia, South Carolina, Sept. 6, 2022.

Virgie W. Stone ’55 of Christiansburg, Virginia, April 16, 2022.

Phyllis J. Nelson ’55 of Christiansburg, Virginia, April 25, 2022.

Anne Wolfenden ’57 of White Stone, Virginia, July 4, 2022.

Mava S. Vass ’47 of Hillsville, Virginia, Dec. 4, 2022.

Nina K. Bowling ’48 of Richlands, Virginia, May 10, 2022.

Martha I. Green ’48 of Mount Airy, North Carolina, Sept. 1, 2022.

Emily Reed ’48 of Stuart, Virginia, Aug. 29, 2022.

’50s Freeda H. Harman ’50 of Halifax, Virginia, June 7, 2022.

Nancy E. James ’50 of Duncanville, Texas, Aug. 5, 2022.

Martha J. Browning ’51 of Fincastle, Virginia, Nov. 3, 2022.

Elizabeth Beamer ’52 of Christiansburg, Virginia, May 13, 2022.

Sally L. Fitzhugh ’52 of Stafford, Virginia, Nov. 28, 2022.

Nancy I. Nixon ’58 of Christiansburg, Virginia, March 3, 2022.

Martha J. Allen ’59 of Powells Point, North Carolina, Dec. 12, 2022.

Barbara H. Comer ’59 of Lakewood Ranch, Florida, June 4, 2022.

Oakie S. Singletary ‘59 of Milton, Pennsylvania, June 9, 2022.

Connie M. Dingus ’59 of Wise, Virginia, Nov. 3, 2022.

Patricia E. King ’61, M.S. ’72, of Lewisburg, West Virginia, July 22, 2022.

Ruth A. Arington ’61, M.S. ’73, of Glade Spring, Virginia, March 13, 2022.

Carol L. Shotton ’61 of Suffolk, Virginia, Nov. 3, 2022.

Mary S. Tolley ’61 of Radford, Virginia, Nov. 20, 2022.

Carol J. Fournier ’62 of Warren, Rhode Island, April 19, 2022.

Eleanor G. Kensinger, M.A. ’62, of Bluefield, West Virginia, July 4, 2022.

Barbara A. White ’63 of Bassett, Virginia, May 25, 2022.

Paula Ward ’63 of Roanoke, Virginia, July 28, 2022.

Phyllis C. Barnes ’64 of Salem, Virginia, Aug. 17, 2022.

Richard A. Giesen, M.S. ’65, of Ferrum, Virginia, April 5, 2022.

Carolyn J. Witten ’59 of Dublin, Virginia, Nov. 11, 2022.

Diana G. Haver ’65 of North Chesterfield, Virginia, Nov. 14, 2022.

’60s

Sylvia M. Lloyd ’65, M.S. ’91, of Radford, Virginia, May 11, 2022.

Patricia A. Glenn ’60 of Elkton, Virginia, June 9, 2022.

Ann L. Cook, M.S. ’66, of Rocky Mount, Virginia, July 21, 2022.

Nancy Rohrbaugh ’60 of Canton, Georgia, June 26, 2022.

Orelia E. Dann ’66 of Dexter, Michigan, Sept. 17, 2022.

Wilma J. Shay ’60 of Cedar Bluff, Virginia, Sept. 28, 2022.

Doris E. Dawson ’66 of Pulaski, Virginia, Nov. 19, 2022.

Rebecca L. Shumate ’60 of Waynesboro, Virginia, Oct. 6, 2022.

52 The Magazine of Radford University

Katherine V. Games ’61 of Campbellsville, Kentucky, Oct. 11, 2022.

CL A SS N OT ES Mary C. Perhac ’66 of Morristown, Tennessee, June 18, 2022.

Donald L. Brookman, M.S. ’67, of Dublin, Virginia, Oct. 19, 2022.

Ann W. Roberts ’67 of Elon, North Carolina, Nov. 25, 2022.

Phyllis Thompson ’67, M.S. ’69, of Ripplemead, Virginia, July 28, 2022.

Charlan E. Motes ’68 of Woodbridge, Virginia, May 8, 2022.

Susan B. Perry ’68 of Nederland, Colorado, Oct. 28, 2022.

Jane K. Blankenship ’69 of Martinsville, Virginia, Nov. 20, 2022.

Carolyn E. Trimmer ’69 of Mechanicsville, Virginia, July 12, 2022.

Donald L. Stinnett, M.S. ’69, of Henrico, Virginia, March 13, 2022.

Jennifer S. Kirby McCarthy ’69, M.S. ’72, of Pulaski, Virginia, Nov. 30, 2022.

Carol S. Tate, ’69, M.S. ’73, of Salem, Virginia, June 14, 2022.

’70s

Charlene A. Curtis ’76, a standard-setter for Radford University and a trailblazer in women’s sports, passed away on Aug. 18, 2022.

A Roanoke native, Curtis enrolled at Radford College in 1972, becoming the school’s first Black student-athlete and joining the program in its second varsity season, before athletic scholarships were available.

After scoring a record-setting 1,043 career points and earning a bachelor’s degree in music, Curtis returned to her alma mater as head coach in 1984.

Curtis led now-Radford University and its newly-elevated Division I program to its first three Big South championships and a national postseason appearance in the 1989 WNIT. With victories in 70 percent of her games (121-53 record), Curtis is the winningest coach in Radford women’s basketball history.

Curtis moved on to head coaching positions at Temple (1990-95) and Wake Forest (1997-2004), becoming the Atlantic Coast Conference’s first Black head coach. She was also part of coaching staffs at the University of Connecticut, Team USA and in the WNBA. Following her coaching career, Curtis worked as a television broadcaster and as the ACC’s supervisor of officials, retiring in 2019.

Curtis twice served her alma mater on the Board of Visitors, first in 1979 and again in 2021. Among her numerous accolades, Radford named its women’s basketball coaches’ suite for Curtis in February of 2022.

Suzanne Ashford ’70 of Roanoke, Virginia, July 1, 2022.

Norma J. Graham ’70 of Christiansburg, Virginia, Oct. 24, 2022.

Olivia G. Bundy ’73 of Abingdon, Virginia, Nov. 8, 2022.

Jacquelyn K. Brownell ’75 of Purcellville, Virginia, March 22, 2022.

Martha B. Wilson ’70 of Danville, Virginia, Aug. 5, 2022.

Rebecca J. Carver ’73 of Fredericksburg, Virginia, July 6, 2022.

Barbara S. Edwards ’75 of Woodlawn, Virginia, Nov. 6, 2022.

Andrea G. Miller ’71 of Staunton, Virginia, Oct. 27, 2022.

Barbara A. Patterson ’73, M.S. ’82, of Pulaski, Virginia, Nov. 8, 2022.

Charlene M. Keys ’75 of Radford, Virginia, June 24, 2022.

Betty Anderson’72 of Henrico, Virginia, March 1, 2022.

Deborah S. Paul ’73 of Midlothian, Virginia, Oct. 1, 2022.

Violet R. Nelson ’75 of Collinsville, Virginia, Oct. 10, 2022.

Sue A. Bopp ’72 of Chester, Virginia, April 6, 2022.

Kathryne L. Slavin ’74, M.S. ’77, of North Chesterfield, Virginia, Nov. 22, 2022.

Harold A. Reedy ’75 of Roanoke, Virginia, June 25, 2022.

Theodore N. Ballard, M.S. ’72, of Peterstown, West Virginia, March 27, 2022.

Sandra T. Tolar, M.S. ’74, of Southport, North Carolina, May 29, 2022.

Nancy J. Bruce ’72 of Kingsport, Tennessee, Sept. 26, 2022.

Doris A. Bordwine ’75 of Saltville, Virginia, March 9, 2022.

Ann C. Patterson, M.S. ’75, of Narrows, Virginia, April 15, 2022.

Charlene A. Curtis ’76 of Kernersville, North Carolina, Aug. 18, 2022.

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53

L. R. LaBrie ’77 of Radford, Virginia, Feb. 16, 2022.

Susan Whealler Johnston, Ph.D., passed away on Aug. 12, 2022. She served on the Radford University Board of Visitors for eight years, beginning in 2014.

Johnston chaired the search committee that found Radford’s eighth president, Bret Danilowicz, Ph.D., and she was featured in the previous issue of The Magazine of Radford University. As president and CEO of the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO), Johnston made it a priority to remind educational leaders that their mission should always be focused on their students, and she extended that philosophy into the training, guidance, tools and collaboration provided by the organization. NACUBO’s members include nearly 2,000 colleges and universities and approximately 40,000 individuals working withing higher education’s business and finance offices. In her roles with the Board of Visitors and NACUBO, she always focused on keeping students at the core.

Diana L. Johnson ’77 of Pearisburg, Virginia, March 9, 2022.

Elizabeth S. Law, M.S. ’77, of Bluefield, West Virginia, June 22, 2022.

William H. Wright ’78 of Radford, Virginia, Aug. 8, 2022 Delores M. Boehm, M.S. ’78, of Marion, Virginia, Aug. 26, 2022.

Linda H. Little, M.S. ’79, of Boones Mill, Virginia, June 5, 2022.

Harriet S. Beavers, M.S. ’79, of Tazewell, Virginia, July 11, 2022.

Victor D. Wright, M.S. ’79, of Reidsville, North Carolina, Aug. 10, 2022.

’80s Susan G. Ali-Clark, M.S. ’80, of Pembroke, Virginia, Aug. 28, 2022.

Emily L. Wiley, M.S. ’80, of Wimberley, Texas, Oct. 9, 2022.

David L. Jessup ’80 of Claudville, Virginia, Oct. 10, 2022.

Dee A. Lindsey ’80, M.S. ’08, of Pulaski, Virginia, Oct. 17, 2022.

Chuck Taylor passed away on Sept. 21, 2022. Taylor was Radford’s first athletic director and men’s basketball coach.

He served as athletic director from 1974-96 and led Radford on a remarkable journey from a six-sport unaffiliated smallcollege program to Division I athletics. He led Radford’s move to Division I status in 1984 and helped establish the Big South Conference, ensuring Radford’s entrance as a founding member.

Seven different athletic teams achieved national rankings during his tenure. Taylor also chaired several key committees in the league, including budgets and awards. The former men’s basketball coach helped shape the fledgling conference’s basketball programs, including ensuring Radford’s teams were successful, with women’s basketball winning nine of the first 10 Big South titles and men’s basketball posting 20 winning seasons in his 22 years.

54 The Magazine of Radford University

Daniel W. DeVilbiss, M.A. ’80, of Roanoke, Virginia, Nov. 2, 2022.

Suzanne M. Montgomery ’80 of Lynchburg, Virginia, Nov. 7, 2022.

Ann Atway ’81, M.S. ’95, of Dublin, Virginia, Aug. 5, 2022.

James A. Deck ’81 of Roanoke, Virginia, Sept. 30, 2022.

Cecelia L. Norwood ’82 of Decatur, Georgia, Feb. 24, 2022.

Carless E. Craighead ’82 of Goodview, Virginia, Aug. 25, 2022.

Peter G. Frizzell, M.S. ’82, of Johnson City, Tennessee, March 16, 2022.

CL A SS N OT ES John R. Carmine ’84 of Hayes, Virginia, March 3, 2022.

’00s

Donna L. Walker-Johnston of Radford, Virginia, June 7, 2022.

David W. Zickafoose ’84 of Fairfax Station, Virginia, March 20, 2022.

Alicia A. Monahan ’04 of Midlothian, Virginia, June 25, 2022.

Deborah F. Lucas of Radford, Virginia, June 29, 2022.

Harrison P. Dolan ’84 of Severna Park, Maryland, June 22, 2022.

Marcus T. Holmes ’04 of Herndon, Virginia, Aug. 14, 2022.

Kay K. Jordan of Radford, Virginia, July 1, 2022.

Cheryl A. Newton ’86 of Midlothian, Virginia, April 12, 2022.

Vicky T. Sands ’06 of Dublin, Virginia, June 2, 2022.

Mary S. Gilmore of Radford, Virginia, July 16, 2022.

Dean T. Lake ’87 of Leesburg, Virginia, April 30, 2022.

Adam T. Roush ’06 of Arlington, Virginia, July 28, 2022.

Eulah S. Price of Roanoke, Virginia, Aug. 8, 2022.

William M. Jones ’87 of Washington, D.C., Nov. 22, 2021.

Brian S. McElraft ’08 of Imperial, Missouri, July 23, 2022.

Susan W. Johnston of Berryville, Virginia, Aug. 12, 2022.

Elaine S. King, M.S. ’89, of Salem, Virginia, Nov. 17, 2022.

’10s

Helen C. Flack of Radford, Virginia, Sept. 15, 2022.

Paul J. Drakulich ’12 of Richmond, Virginia, April 18, 2022.

Leland K. Larimore of Webb City, Missouri, Sept. 25, 2022.

Justin E. Bollinger ’14 of Poquoson, Virginia, Nov. 13, 2022.

Garth N. Montgomery of Blacksburg, Virginia, Oct. 12, 2022.

Nicholas P. McGuiness ’15 of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, July 19, 2022.

Karen L. Lowe of Inverness, Florida, Oct. 16, 2022.

Joshua Amodeo ’18 of Blacksburg, Virginia, Aug. 26, 2022.

James D. Hatcher of Indian Valley, Virginia, Oct. 24, 2022.

’90s Kimberly A. Atkinson ’90 of Windsor, Virginia, Dec. 15, 2022.

Jackie R. Sowers ’91 of Fredericksburg, Virginia, July 24, 2022.

Raymond C. Farr ’92 of Toano, Virginia, March 23, 2022.

Stephen A. Barber ’92 of Salem, Virginia, March 24, 2022.

William S. Gotchey, M.S. ’92, of Greeley, Colorado, May 13, 2022.

Jeannine L. Calhoun-Zearfoss ’93 of Salem, Virginia, Nov. 13, 2022.

Joseph B. Wray ’93 of Rocky Mount, Virginia, March 4, 2022.

Holly E. Bailess ’93 of Gretna, Virginia, March 25, 2022.

Gregory J. Hale ’94 of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, June 21, 2022.

Mark A. Early, M.S. ’94, of Roanoke, Virginia, May 21, 2022.

Shaney L. Howard ’96 of Eugene, Oregon, Sept. 30, 2022.

Leigh Faulconer, M.S.W. ’98, of Radford, Virginia, Oct. 25, 2021.

RETIRED/FORMER FACULTY/STAFF

Margaret M. Pugh of Radford, Virginia, Nov. 10, 2022.

Samuel J. Zeakes of Radford, Virginia, June 1, 2022.

STUDENTS/ NON-DEGREED

Shairan G. Araiza of Check, Virginia, May 10, 2022.

Campbell G. Pitzer of Martinsville, Virginia, May 14, 2022.

Ellen Dehaven of Hardy, Virginia, Aug. 1, 2022.

Paulette A. Wright of Claudville, Virginia, Dec. 21, 2022.

Mildred A. Hopkins of Roanoke, Virginia, March 19, 2022.

Elizabeth L. Girone of Midlothian, Virginia, Sept. 23, 2022.

Kelley P. Bonds of Hiwassee, Virginia, March 21, 2022.

Harold W. Mann of Centreville, Virginia, April 5, 2022.

Stephen G. Fawthrop of Floyd, Virginia, May 10, 2022.

Judith F. Breen of Bunnell, Florida, May 20, 2022.

Spring 2023

55

LOOKING BACK President Bret Danilowicz pauses outside McConnell Library in the same spot as John Preston McConnell, Ph.D. – Radford’s first president.

SN A P BAC K

NONPROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID RADFORD UNIV.

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