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September 2010

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ALUMNI RELATIONS
PO Box 6914
Martin Hall
Radford, Va. 24142
540-831-5248
1-888-4RUGRAD
alumni@radford.edu



The Newsletter for RU Alumni & Friends

RU Partners with Carilion, Jefferson College of Health Sciences
for Doctor of Physical Therapy Program

Radford University, Carilion Clinic and the Jefferson College of Health Sciences have announced that RU will base its new Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program on the campus of the Jefferson College in downtown Roanoke. The DPT program, considered one of the most sought-after graduate programs in the health sciences, is expected to begin training its first cohort of students in June 2011. Read More

Board of Visitors Selects New Rector, Vice Rector
The Radford University Board of Visitors held their quarterly meeting Sept. 15-17, 2010, on the RU campus. The board selected a new rector and vice rector, approved the university’s 2010-2011 operating budget, heard an update on the university from President Kyle, approved the renaming of Powell Hall, and conducted other business matters during the meeting. Read More

RU Moves Up in Annual U.S. News & World Report Rankings
Radford University continues its rise in the U.S. News & World Report “Best Colleges” rankings, moving from 51st in 2005 to 38th in 2011 among public and private universities in its category. RU has also been named one of the top 20 public regional universities in the south for the seventh straight year, moving from 15th last year to 14th this year in the rankings. Read More.

RU Recognized for African-American Student Graduation Rate
Radford University has been recognized for having one of the smallest gaps between the graduation rates of African-American and white students of all public colleges and universities in the nation. A report released by The Education Trust has determined that Radford University ranks 19th overall in the nation, with about 60 percent of its African-American students and 58 percent of its white students graduating within the federally-described six-year graduation time-frame. Read More.

Radford University Welcomes First Doctorate of Nursing
Practice Students

A new type of nursing student set foot on the campus of Radford University recently—one of the few times they will do so. On Thursday, Sept. 2, Radford University welcomed its inaugural class of Doctorate of Nursing Practice students for their day-long orientation. The program is the first of its kind in the Commonwealth of Virginia to be offered in an online distance-learning format and to be offered to both post-baccalaureate and post-master's degree nursing students. Read More.

Update on the Annual Fund
University Advancement raised over $3 million for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2010, including $1.2 million in donations from over 3,000 alumni. As funding from the commonwealth continues to decrease, donations from our alumni, parents and friends are critical to the success of the high-quality educational experience for which Radford University is known. The goal for this fiscal year (ending June 30, 2011) is $5 million in gifts and pledges. You can help us meet our goal! Please support Radford by giving when a student calls, you receive a letter asking for support, or by going to https://www.applyweb.com/public/contribute?ruf. Thank you for your support.

South African Graduate Student Earns International Scholarship
From the shimmering shores of South Africa to the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of Southwest Virginia, Oratlie Malapile has never let distance stand in the way of higher education. “I intend to serve as a role model of success for women and girls in my country,” said the married mother of three, hard at work earning her master’s degree in corporate and professional communication at Radford University. Malapile recently received with the P.E.O. International Peace Scholarship, the second consecutive RU student to earn the honor. Read More.

Teamwork, Experience and Planning Create Successful
Move-in

students moving in on campusRadford University students learn a lot about teamwork during their time on campus, and it starts early. If they took a moment to look around during RU’s fall “move-in” recently, they saw examples everywhere. Members from throughout the RU community came together to make the “move-in” go as smoothly as possible. By the time classes began the following Monday, around 3,000 students had been checked-in, moved-in and settled-in. Read more and see video and photos from Move-In Day 2010.

RU’s First Solar-Powered Cordless Compaction System in Place
The Bonnie now has a “Big Belly” - not as a result of the building’s dining options, but as the site of Radford University’s first solar-powered cordless compaction system. The “Big Belly” uses the sun's energy to automatically compact trash at the point of disposal, increasing capacity by five times within the same space as ordinary trash cans. The trash receptacle’s increased capacity reduces collection trips and can cut related fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent. The Bonnie’s latest high-tech green solution holds up to five times the volume of ordinary trash receptacles, or up to 150 gallons of trash, and can operate for a day on the amount of energy it takes to make a piece of toast.

Abingdon Art Museum Celebrates RU’s Centennial
Thinking Postmodern: Selections from the Radford University Art Museum is on display at the William King Museum in Abingdon. The collection honors and celebrates RU’s Centennial with a diverse collection of works by nationally and internationally recognized artists alongside lesser-known artists from the region. Many of the artists celebrated – John Cage, Elaine de Kooning, Jasper Johns, Richard Tuttle and Hannah Wilke – were productive in the mid-20th century, a time considered the beginning and outcome of the Postmodern Era. On Tuesday, Sept. 21, RU art professors Steven Arbury and Richard Bay, co-directors of the RU Art Museum, will offer a lively insider’s point of view on collecting works from an innovative and groundbreaking time. The talk begins at 7 p.m.

Alumni

Welcome Back Reunion Weekend Returns in October
The inaugural Welcome Back Reunion Weekend was a great success, and year two promises to be even better. The second annual event runs Oct. 1-3 and coincides with the 15th Annual Highlanders Festival, Family Weekend and Black Alumni Weekend. In addition, Welcome Back Reunion Weekend will offer a folk arts festival and Greek and athletics reunions. For more information about Welcome Back Reunion Weekend, contact RU Alumni Relations at (540)831-5248 or alumni@radford.edu.

Alumni Kick Off RU’s Visual and Performing Arts Season
Radford University’s 2010 - 2011 visual and performing arts season recently began with two exhibitions: “Beyond the Tartan: Stanley Bermudez,” in Gallery 205, and Jennifer K. Martin’s “The Nature of Color” in the Covington Center. The exhibition by Bermudez, an RU MFA alumnus, unites politics, diaspora and pop art, creating a combination of paintings, flags and retablos. The exhibition by Martin, also an RU MFA alumna, features a mixed media show demonstrating Martin’s use of nature as a model, inspiration and source for her inventions in metal and paint. All events are free and open to the public. To learn more, contact the College of Visual and Performing Arts at (540) 831-5265.

Upcoming Alumni Events

September 23
Roanoke Event
Featuring the College of Business and Economics
Event Contact: RU Alumni Relations at alumni@radford.edu

September 30–October 3
Radford College Golf Society
Event Contact: Bonnie Hurlburt ’58 at bhurlbur@radford.edu

October 1–3
Welcome Back Reunion Weekend
Family Weekend
Black Alumni Weekend
Partners in Excellence Luncheon
Golf Outing
Soccer Tailgate and Game
CSAT Alumni Panels
Baseball, Lacrosse, Softball, and Greek Reunions
Highlanders Festival
Folk Arts Festival
Events throughout Radford University’s campus and the city of Radford
Register Online
Event Contact: RU Alumni Relations at alumni@radford.edu

November 1
NOVA Golf Tournament
Chantilly National Golf and Country Club, Centreville, Va.
Registration 11 a.m.; "Shotgun" start noon
$150 per player (includes golf and dinner)
Register Online
Event Contact and Host: Tom Hanton ‘90 at thanton@guernseyop.com

Visit the Alumni Relations website for a complete events schedule.

Athletics

New Coach Brings Excitement to Men’s Soccer
Marc ReevesFirst-year Men’s Soccer Coach Marc Reeves helped lead one of the nation’s most respected soccer programs prior to joining Radford University earlier this year. Reeves, a Gillingham Dorset, England, native, brings a "hands-on," high-energy leadership style to the program. Read More.

For more information on Highlander sports, visit RU Athletics.



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To submit class notes for use in The Magazine of Radford University, please send your correspondence to alumni@radford.edu. Photographs may also be submitted; however, please note that photographs may not be returned to you.