Featured Alumni

Mike Ashley, Class of '83

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By Breann Pendleton

Alumnus Mike Ashley physically left Radford University in the year 1983 but his heart has remained here all along. You can actually hear his passion for journalism when just listening to him talk.  

Ashley’s career in journalism began in high school with his school basketball team.

“My high school basketball team in Salem didn’t do too well, but the coach Joe Davis liked the way I handled the reporting for the games,” Ashley says.

This same coach would be the one to make Ashley the first ever “recruited” sports writer for Radford University. Ashley spent a year in community college then was contacted by his old high school basketball coach. Davis went on to coach for Radford’s basketball team for two years before Ashley decided to attend Radford University.

Read more about Ashley by following this link: Mike Ashley

Travis Wells, B.S. '95

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By: Christian Millsaps

With 26 years under his belt, Travis Wells is an established sports journalist who serves as the Sports Director for WDBJ-7, CBS’ Roanoke, Virginia affiliate station. Before he got this job, though, he had a humble beginning in a position he didn’t even want to fill. 

Before Wells graduated from Radford in 1995, he had already spent time working for WDBJ-7 as an intern for Mike Stevens, the sports director at the time, Steve Mason, a sports reporter, and the late Roy Stanley, who was the weekend sports anchor. His time as an intern allowed him to build a working relationship with Stevens and Mason as well as work on his craft. 

Read more about Travis by following this link: Travis Wells

Priya Ramesh, M.S. ’03

By Bailey Black

Priya Ramesh M.S. ’03 was a journalist in India before making her way to Radford University to pursue a career in corporate communications.

Ramesh initially entered the working world after earning a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Madras in Chennai, India. After a few years of being a journalist, she realized she wanted to apply her communications skills in a different way.

“I realized I could have a bigger impact,” explained Ramesh. “I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be nice to be on the side of a company I believe in and help them be more relevant to the news cycle?’ That was my introduction to corporate communications.”

Read more about Priya by following this link: Priya Ramesh