This Month in Radford History

| JAN | FEB | MAR | APR | MAY | JUNE | JULY | AUG | SEPT | OCT | NOV | DEC |


September 15, 1913: The first student to arrive on campus was Miss Ara Lee Hicks of Shawver Mill, Virginia.

September 17, 1913: The first session of classes opened.

September 27, 1913: Miss Lilian Simmons was the first faculty member appointed.

September 1, 1945: Classes began for the Cadet Nurse Corps in connection with the School of Nursing at Radford.

September 4. 1948: Bobby Jo Wilson ’49, crowned Miss Virginia in 1948, received an all-expenses paid trip to the Miss America pageant in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Another Radford University student, Amber E. Medlin Keever ’94 of Virginia Beach, was crowned Miss Virginia in July of 1995.

First Men's ClassSeptember, 1960: A new School of Home Economics was created by Radford College and Virginia Polytechnic Institute. It was the first of its kind in the state of Virginia.

September 27, 1968: The Radford College Board of Visitors named Young Hall in honor of Dr. Robert Young, the college’s first academic dean.

September 11, 1973: The first freshman male class entered Radford.

September 18, 1973: Dr. Marie Waters '54, professor of psychology, was appointed Radford’s first woman vice president.

September 28, 1973: A ribbon cutting ceremony was held for the opening of Heth Hall.

September 6, 1978: The student newspaper underwent a name change from the original Grapurchat to The Tartan.

September 29, 1995: Dr. Douglas Covington was inaugurated as Radford’s fifth president.

September 27, 1996: Virginia Congressman Rich Boucher (D-Ninth District) received the Founders Award presented by President Covington at Founders Day.

Sept. 28, 1996: The Highlander mascot was introduced at the first Highlanders Festival. The Highlander became the nickname for athletic teams in 1979. School colors changed from gray and purple to “Tartan Plaid” in the Spring of 1978.

September, 2008: Five students began Radford University’s first doctorial degree program.


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