You’ve read stories like this before. The one where a high school student arrives at Radford University for a college visit, absorbs the beauty of campus, is greeted by friendly and helpful staff and finds mentors among the world-class faculty. Michaela Baker’s story has all the ingredients of those familiar Highlander journeys but with her own fresh twist on the narrative.

Every two weeks, Highlander Highlights shares with readers some of the extraordinary research happening on campus through the tireless work and curiosity of our students and faculty.

Radford University honored recipients of the 2022-2023 Dalton Eminent Scholar awards with a ceremony on April 7 at the Joseph P. Scartelli Atrium inside the Covington Center for Visual and Performing Arts. 

Ideas for increasing internship opportunities and hands-on work experiences for Highlanders dominated the discussion when the president of the Virginia Business Higher Education Council (VBHEC) met with a group of Radford University students, educators and administrators on April 5.

Radford University has been designated as a voter-friendly campus for 2023-2024 by NASPA - Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education and Fair Elections Center’s Campus Vote Project.

This week in Highlanders in the News: Local media rings the front desk bell at the newly opened Highlander Hotel Radford; Professor of Sociology Aysha Bodenhamer addresses modern coal mining following a new CDC report on the trade; writer and Communication Professor Bill Kovarik offers historical context on Russia’s recent detainment of an American journalist; and transport manager Chad Kennedy ’00 takes up a podcast mic to talk supply chain issues.

One of the nation’s leaders in injury reduction, Tesla executive Laurie Shelby ’83, will deliver the keynote address at Radford University’s 110th Spring Commencement on May 5 and 6.

The “With Good Reason” public radio program is re-airing its December 2020 interview with Radford University Professor of English Louis Gallo, Ph.D., in which he talked in detail about his theories and inspirations for writing.

This week in Highlanders in the News: Junior Brittiany Rorrer and seniors Valerie Ray and Emily Woods win acclaim for their graphic design work; Brenell Thomas will soon have to balance her graduate work with heading up her local chamber of commerce; and Assistant Professor of Accounting Robert Warren drills down on the dollars and cents in his recent report on a very specific type of financial crime.