“It’s been a journey,” said Rieder, a New Columbia, Pennsylvania, native who suffered devastating injuries in a car crash while in high school, but recovered and went on to study finance and accounting. Rieder will graduate from Radford next month. 

Radford University senior Troy Stallard is a busy man — and not just with his classes and fieldwork in the emergency services program. The Air Force veteran and first-generation college student sought out a variety of experiences while a Highlander with a larger goal in mind. Stallard plans on applying to medical school after receiving his diploma in May.