News and Notes
RADFORD NAMED TO THE PRINCETON REVIEW'S BEST IN THE SOUTHEAST LIST AND GUIDE TO GREEN COLLEGES
Radford University is one of the 143 best colleges in the Southeast, according to The Princeton Review (PrincetonReview.com). The education services company lists Radford in the “Best in the Southeast” section of its “2022 Best Colleges: Region by Region” feature at princetonreview.com/bestSEcolleges. Radford was also listed among 416 colleges in The Princeton Review’s “Guide to Green Colleges” throughout the United States. The rating provides a comprehensive measure of a school’s performance as an environmentally aware and prepared institution.
ONLINE MBA RANKED AMONG MOST AFFORDABLE BY EDSMART
The online MBA program in the Davis College of Business and Economics has been ranked among the Most Affordable Online MBA Programs in 2021 by EDsmart, a nationally recognized publisher of college resources and rankings. EDsmart’s ranking includes only fully accredited schools. Rankings are based on affordability, academic quality, student satisfaction and student outcome according to data gathered from the U.S. Department of Education.
RADFORD UNIVERSITY NAMED A COLLEGE OF DISTINCTION FOR 2021-2022
Radford University was recognized for its commitment to engaged, hands-on education by Colleges of Distinction, a one-of-a-kind guide for college-bound students.
In addition, Radford’s academic programs in business, education, nursing and engineering were singled out for individual recognition, along with student support services for career development and military support.
RADFORD UNIVERSITY ADDS RANKING IN U.S. NEWS and WORLD REPORT'S "BEST COLLEGES" LISTINGS
Radford University’s strong academic tradition and commitment to student success continue to garner recognition in the U.S. News & World Report’s “2022 Best Colleges” report. The magazine ranked Radford at No. 14 among “Top Public Schools — Regional Universities South”. Among other notable accolades, the university was ranked among “Best Colleges for Veterans — Regional Universities South” (No. 13) and overall “Regional Universities South” (No. 29). For 2022, Radford University was added to the list of “Best Value Schools — Regional Universities South” (No. 25).
THREE RADFORD UNIVERSITY CARILION ONLINE PROGRAMS RANK IN TOP FIVE NATIONWIDE
Three Radford University Carilion (RUC) online healthcare leadership programs have been ranked as some of the best in the nation by Academic Influence, a company that uses artificial intelligence to arrive at its various rankings.
In their respective categories, RUC’s Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration is ranked the No. 2 program in the country; the Master of Science in Health Sciences is ranked No. 4; and the Master of Healthcare Administration is ranked No. 5. All of the programs are part of RUC’s Department of Public Health and Healthcare Leadership.
FACULTY RECOGNIZED AT FALL CONVOCATION
In August, interim President Carolyn Ringer Lepre, Ph.D., and interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs J. Orion Rogers, Ph.D., welcomed faculty and staff to the fall 2021 semester and oversaw the presentation of awards to numerous faculty.
The Founders Award was presented to Judy B. Jenks ’95, M.S.N. ’02, D.N.P. ’16, assistant professor of nursing, Radford University Carilion.
Additional award recipients included: Distinguished Faculty Advisor Award — Justin Anderson, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Biology; Distinguished Service Award — Michele Ren ’92, M.S. ’95, Ph.D., associate professor of English; Award for Administrative and Professional Excellence — Merrie Winfrey, J.D., instructional designer and learning architect in the Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning; and Distinguished Creative Scholar Award — Ji-Eun Lee, M.F.A., assistant professor of dance; Donald N. Dedmon Distinguished Teaching Professor Award — Jamie Lau, Ph.D., assistant professor of biology.
The 2020 Dalton Eminent Scholar Award recipients were also recognized: Steve Childers, Ph.D., professor of management in the Davis College of Business and Economics; Inessa Plekhanova, M.F.A., professor of dance and director of the ballet program in the College of Visual and Performing Arts; Jolanta Wawrzycka, Ph.D., professor of English in the College of Humanities and Behavioral Sciences; and Wei-Chi Yang, Ph.D., professor of mathematics and statistics in the Artis College of Science and Technology.
The 2020 Dalton Eminent Scholar Rising Star Award Winner was Matthew Cataldi, D.M., assistant professor of music in the College of Visual and Performing Arts.
GOVERNOR APPOINTS MEMBERS TO THE BOARD OF VISITORS
Gov. Ralph Northam announced the appointment of three alumni to the Radford University Board of Visitors to serve four-year terms. New appointments include Lisa Pompa ’86 of Virginia Beach, Virginia, Marquett Smith ’85 of Ashburn and Charlene Curtis ’76 of Kernersville, North Carolina.
FIRST FACULTY APPOINTMENTS TO ACADEMIC LEADERSHIP FELLOWS PROGRAM ANNOUNCED
The first faculty appointments to the Academic Leadership Fellows (AL Fellows) program were announced in September 2021. The AL Fellows program is designed to support leadership development and continuing student support through campus-wide, faculty-student engagement.
The AL Fellows and the colleges they represent are: Kimberly Lane, Ph.D., Artis College of Science and Technology; Wendy Eckenrod-Green, Ph.D., College of Education and Human Development; Patricia (Trish) Winter, Ph.D., College of Visual and Performing Arts; Aysha Bodenhamer ’10, Ph.D., College of Humanities and Behavioral Sciences; Jennifer Elias, Ph.D., Davis College of Business and Economics; Kerry Vandergrift, Ph.D., Waldron College of Health and Human Services; and Helen Reed ’90, M.S.N. ’97, School of Nursing.
MANIZADE VOTED PRESIDENT-ELECT OF VCTM
In June 2021, Agida Manizade, Ph.D., professor of mathematics and statistics, was voted president-elect of the Virginia Council of Teachers of Mathematics (VCTM). With this position, Manizade begins a five-year term as a leader of the VCTM board. She will serve as president-elect for one year, then as the organization’s president for two years, beginning in July 2022. Manizade will then serve two years as past president.