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Vesna Cotić Costello, D.H.Sc. has been named the interim chair of the Radford University Occupational Therapy Department. As one of the four original faculty members in the department that was founded in 2009, she brings valuable experience into her new role and plans to lead with humility and grace.

Labs at Radford University Carilion in Roanoke were buzzing with excitement on June 20 as local high school students participated in Camp Carilion, a four-day immersive experience that provides them with the opportunity to learn life-saving information through exercises and interactive demonstrations.

Rachel Warren always knew she wanted a healthcare career. Four years ago, she chose the Respiratory Therapy program at RUC because she liked the idea of being an expert on one system in the body. Today, she says that decision was one of the best she's ever made and she can't wait to start the job she has lined up at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital this summer. 

Virtual sessions added a new opportunity for distance-learning students to participate in the eighth annual Interprofessional Symposium on April 13 organized by Waldron College of Health and Human Services. Students and faculty gathered in Heth Hall for the in-person sessions and to view the virtual presentations.

As part of her duties as a speech-language pathologist at Carilion New River Valley Medical Center, Jessica Cartwright Wisman ’08, M.A. ’10, consults with other healthcare professionals caring for hospitalized adults. Recently, her actions helped save a life which resulted in her being named a Carilion Clinic Healthcare Hero.

The COVID-19 pandemic profoundly affected the career trajectory of many professionals when it hit in 2019, and Anna Kate Draper’s experience was no different. Three years later, she is preparing to graduate from the RUC Master of Health Sciences program with a clinical research administration concentration—the first student to ever graduate from RUC with that particular degree concentration.

Over 200 students participated in the 12th annual Waldron College lnterprofessional Case Study Activity on Nov. 4, 2022. Students from communication sciences and disorders, counseling psychology, physical therapy, nursing, occupational therapy and social work programs collaborated on the case of Rosa Garcia, a sixth-grader whose family survived a fire, but face a long road to recovery and return to normal.

Radford University will celebrate winter commencement with two ceremonies at the Dedmon Center, 101 University Dr., on Dec. 9 and 10. The ceremonies include students from Radford main campus and Radford University Carilion.

More than 100 students from local public, private and home-school education arrived at Radford University Carilion on Oct. 28, ready to be immersed in STEAM Day 2022. These eager students engaged with faculty and staff in several science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM) areas.

Every summer for the last few years, the occupational therapy labs on the main campus in Radford and at Radford University Carilion in Roanoke echo with the sound of children’s giggles, playful screams and excited chatter during free summer camps held for kids ages 3-6. Both the children and the occupational therapy students who run them benefit from the experience.

For De’anthony “DJ” Taylor, a third-year student in the emergency services program at Radford University Carilion (RUC), it took a leap from a big pond to a small pond to find his comfort zone and path to a career.

Peri S. Braxton-Sears ‘22, a graduate of the Master of Healthcare Administration program at Radford University Carilion, says you are your greatest barrier, if you allow it. Her inspirational story about earning her master's degree and using it to develop a thriving career just might make you think twice about making the leap in your own post-grad educational journey.