Highlander Highlights: Week of March 9, 2026

Highlander Highlights shares with readers some of the extraordinary accomplishments happening on and off campus through the tireless work and curiosity of our students, faculty, staff and alumni.

IPE case study event brings colleges together

Over 300 students from various health disciplines filled the Artis Center auditorium for the bi-annual Interprofessional Education (IPE) case study event at Waldron College of Health and Human Services on Friday, Feb. 20.

Students from fields like respiratory therapy, nursing and athletic training discussed the day ahead over breakfast before breaking into groups. Students formed 22 teams of seven to eight disciplines and worked through two or three micro cases involving scenarios like a forklift operator with diabetes and an Army veteran dealing with opioid use. They ultimately collaborated on a main case study.

Students reflected on the experience, and all came to the same conclusion: everyone contributes.

Tyler Mushett, a junior emergency services student from Virginia Beach, Virginia, said he saw "a wide variety of expertise across the board. And everybody has their own part to play. I think that was the biggest eye-opening moment for me."

Amelia Binns, a junior social work student from Pulaski, Virginia, added, "I've learned how closely different occupations really work together, to work with the patient, and they all have the same goal in mind - to get the patient where they used to be."

Five colleges from Radford University participated in the event, including Waldron College of Health and Human Services, as well as the colleges of Nursing, Education and Human Development, Humanities and Behavioral Sciences and the Artis College of Science and Technology. [CC1]

Disaster simulation prepares nursing students for mass casualty events

Nearly 90 senior nursing students assembled at one of Radford University's hidden gems, Selu Conservancy, for a hands-on mass casualty disaster simulation drill. The drill provided students "the opportunity to visually assess injuries and practice triage decision-making in an environment that closely mimics real-world emergencies," according to Karen Valcheff, College of Nursing faculty and event coordinator.

To bring the interprofessional event to life, Dean Wendy Downey and nursing faculty collaborated with community health care partners, including Radford University Emergency Management, Radford University Police Department, Montgomery County Fire-EMS and Carilion Clinic.

The day began with a brief introduction before moving into Stop the Bleed training, where students learned how to control severe bleeding. Cierra Hagwood from Bassett, Virginia, said the training taught her how to properly place a tourniquet and pack deep wounds to prevent injury progression.

Next, volunteers applied moulage to student actors to make the simulation feel more realistic, while participating students rotated through skills stations.

Braylee Ulrich from Troutville, Virginia, anticipated working with the paramedics on scene to understand what happens before a patient arrives at the hospital, including field triage, police work, and EMS care. "It's good to put two and two together," she said, when talking about how nursing and pre-hospital staff contribute to patient care.

The disaster simulation drill involved coordination with police, assessing the scene, triaging patients, treating severe injuries, and transporting them to the hospital for emergency care.

During the debriefing, Ulrich emphasized the importance of training. "Once you're on scene, there are just so many people going in different directions that I really think it benefits you to have [nursing] knowledge down," she said. While recapping her experience, Lacey Graham from Galax, Virginia, said the drill "gave a sense of how we're going to have to deal with stress while we're on the job and how stressful these stations can be for everyone involved."

Aspiring educators hope to launch careers at annual fair

As groups of students crowded around the Student Recreation and Wellness Center for the 2026 Education Career Fair on Friday, Feb. 20, the energy was unmistakable. They spoke with school district representatives from around the commonwealth and shared the excitement of launching their careers in education.

However, a dozen or so students sat anxiously awaiting noon - the start of highly anticipated on-the-spot interviews with potential employers. The annual fair not only provided students with valuable networking opportunities, but also the chance to step directly into professional interviews and - hopefully - a career waiting for them on the other side of graduation.

Camille Wolfe, an elementary education major from Wytheville, Virginia, who is set to graduate this May, beamed prior to her interview with Montgomery County Schools.

"I think that's a really good experience," she said. "Since we're here, we might as well go ahead and put our name out there and interview. It's a really great opportunity."

Wolfe was one of many soon-to-be graduates eager to make a strong first impression and take the next step toward leading a classroom of her own.

Radford University graduates are known in the area for being strong hires. Stephanie Shull, director of human resources for Radford City Schools, says Radford students "consistently demonstrate strong content knowledge, effective classroom management skills and a clear understanding of best instructional practices. They enter the workforce ready to build meaningful relationships with students and adapt to the day-to-day realities of teaching."

The Education Career Fair is held every spring semester and co-organized by Career and Talent Development and the College of Education and Human Development.

Students practice self-care at Calm Day

Radford University's second annual Calm Day opened on Tuesday, Feb. 17, with a kick-off keynote with Jennifer Stanford '93, author of "De-Stressed: Proven Strategies for Leaders to Lower Stress & Boost Performance." Addressing an audience of students and faculty, Stanford delivered a simple message: "Calm is a skill we can learn."

That message carried into the following day, which featured 40 events and interactive opportunities designed for students, faculty and staff to actively practice this skill.

On Wednesday afternoon, students gathered around two gentle horses, Bella and Kat, from Flying Changes Virginia, an equine-assisted therapy organization that provides support services through programs addressing substance abuse, neurodivergent populations, domestic abuse and more. As students spent time with the horses, many reflected on how the animals' quiet presence helped ease their minds and bodies.

Calm took another form at the Make and Take Crafts in the Connected Communities suite, where students could create sand art, pressed flower bookmarks, aromatherapy Play-Doh or design and bake their own coffee mug.

Samantha Harris, a senior foods and nutrition major from Woolwine, Virginia, said the hands-on activities had the biggest impact for her.

"I love working with my hands, so that was really good," she said. "I thought it was a really good community, sitting with other people who were also doing this stuff."

What started in 2025 as a way to remind Highlanders to take a moment for themselves in the midst of the spring semester quickly became a campus-wide workshop on practicing self-care.

We Are Radford winner for March

The We Are Radford employee recognition program is a monthly honor recognizing an individual whose daily interactions with students and colleagues represent the best of the Radford University experience. The winner for March is Wesley Vest, lead electrical technician.

His nominator wrote, "Wesley Vest has led the Kyle Hall lighting renovation team with remarkable dedication, often working seven days a week to ensure our building was ready for the new semester. Despite the massive scope (bathrooms, offices, classrooms, and every space in between), he and his team remained incredibly responsive, seeking feedback and minimizing disruption. Wesley went above and beyond his role, becoming a true partner and building genuine connections with the Davis community. His leadership exemplifies excellence, his collaboration reflects inclusiveness and his service mindset embodies community. Wesley's tireless efforts have transformed our space, and we are truly appreciative of his and his team's effort."

Employees who have served at least one year at Radford are eligible to be recognized for upholding the university's core values.

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Highlander Highlights is compiled by Joya Garris, Jordan Richardson and Pam McCallister.