Highlanders ‘find their place’ (literally) during Move-in Days 2026

Early on Aug. 20, incoming freshman Saniyahn Caldwell unlocked just one of the many doors in Bolling Hall and peered into a bright, sunlit dorm room.

Her room, in fact.

The modest abode held a pair of desks, a bureau, two single beds and lots of space that was clearly eager for some interior decoration. A tall window, which filled much of the far wall, offered a view directly out onto leafy trees and the green expanse of Radford's campus.

The moment represented a low-key-but-auspicious point in Caldwell's young adult life.

"Yay!" cheered her grandmother, Maria Crawford, as they entered. "Your first home of your own!"

Caldwell's godmother, Allyson Dovel, was enthused as well, but said she could barely believe the day had arrived.

"She's the youngest of my four," Dovel said. "The others are 27, 24 and 23, and the last one just graduated from college, so she [Caldwell] is the 'baby' baby. They've been messaging all morning, asking for pictures."

As she unpacked a plush throw pillow in the form of a smiling unicorn, Caldwell seemed psyched.

"I'm looking forward to meeting my roommate and starting classes," she said, and explained why she plans to study nursing: "I've always wanted to help people."

And Caldwell was just one of roughly 2,600 new and returning students who, quite literally, "found their places" in Radford's residence halls across Aug. 19-21, right on the eve of the fall semester.

Andrew Price, director of Housing and Residential Life, said Radford's move-in is a sprawling collaboration between his department and multiple other university offices that's meant to ensure a smooth experience for students and families.

"We intentionally designed a process where logistics run in the background," Price said, "allowing students to focus on settling in, connecting with friends and getting ready for the year ahead."

Students this semester were also welcomed back into Norwood Hall, following a complete renovation of the building.

One new Norwood resident was Madelyn Hudson, a freshman who came to campus with her parents from Centerville, Virginia. Hudson said she plans to study Communication Sciences and Disorders, with a focus on speech pathology.

Senior Tyrian Hairston, who is one of Norwood's resident advisors, has now helped facilitate three move-ins, assisting students with their check-ins and answering their questions.

"It's a lot of work, but it's fun," Hairston said. "I'm going to be working with these students all year, so it helps us get to know each other.

Over in Draper Hall, finance major Caleb Jackson was pleased to discover he had been assigned a corner room with a view of Tyler Avenue.

He'd traveled down from Northern Neck, Virginia, with his parents, Thomas Hathaway and Kelly Hathaway '04.

Even before the first class, Jackson is off to a promising start. With the additional credits he carried over from high school, he's practically a sophomore already, and he also said he was fairly confident that he and his roommate, criminology major Morgan Adams, would get along just fine.

"He's actually my childhood best friend," Jackson explained. "We've known each other since third grade."

One key factor that helps move-ins go smoothly each year is Radford's vast brigade of Highlander Haulers, student volunteers who welcome families, assist with unloading, direct traffic, manage carts, offer directions and distribute cold bottles of water.

Sophie Baker and Lucy Bickey, both of them sophomores and Delta Zeta sorority sisters, were just two of this year's Haulers, working to amass the service hours they're required to achieve each semester.

Intended partially as a weekend greeting for students, the Community Fest lined East Main Street with more than 100 local and regional vendors, including food trucks, community organizations, downtown businesses and live music and entertainment.

"We need 18 hours, and doing this will give us four," said Bickey, but she added that she and her sisters will have ample opportunities for service, helping out with the Bobcat Backpacks effort in the fall and with the Radford Community Fest, which was held Aug. 22.

Another welcome came in the form of Radford's New Student Convocation, which was held the afternoon of Aug. 21 in Bondurant Auditorium - and which included remarks from President Bret Danilowicz, Provost Bethany Usher and other officials - before the new Highlanders headed out onto campus to pose for their official fall 2026 class photo.

At the convocation, Danilowicz reminded students that many of the experiences that could change their lives rarely arrive with an easy-to-identify spotlight pointed on them.

"They often begin with a simple decision to say yes. 'Yes' to showing up. 'Yes' to trying something new," the president told them.

"Today is one of those moments. By being here, you have already said 'yes' to Radford University. And I want you to know that your 'yes' changes this place. We are genuinely glad you are here - not just because you filled a seat, but because you bring a curiosity and a story that this community needs."