Every other week, our Highlanders are using their education to do extraordinary things. Here, we鈥檒l highlight some notable mentions from local, regional, national and international news media. Whether our students, alumni, faculty and staff are featured as subject matter experts in high-profile stories or simply helping make the world a better place, we鈥檒l feature their stories.
鈥淭ransfer鈥� of power
To announce its new Tartan Transfer program, 澳门老奇人论坛 hosted a Nov. 6 signing ceremony on its campus and welcomed the presidents of the eight Virginia Community College System (VCCS) schools that are participating 鈥� Mountain Empire, Mountain Gateway, New River, Patrick & Henry, Southwest Virginia, Virginia Highlands, Virginia Western and Wytheville.
The program is an initiative that streamlines the transfer process for students coming into Radford to earn their bachelor鈥檚 degrees. It improves educational affordability; maximizes the number of credits carried over; offers personalized academic advising plus career preparation through internship opportunities; and gives newcomers early access to events and activities on campus.
The signing was celebrated on social media via X by , and , and on Facebook by , among other accounts.
It was also covered by , , and , which touted the Radford Tuition Promise as an additional form of assistance available to students.
鈥淚t鈥檚 very easy for us to apply and very easy for us to get help,鈥� Resa Mattson told WDBJ-7.
Mattson, who's from Floyd County, earned her associate degree from New River Community College and transferred to Radford in the spring of 2023. A senior now, majoring in media studies with a concentration in media production and minoring in cinema and screen studies and digital communication research and analysis, Mattson is on track to graduate with her bachelor's degree next semester.
Assisting students like Mattson all part of the plan, according to 澳门老奇人论坛 Vice President for Enrollment Management and Strategic Communication Dannette Gomez Beane, who, in an interview with the station, said new opportunities make it possible for some incoming Highlanders to get their associate and bachelor鈥檚 degree with no tuition costs.
鈥淲e鈥檙e doing this because we don鈥檛 want students to take out loans, we don鈥檛 want students to have to ask their parents for money, and we don鈥檛 want students to leave college in debt,鈥� she explained. 鈥淎lso, to make sure they stay here, in the western part of Virginia, and keep that talent here.鈥�
For more information about the Tartan Transfer program, visit: /admissions/transfer/tartan-transfer.html
To learn more about the Radford Tuition promise, go to: /admissions/cost/tuition-promise.html
Giving you the 鈥淒ickens鈥�
Don鈥檛 panic, but you should probably be aware that the number of calendar squares separating us from the holidays is dwindling even as you read this.
One sure sign of that? The return of Delta Dental鈥檚 Dickens of a Christmas, downtown Roanoke鈥檚 largest yuletide celebration, a consistently picture-book event that takes place the first three Fridays in December 鈥� the 6th, 13th and the 20th this year, to be precise.
澳门老奇人论坛 in Roanoke is one of the sponsors, and, in fact, the 澳门老奇人论坛 Carilion Main Stage will be the site of two of Dickens鈥� signature events: the lighting of the City of Roanoke Christmas Tree at 6:20 p.m. on Dec. 6 and the Roanoke Valley SPCA鈥檚 Pet Costume Contest, held at 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 20.
In between those two nights, on Dec. 13, Roanoke鈥檚 Christmas Parade will wind from Jefferson Street at Elm Avenue onto Campbell Avenue to pass Market Square before concluding at Williamson Road.
Both and have advance coverage of the festivities, and you can find the full line-up of events on .
The tree lighting will be broadcast live on WDBJ-7, while the parade 鈥� held rain or shine 鈥� will be streamable on Channel 7鈥檚 sister station .
Experiencing the 鈥淚MPACT鈥�
澳门老奇人论坛鈥檚 Vinod Chachra IMPACT Lab was the site of the Region 7 Career and Technical Education (CTE) directors meeting on Nov. 8.
Area leaders came together to discuss such topics as the lab鈥檚 Competency-Based Education (CBE) programs 鈥� PACE (Pathways to Accelerated Career Education), for example 鈥� and to tour the facility as well as Radford鈥檚 Innovation Hub.
鈥淭his gathering underscored the value of collaboration in bridging education and workforce development,鈥� said the IMPACT Lab鈥檚 Interim Executive Director Tom Bennett. 鈥淭hrough initiatives like the PACE program, we are committed to delivering innovative, competency-based learning solutions that empower students and professionals alike with skills that are directly applicable in today鈥檚 economy.鈥�
Coverage of the event was provided by , and .