You may not think of a block party as the ideal place for reflection, but Benjarman Minor found focus enough to pen meaningful words to express his gratitude, even as the DJ cranked party tunes while fellow seniors delighted in the atmosphere.
Sitting in a comfortable chair inside Russell Hall, the chemistry major from Charlottesville, Virginia, wrote on several cards thank-you messages to professors who have helped 鈥渢hroughout my entire time here at Radford,鈥� he said moments after writing his last card. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know that I would have walked up and said these things to my professors, but with Radford giving me the space and time to reflect 鈥� it鈥檚 great that I can do this.鈥�
Minor was one of many who offered up thanks through cards. Luke Grinnell wrote thank-yous to professors who have helped him toward his goal of becoming a physical therapist. He鈥檒l attend PT school at Emory & Henry College in the fall.
鈥淚 wrote a few to thank each individual professor in my major for all the help and knowledge they've given me to become a good physical therapist and for being that adult person in my life away from home,鈥� said the allied health science major from Salem, Virginia. 鈥淭hey've been there to lean on and help get me through my four years here.鈥�
Amid the reflection, a lot was happening throughout the rooms and hallways at the Senior Block Party, an event that has become more popular each year as part of the Annual Traditions Week, hosted by 澳门老奇人论坛鈥檚 Student Affairs.
鈥淚t鈥檚 so fun here,鈥� said senior Rose McKoy, a finance major from Washington, D.C., in between bites of popcorn. 鈥淚 love all the free stuff.鈥�
The block party had lots of free stuff and opportunities: snacks, T-shirts, balloon animals, crafts and a photo wall in which students posed in front of alone or with a friend or a group. One couple posed with one student piggybacking the other.
Many of the seniors who flocked to the party were looking ahead to commencement. 鈥淲e have 29 days left,鈥� McKoy said, noting the exact number of days until she graduates and moves into a new job she鈥檚 already secured.
For others, like Grinnell, 鈥渋t鈥檚 bittersweet.鈥�
鈥淚t's exciting to graduate and come through to that next part of my life, adulthood,鈥� he said, 鈥渂ut it's kind of sad leaving all the friends that I've made over the years at Radford.鈥�
Those 29 remaining days had a different meaning for Minor, who appreciated the party 鈥� he was there with a group of fellow chemistry majors 鈥� but he soon needed to get back to work.
鈥淲ith my major, I have a lot of work to do,鈥� Minor said, taking a deep breath. 鈥淪o, for me, it's a very hectic time, meaning like a lot of work is due. I don鈥檛 even have time to think about graduation. Chemistry is a pretty intense major.鈥�
But for a few minutes, Minor chilled with friends at the party, which is the intent of the celebratory week, said Associate Vice President for Student Life Tricia Smith.
鈥淭raditions Week aims to provide a pause for reflection and celebration as students head into the final stretch of the academic year,鈥� Smith explained.
In addition to the senior block party, there were days for freshmen, sophomores and seniors. On the schedule, too, was Spring Renewal for 澳门老奇人论坛 Carilion students. The week wrapped with a Saturday night concert featuring Rico Nasty and BigXThaPlug at the Dedmon Center.
鈥淓ach day focused on a class of students, offering a memorable experience and a one-of-a-kind class gift,鈥� Smith continued. 鈥淭his is a special time for folks to come together in community, offer advice to those coming after them and set intentions for the next step of their journey.鈥�
The week was 鈥渨ildly successful,鈥� Smith continued, with the highest attendance since it began in 2018. 鈥淭hough some events had to move indoors because of weather, each one featured smiles, laughter and deep appreciation from attendees.鈥�
Nearly 2,500 students attended, and 126 volunteers helped make it a success, Smith noted.
Traditions Week kicked off April 1 with First Year Field Day, an event for freshmen to revel in the successful completion of their first year at Radford. Out on Muse Lawn, students played cornhole, knocked around a volleyball, tossed axes (not real ones) and mixed it up like gladiators on an inflatable jousting stage. And, when the words 鈥渃rank that Soulja Boy鈥� first blasted from the DJ's speakers, it was a burning call to dance on the grass.
All of this happened on one of those gorgeous, sunny spring days Radford is known for.
It all felt 鈥渞eally welcoming,鈥� said Chloe Leavitt, a freshman biochemistry major from Danville, Virginia. 鈥淗aving an event where everybody can get together is nice, and it makes people want to be at Radford.鈥�
Leavitt鈥檚 first semester on campus was 鈥渁 little rocky,鈥� she confessed, 鈥渂ut I鈥檓 doing well this [spring] semester.鈥� She attributes much of that success to the connections she鈥檚 made at Radford, not only with students but with faculty, too.
鈥淚f you make connections with different people, it makes it easier to go out and do things,鈥� Leavitt said. 鈥淎nd if you need help with classes, you have a good connection with your teachers. And it just it makes it makes it better.鈥�
Sophomores had their night on Tuesday at Halfway There, a celebration of the midpoint of a student鈥檚 Radford journey. Each second-year student was given a challenge coin, which they spoke their wisdom and wishes into before flipping it into the campus fountain. Each student also had a chance to enter a drawing for a $4,000 Presidential Scholarship.
The winner?
Jackson McBride, a biology major from Burlington, North Carolina.
Twenty-four hours later, the Twilight Celebration 鈥� moved inside to the first floor of Heth Hall this year because of rain 鈥� honored juniors as they wound down the semester and prepared for their senior year. Like the block party, Highlanders enjoyed free food, games, music and the traditional lantern signing.
Students attending the celebration were asked to write, on a white cloth lantern they were given as they walked in, their hopes and commitments for their senior year at Radford.
鈥淕et into law school, to be happy and to act with a greater cause than a simple 鈥業 want to,鈥欌�� said Abby Vaught, a criminal justice major from Christiansburg, Virginia, reading the message she had just penned on to her lantern.
Vaught walked into one of the Heth rooms, where conversation flowed, and snacks were plentiful, with friends and fellow criminal justice majors Maria Massana and Jessica Wright. As she reflected on her two semesters as a junior and looked ahead to her senior year, she confessed that she was somewhat surprised she had made it this far.
鈥淚 didn't think I was going to do anything at all. I just thought I was going to be a menace to society,鈥� Vaught said, joking and laughing with her friends. But like so many students here, she found her place at Radford.
鈥淚 went to a mock trial interest meeting, and I met this really cool professor [Don Martin], and he totally turned my life around,鈥� Vaught explained. Now, she鈥檚 a member of Radford鈥檚 blossoming mock trial team, which Martin, a litigator and former counsel to government agencies, coaches.
Connecting with faculty has been common for the three friends. 鈥淚've built a lot of bonds with the professors I've had,鈥� said Wright of Fauquier County, who hopes to someday work in homeland security. 鈥淎nd they've given me a lot of guidance.鈥�
Massana has many friends, she said, who are 鈥済oing to do awesome things鈥� because of the guidance they have received from Radford faculty.
鈥淵eah, it鈥檚 like having 30 extra parents,鈥� chimed in Vaught, who鈥檒l have plenty of thank-you cards to write this time next year.