Radford University

Student Newspaper
11/07/2023 @rutartan

Marty Smith Receives Outstanding Alumni Award

By: ALEX CASTANIEN

The most captivating story in sports is the under-

dog story of humble beginnings and low expectations, but
through hard work and dumb luck, the underdog comes
out on top.
Marty Smith is the epitome of an underdog, prov-
ing everybody wrong on his climb to the top of sports
journalism. Smith was honored with an Outstanding
Alumni award on Saturday, October 21st.
Smith is a New River Valley native from Giles
County. He grew up in the beautiful mountains of south-
west Virginia, where he fostered his competitive spirit in
sports like basketball and baseball. When Smith trans-
ferred to Radford, he tried out for the baseball team as a
walk-on, but he didn’t cut; he felt lost. He had this passion
for sports but had nowhere to put it. A sophomore, Smith,
walked into Assistant Sports Information Director Mike
Ashley’s class of 83’ Office, asking for an opportunity to
use his passion for sports.
“I sat down with Mike, and I said, “I don’t know
what I can offer you, but I can do whatever you need and
whatever you can give me,” said Smith.”If you just walk
in the door, you have so many opportunities because its
real-life deadlines, it’s having the ability to converse with
people, it’s looking them in the eye, saying your name, its Alex Castanien’s Photo
building that bridge of mutual trust and respect while you can Soul and Sideline CEO: principles of Leadership from
are a student and that’s a rare commodity.” Champion Coaches. Smith reminisced his time in class
Ashley, Class of 83’, is a member of the Radford with legendary sportswriter Roland Lanzby, who was an
University Athletics Hall of Fame, inducted in the class of adjunct communications professor here at Radford Uni-
2022. “The truth is that Marty came here ready to launch; versity. Lanzby has written three best-selling basketball
he was hungry, passionate, and grounded by strong family biographies about Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and his
roots and was destined for success wherever he ventured.” latest biography on Magic Johnson.
When Smith was a senior, he was the editor of this “He looked right at the girl in the front row and
paper, the Tartan. “Monday morning, you walk into the asked what do you want to do with your life? What do you
athletic department or the communications department want to be? And she was taken aback, and she was hesi-
and say, I want work right now, and I want to learn right tant to share her dream in front of her peers,” said Smith.
now, and they are going to go follow me,” Smith said to “And he went to every single one of those 60 kids in that
student media members after his speech. “Ultimately, class and said, what do you want to be? My answer was I
it comes down to how you treat people, how hard you wanted to write for sports illustrated, and he said you can.
work and if you have indomitable positive energy.” When And do you know what was wild about that, he could ask
Smith left Radford University, he wrote for Lynchburg that question of us because he was leaving that class to fly
News and Advance, covering liberty football and NAS- to Chicago, Illinois, to cover the Chicago Bulls and the
CAR, before getting an opportunity to work for ESPN. Boston Celtics.”
“I felt that at that time, NASCAR was my fastest Smith is a real-life Appalachian folk hero to all
path to the big time,” said Smith. “I was at that paper for aspiring sports journalists. Still, his story inspires all col-
ten mouths, and I got the opportunity to write about a guy lege students to believe more in themselves and to strive
from Lynchburg that just got promoted to vice president for more regardless of major or concentration. “I am so
of NASCAR. As soon as I wrote that piece, He called me: grateful for everybody at this school who did it for me and
his name was Paul Brooks, and I said Paul, get me out of to y’all, the students listening to me, there is nothing you
here.” Smith skyrocketed to success after joining ESPN. can’t not do. You can do whatever you want to do and you
Smith was ESPN’s beat reporter for NASCAR, and his can do it with this education. Some people will have fancy
reporting led him to be featured on Sports Center and Col- pants degrees from big-time schools and paid all kinds of
lege Football Gameday. money to get it. That piece is an opportunity to crack the
Smith is a two-time New York Times bestseller door, and if somebody cracks that door, you kick that sum
with his books Never Settle Sports Family and the Ameri- bitch down.”

www.rutartan.com
 2 the Tartan 11/07/2023 Radford University

The Staff
Editor in Chief: Serenity Sears
Major: BFA Dance & BS Media Studies
Contact: gsears@radford.edu

Managing Editor: Abigail Ridpath

Major: BA English/ minor in Creative Writing
Contact: aeridpath@radford.edu
01 MARTY SMITH RECEIVES
Section Editor: Stephanie Perez
Major: BS Public Relations OUTSTANDING ALUMNI
Contact: scperez@radford.edu AWARD
Copy Editor: Owen Saunders
Major: BS Communications Studies 03 NEW UNIVERSITY LOGO:
Contact: owsaunders@radford.edu
OUT WITH THE OLD
Copy Editor: Bella Smith
Major: BS Dance Education/ minors in Entre-
preneurship and Photography 04 TURNING THE PAGE TO
Contact: brsmith1@radford.edu THE NEW CHAPTER
Copy Editor: Alex Castanien
Major: BS Media Studies 05 FALL DANCE FESTIVAL
Contact: acastanien@radford.edu
2023
Staff Writer: Goldie Owens
Graduate Student in Strategic Communication 05 NACA
Program
Contact: gowens8@radford.edu
06 TAKING IT BACK IN TIME
Staff Writer: Abigail Morin
Major: BS Media Studies TO 1989 (TAYLOR’S VERSION)
Contact: armorin1@radford.edu

Staff Writer: Aidan Hilton 06 FALL’S FUTILITY

Major: BS Theater/ minors in Cinema and Envi-
ronmental Science
Contact: ajhilton@radford.edu 07 ENHANCING INCLUSIVI-
TY AND EQUITY: RADFORD
Web-Designer: Benjamin Goldfeder
Major: Cybersecurity/ minors in Management
UNIVERSITY QUALITY EN-
and Legal Studies HANCEMENT PLAN
Contact: bgoldfeder@radford.edu

Radford University 11/07/2023 the Tartan 3
The Staff
Staff Writer: Kimberly Barajas
Major: BS Criminal Justice
Contact: krodriguezbaraja@radford.edu
Staff Writer: Lauryn Washington
Major: BS Dance/ minor in Education
Contact: lawahington@radford.edu
Staff Writer: Aiden O’Connor
Major: BS Media Studies
Contact: apoconnor@radford.edu
Faculty Advisor: Bill Kovarik
Contact: wkovarik@radford.edu
New University Logo: Out With The Old
By: OWEN SAUNDERS
Radford University president Bret Danilow-
icz unveiled a new university brand identity
at a presentation on October 20th, including
a new logo.
According to the university’s official state-
ment, “more than 3,000 students, faculty,
staff, alumni and community members” had
shaped the rebranding with feedback and in-
put. One of those staff members was not Jen-
nifer McCauley, an employee at the universi-
ty bookstore.
“It would be nice to be in the loop some-
times,” McCauley says. “I just ordered one
hundred coffee mugs for the store with the old
logo. What am I supposed to do now?”
Concerned that no one will buy them, Mc-
Cauley placed a poll in the bookstore for stu-
dents to vote on: smash the mugs against a
brick wall or donate them to a homeless shel-
ter.
When asked why the coffee mugs couldn’t
simply be sold at a reduced price, McCauley
shrugged. “I didn’t think of that. The poll’s al-
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ready up, though. I can’t go back on my word.
Plus, I really want to launch some mugs. May-
be they should’ve thought twice about chang-
ing the logo.”
McCauley plans to break the mugs any day
now. “I know the vote will be to break them.
They already told me I couldn’t chuck ‘em off
of Muse. But I’m more of the ‘ask for forgive-
ness, not permission’ type.”
The bookstore also plans to dispose of out-
dated T-shirts at a community bonfire. Stu-
dents are encouraged to bring their own out-
dated apparel to ceremoniously make way for
the new logo.
Students can stop by the university book-
store to vote before the polls close on Satur-
day.
This article is intended to be satire. Any names,
quotes, and locations are included for humorous
purposes and should not be taken seriously.
 4 the Tartan 11/07/2023
Turning the Page to the New Chapter
By: GOLDIE OWENS
In 2018, shortly before the pan-
demic, Radford shared a strategic
vision of Radford University, Pres-
ident Bret S. Danilowicz shared the
closing of the strategic plan for the
University as they work to embrace
the past and envision the future while
fulfilling the responsibility as a uni-
versity to enhance academic support,
provide better student support, and
modernize virtual space.
Five years down the road, Radford
University’s leadership is taking a
closer look at the strides made toward
realizing the vision outlined in “Em-
bracing the Tradition and Envision-
ing the Future.” This transformation
can be steadily observed through-
out the region, with the remarkable
growth of Radford University Caril-
lon’s exceptional medical programs,
which now enroll a sustainable 30%
of the student body.
With Radford University Caril-
ion (RUC) experiencing substantial
growth, the strategic plan opens new
possibilities for expanding program
offerings in critical medical posi-
tions. This expansion includes the
provision of enhanced learning spac-
es, designed to facilitate effective
learning for students pursuing these
crucial medical roles.
Radford is the first institution to
offer competency-based education
(CBE), This innovative approach has
significantly expanded the universi-
ty’s academic offerings by providing
self-paced certificates and creden-
tials in education, cyber, data, and
more. These programs are thought-
fully designed to cater to the needs of
the workplace.
By offering CBE, Radford has
effectively aligned with its mission
which is to empower students from
diverse fields. This enables individu-
als from various fields to access trans-
formational education that equips
them with the skills and knowledge
they need to thrive in their chosen
field.
The university has a strong part-
nership with the Highlander Success
Center, a valuable resource hub dedi-
cated to supporting students through-
out their academic journey. This col-
laboration was particularly beneficial
for first-year students who are navi-
gating the challenges of 100-200-lev-
el courses.
The provision of peer instructors,
who play a crucial role in guiding
students exact-
ly where they
are in their ed-
ucational path
as they were
once there too.
Taylor Nguyen
said teaching
first-year stu-
dents has been
rewarding
and humble,
I have helped
connect them
with resourc-
es to resolve
scholarships,
academic
struggles, and
mental health,
and even feel safe on campus.
By offering assistance tailored
to their current needs and circum-
stances, these peer instructors have
proven to be a vital support system
for students as they progress through
coursework.
Significantly the campuses have
been under remodeling since 2018,
Reed and Curie Hall for the College
of Science and Technology has al-
lowed the college to put technology
on the display to be visible.
The planetarium was updated last
year to provide science students with
interactive science experience across
the New River Valley.
As the strategic plan concludes,
the university anticipates a future
marked by the success of the Artis
Center of Adaptive Innovation and
Creativity. This moment represents a
significant evolution in the way we
approach interdisciplinary education,
fostering an environment where stu-
dents are inspired to connect their
diverse interests in innovative and
transformative ways.
Radford University as we begin
on a journey to enhance the power
of student choice. Over the next two
years, Radford will be directing its ef-
forts towards four key areas, each of
which will play an important role in
shaping the university’s identity and
impact: defining Radford’s nature,
driving regional economic develop-
ment, stabilizing student enrollment,
and repositioning resources.
The two topics that President
Danilowicz highlights are undergrad-
uate research and the aim is to ensure
that the research is within reach for
Radford University
Goldie Owen’s Photo
all students, with a
particular focus on enhancing acces-
sibility for undergraduates. This initi-
ative stands to bring substantial ben-
efits to all education departments on
our campus as enhances the learning
experiences, prepares students for fu-
ture careers, and fosters a culture of
innovation and discovery.
Radford University’s goals re-
volve around ensuring accessibility
for all, centering education on the
needs of a diverse community, fos-
tering active learning and hands-on
experiences, encouraging the free-
dom to learn through real-world en-
counters and preparing students for
success in all aspects of life.
Vice President for Economic De-
velopment and Corporate Education,
Angela Joyner, unveiled the universi-
ty’s new brand, a collaborative effort
guided by alumni, students, faculty
and staff. Together, they identified
five distinctive brand colors, each of
which uniquely captures the essence
of Radford. This visual representa-
tion features a shield symbolling re-
silience and the mountains that sur-
round our community.
Joyner said, “I Believe that brand
is essentially what people believe in
their hearts and minds.”
With a shared commitment to
these strategic goals and brands re-
flecting Radford’s uniqueness, the
university looks forward to a future
filled with promises, progress, and a
strong sense of what it means to be
a Highlander from current and pro-
spective. Radford strives for excel-
lence in education and making a dif-
ference in everyone’s life.
 11/07/2023 the Tartan 5
Radford University
Fall Dance Festival 2023
By: ALEX CASTANIEN
On October 12th, the Radford University
dance department held its annual Fall Dance Festival.
There were three performances that were
all held in Bondurant Auditorium on October 12th,
October 13th and October 14th. It showcased all the
hard work and effort that Radford University’s dance
department students had been practicing for majority
of the semester.
This year, the
dance department
presented a variety
of dances at their
showcase, which
included tap, mod-
ern and ballet.
The auditorium
was filled with
students and proud
parents of the per-
formers. “I was
really excited for
them to see my
improvement from
Radford University Department of Dance’s Photo last year,” said
Meridythe Witt, a junior performer in the Fall Dance
Festival.
NACA
By: ABIGAIL RIDPATH
On October 12-14, the R-SPaCE Executive
Board attended the National Association for Campus
Activities conference, or NACA.
Our executive board left Wednesday, October 11,
at 7:30 am to drive down to Charleston, South Carolina.
We went a bit early because the advisor of R-SPaCE,
Katarina Alatis, is the Fundraising Chair for the NACA
Foundation of NACA South.
As R-SPaCE President, I had the opportunity to
experience NACA for a second time first-hand. With it
being my second time attending NACA, I had a bit more
knowledge about what to expect. Essentially, NACA
displays to colleges across the country different artists
and vendors who could potentially perform or sell them-
selves for campus events.
Everyone remember Kevin Li from last year,
who was recently on America’s Got Talent? Before he
went on America’s Got Talent, he performed for Radford
students on campus last March.
R-SPaCE met him at the NACA conference last
year, and we enjoyed being with him so much, we knew
that we would have to bring him to our campus. The au-
Witt is an experienced dancer and is one of the
most dedicated in the school of performing arts; she
started dancing when she was three years old. “Some
people play sports. I did dance,” she said. “I did dance
competitions and benefit performances.”
Witt performed in two back-to-back pieces
this year, the first being Flurry and the second being
Rhythm Chatter.
Flurry was an original piece choreographed by
the dancers in the piece in collaboration with Deborah
McLaughlin. The piece is a whimsical performance
centered around Witt, who is seen pretending to drink
from a coffee cup while dancing around the stage.
Back-up dancers pranced in the background with pink
and purple balloons, throwing them in the air and
catching them all on rhythm.
Witt said, “The most difficult part of prepara-
tion is remembering all the choreography, and dealing
with other performers’ schedules for rehearsal.”
The dance department’s next performance
is the First-Year Seminar performance, which takes
place November 6th at 7:30 in Peters Hall, followed
by the Informance Dance Concert on November 13th
at 7:30p.m.
dience seemed to love him as much as we did when we
met him.
I had the best time at NACA this year, much like
last year. Some of this year’s featured acts were The
Great Dubois, who were in The Greatest Showman; co-
medians such as Ryan Kelly, who you might know from
Tik Tok; and Movie Night, an alternative music group—
but those are just a few examples of the many acts we
saw that weekend. Not only did we get to see these acts
and what amazing shows they could bring to our cam-
pus, we got to meet some of them that we hope to bring
to our campus in the upcoming year!
Michael Ziegenfus, R-SPaCE Director of Nov-
elties and Class of 2025, states, “NACA was a great
experience all around. It’s made me very excited for the
things we may bring to campus this spring.”
R-SPaCE will be attending more cool events
like this in the future that build resumes and are a lot
of fun—so if you want to learn more about joining
R-SPaCE and possibly attending an event like NACA
in the future, come to one of our meetings in room 237
upstairs in the Bonnie.
 6 the Tartan 11/07/2023 Radford University

Taking it back in Time to 1989 (Taylor’s Version)

By: ABIGAIL RIDPATH
with your friends (the perfect song for me and all
Hey y’all! My my lovely college friends).
name is Abby I also liked the new vault tracks, but I did not love
Ridpath, Manag- them. For example, the first vault track is called
ing Editor of the “Slut!” (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault)” which
Tartan, and this is I was expecting to be a bit harder-hitting. Instead,
my second review it was a soft song with a hard-hitting meaning. The
of Taylor Swift’s next vault track is called “Say Don’t Go (Taylor’s
music in regard Version) (From the Vault)”, which was honestly one
to her re-releases. of my favorite tracks from the album. This song had
This review is of a good up-beat vibe, but at the same time, as some-
my most antici- one who could relate to this song, the lyrics hit pret-
pated re-release of ty hard. I would recommend it for anyone who had a
Taylor Swift’s Offical Store Album Cover 1989. situationship or relationship that did not work out. I
Overall, I must say my standards were high for loved “Now That We Don’t Talk (Taylor’s Version)
this re-release, and even though I love Taylor Swift, (From the Vault)” too for the same reasons as “Say
this re-release was not everything I was expecting. Don’t Go.” I thought “Suburban Legends (Taylor’s
In my opinion, the original 1989 is what set Taylor Version) (From the Vault)” was a beautifully poetic
up to become the song that gave me a vibe of high school lovers who
huge star she is today, and if the original album was both always hold a special place in their hearts for
just that good, you must make sure the re-release is the other person. The final vault track is “Is It Over
better or people are going to be disappointed. How- Now (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault).” I liked
ever, I did still enjoy hearing the old classics such as the meaning, but I don’t like what it sounds like
“Style,” “Blank Space,” and “Shake It Off.” with a squawking bird in the background (at least
A few of my favorite songs on the album are “You that’s what it sounds like to me). Overall, I’d rate
Are In Love,” a song my cousin showed me when the album a 7.
I was twelve and holds a special place in my heart; Stay tuned for a review of Reputation (Taylor’s
and “New Romantics”—a song about having fun Version), and Taylor Swift (Taylor’s Version).

Fall’s Futility
By: OWEN SAUNDERS
If you’ve been around campus any time in the time could be better spent elsewhere.
past few weeks (and I can assume you have, unless As silly as it sounds, I see this leaf-collection
you’ve acquired this newspaper via middleman), you’ve system as a huge
noticed the gorgeous, fiery oranges and reds that hang boulder, waiting
over sidewalks and lawns. There’s hardly a stretch of to be rolled up a
campus that doesn’t feature some jaw-dropping colors. hill. Just as you
Catch the trees on a clear, sunny day and their radiance reach the top,
increases tenfold. Catch them on a windy day and you exhausted and
might be showered in yellow or orange confetti. broken, the boul-
Undoubtedly, groundskeeping has noticed this der tumbles back
too, and they seem to be stuck in an intense battle, fight- down, mocking
ing with their blowers and the huge leaf-vacuum truck. you with its
I have to chuckle every time I walk past a few of these twisted stone
maintenance men, corralling and collecting the leaves, face. Thankful-
because I look up and know the trees have a lot more ly, though, the
where that came from. I’m sure maintenance is well leaves do not
aware of that fact too. persist constant-
Of course, there are valid reasons to get the ly—just a few
leaves up quickly. Layers upon layers can turn side- months. But I bet
walks into slip-n-slides. It’s also near impossible to tell October will be
where sidewalk ends and grass begins when blanketed back before we Lauryn Washington’s Photo
in leaves, leading to some uneven footing. But when know it.
leaves innocently blanket Moffett lawn or a sel- To quote Albert Camus, “One must imagine
dom-trodden flower bed, I can’t help but wonder if our Sisyphus happy.”

Radford University
Enhancing Inclusivity and Equity: Radford
University Quality Enhancement Plan
By: GOLDIE OWENS
Radford University adopt-
ed the Quality Enhancement
Plan within the strategic plan
The Quality Enhancement Plan
team and Center for Innova-
tive Teaching and Learning
will be hosting the first faculty
workshop embracing inclusive
teaching methods to improve
student performance on Thurs-
day, Jan. 11, 2024.
The university hiring Dr. Eb-
onyse Mead as Education De-
veloper for Inclusion and Be-
longing Education shows the
university’s dedication to being
inclusive, Meade has done ra-
cial equity, particularly in early
childhood education, but since
they have been an instructor,
they have been chaired of com-
mittees.
Mead said, “Because I am
black and a woman, I believe I
have the obligation to help cre-
ate change to make things more
equitable and inclusive for a so-
ciety that doesn’t create spaces
that are considered other.” The
support that Radford has creat-
ed this position for Mead to be
here at Radford is a positive to
the educational experience.
Mead has been working on
this program along with Dr.
Sarah Kennedy and Dr. Allison
Wisecup to facilitate the plan
and workshop sessions.
Students had the voice to
share their ideas in the devel-
opment process, in the develop-
ment phase we went to specific
groups. The team hosted stu-
dent leadership night allowing
the team to share, and the stu-
dent leaders felt very strongly
about faculty participating in
the program.
We have action teams in each
college to provide support, the
team is utilizing those people
to get feedback from more stu-
dents.
There’s a lot of inclusive ped-
agogy that students will be ex-
ploring, but one of the main goals
is exploration of themselves and
exploration of who their students
are by doing so they are better
equipped to create an inclusive
11/07/2023 the Tartan 7
learning environment.
Committing to a yearlong
program will be provided to
help faculty explore all the in-
clusive teaching topics.
Radford Student who iden-
tifies as American Caribbean
Israeli said, “My identity has
been affirmed and valued at
Radford seeing the increase of
foreign students and getting to
know them.”
Jasmine Isekeije said “I iden-
tify as African American, and
my race has been valued and af-
firmed on campus through the
Black Student Alliance events.
Teaching faculty about ex-
ploring their own identities
helps them understand biases,
set realistic expectations for
students and adapt to the evolv-
ing college environment. Fac-
ulty diversity plays a crucial
role in maintaining a dynamic
educational experience for stu-
dents. It’s important to provide
educators with insights into
their student’s diverse back-
grounds, enabling them to be
more aware of sensitive topics
and use effective teaching ap-
proaches.
Isekeije said, “I feel like I
belong in my courses due to the
way they catch my attention in
class. I have yet to get bored
with a project.”
The program’s evaluation
criteria will be centered on the
academic achievements of stu-
dents in 100-200 level cours-
es. The program objective is
to attain a success rate of 80%
Photo By: Unsplashed Ginnet Delgado
which is defined as student
earning an ‘A’ or ‘B’ grade in
their courses. While the uni-
versity-wide success current-
ly stands at 70%, it is crucial
to address an existing equity
gap. Specifically, there is a no-
ticeable difference in success
rate with Caucasian students
achieving higher levels of suc-
cess compared to their African
American and Hispanic stu-
dents. The program is focus-
ing its efforts on the College of
Science and Technology, and
Behavioral Humanities.
Isekeije said “I have had no
problem feeling like I am a part
of the Radford community be-
cause people here are extreme-
ly friendly.
At the student level QEP
team will be looking at aca-
demic and campus belonging,
the team is making an effort
to a culture across this campus
where students feel that they
belong here because we know
that is important.
Within faculty, we will be
assessing how their structure
course, syllabus and practices
have changed from the begin-
ning of their courses.
Radford University’s com-
mitment to inclusivity, faculty
development and addressing
equity gaps through its Quali-
ty Enhancement Plan reflects
a dedication to providing an
enriching and equitable educa-
tional environment, where all
students can succeed and feel a
true sense of belonging within
the Radford community.
8 the Tartan 11/07/2023 Radford University
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