Every two weeks, Highlander Highlights shares with readers some of the extraordinary
research and accomplishments happening on and off campus through the tireless work
and curiosity of our students and faculty.
Summer on the Hill
A year ago, Caroline Sapp “fell in love with the Hill,” she said, after interning with Radford alumnus Jeff MacKinnon ’85 on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.
The rising senior political science major at Radford University adored the experience of working on important policy issues so much that she felt drawn to return this summer, this time to intern for U.S. Rep. Morgan Griffith.
“I’m honored to have the privilege to represent my fellow Highlanders and Virginia’s 9th District,” said Sapp, referring to the congressional district Griffith represents.”
Sapp, who came to Radford from Warrenton, Virginia, minors in Russian and international studies, two disciplines key to her plans to pursue a career in “foreign policy or diplomacy at the State Department,” she said, focusing on relations between the United States and Russia.
But for now, she’s focused on helping Griffith and his work in Southwest Virginia. To help her prepare, she participated in the university’s Power of Dialogue experience, which brought together 10 Radford and 10 Georgetown University students for a week. They spent half of the week in Washington, D.C., where Georgetown is located, and the other half at Radford’s Selu Conservancy. The purpose of the experience was to expose Radford students to urban campus life while giving Georgetown students insight into the rural college experience.
Sapp said she gained a lot of insight into both areas. It’s new knowledge she plans to employ in this summer’s internship with Griffith.
“I learned about the Appalachian struggles like the opioid epidemic and also learned to appreciate Appalachian culture by watching a live band perform traditional Appalachian folk music,” Sapp said. “I felt that if I was going to represent Virginia’s 9th District, then I better gain a better understanding of their culture and struggles.”
Women’s soccer player wins top academic honor
The Big South Conference announced in mid-May that Radford women’s soccer player Kristen Chick received the conference’s prestigious Christenberry Award for Academic Excellence.
Named for George A. Christenberry, one of the Big South’s founders, the award is given each year to the male and female student-athletes who attain the highest GPA during their undergraduate years. Chick, an allied health sciences major from Roanoke, Virginia, maintained a 4.0 GPA while at Radford.