By Susan Rockwell
Every Friday, Radford High School students are invited to join a Bobcat Career Chat session with professionals from various careers, held in the RHS library during each lunch period.
Started in 2019 and run by Margaret Sproule, RHS Career Coach, and Jamie Little, Educational Specialist with the Radford City Public Schools, these career chat sessions give RHS students an opportunity to explore and learn about all different types of careers, including engineering and technology, healthcare, law, business, marketing, hospitality and tourism, trades and military – just to name a few!
Members of the RHS Class of 1976 spoke to city school administrators and faculty in the spring and summer of 2023 regarding ways their class could give back to the high school. The bicentennial class of 1976 is the largest graduating class in the school’s history with 176 graduates. Starting this fall, continuing in the spring of 2024, and through at least the 2024-25 school year, the RHS Class of 1976 is donating funding for the lunches provided during the Bobcat Career Chats.
Alumni of the RHS Class of 1976 have attended periodic career chats, have suggested speakers, and also volunteered themselves. On Oct. 20, three members of the class attended the career chat on biomechanical engineering (presented by Robyn Hansen, graduate student at Virginia Tech), served lunch to students, and had the opportunity to speak to many of the current Bobcats in attendance. Class members plan to return on Jan. 19 to kick off the second semester and are planning raffle-type giveaways for the students.
