No Finish Line

I will always look fondly upon and treasure my Radford experience. Like many who attend today, I grew up in a small rural community in Southwest Virginia, where I have deep roots. Even though I have strong connections to the area and a small-town view on life, it was at Radford that the world opened up for me, and my view of it expanded and changed greatly. It served as a catalyst and motivated me to strive for more, seek more and learn more because there was so much more to be discovered.

When I left Radford, I took away some very valuable skills along with a solid business education. One of the experiences at COBE in particular that was useful to me was my position as the vice president of programs for the Society for the Advancement of Management. I gained valuable insights into leadership and, even more importantly, the experience of being part of a management team for an organization. There’s no better primer for the road ahead for a business student than being an officer in a business club where efforts are generally self-funded, and the work gets done through volunteers.

The other benefit of this experience was the mentorship and care of a trusted advisor and faculty member, the late Dr. Forrest Green, who was always there as a sounding board and objective voice. I realized then that I had to have not just one, but several mentors in my life to help guide my career and sometimes even my personal life. I would urge all students to look for mentors, and faculty is the place to start.

I believe what particularly sets Radford apart from other schools is that the class sizes provide an intimate learning environment with faculty who are very involved and genuinely care.

These are just a few of the many things

I gained from my experience. Radford set the stage and positioned me well for where I am now in my career and life in the global community. It sparked in me the desire to learn, to work hard and discover. It will always be a part of who I am and will provide the way to even greater things. There is no finish line.

Thanks, Radford, for a wonderful ride.

R. Steven Boyd ’93 is global product marketing director for the Equipment Division of Nike Inc. in Beaverton, Ore.