Radford University is a public comprehensive university founded in 1910 in Radford, Virginia, set along the banks of the New River in the Blue Ridge Appalachians of Southwest Virginia. Serving approximately 8,500 students, RU offers strong programs in business, education, health sciences, and the arts. The Highlanders compete in the Big South Conference. The New River Valley's natural beauty — hiking, climbing, kayaking — is central to campus life, and RU's mountain setting gives it a distinct character among Virginia's state universities.