Jernail Radford, Assistant Director of Financial Aid, joined Brevard College in 2020 and is responsible for federal aid and the day to day operations of all financial aid. Jernail has previous experience in higher education, having worked at Chowan as Assistant Director of Undergraduate Admissions. She holds a Master of Science in Sports Management from Virginia State University and in 2021, earned a certificate in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace from the University of South Florida Muma College of Business.
Pregnant with her first child when she started at Brevard College, the campus community embraced her journey to motherhood. Jernail said, “From the very beginning I felt at home. The people that make up this campus are a family.” That is especially true for Jernail since her husband, Mitch is Associate Vice President for Finance and Controller. Their daughter, Riley is now one year and four months old and can often be seen toddling up and down the halls of Beam Administration. According to Jernail, Riley has become “a little Tornado.” She added, “Riley is my greatest achievement and I thoroughly enjoy watching her grow every day. She is so smart and funny.”
Prior to working in higher education administration, Radford enjoyed a career as a professional track and field runner, specializing in sprints and hurdles. Jernail qualified for the 2016 Rio Olympics in the 400 hurdles event. While competing in Doha, Qatar, she sustained a season ending injury, preventing her from achieving her Olympic dream that summer. Radford shared, “Team USA is probably tied with Jamaica as the hardest team to make. To be among the top in the world is exhilarating and terrifying at the same time.” Her most prestigious awards include 2014 Indoor World Championships Gold Medal and 2012 Indoor World Championships Silver Medal. She has coached young track & field athletes at the university level in Division 1 and Division 2. She still runs for fun and occasionally, completes in 5k’s.
Family is a big part of Jernail’s life. Originally from West Memphis, AR, Jernail grew up in Augusta, GA before moving to Delaware where her step-father served in the Air Force. When Jernail told her parents she was pregnant with Riley, they moved to Brevard to be close by and help with childcare. In her spare time, Jernail enjoys spending time with family, being outdoors, and reading. She and Mitch recently bought a house in Fletcher and she likes to sit on the deck and read. She just finished reading Such a Fun Age by Black author Kiley Reid, about a Black woman in her mid twenties trying to figure out life, post college, in an interracial relationship while working as a nanny for a wealthy white family. Jernail said, “The book portrays many different perspectives that are very prevalent in today’s society.” A fun fact about Jernail – because her spirit resonates with wolves, due to their appetite for freedom and awareness of the importance of social connections, she also enjoys reading werewolf love story books.
Jernail’s professional goals coincide with her hopes for daughter Riley. She said, “I want to continue to do great work here to be able to show her the rewards of hard work in a positive work environment.” Her job at Brevard College fulfills her and the work/life balance she is able to maintain is important to her. She said, “I don’t dread coming to work. I don’t watch the clock ready to leave. I truly enjoy being here.”