Fall 2019 Meredith Magazine

A Publication for Alumnae and Friends of Meredith College

Fall 2019, Volume 44, Number 2

M A G A Z I N E

NEW ACADEMIC BUILDING Opening January 2021

HONOR ROLL OF DONORS 2018-19 | Special section inside

CONTENTS Meredith Magazine Volume 44, Number 2 Fall 2019 Executive Editor Kristi Eaves-McLennan, ’14, MBA Managing Editors Melyssa Allen Karen T. Dunton Assistant Editor Gaye Hill

FEATURES 14

SUCCESSFUL IN EVERY FIELD

Meredith’s communication major helps women build skills that apply in any profession

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WELCOME HOME

Alumnae share their home with future students

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BUILDING BETTER HOMES AND STRONGER LIVES

Writers Emily Parker

A Meredith alumna finds success in a male-dominated industry

Art Director Vanessa Harris

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STAYING STRONG

How Meredith builds student resilience

Designer Margaret McIver Soper, ’09 Alumnae Connection Editor Hilary Allen, ’01 Contributing Writers Sarah Lindenfeld Hall Reah Nicholson Moore Photographers Symoné Austin Christopher Ferrer Peter Finger Kaili Ingram Travis Jack Gary Knight Brian Lynn Charlotte Claypoole McKinney Susan Murray Kelsie Taylor, ’18 Caleigh Thomas, ’16 Meredith College Faculty & Staff

NEWS 2

Meredith Welcomes Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg to Raleigh

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Meredith Presents Vivian Howard with Woman of Achievement Award

11 Meredith Mourns Loss of Professor of Biological Sciences 13 Board of Trustees Approves Construction of New Academic Building

IN EVERY ISSUE 1

Meredith Campus News

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Letter from the President

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Meredith Experts in the News

11 Newsmakers Meredith Magazine exists to serve the Meredith community by providing readers with insight and information about the news, activities, events, programs, plans, and people of the College. Meredith Magazine is published three times a year by the Meredith College Department of Marketing. Questions or comments may be submitted to marketing@meredith.edu. © 2019 Meredith College. The Meredith name and wordmark are registered trademarks of Meredith College and may not be used without permission. All rights reserved. 19-155

12 Strong Stories 30 Meredith Philanthropy 34 Alumnae Connection On the Cover: An architectural rendering shows how Meredith’s next academic building, which will house growing programs in communication and exercise and sports science, will look when it opens for the Spring 2021 semester.

NEW IN THIS ISSUE: Scan each QR code with your smart phone to access video content.

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NEWS The turf playing surface was recently replaced in the Athletic Field and Track Complex, where the Avenging Angels compete. This change is one of many that have taken place recently for Meredith athletics. Read the story on pg. 5 to find out about new sports being added.

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“It was very difficult for me being the lone woman. Now we look like we're there to stay – no longer onetime curiosities. My sisters-in-law are no shrinking violets.”

— Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Meredith College Welcomes Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg to Raleigh

By Gaye Hill

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hen Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg walked onto the stage in Meymandi Concert Hall, the admiration of the crowd was on full display as she received an exuberant standing ovation.

The 2019 Lillian Parker Wallace Lecture, “A Conversation with Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Associate Justice, Supreme Court of the United States,” took place on September 23, 2019.

Ginsburg, the second woman to serve on the United States Supreme Court, spoke with Meredith College alumna Suzanne Reynolds, ’71, the first woman to serve as dean of the Wake Forest University School of Law and a national expert on family law.

Their conversation was wide-ranging, covering topics from Ginsburg’s legendary stamina, to her loving and supportive marriage, to her surprising friendship with fellow Supreme Court justice Antonin Scalia.

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Through it all ran consistent themes of civility, humor, hard work, and devotion to the law and community.

A “Woman of Achievement” President Jo Allen, ’80, introduced Ginsburg and presented her with the “Woman of Achievement” award.

Allen noted that Meredith alumnae and friends of the College were watching via livestream. Approximately 9,200 individual viewers logged on to watch the historic event.

Lessons from Family Ginsburg shared stories of how her family relationships had contributed to her professional success. Her mother, who died while Ginsburg was still a teenager, told her early on to be independent and be a lady. Ginsburg explained what her mother meant.

“It would be fine if you met and married

“Whatever field you choose to pursue, do something that will bring people together.”

— Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

prince charming, but always be ready to fend for yourself. And don’t waste time on emotions that won’t get you anyplace,” said Ginsburg. “A lady doesn’t let those emotions interfere in her life.”

Ginsburg spoke at length about her relationship with Marty Ginsburg, her “life partner.”

She described him as her “biggest booster.”

“He thought the work I was doing was at least as important as the work he was doing. He never saw me as a competitor,” she said.

Justice Ginsburg spoke with Suzanne Reynolds, ’71, former dean of the Wake Forest University Law School.

Meredith students show off their tickets to the Lillian Parker Wallace Lecture.

Students lined up for hours to see Justice Ginsburg at a special event for the campus community.

Historic Perspective Addressing Meredith students who live in a time of unlimited options for women, Ginsburg provided context for her lifelong work to eliminate gender discrimination. “For women of my generation, the big challenge was to get the first job.”

In response to a question from Reynolds, she talked about how important it is to have Justices Sotomayor and Kagan on the court with her, particularly for the public opinion. She reflected on the period after Former Associate Justice Sandra Day O’Connor retired.

“It was very difficult for me being the lone woman,” she said. “Now we look like we’re there to stay – no longer one-time curiosities.”

She added, “My sisters-in-law are no shrinking violets.”

Civility Personified Ginsburg is often asked about her friendship with Justice Antonin Scalia. While they did not share the same views of the Constitution, they both cared about good writing, and shared a passion for the opera. They also had in common a great love of family and often celebrated New Year’s Eve together.

Professionally, they had significant differences, but even in that venue, she said, they found a way to interact civilly. For example, she

related that Scalia once gave her a copy of his dissent before he was ready to circulate it to the rest of the court because he wanted her to have as much time as she could to respond.

“I loved Justice Scalia and miss him very much,” she said, describing how they would sit next to each other and he would whisper things to make her laugh. “He was a very funny man.”

In describing the other justices, she said they are all different but they are one in their commitment to the Supreme Court.

“We have to be collegial. Collegiality really matters in our workplace.”

RBG Campus Events Meredith had been preparing for Ginsburg’s visit to ensure students made the most of it.

First-year students read Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg for their summer reading book and discussions were held across campus. Approximately 500 community members gathered on September 19 in the McIver Amphitheater to watch an outdoor screening of the documentary RBG. In addition, a campus-wide essay contest was held, with five students winning coveted tickets to both the afternoon and evening events.

lian Parker Wallace, former history professor and department head at Meredith. Two years following the inception of the fund, the Class of 1973 officially added its support. Numerous members of the Class of 1971 were present, coming from as far away as Michigan for the event, both to see Ginsburg and to support their classmate, Suzanne Reynolds.

“We’re all extremely proud of Suzanne’s success and excited for RBG to be here. Our class has been working on this for several years and it’s great to see it all come to fruition,” said Lavinia Evans, ’71.

Ginsburg’s closing advice touched on the importance of community, as she encouraged those listening to find something they are passionate about and do something positive to help others who are less fortunate.

“Whatever field you choose to pursue, do something that will bring people together,” she said. “Do something to help repair the tears in your community.”

Watch videos of Justice Ginsburg's visit.

The Importance of Community The fund that made the lecture possible was established by the Class of 1971 in honor of LilS ummer F all 2019 2018 | M E R E D IT H M A G A Z I N E

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Meredith College Holds 2019 Commencement

By Gaye Hill

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eredith College held its commencement exercises for the Class of 2019 on Saturday, May 11 in Reynolds Coliseum.

The commencement address was given

by President Jo Allen, ’80. As is customary, graduates were represented by two student speakers, one undergraduate and one graduate. All of this year’s speakers incorporated references to strengths and Meredith’s “Going Strong” brand.

Commencement Speakers Whitney DesChamps spoke on behalf of the master’s candidates. DesChamps, who received her MBA, is employed as a senior HR systems coordinator for PRA Health Sciences.

She had words of encouragement for her fellow graduates.

“Find your purpose, fulfill that purpose, and continue to show the world what Meredith Going Strong looks like.”

Class President Hannah Kicklighter, ’19, spoke on behalf of the undergraduates. She said that each student who comes to Meredith has a personal meaning regarding what strong means to her.

“Webster’s Dictionary defines strong as ‘marked by great physical power’ or ‘having moral or intellectual power.’ Graduates of 2019, I’m here to tell you that we have both.”

Commencement Address President Allen’s speech focused on the inevitable twists and turns the graduates’ lives would take – and how their Meredith education has prepared them to navigate those changes.

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One of the ways that happened, she said, was through taking a strengths assessment as part of StrongPoints®, Meredith’s personal advising and coaching model.

“For many of you, that focus on strengths became a powerful twist. Our goal in encouraging your exploration of your strengths was simple: we intended to show you a life – not of perfection – but one in which you could know your strengths and build a series of plans based on them, and use them wisely rather than focusing on your weaknesses and trying to fix them,” said Allen.

Allen noted that “twists” are a suitable metaphor for learning, because doing so requires the ability to discern between choices.

“In fact, it is tempting to see life as just one huge series of choices: this or that, here or there, all or none. It is at moments like this commencement ceremony that give you the chance to look back on your choices and to ponder what you have learned.”

About the Ceremony This year’s ceremony was held in Reynolds Coliseum on the campus of North Carolina State University. Meredith has held commencement exercises in an off-campus venue since 2013, when the size of the graduating classes became too large for on-campus locations. This opportunity to hold commencement at NC State is a result of Meredith’s long-standing goodwill and partnerships with the university, a fellow Cooperating Raleigh Colleges member with whom Meredith shares a dual degree engineering program.

SUCCESS AFTER MEREDITH 2019 graduates accepted positions with companies and organizations including: • AllScripts • Walt Disney Company • SAS Institute • Credit Suisse • Red Hat • Autism Society of North Carolina • Cherry Bekaert LLP Others are pursuing graduate study at universities including: • Campbell University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences • UNC-Chapel Hill • Campbell Law • Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine Medical School

Watch a Commencement video.

NEW $20,000 Merit Scholarship Guarantee

By Kristi Eaves-McLennan

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ffording a strong college education consistently ranks as a top concern among students applying to college. Meredith is launching a new $20,000 merit scholarship guarantee to help more qualified undergraduate women afford a high quality college education.

Beginning with the Fall 2020 incoming class, Meredith Impact Scholarships will be awarded to all first-year applicants who have a 3.3 unweighted GPA and an 1100 SAT or 22 ACT score. There is no separate application process; the Meredith Impact Scholarships are automatically awarded at the time of admission. This $20,000 scholarship will be renewable annually for up to four years for recipients who maintain good academic standing, allowing families to reduce their 4-year tuition bill by $80,000.

Meredith College President Jo “This scholarship guarantee makes Allen, ’80, says this guarantee it clearer up front to high school demonstrates Meredith’s comstudents who meet the stated mitment to helping all women academic requirements that their develop their full potential.

“Impact scholarships will help enrollment at Meredith will be met ensure a Meredith College education with a minimum of $20,000 from is accessible to more women with us each year to help fund their the power to bring about positive education.” change in their workplaces, commu— Matthew Poslusny nities, and families,” said Allen.

Matthew Poslusny, provost and senior vice president, says transparency and clarity were also driving forces behind creating the scholarship guarantee.

“Meredith funds more than $26 million in institutional scholarships and grants annually,” Poslusny said. “This scholarship guarantee makes it clearer up front to high school students who meet the stated academic requirements that their enrollment at Meredith will be met with a minimum of $20,000 from us each year to help fund their education.”

These new merit scholarships are being partially funded through money raised during Meredith’s highly successful Beyond Strong fundraising campaign.

For more information on Meredith scholarships and financial assistance, visit meredith.edu/scholarships.

Meredith Adding Two New Sports Meredith College has announced plans to add two new sports, bringing the total number of sports in which the Avenging Angels compete to ten.

In Fall 2019, golf moves from a club team to a varsity level sport. In 2020, Meredith will add a field hockey team.

“I am pleased that golf is moving to a varsity sport,” said Director of Athletics Jackie Myers.

“It is a sport that fits the profile of a Meredith student athlete very well.”

The golf team is being coached by Jimmy Hamilton, a certified PGA professional. A golf instructor at Wildwood Green Golf Club since 2012, Hamilton now directs The Golf Academy, while still conducting private lessons and junior programming aimed at long term player development.

The College is conducting a search now for a field hockey coach. Field hockey is not a sponsored sport in the USA South, but there are a number of regional teams that Meredith expects to include on its schedule when play begins in Fall 2020.

“Meredith has had great success with its lacrosse team, and I expect the field hockey team will help grow the sport in this region of the country along with its popularity among our student athletes and fans,” Myers said.

The new sports are being funded through gifts from Meredith trustees and other donors.

Meredith competes as a NCAA Division III school in the USA South Conference.

IMPACT SCHOLARSHIPS AT A GLANCE • No separate application • $20K annual renewable scholarship

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• Minimum 3.3 unweighted GPA and 1100 SAT/22 ACT

NCAA DIVISION III ATHLETIC TEAMS

Watch a video about the Impact Scholarship.

Field hockey coming in 2020-21.

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“I received the best feedback during the Q&A portion, and was given great advice, both for Brew Bus and as a woman entrepreneur, that I will forever value.”

— Julia Johnson, ’20

Entrepreneurship Challenge Winners Announced

By Melyssa Allen

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he Meredith Social Entrepreneurship Challenge (MSEC), a semester-long competition and learning opportunity for students with business ideas, lets students at all levels build on their ideas for potential businesses.

The competition is open to any Meredith undergraduate or graduate student, not just students majoring in business.

Julia Johnson, ’20, a psychology major, won for her Brew Bus idea. Johnson decided to participate in the challenge for the learning experience while in an entrepreneurship course called Leadership, Innovation, and Social Responsibility. Her winning idea brings together microbreweries and the food truck model, allowing customers to have products from a variety of breweries at one event.

While Brew Bus remains just a concept for now, Johnson said winning the competition has made the business idea more of a possibility. She plans to attend graduate school in industrial/organizational psychology, but is now considering starting her Brew Bus business in the future.

“I learned from participating in the MSEC

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that you do not have to be a traditional candidate to be successful in it,” Johnson said.

“Listening to others, accepting constructive criticism, trusting your gut, and ultimately standing by what you’ve produced are all important aspects to being successful.”

The MSEC began in February with an optional Elevator Pitch competition, which helped students sharpen their business idea before submitting their challenge entry. In March, semi-finalists were selected, and these competitors took part in a Speedpitch Workshop and a Shark Tank style presentation in front of a panel of women business owners who served as judges.

“The competition provides prospective entrepreneurs with an opportunity to develop an idea while interacting with Meredith alumnae business owners in a very meaningful and unique mentorship,” said Nathan Woolard, Meredith’s director of entrepreneurial programs. “We were pleased to have 14 different alumnae business owners to provide their time and expertise this year."

Johnson said the Shark Tank phase was her favorite, even though she felt nervous before-

hand. “It was an amazing experience to finally see Brew Bus come to life not only for me, but also for the judges,” Johnson said. “I received the best feedback during the Q&A portion, and was given great advice, both for Brew Bus and as a woman entrepreneur, that I will forever value.”

All semi-finalists were able to share their business ideas via poster presentations during the Community Showcase, held in April.

Johnson won $4,000 for first place.

Second place went to Logan Alphin, ’19, for her Flexecos concept, which she described as “a product that allows people to keep their medication at the exact temperature of effectiveness through an active cooling process.

This makes it easier for people using specialty medication to travel.” Second place earned a $2,000 prize.

Third place, with a $1,000 prize, went to Hank Flynn, a pre-health post baccalaureate certificate student. Flynn’s entry was Myceres, a non-profit organization that would develop and use genetically modified baker’s yeast strains to treat and prevent global micronutrient deficiencies.

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Making the Most of Your Meredith Connections

Elizabeth Eisele Hayes, ’94, introduced Rachel Van Horne, ’23, to Meredith at a Discover Meredith event, a day set aside for alumnae to share their alma mater with young women in their lives.

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n the past five years, we have spent a lot of time with transportation engineers, designers, lawyers, and construction experts discussing (and, yes, sometimes arguing about) the I-440 beltline expansion and its impact on Meredith’s campus. In some sessions, the idea was raised that the Hillsborough Street entrance might be “redesigned” at some point. Naturally, howls of protest ensued, and the matter was dropped. The final upshot is still unclear, but we will be sure to let you know if that idea re-emerges.

That exchange made me think about how people actually do come to Meredith – both physically, as well as emotionally, through connections, the appeal of the College’s reputation, and the attractiveness of our programs, faculty/staff support, alumnae success, and campus grounds.

Physical entrances (aka “curb appeal”) set the stage for first impressions – of quality, excellence, and history. Nan Van Every, ’43, contributed funds to design and build the Faircloth Gate entrance in memory of her

mother, Elva Wall Davis, ’10. Alumna/trustee Lori Moscato, ’99, says when her parents brought her through the Hillsborough Street entrance for her first visit, she said, “This is it.

You can turn around now.” She was ready to make Meredith her home.

I suspect most of us, however, found Meredith through connections with other alumnae. My sister set her mind on Meredith in the fifth grade when she learned her teacher Dorothy Bryan, ’35, was an alumna, which set into motion my own decision to enroll.

In my visits with alumnae, friends, and donors, I am struck by how many families sent all their daughters to Meredith and equally struck by today’s students who cite a grandmother, aunt, mother, or other relative as the point of connection to Meredith. A current student from Oregon, for instance, enrolled because her grandmother came here. And routinely, I hear the emotion-filled pride in mothers’ proclamations, “My daughter is going to Meredith!”

The good news is you don’t have to be kin

(or even an alumna) to be an influencer. A graduate of the Wings adult education program laughs that she tells waitresses and grocery checkers and any other woman she suspects does not have a college degree that they need to check out Meredith. Their protests of age, financial restrictions, and academic ability are no match for her insistence!

Teachers, music instructors, social workers, scientists, doctors, and others recommend Meredith to those in their circles. You can, too.

If you want to be an influencer, the first step is simply bringing a bright woman to campus.

Make an appointment at meredith.edu/visit, and we’ll do the rest.

Read more stories of alumnae who have been instrumental in students’ decisions to attend Meredith on page 20.

President Jo Allen, ’80 F all 2019 | M E R E D IT H M A G A Z I N E

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Meredith Presents Vivian Howard with Woman of Achievement Award

By Melyssa Allen

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eredith College has presented the Woman of Achievement Award since 2007, recognizing successful

women in a wide variety of fields. Awardwinning chef, restaurateur, cookbook author, and television host Vivian Howard joined this list of accomplished women in February 2019.

In recognition of the Woman of Achievement Award, Howard was interviewed by Meredith President Jo Allen in a public event held in Jones Auditorium.

Howard talked about her career path, which took the North Carolina native to New York City, where she moved after college to work in advertising. She soon transitioned to the city’s food scene and in 2005, Howard returned to Kinston, N.C., to open her first award-winning restaurant, Chef & the Farmer.

Howard said until she came back to North Carolina, she had not understood the value of small towns, including their restaurants and food traditions. She believes a person’s location should not limit the quality or the reach of their work.

“The place that you come from is a part of you. Celebrating it is celebrating that part of you,” Howard said. She encouraged the audience to experience as much as possible.

“If I hadn’t moved away, I wouldn’t have

the appreciation of where I come from that I do now,” Howard said.

While she has made her name as a chef, Howard ultimately sees herself as a writer and storyteller. “I’ve found a way to make every opportunity into a chance to tell stories,” Howard said.

Her award-winning documentary series A Chef ’s Life celebrated eastern North Carolina food traditions for five seasons.

“The show was about capturing things that were honestly happening in my life and using food as a storytelling mechanism,” Howard said.

Howard’s first cookbook, Deep Run Roots: Stories and Recipes from My Corner of the South, reached the top of The New York Times Best Seller List for Advice, How to & Miscellaneous books. She is working on a second cookbook and her new show, South By Somewhere, is slated to debut on PBS in 2020.

Meredith College’s Woman of Achievement Award recognizes women who are inspirational role models. Supreme Court Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is the most recent recipient of the award, which was presented during Meredith’s 2019 Lillian Parker Wallace Lecture.

President Jo Allen Elected Chair of NAICU Board of Directors

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eredith President Jo Allen is serving as chair of the Board of Directors for the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU). Allen took office at the close of the 2019 NAICU Annual Meeting and Advocacy Day held in Washington, D.C. With more than 1,000 colleges, universities, and associations as members, NAICU serves as the unified national

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voice of independent higher education and the primary advocate for polices that support higher education. The organization focuses on three areas of interest: tax policies, student aid, and accreditation and regulation.

“My service to NAICU is largely about giving back to the higher education community,” Allen said. “I am so pleased I was able to enjoy a Meredith education, and I want to be sure future

generations also have the option of pursuing degrees from independent colleges and universities.”

In addition to her role as chair of the NAICU board, Allen serves as the treasurer of the North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities (NCICU), as a member of the Presidents’ Council of the Cooperating Raleigh Colleges, and on the Presidents' Council of USA South, Meredith's athletic conference.

Meredith College Announces New Partnership with Elon Law

By Melyssa Allen

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eredith College and Elon Law have established a new partnership that will provide Meredith students with the opportunity to earn their undergraduate and law degrees in five and a half years.

The Accelerated Law Degree Program will allow Meredith students to save time and money by completing their senior year of undergradu-

ate study and first year of law school simultaneously. Students complete all general education requirements and major requirements at Meredith within three years. If admitted to Elon Law, students begin earning credits toward their law degree, and appropriate credits can be transferred to Meredith for completion of undergraduate degrees.

Unlike most agreements of this kind, which are typically six-year programs, the Meredith CollegeElon Law agreement enables students to earn a bachelor and law degree in five and a half years, substantially reducing costs by starting law school early and gaining early entry into the profession.

Elon Law, located in Greensboro, N.C., is the second school to be part of Meredith’s Accelerated Law Degree Program. In 2018,

Meredith Experts in the News Meredith College experts have recently been featured in media outlets including The Lily, The Washington Post, PBS News Hour, and ABC News.

“When the actual witnesses and participants pass from the scene, we lose something — morally, intellectually, and emotionally.”

— Professor of History Greg Vitarbo, in an Associated Press article about what happens to history when those who lived it are no longer here to share their firsthand accounts. The article ran in several media outlets, including ABC News.

“Which is why the current debate remains personal and vitriolic. Who do you believe when confronted with conflicting interpretations: the people who tucked you into bed at night and taught you right from wrong or those who tell you in classrooms that such lessons are inaccurate at best and, at worst, deliberate lies concocted to deny African Americans freedom and preserve white supremacy? … It should not be surprising that many flinch or outright resist rejecting lessons learned from loved ones in favor of accepting painful historical truths.”

—Professor of History Dan Fountain, in a Washington Post opinion piece about the controversy over confederate statues.

Meredith established a similar agreement with Campbell Law. “Meredith College is committed to providing programs that ensure our students’ professional preparation,” said Meredith Provost Matthew Poslusny. “I am pleased that this new partnership with Elon Law provides another pathway to success for our students.”

Meredith College has a proven track record of preparing students for success in law school.

“Nearly all Meredith College students participate in applied learning experiences, such as internships, study abroad, or undergraduate research, so Elon Law’s highly experiential focus, highlighted by our residency program, is a perfect fit for their legal education,” said Alan Woodlief, senior associate dean and an associate professor at Elon Law. Learn more at meredith.edu/accelerated-law-degree-program

“Consumers have agency to change the fashion industry. By using your buying power to show brands and retailers what type of garments you desire most, you can help shift the industry toward more humane working conditions and environmentally friendly production processes. When you’re buying new items, avoid purchasing low-cost, low-quality garments and instead invest in higher-quality clothing at a higher price, if you can.”

— Assistant Professor of Fashion Merchandising & Design Ali Howell in The Lily, a publication of The Washington Post. The piece was about Fashion Revolution Week and the potential power of the consumer.

“Low-polling candidates are sort of running out of time to gain ground. They’ve got to make their message very cogent [and] concise, but also very resonant.”

— Professor of Political Science David McLennan,

in a PBS News Hour story about the Democratic Presidential race leading up to the primaries.

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Lacrosse Graduation A special mini-commencement ceremony was held on May 9 for members of Meredith’s USA South Championship Lacrosse team.

The ceremony was necessary because the team qualified for the NCAA Division III tournament, and round one took place the same day as Meredith’s regular commencement exercises. The ceremony, which included mini versions of Meredith graduation traditions including Class Day, Baccalaureate, and Commencement, is becoming something of its own tradition as Meredith’s lacrosse team has won six consecutive conference championships.

Meredith Hosts Young Women’s Leadership Summit for Wake County Teens

By Kristi Eaves-McLennan

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early 250 girls from across Wake County came to campus on Saturday, March 30, 2019, when Meredith hosted the Wake County Public School System’s first Young Women’s Leadership Summit.

Participants heard keynote talks from women leaders in the Triangle, including Meredith President Jo Allen,’80, Raleigh Police Chief Cassandra Deck-Brown, Raleigh City Councilwoman Nicole Stewart, and Superintendent of Wake County Public Schools Cathy Moore.

Following the keynote addresses, attendees participated in breakout sessions and toured Meredith.

Christina Cole Spears, ’13, ’14 (MAT), special assistant in the WCPSS’s Office of Equity Affairs and her colleague, Teresa

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Bunner, ’18 CIS, director of student engagement, Office of Equity Affairs had the idea for Meredith to serve as the host site.

According to President Allen, hosting events that focus on empowering girls is one way Meredith fulfills its mission.

The message of empowerment seemed to resonate with the girls who attended. In the participant feedback, one attendee gave the event the highest possible praise. “Best day of my life!” she wrote.

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Newsmakers

Meredith Mourns Loss of Professor of Biological Sciences

By Kristi Eaves-McLennan

Promoted to full Professor: Jason Andrus (Biological Sciences), Steven Benko (Religious & Ethical Studies), Tisha Duncan (Education), Veronique Machelidon (World Languages and Cultures), Gwynn Morris (Psychology), Kelly Morris Roberts (English), Steven Roten (Theatre), and Bing Yu (Business).

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eredith College Professor of Biological Sciences Erin Lindquist passed away on August 2, following a long battle with cancer.

An award-winning teacher, Lindquist taught biology and environmental sustainability courses at Meredith since 2006. During her time at Meredith, she coordinated the Environmental Sustainability major and minor, facilitated significant grants, and directed numerous undergraduate research projects.

Those who worked with and learned from her say she was fiercely passionate about many things, including her family, students, research, and the environment.

Meredith Provost Matthew Poslusny describes Lindquist as an “inspiration to students.”

“I was always very impressed with the opportunities Erin created for her students, especially related to the environment,” he said.

Poslusny said Tropical Ecosystems, the summer study abroad course she led in Costa Rica, was one of the most powerful ways she had an impact on students.

“Those were such transformative experiences for our students, experiences that they will never forget,” he said.

Lindquist’s teaching was shaped by her dedication to research, which focused on forest ecology and conservation. She maintained a long term tropical forest regeneration study in Costa Rica and co-authored a bilingual plant taxonomy book of the trees of her study area with two undergraduate students.

She co-founded the Ecological Research as Education Network (EREN), a National Science Foundation-funded national research network for faculty and students at Primarily Undergraduate Institutions (PUIs). As part of EREN, Lindquist was co-lead scientist on the Permanent Forest Plot Project (PFPP).

Diagnosed with cancer in 2012, Lindquist continued teaching, conducting research

The Meredith College Board of Trustees approved the following faculty promotions at its Spring 2019 meeting.

Promotion to Associate Professor: Joy Learman (Social Work), Andrea McPherson (Psychology) and Angela Robbins (History)

with students, and leading field experiences in Costa Rica while receiving treatment.

President Jo Allen remembers Lindquist as a fighter. “...We watched Erin fight for days, weeks, months, and years to live her best life with her precious family, contribute to the learnings of her own students and others, and inspire us all to do the same,” Allen wrote in an email tribute message to the Meredith community. “...She was a warrior – strength personified – and we are humbled by her fierce dedication to all things she valued, knowing we were among those she cherished.”

A memorial service, held Saturday, August 10 in Jones Chapel, featured remembrances from family and friends, including Meredith colleagues, who shared how Lindquist made an impact on their lives.

Family and friends have established the Dr. Erin Stewart Lindquist Scholarship Fund at Meredith College. To make a gift in Lindquist’s honor, visit meredith.edu/give. To ensure contributions are properly designated, select ‘other’ and type Dr. Erin Lindquist Scholarship Fund.

Checks can be mailed to Meredith College, Attn: Institutional Advancement, 3800 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh, NC 27607.

Please write ‘Dr. Erin Lindquist Scholarship Fund’ on the memo line of the check.

The following retiring professors were approved for Emeritus status: Martha Burpitt, Deborah Tippett, and Paul Winterhoff.

Patty Blackwell, Facilities Services, received the Outstanding Combat Female Veteran of North Carolina award. Blackwell is a US Air Force veteran of Desert Shield/ Desert Storm. The honor was presented by the Combat Female Veterans Families United and the N.C. Department of Military and Veterans Affairs on May 10, 2019.

Director of Health Services Mary Johnson was awarded the Southern College Health Association’s New Professional of the Year. This award is given to individuals who have been in the field of college health for five years or fewer and demonstrate the potential for sustained leadership. Meredith College earned second place in the National Wellness Challenge, sponsored by the National Consortium for Building Healthy Academic Communities.

Meredith’s Office of International Programs was selected as Internship Site of the Year for the NC State Master of International Studies program and was recognized during the MIS graduation ceremony.

F all 2019 | M E R E D IT H M A G A Z I N E

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STRONG STORIES CAMPUS

NEWS

Going Strong in the Arts

By Melyssa Allen

F

or four years at Meredith, Leslie Castro, ’19, studied in an English classroom that featured a poster from the Shakespeare Theatre Company. Now, she finds herself a part of that company.

A theatre major, Castro has been selected for a professional stage management fellowship with the Washington, D.C.-based theatre. This fall, she relocated to the nation’s capital for a 10-month, full-time position during which she will assist the stage management team on multiple productions.

“Some of my responsibilities will include being ‘on book’ in rehearsals to prompt actors for their lines, tracking props and costumes, and maintaining performance and rehearsal paperwork. I will also assist in running understudy rehearsals. During the run of shows, I will work backstage, and work with other shows and departments on their needs,” Castro explained.

She is most excited about the high-caliber artists with whom she will work. The incoming artistic director, Simon Godwin, is currently the associate director for the National Theatre knew a theatre company that cared so much in London. The company will also be produc- about inclusion was the perfect place for me, as ing the world premiere of playwright Lauren female Mexican-Americans such as myself are historically underrepresented in theatre.”

Gunderson’s retelling of Peter Pan. Castro has had an opportunity to find her “[Godwin] will be bringing a reimagining of his Stratford-Upon-Avon production of Timon place in the theatre world thanks to the wellrounded experience she of Athens to D.C.,” Cas“Meredith College is a place had at Meredith. Theatre tro said. “And I have majors are required to be been fortunate to read where I have never been involved in all areas of theand see some of Lauren told ‘no, you can’t do that.’ atre. As an incoming freshGunderson’s work, and Instead, I've always been man, Castro wanted to act I am in love with her asked, ‘how can we help you – which she did – but she wit, her intelligence, also found a love for stage and her commitment achieve that goal?. ” management. to representing mar— Leslie Castro, ’19 “While at Meredith I ginalized women.” had the opportunity to The Shakespeare Theatre Company’s commitment to diversity work as an actor, stage manager, playwright, and inclusion made it one of Castro’s top choic- director, sound designer, assistant set designer, es to start her post-college career. The company fight captain … the list goes on and on,” Castro presents classical theatre viewed through a 21st said. “This variety was something I was able to speak about proudly in all of my interviews.” century lens.

Castro represented Meredith at the 2019 “They focus on casting and hiring creative Kennedy Center American College Theatre staff with diversity in mind,” said Castro. “I

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Leslie Castro, ’19

Festival and was nominated for the stage management fellowship for her work on Meredith’s production of Xanadu. She was a semi-finalist in this competition, which inspired her to apply for professional internships in stage management. She credits Meredith with giving her skills and confidence for her chosen career, making special mention of many faculty members in theatre, English, and music for their roles in shaping her experience.

“Without the flexibility, encouragement, and freedom to explore almost every aspect of theatre at Meredith and in my community, I never would have been able to stage manage Xanadu and end up where I am today,” Castro said. “Meredith College is a place where I have never been told ‘no, you can’t do that.’ Instead, I’ve always been asked, ‘how can we help you achieve that goal?.’ I am endlessly thankful to Meredith’s commitment to encouraging women to go strong, which built my confidence to go after this prestigious position.”

Board of Trustees Approves Construction of New Academic Building

By Kristi Eaves-McLennan

space in the Harris Building, allowing Meredith’s new hospitality management program to be housed with the School of Business.

The hospitality management program began accepting students in Fall 2019.

“Their approval also signifies confidence in our ability to continue growing and thriving as one of the country’s best women’s colleges.”

— President Jo Allen, ’80

Watch a video about the new building.

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he Meredith College Board of Trustees has approved the construction of a new academic building to house growing programs in communication and exercise and sports science. The new facility will be constructed near the Weatherspoon Athletic Center/Lowery Fitness Center, located on the northwestern side of campus.

Design Development Architects has been selected for the design of the College’s new academic building and Inland Construction will be the general contractor.

Planned specialized spaces in the approximately 13,000 square foot building include an agency-style classroom, a media studio, editing rooms, a human performance lab, an

assessment lab, a conference room, and common areas.

President Jo Allen said the board’s approval of a new academic structure is significant for two reasons.

“The board’s vote represents an endorsement in the strength of Meredith’s academic offerings,” she said. “Their approval also signifies confidence in our ability to continue growing and thriving as one of the country’s best women’s colleges.”

Since 2011, enrollment in Meredith’s undergraduate communication and exercise and sports science programs has increased by 29% and 52% respectively.

The construction project will also free up

Adrienne Cole, ’93, president and CEO of the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce and a Meredith trustee, said employers in Raleigh and North Carolina will benefit from Meredith’s expansion plans.

“Employment projections for North Carolina and Wake County show a need for more professionals in these fields, particularly digital communications and hospitality management,” Cole said. “Our entire region will benefit from having more women who are prepared to lead in these areas.”

Matthew Poslusny, senior vice president and provost at Meredith, said the investment in a new academic building will have an impact that goes far beyond the academic programs that will be housed there.

“An investment in a new academic space represents an investment in the overall academic experience at Meredith,” Poslusny said.

“All students and faculty will benefit from the innovation, creative thinking, and energy that a construction project like this will bring. I also fully anticipate new programs, partnerships, and collaborations will arise as a result of the new space.”

Construction on the new building is expected to be completed in 2020, with the first classes being held in the Spring 2021 semester.

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SUCCESSFUL IN EVERY FIELD

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By Melyssa Allen

SUCCESSFUL IN EVERY FIELD Meredith’s communication major helps women build skills that apply in any profession

C

ritical thinking. Strong writing and public speaking ability. Leadership and collaboration skills. It is often said the skills learned through a communication major are applicable to almost any industry.

Meredith alumnae who majored in communication are proving this every day in a variety of professions — from event planning and arts management to public relations and strategic communication.

The versatility of the communication program has made it a popular major at Meredith, with enrollment growing by 29% since 2011. Along with Exercise and Sports Science, the program will have a new home in an academic building that will soon be under construction (see pg. 13 for more).

Post-baccalaureate professionals can now build skills through Meredith’s new digital communication certificate program.

“When you review the skill set the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) looks for, you see an outline of what we’re trying to achieve in the communication program,” said Professor of Communication Teresa Holder, who serves as department head. “Problem-solving, oral and written communication, teamwork, collaboration, digital technology, leadership, professionalism, intercultural fluency, and career management. All of those are strategic elements in our program and what we want all of our majors to have.”

Holder said communication is intentionally broad-based so graduates are able to adapt their skills to fit their career goals.

The alumnae profiled in this feature are examples of Meredith women excelling in the communication field.

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MEREDITH LAUNCHES NEW DIGITAL COMMUNICATION CERTIFICATE PROGRAM

JESSICA ROUSE, ’10

Professionals interested in advancing their communication skills can explore Meredith’s postbaccalaureate certificate program in digital communication, which launched in Fall 2019.

Manager, Special Events & Marketing, Warner Music Nashville B.A. in Mass Communication

“

Those group projects that seem like a pain now will help you immensely in the future and in dealing with others who work differently than you.”

Meredith College felt like home to Jessica Rouse from the first time she visited. But when she arrived on campus, she had no idea what she wanted as a career.

“I only had the direction of entertainment [as a career path],” Rouse said. “Mass communication seemed like a broad enough net to cast in that direction.”

With this goal of working in entertainment, Rouse’s communication degree has taken her from Meredith all the way to Nashville’s music industry. Her job with Warner Music Nashville (WMN) involves planning numerous events for the company.

“Planning events includes everything from inception to setup and breakdown. These events range from corporate events to artist events, including artist showcases, album and video release parties, and fan events.,” Rouse said. “I also plan all logistics for our CMA (Country Music Association) After Party, Summer series: Pickin’ on the Patio, events surrounding the ACMs (Academy of Country Music awards) in Vegas, CMA Fest, and more.”

She loves the fast pace of the events world.

“My days are filled with site visits, conference calls, brainstorm meetings, booking vendors, and researching event ideas and assets,” Rouse said. “Event days, of course, consist of setting up the event and breaking it down.”

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Rouse has worked in the music industry for nine years, including two years at Raleigh’s Curtis Media Group in Raleigh. In 2013, Curtis Media’s music director recommended Rouse to Warner Music.

“The advice I got when I started was ‘get in where you can get in’ if you want to work in entertainment,” Rouse said. “That includes the mailroom, as a receptionist, etc. You should fight and grind as hard as you can until you reach your goals.”

Interpersonal communication skills are also important. “Those group projects that seem like a pain now will help you immensely in the future and in dealing with others who work differently than you,” Rouse said.

She has continued to learn, including through work sessions on the Enneagram, which helps identify different personality types. “The author of The Road Back to You [about the Ennegram] came to WMN to do workshops with us and it has transformed the way we think in the office and in our everyday interactions.”

Rouse’s name has been included in album credits over the years, but her work is not what some people imagine.

“I don’t just hang out with artists all day and go backstage,” Rouse said. “The reality is I sometimes see the artists, but we all work together as anyone does with co-workers. It just so happens our ‘co-workers’ are famous.”

Digital communication is a growing field encompassing videography, image manipulation, professional writing, social media management, and web design. Meredith is the only Triangle institution offering a digital communication certificate that provides face-to-face instruction. The program emphasizes skill development through work with real-world clients and handson content production opportunities.

Late afternoon scheduling options and online elective choices are available.

The new 16-credit, interdisciplinary program of study prepares women and men who hold four-year degrees in any major for careers in the growing field of digital communication. The Digital Communication certificate gives students a combination of creative and technical skills that will allow them to take advantage of growing opportunities in positions that require digital communication competency.

The core courses are • Introduction to Digital Communication • Computer Literacy for Design • Professional Writing • Digital Media Convergence, and • A one-credit Digital Communication Portfolio class Students will also choose three elective credits from options in digital photography, data analysis, social media marketing, geographic information systems, and web design.

Learn more at meredith.edu/digital-communication.

JOSETTE ROTEN, ’16, ’19 Marketing & Public Relations – Broadway Durham Performing Arts Center B.A. in Mass Communication, MBA

“

I was attracted to communication as a major after observing Doug Spero’s Introduction to Communication course during my campus tour,” Roten said. “In the major, I was exposed to all aspects of the field, including interpersonal and mass communication.”

At the Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC), Josette Roten helps build the Broadway touring season audience for one of the region’s most successful entertainment venues. In fact, DPAC has frequently been recognized as one of the top five venues in the country by industry publications.

Roten started at DPAC in the corporate partnerships department after working as an intern and then in a part-time position at Duke Energy Center in Raleigh.

“As marketing and public relations manager, my main responsibilities include promoting all the Broadway shows that come to our theater, and serving as the main point of contact for all local and national media outlets.”

Her job is enjoyable but it requires balancing a large number of responsibilities, and no one day is the same as the next.

“Some days, I am working to design creative advertorials and playbills for upcoming shows,” Roten said. “Other days I am conducting press runs around the Triangle where actors speak to

local media outlets about their roles.”

Other responsibilities include organizing budgets for each show and meeting with national agency representatives to strategize about how to market the shows in the region.

“My job also requires me to stay up-todate with current trends in the arts and entertainment industry, which has allowed me to form strong relationships with local TV anchors and reporters, radio DJs, editors and writers, and businesses in the area.”

While some people imagine her job consists only of traveling to see Broadway productions, Roten says the reality includes a lot more work behind the scenes to ensure DPAC’s audiences have a great experience.

“Currently, I am working on at least 20 separate shows that will be coming to DPAC between now and 2021,” Roten said. “It is a very demanding industry, and you have to be willing to work long hours. On show days, I arrive in the building at 7 a.m. and I may not leave until after 11:30 p.m.”

A career in the arts was what Roten wanted to pursue while at Meredith and she chose communication as her major because of the breadth of the program.

“I was attracted to communication as a major after observing Doug Spero’s Introduction to Communication course during my campus tour,” Roten said. “In the major, I was exposed to all aspects of the field, including interpersonal and mass communication.”

The skills she gained at Meredith have made her successful in her field. “In my dayto-day work at DPAC, I rely on my public speaking skills, my knowledge of the media, and my verbal and written skills that I honed during my time at Meredith.”

Her experience as an undergraduate prompted Roten to earn an MBA from Meredith. “My coursework at Meredith built the foundation for my success in the MBA program. I’m very thankful for my Meredith experiences and still hold true to the “Going Strong” motto each and every day.”

ABOUT THE DIGITAL COMMUNICATION PROGRAM

“

Businesses, non-profits, and educational institutions rely heavily on social media, video production, websites, and other types of media to promote their goods and services to potential clients and customers. As a result, employers actively seek out job applicants who have developed skills in digital communication.”

– Alan Buck, Program Director

“

The certificate draws on the strengths of numerous programs at Meredith within the School of Arts and Humanities as well as in business, computer science, and geoscience.

Together, these programs teach the diverse skills individuals need to succeed in positions requiring competency in digital communication.”

– Sarah Roth, Dean of the School of Arts and Humanities F all 2019 | M E R E D IT H M A G A Z I N E

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MEGAN GREER, ’03, ’12 Assistant Vice Provost and Managing Director, NC State Entrepreneurship B.A. in Mass Communication and Spanish, MBA

“

A good communicator is a highly valuable asset within any organization. These skills are not innate, and they are highly sought after.”

At Meredith, Megan Greer served as class president for her junior and senior years, gaining leadership skills she still uses.

“Meredith taught me how to be a leader, and I take that with me each day of my life,” Greer said. “I have fond memories of working with my classmates in service to the greater Meredith community. I still believe in the ‘organization above self ’ and operate that way at NC State.”

After a career that started in the call center at the College Foundation of North Carolina right after graduation, then included working in retail sales at Kellogg’s and in admissions at Meredith College, Greer now serves as assistant vice provost and managing director of NC State Entrepreneurship.

“In my current role, I am leading teams, setting strategy, communicating the vision, developing partnerships and writing proposals – all related to the communication theories and skills I learned at Meredith.”

Greer oversees the operations of many campus-wide initiatives for student entrepreneurship, which include startup spaces like the Entrepreneurship Garage and largescale programs such as the Lulu eGames annual startup competition.

“I lead external relations, community engagement, and strategic partnership development efforts all in support of entrepreneurship at the university,” she said. “I also play an integral role in setting the vision and direction for the NC State Entrepreneurship Alliance, a consortium of more

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than 20 NC State entrepreneurship units and programs.”

Greer enjoys being able to use her strategic communication skills to support student development in a university setting.

“I love having a front row seat to watch what our amazing student entrepreneurs create and develop to impact our world,” Greer said. “The most challenging aspect is operating on somewhat of a blank canvas.

There are truly an infinite amount of initiatives/programs we could undertake, but we have to do our due diligence in selecting the areas that make the most sense.”

Greer was drawn to communication as a major because of its versatility. “My classes and professors were wonderful. I appreciated the variety of topics each class focused on – from writing for the media to interpersonal communication to communication theory.”

She originally intended to work in broad-

cast news, but internships helped her realize that wasn’t the right fit for her. “At Meredith I learned about my strengths and weaknesses, which enabled me to become selfaware,” Greer said. “Having this self-awareness helped me navigate areas in my career that seemed unclear. For instance, when I realized broadcasting wasn’t for me, I was able to pivot into a sales position that afforded me another path in the communication field.”

Today, Greer relies on interpersonal communication strategies to deal with challenges and misunderstandings. “I explain what I’ve observed and propose a solution for moving forward. I don’t like to bring problems without solutions,” Greer said.

She wants women who work in communication to value their skill set. “A good communicator is a highly valuable asset within any organization. These skills are not innate, and they are highly sought after.”

LINDSAY BEAVERS, ’03 Senior Marketing Specialist | Go-to-Market Lead, Learning, SAS B.A. in Mass Communication

“

Lindsay Beavers made the choice to attend Meredith after her first visit to campus. “After taking a tour and speaking with current students, it was clear Meredith provides a very supportive environment where women are set up for success.”

With her Meredith education, Beavers has succeeded in marketing and advertising.

After graduation, Beavers worked in marketing for a small health food company outside of Greensboro, N.C. In 2005, she moved back to the Triangle and began working in advertising.

“The world of advertising allowed me to work on various projects and campaigns for several brands within industries such as healthcare, technology, education, and retail,” Beavers said.

For nearly five years, she worked in account management at Clean, Inc., a Raleigh-based integrated branding agency.

Working in the agency setting allowed her to work with a broad range of marketing organizations.

“The agency setting really diversified my portfolio and gave me the opportunity to create campaigns on behalf of some really fantastic brands,” Beavers said.

Beavers recently took a new position at

the global headquarters of data and analytics technology company SAS, where her title is Senior Marketing Specialist | Go-to-Market Lead, Learning. Now, instead of working on several brands, she is able to focus her strategy and marketing efforts on supporting one large brand.

“It’s my job to perform strategic activities associated with generating demand and planning of go-to-market efforts aligned to SAS’ overall sales and marketing strategy,” Beavers said. “I serve as a liaison to internal business teams in the learning and education space, communicating marketing results and strategic direction, upcoming campaigns, and key events.”

She is enjoying the challenge of a new opportunity to use her communication skills.

“SAS is a global giant, so just learning the business and jumping in to support the overall business goals will be a fun new adventure for me,” Beavers said.

She found her career focus at Meredith.

“I initially intended to go into television news after graduation.

But when I started marketing classes for my minor course of study, I realized that engaging in face-to-face interaction with people and building relationships with them

I could not have asked for a better experience that would prepare me for my career. It has been gratifying to watch the program grow and expand, with a new level of recognition and experiences for students.”

was more appealing to my personality type,” Beavers said.

She’s very appreciative of the support of her own mentors among the Meredith faculty. “The things I am most grateful for [at Meredith] include the support from my incredible communication professors, who helped me secure an internship, supported me through my thesis, and congratulated me on graduation day.”

At Meredith she learned everything from video editing to research practices and interpersonal communication skills. She values the hands-on nature of the classes at Meredith, and the diverse backgrounds and professional experiences of the communication professors.

“I could not have asked for a better experience that would prepare me for my career,” Beavers said. “It has been gratifying to watch the program grow and expand, with a new level of recognition and experiences for students.”

Watch a video about Meredith’s communication program.

S ummer F all 2019 2017 | M E R E D IT H M A G A Z I N E

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welcome Alumnae share their home with future students

By Emily Parker

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Watch a video about how alumnae can support recruitment.

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he word home comes to mind for many Meredith College alumnae as soon as they drive through the front entrance to the College.

They have returned home, to a place that holds fond memories of friendships, professors who cared, and a community that accepted them for who they were and helped shape them into young women ready for life after graduation.

Meredith alumnae share a bond with each other, and many alumnae are eager to share those experiences with young women in their lives in hopes of influencing the students to attend a place they consider very special.

“I feel it is important to tell young women about Meredith because if we alumnae, who love and cherish our alma mater, don’t tell young women in our communities, who will? And who could be better to tell them?” said Nan Davis Fleming, ’82.

Encourage a Visit Caroline Williamitis Sutton, ’15, never intended to be a student at Meredith. But Tricia Perry Stowe, ’84, a long-time family friend, told her about Meredith her junior year in high school. Stowe begged her to visit the campus, so Sutton and her mother set up a private tour with the admissions office.

“Ms. Tricia felt the tour would be eyeopening for me and she was right,” said Sutton. “I felt so welcomed as soon as we drove onto campus. There was a parking spot with my name on it, and my admission counselor and a student guide were waiting for me.”

Sutton told her mother at the end of the tour to cancel her other college visits because she had found her home away from home and could not imagine going anywhere else.

“When a student visits Meredith, the Office of Admissions has one primary goal – to help the student understand the value of a

Here are ways you can help encourage a prospective student to visit and attend Meredith College.

• Encourage someone you know to visit. meredith.edu/visit • Invite a young woman to Discover Meredith with you next Fall. meredith.edu/alumnae/ encourage-students-to-attendmeredith • Let her know the dates of Open Houses. meredith.edu/ admissions/open-houses • Share the Admissions Blog for helpful information. meredith.edu/ admissions-blog • Share a voucher that will waive her admissions fee. meredith.edu/ alumnae/encourage-students-toattend-meredith

Meredith education,” said Shery Boyles, director of admissions. “Each student participates in an in-depth conversation with her admission counselor about her hopes and dreams for her college experience, she speaks one-on-one with a faculty member or sits in on a class, and while touring our beautiful campus she’ll talk with a current student about her Meredith experience. This highly personalized visit is intended to demonstrate what the prospective student will experience when she chooses Meredith.”

Today, Sutton passes on her appreciation of

Meredith College to the high school students she teaches.

“I encourage students and talk to parents about the possibility of their daughter going to Meredith. I share my story about falling in love with Meredith when I visited, the wonderful traditions, and how great my classes were,” said Sutton. “And I now ask colleagues to send any interested students my way, so I can share an application voucher with them.”

The application fee voucher is one way many alumnae can assist prospective students

“I feel it is important to tell young women about Meredith because if we alumnae, who love and cherish our alma mater, don't tell young women in our communities, who will? And who could be better to tell them?”

– Nan Davis Fleming, ’82

• Refer students via online referral form. The student is added to the database and will receive information about Meredith.

When she applies, the Office of Admissions will waive the student’s application fee. recruit.meredith. edu/register/refer-a-student • Join ARMS, Alumnae Recruiting Meredith Students. This group sends emails to prospective students inviting them to Discover Meredith, open houses, to visit the campus, and help at college fairs as well. Contact Anna Lambert, assistant director of admissions, at amlambert@meredith.edu for more information.

• Suggest she find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. @MeredithCollege • Wear your Onyx class ring. It is amazing how many people will recognize it and ask questions about your experience or it will connect you with another alumna.

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Elizabeth Eisele Hayes, ’94, helped Rachel Van Horne, ’23, move-in to her residence hall in August. Van Horne first visited Meredith with Hayes at a Discover Meredith event.

in applying to Meredith. The voucher, found on the Meredith website, is filled out by the alumna and given to the student to mail or email to the Admissions Office.

Get Social

“She was able to share stories from her time at Meredith as well as introduce me to other alumnae. Each and every one of them shared a unique love for their college and a desire to empower other women.”

– Rachel Van Horne, ’23

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As class agent, Deanna Harris, ’90, sends emails to her class and posts on the class Facebook page reminding her classmates to encourage their daughters, their friends’ daughters, and any students they teach or mentor to consider Meredith.

She also provides the link to the application fee voucher and informs them about Discover Meredith each fall.

“It is part of our responsibility to share our experience and encourage other young women to consider Meredith for furthering their education and growing into their own,” said Harris.

Discover Meredith is held on a Saturday in October each year and is a day for alumnae to share Meredith with young women in their lives.

It is also an opportunity to connect with other alumnae and hear from President Jo Allen, ’80, and other campus leaders.

In 2017, Elizabeth Eisele Hayes, ’94, posted on her Facebook page about Discover Meredith and invited any prospective students to join her for this special event. Two students came with Hayes.

“Both students fell in love with Meredith that day. One will be applying next year and she had never even considered Meredith until I offered

the visit. The other student, Rachel Van Horne, is part of the Class of 2023.”

On Move-in Day in August, Hayes was there to welcome Van Horne to the Meredith family and it was obvious how excited she was to be moving into her residence hall and to finally be at Meredith.

“The Meredith community as a whole has always been welcoming and inviting since my first visit to campus with Elizabeth in the fall of 2017,” said Van Horne. “I am so thankful to her for making my first visit to Meredith College an enjoyable one! She was able to share stories from her time at Meredith as well as introduce me to other alumnae. Each and every one of them shared a unique love for their college and a desire to empower other women.”

Display Your Meredith Pride Joy McNeill Chafin, ’97, says people know she is a Meredith Angel. She displays stickers on her car and wears Meredith t-shirts all the time.

Those simple acts have let people know she is a resource for young women interested in Meredith, and enabled her to meet some wonderful prospective students through a friend of a friend.

“My involvement in the Alumnae Association has helped me remain active with Meredith and helped me recruit students. By staying up-to-date on the good news about Meredith, I am able to share that with parents and future students,” said Chafin.

Hilary Allen, director of alumnae relations,

Joy McNeill Chafin, ’97, helps at Move-In Day to welcome students and their families to Meredith.

“Sharing news and progress on social platforms is the easiest way that I believe alumnae can help get the word out about the College.

Events like Move-In Day, Cornhuskin’, and of course Giving Day, show future students we are invested in Meredith.”

Alumnae that work at Green Hope High School show their love of Meredith to their students on Meredith Giving Day 2019 and every day by hanging posters and wearing their onyx.

– Joy McNeill Chafin, ’97

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Number of Alumnae Volunteers at Move-In Day 2019. works to keep alumnae informed of what is happening inside and outside of the classrooms at Meredith through posting on the Alumnae Facebook group, emails, and speaking at alumnae chapter events.

“Alumnae are our best ambassadors in helping us recruit a new generation of Meredith students,” said Allen. “Though curriculum, rules, and traditions may change, so much of the Meredith experience, and what makes it so special, remains the same for every generation of students.”

Chafin feels it is important to tell young women and their parents about Meredith and all the College has to offer, from academics to financial aid and scholarships. She encourages young women to apply and lets them know there are many ways to make it affordable if that is a concern.

“The news of our innovative $20,000 merit-based Impact Scholarship should be shared with prospective students by every alumna,” said Chafin. “I couldn’t wait to share that on social media. Sharing news and progress

on social platforms is the easiest way that I believe alumnae can help get the word out about the College. Events like Move-In Day, Cornhuskin’, and of course Giving Day, show future students we are invested in Meredith.”

Make Connections There are countless stories from alumnae about how they have helped recruit students, but Meredith students also help tell the story.

Beth Jarvis, ’03, came to Meredith in 1998, her senior year at Cary High School, to visit her Young Life leader, who attended Meredith at the time. During that visit, she met Kim Collins, ’98, a senior, and Jarvis knew she wanted to apply after having so much fun with the group that day.

Ten years later, Jarvis had graduated from Meredith and Duke University with her Master of Arts in Teaching and was looking for a high school teaching position. Collins was a teacher at Green Hope High School and Jarvis emailed Collins to ask about the school. For the past 10 years, the two have been at Green Hope School together.

Jarvis and Collins enjoy sharing Meredith with their students. Both of them have asked former Meredith professors to come to their classes. Jarvis invited Professor of English, Garry Walton to read Julius Caesar to her students

and Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science Jackie Dietz spoke to her class about the AP Stat exam since she is an AP Reader.

Jarvis and Collins and other Meredith colleagues also hang Meredith posters in their classrooms and in the hall between their rooms. On College Day at Green Hope High School, they all dress in their Meredith gear and post a group photo on social media.

“If I see a student wearing a Meredith shirt, I make sure I have a conversation with them and find out her connection to the College and tell them about my experience,” said Collins.

Jarvis said, “Attending Meredith College was one of the top five best decisions I have ever made in my life. It shaped my life. I would love for any woman to have that amazing experience too.”

In August, the freshman class started their journey at Meredith College. During Move-In Day there were cheers, pots and pans clanging, balloon arches in an array of colors as they drove down Main Campus Drive on their way to their residence halls. The Meredith community, including 138 alumnae volunteers, were welcoming them “home” to a place that alumnae hope the students treasure as they did. In return, alumnae hope the new class at Meredith will one day encourage more young women to walk in their footsteps.

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BUILDING BETTER HOMES AND

STRONGER LIVES A Meredith alumna finds success in a male-dominated industry

By Reah Nicholson Moore

B

arbara Anne (B.A.) Eagles, ’93, is a rarity. As owner of Total Construction Solutions (TCS), a general contracting company based in Apex, N.C., Eagles has built a successful business in a male-dominated industry. She credits Meredith for providing her with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to succeed as an entrepreneur.

“Meredith College has always been a place where young women can go and learn that there is nothing you can’t do,” said Eagles.

“My time at Meredith prepared me for success as a business owner. I learned to be resilient, strong, and not to back down from problems. I learned to be a solution seeker.”

With a bachelor’s degree in business administration and more than 20 years of experience in the custom home building and remodeling business, Eagles launched TCS in 2004. However, when she graduated from Meredith, she never imagined being an entrepreneur.

“I felt business administration would give me a wide variety of opportunities across many different fields,” said Eagles. “It seemed like the best way to build a strong foundation for my future career.”

How Meredith Prepares Students for Entrepreneurship Meredith’s business administration program prepares students to pursue careers in human resource management, sales and marketing, international business, management of nonprofit agencies and government service, and entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship is offered as a minor.

According to Nathan Woolard, assistant professor of entrepreneurship and director of entrepreneurial programs, the entrepreneur

curriculum explores predominantly why businesses succeed and why they fail. The curriculum is supplemented with additional business classes to allow students to receive a fundamental education in general business, management, accounting and finance, and marketing.

“The foundation for most good business is solving a problem. It’s about identifying a problem that people have and providing a solution to that problem that people are willing to pay for,” said Woolard. “A mistake that entrepreneurs make is not having a full understanding of their market.”

Eagles saw a problem in the construction industry and found a solution. One of the reasons she established TCS was because she saw that many larger construction companies were reluctant to take on home remodel projects.

And Eagles felt she could fill that void.

The Path to Construction Eagles started her career in restaurant management, where she learned how to manage people and time. That experience also taught her about customer service and how to meet a variety of needs quickly and efficiently. All are skills that have translated well to the construction industry.

“I rely on these skills daily, whether it’s meeting with potential or existing clients or my employees on the job site,” said Eagles.

Not only did Eagles never dream of owning her own business, but she never imagined working in construction. It was an unexpected opportunity that turned into a passion and career.

“I did not always want to work in construction and I didn’t have experience in the field.

The opportunity just fell into my lap,” said Eagles. “It was challenging, and I enjoy stretching myself and learning new skills, so I decided to jump in.”

“Meredith College has always been a place where young women can go and learn that there is nothing you can't do.”

– Barbara Anne Eagles, ’93

EAGLES' KEYS TO SUCCESS With a successful business that has built a strong reputation throughout the Triangle, Eagles shares some advice for other aspiring businesswomen and Meredith students.

• If someone tells you no, do not be discouraged. You will get a thousand nos before you find a yes.

• Look for a different route and try again. When there is an obstacle in your way, figure out a way to get around it or go over it. Don’t just stop because it’s hard.

• Be organized and stay on top of your business.

• Build good relationships and people skills. I try to treat everyone the same and with respect. It doesn’t matter if someone is spending $500 or $500,000, every person and project is important.

• Finally, stay true to your word, follow through with your promises, and be honest.

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Best Bathroom, Best Basement, Best Attic, Best Screened Porch, and Best Overall House Renovations,” said Eagles. “However, our most prized accomplishments are the many repeat customers who welcome us back into their homes time and time again. Their loyalty and trust mean the world to all of us at TCS.”

Facing Challenges in a MaleDominated Field

“Being a Meredith graduate is synonymous with someone who can do anything she sets her mind to.”

– Barbara Anne Eagles, ’93

Photo courtesy of Home Builders Association of Raleigh.

Eagles started in the construction industry by serving in the permitting division of a local municipality office before becoming a project manager for several local custom home building companies. While working for a custom home builder, she was encouraged to start TCS. What started out as a side job while gaining industry experience quickly became a full-time commitment for Eagles.

“It wasn’t until six years ago that I went into business for myself full time,” said Eagles. “I saw a huge need in the construction industry for someone who is highly organized, good at managing time and people, and can keep projects on track to meet the needs of the clients.”

TCS specializes in new additions and remodels, such as kitchens, bathrooms, decks, basements, and attics, to name a few.

Day-to-Day Operations As owner of TCS, Eagles’ day-to-day responsibilities vary significantly. In the field, she is managing projects, meeting with homeowners, assessing needs, meeting with her workers, creating schedules, and fitting together a lot of

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moving parts to deliver multiple jobs on time and on budget.

In her office, Eagles is doing a lot of behind the scenes work, including invoicing, making sure checks are delivered, answering emails, and troubleshooting problems as they arise.

“What I like most about my job is the flexibility. I enjoy being the leader and not having to answer to anyone else,” said Eagles. “I also enjoy bringing people’s visions and dreams to reality. This business is extremely difficult, and I love helping people better their homes and lives.”

An Award-Winning Business Eagles has turned TCS into an award-winning remodeling company. TCS has won a total of 19 STAR Awards from the Home Builders Association of Raleigh-Wake County Remodelers Council, with five in 2015, and seven in 2018. This year, TCS was awarded seven Home Builders Association Remodeling Awards (formerly STAR awards).

“We have had the privilege of winning in numerous categories, such as Best Kitchen,

As a woman in a male-dominated industry, Eagles faces many obstacles, but her Meredith experience prepared her to face those challenges head-on.

“After working in construction for more than 20 years, I do believe the glass ceiling exists,” said Eagles. “It is rare to find a woman in my role in this industry; however, I believe my work ethic, organization, and high expectations shine through in my work.”

Though Eagles is faced with challenges and problems every day, she tries not to let them get in her way. She enjoys tackling challenges head on and finding solutions as problems present themselves.

“Being a Meredith graduate is synonymous with someone who can do anything she sets her mind to,” said Eagles. “That strong foundation in problem solving and building relationships helps me overcome every complication that comes my way.”

Mentors have played a significant role in Eagles’ success as a business owner and a woman working in a male-dominated field. After all, it was a mentor who encouraged her to start TCS. “I’ve had a lot of mentors in my life. My parents taught me I could do anything I wanted to do – it was never a question of if you were good enough but how hard you needed to work to make something happen.

There was no whining – you just did whatever it took, whether it was with schoolwork, sports, or a job. Coaches have always been mentors throughout my life as well.”

One of her main goals when Eagles first established TCS was to build long-lasting relationships with her customers. And she has achieved that goal with a very high repeat customer count, which is something she takes great pride in.

“My biggest success will be if someone thinks, at some point, I have been a mentor to them and have influenced them in a positive way – then, I will know I am a success.”

Meredith students relieve stress by interacting with Lewis, a trained therapy dog.

STAYING STRONG How Meredith builds student resilience

By Sarah Lindenfeld Hall

Personal strength comes in many forms, but it’s emotional resilience that allows us to bounce back from life’s challenges and embrace failure as an opportunity to learn, not a reason to run.

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C

ollege, of course, has always presented hurdles, but, these days, students are struggling with more stress, anxiety, and depression than ever before. And resilience is an area of focus in higher education circles as institutions launch initiatives to support students.

At Meredith College, the effort to help students develop resilience is multi-pronged.

Throughout the year, staff, students, and faculty are leading formal programs, sparking one-on-one chats and, even, cuddling with a trained therapy dog to cultivate their coping skills.

On campus, that work is now “culturally embedded,” said Mary Johnson, health services director. “It’s a priority from the top down and a need from the bottom up.”

“

Being at Meredith, it’s helped me to know that we have such a supportive group of professors and small classes and we feel comfortable going to our professors when we need to ask questions and learn from what we messed up on. College is a great time to practice those skills in becoming more resilient, and Meredith provides a great place to do that safely because of all the support.”

– Christa Soyars, ’20

63%

of surveyed undergraduate students felt "overwhelming anxiety". − The American College Health Association

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Gen Z’s Bright Spots, Challenges Today’s college students sit squarely in Generation Z, and they have a lot going for them.

They value individual expression and civic causes, says McKinsey & Co.’s 2018 True Gen report. And they are poised to be the most diverse and well-educated generation yet, according to the Pew Research Center.

But they also face challenges. The generation is more likely than any other to report mental health issues, according to the American Psychological Association’s Stress in America report. In fact, the American College Health Association found in 2018 that 63 percent of surveyed undergraduate students felt “overwhelming anxiety” in the previous year. During the same period, more than 40 percent felt so depressed that it was difficult to function.

These trends are playing out at Meredith where the counseling center has seen skyrocketing growth in the number of students who seek services. More often than in the past, students have trouble dealing with conflict, advocating for themselves, and forming relationships. They look to others to solve their problems and consider everyday challenges as major setbacks.

“Part of resilience and thriving is being able to be vulnerable and ask for what you need and use those resources to really thrive,” said Beth Meier, counseling center director. “That’s a tough thing.”

Helicopter parenting and social media often are blamed for the problems of today’s young adults. But an increasingly diverse student population also brings stressful life experiences.

Some students are first-generation college students. Others are supporting family members.

“It’s by no means the parents’ fault. It’s by no means social media’s fault,” Johnson said.

“It’s just a horrible mix of what’s going on with today’s world. And there are so many different ways to combat it.”

Meeting Demand Programs that promote resilience have been offered at Meredith for years, but Ann Gleason, dean of students, said leaders now are more intentional about supporting students in creative ways.

“As a college, we need to be able to make sure we’re responding to the changing needs of our student population,” Gleason said.

“That really requires us to look at our programs, services, and activities to make sure

we’re meeting the demand.”

For students, the message of strength and resilience often begins with StrongPoints®, Meredith’s advising and personal coaching program, she said. Incoming students identify their five strengths and learn how to apply them for a successful future. They’re encouraged to approach problems by focusing on how they can resolve them with their strengths instead of how their deficits might stymie them.

Once on campus, that message continues with programs to help students change their mindsets.

Some are fun. During Southern Smash, students use baseball bats to smash bathroom scales and let go of concerns about body image and other stigmas that hold them back. “It acknowledges the hardships of the past and moving forward with them, whether that’s just finding peace with it or going back and revisiting that thought, that feeling, that ideal and then growing from that,” Johnson said.

Other efforts are soothing. In a pilot project last year, Johnson brought in her trained therapy dog Lewis, a 160-pound European Great Dane. For students who are stressed, time with Lewis helped them reframe their emotions. “If they can have happiness in the moment,” said Johnson, who hopes to expand the program, they learn that “what’s bothering them is not going to control every minute of their day.”

Last year, Johnson also introduced Koru, a mindfulness and meditation program for college students. Sessions filled up. “It does take a lot of intention to think about these things and center yourself to guide your body and mind,” said Rana Oueijan, ’19, a biology and public health major who participated in the program before graduating in May. “It was something to keep our minds from distracting us from being successful students.”

And, in April, Meredith won second place in a national competition that highlighted efforts to promote student wellness on campuses for its Communi-Tea. Participants made tea from the campus garden and learned about mindfulness, resilience, and thriving.

Other programs are more formal in nature.

The Counseling Center offers one-on-one therapy. Anxiety screenings are offered in October. Resident assistants run through scenar-

Students “smash” scales as part of Southern Smash, an event to combat weight stigma and raise eating disorder awareness.

ios to help them respond to students in crisis.

And the Office of Career Planning highlights the need for resilience as they have conversations with students about the rapid changes in the workplace.

“Our hope is,” said Dana Sumner, director of career planning, “we can help them manage their expectations, their reactions, their attitudes, and give them a picture of what the workplace will look like.”

A ‘Safe’ Place Christa Soyars, a senior who is majoring in public health and psychology, calls herself a recovering perfectionist now. But, when she first started at Meredith, she set what she’d later realize were some impractical goals for herself.

“I wanted to have a fresh start and wanted to be the best I could and a little of my perfectionist ways came in, and I learned that’s just not healthy,” Soyars said. Today, she’s president of Peer Educators Advocating Responsible Lifestyles, a group of student counselors who promote healthy living and resilience.

She often sees students struggling under enormous pressures.

“Being at Meredith, it’s helped me to know that we have such a supportive group of professors and small classes and we feel comfortable going to our professors when we need to ask questions and learn from what we messed up on,” she said. “... College is a great time to practice those skills in becoming more resilient, and Meredith provides a great place to do that safely because of all the support.”

Health Services Director Mary Johnson leads students in a mindfulness and meditation session.

ANXIETY COPING TOOLS To manage stress and cope with anxiety, Meredith’s counseling center recommends these strategies to combat negative thoughts and reduce anxiety: STOP Before you react and “catastrophize” the situation, stop to think about your response to break old negative stress cycles and patterns.

REFLECT Think about why you feel concerned or threatened, what’s the worst that can happen, and whether you’re jumping to conclusions.

BREATHE To keep from tensing or holding your breath, breathe from your diaphragm. Know that it’s impossible to be tense and relaxed at the same time.

CHOOSE Make a decision about what you want, what coping behaviors will work, and whether you have the time and skills to achieve a solution.

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Meredith Philanthropy CAMPUS

NEWS

Making an Impact “We hope our family’s gift to support faculty sabbaticals at Meredith will help build on the life work of our father.”

– David Burris

The C. Allen Burris Sabbatical Fund to Support Faculty

A

llen Burris joined Meredith College in 1969 and in his roles as Vice President, Dean, and Professor of History he was respected and admired by many. His impact is still felt today even after his passing on September 24, 2016.

To honor Burris, his family endowed the C. Allen Burris Sabbatical Fund to support faculty taking time out of the classroom for professional development.

In Burris’s obituary, the family described Meredith College as “the place where his life’s goals as an educator and his lifelong concern with issues of equality and social justice would be fulfilled. He brought hard work, innovation, intelligence, and good spirits to the mission of furthering women’s higher education in the South in the last decades of the 20th century.

He believed vigorously in the concept of a liberal arts education and actively supported Meredith’s humanities, science, art, drama, music, mathematics, business,

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and athletic programs.”

Burris was the dean when Meredith launched its first study abroad program, which reflected his support of global education. In 1973, Burris completed a Fulbright in Pakistan, and his scholarly career later took him on research trips to England, the Soviet Union, Peru, China, Japan, and Italy.

Burris believed an educator’s greatest obstacle to professional development and renewal is lack of time.

“He believed it to be vitally important for teaching faculty to expand their horizons by digging up obscure knowledge, analyzing new data, and scrutinizing current modes of thinking in fields beyond their own (sometimes limiting) patch of academia,” said his son David Burris. “Whether it be blowing dust off a forgotten tome in the Reading Room of the British Museum, interfacing with thinkers abroad, or simply finding a quiet, inspiring place to write (all

things he did on his sabbaticals) our dad believed that what faculty could achieve on sabbatical would, naturally, flow downstream to their students and across to their fellow academics.”

When faculty are proposing courses or programs, research opportunities, or publications, the necessity of significant blocks of time to think, read, reflect, plan, build, and revise are important to the likelihood of success. The C. Allen Burris Sabbatical Fund will help to fund more of these experiences.

“The C. Allen Burris Sabbatical Fund is critical to ensuring a faculty member's sabbatical is all it should be: a time of intense reflection, research, connection, and productivity. For many faculty, the sabbatical project involves networking with colleagues to explore timely issues; sharing research methods, data, and samples; conducting research and scholarship in near and remote places; and having the appropriate tools and software to carry out such projects,” said President Jo Allen. “Without this fund, those expenses come from the faculty member's pocket. While no faculty member is free-wheeling with institutional resources, such limitations may mean a modest, rather than a breakthrough, opportunity to resolve critical questions and problems in their field. We are pleased that the C.

Allen Burris Sabbatical Fund, the first of its kind that we know of, has been funded by the Burris family in honor of an academic leader whose proudest claim to fame was being a faculty member: teacher, researcher, and reflective practitioner of his field.”

Provost Matthew Poslusny says the C. Allen Burris sabbatical fund is a wonderful enhancement of the Meredith sabbatical process.

“These funds will allow our faculty to do

more during their sabbatical. For example, this year alone it is assisting one faculty member to conduct research in Europe and another to have access to books that she wouldn't otherwise have. A third professor is using it to attend a one month course during her sabbatical.”

The family believes this gift is the perfect way to pay tribute to Burris, who loved Meredith College and wanted the best for each student who attended.

“Dad would have been honored and

terribly pleased to be able to assist this generation of teachers and thinkers to find some time and resources to help them expand the greater body of knowledge and understanding,” said David Burris.

“We hope our family’s gift to support faculty sabbaticals at Meredith will help build on the life work of our father. And as a teacher and devoted supporter of Meredith herself, our mom, Jane Burris, believed this would be a wonderful remembrance of our dad.”

Family Honors Mother’s Wishes

K

ent and Scott Carrington’s mother, Kay Perkins Carrington, ’87, attended Meredith College as an adult learner and her sons say she loved Meredith and enjoyed her time spent on campus.

“My mother found the Meredith community extremely friendly and accepting.

Although she was in her 50s while attending, she never felt as if she did not fit in,” said Kent.

After Kay’s death in 2017, Kent informed the College of his mother’s wish to leave a gift to Meredith from her estate. Her two sons realized after her passing that she

had not put the request in her will, but they wanted to honor her wishes. The Carrington family wanted their gift to be used in a manner that would make the most impact and chose the College’s Greatest Needs fund, for which the College is very grateful.

Giving to this fund allows the College to address the most pressing needs on campus. Examples of past unrestricted gifts or those designated for the greatest needs of the College include the creation of StrongPoints®, renovations to the StrengthsLab, new roofs, new carpet and paint in various buildings, new chillers, new seating in the Cate Center, faculty development, and support for students going to professional conferences.

Kay was born in Climax, Georgia, in 1931. She met her husband, John Carrington while working as a civilian for the US Army at Fort Benning, Georgia, in the early 1950s. They married in 1955 after John’s discharge from the Army and moved to New Jersey where Kay worked for the Campbell Soup Company in the personnel department.

In 1962 she left Campbell to become a homemaker. That same year Kay, her husband, and a close friend used their savings to buy Sirchie Fingerprint Labo-

ratories, a three-employee business that manufactured crime scene investigation equipment. Over the next 40 years, the company would grow to 100 employees worldwide.

The family, including their two sons, moved to Raleigh in 1975. Kay eventually decided to attend Meredith and graduated in 1987 with a degree in political science.

Her degree along with her desire to help others served her through the years. She became active with the Wake County Republican Party, serving as chairman in the 1980s, and was a presidential elector for North Carolina in 1992. She was also appointed as a board member of First Flight Centennial Foundation by Governor Jim Martin. Kay was a volunteer with the USO from the early 2000s and was a supporter and donor for the Wounded Warrior Project, the Gary Sinise Foundation, and the Veterans Leadership Council of North Carolina - Cares.

During Alumnae Reunion Weekend in May, the Office of Institutional Advancement presented the Meredith Memorial Philanthropy Award to Kay Perkins Carrington and her family for their gift that will help the Meredith community continue going strong.

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Meredith Philanthropy Making an Impact

Meredith Families Make a Difference

M

eredith parents and families have a strong tradition of giving their time, talents, and financial support for the betterment of the College. Parents who join the Parents Council serve as ambassadors for the College and help with enrollment and retention by sharing their experiences with potential and current parents and students. Parents Council members also have the opportunity to contribute ideas to the Parents’ Project each year, which is generated from the Parents and Families Fund. During their two meetings each year, they learn about priorities for the College and interact with President Allen and executive leaders.

Gifts from parents, grandparents, and families support a campus enhancement that addresses a priority identified by students each year. The investment in the Parents’ Project allows students to enjoy improved facilities and programs as students and alumnae.

All families are encouraged to make a gift to the Parents and Families Fund. Parents Council members contribute $1,000 or more annually and encourage other families to give to the Parents and Families Fund to make these projects a reality.

"We are fortunate to have such dedicated and supportive families at Meredith. Each year, their financial support has enabled impactful projects to be completed, which have made real enhancements to our campus," says Kim McCall Whitley, parent engagement officer.

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To learn more about Parents Council, the Parents and Families Fund, and to sign up for the Parent Connection newsletter, visit meredith.edu/beyondstrong/the-parents-council or contact Kim McCall Whitley, ’85, parent engagement officer. Also, follow Meredith College Parents & Families on Facebook at facebook. com/MeredithParents.

Past projects include: • Meredith Mentors (2018-20) • Front gate security enhancements (2017-18) • Financial support for the Lowery Fitness Center (2016-17) • Fitness center program enhancements and extended operating hours (2015-16) • New campus lighting (2013-15) • Lower Belk Dining Hall restoration (2012-13) • Cate Student Center renovations (2011-12) • Fannie E.S. Heck Fountain restoration (2010-11)

Thank You for Your Support Because of generous gifts from alumnae and friends of the College, we are beyond strong. In our largest fundraising effort in the history of Meredith College, Beyond Strong | The Campaign for Meredith raised $90,466,720.

These gifts made an impact on every student, faculty, and staff member.

The Campaign may have ended but our momentum has not. There are a number of ways you can support Meredith. Make a gift that addresses the College’s greatest needs or select a more specific way to make an immediate impact on the College. Or, make a long-term, endowed gift.

Visit community.meredith.edu/supportmc to make a gift or contact a staff member in Institutional Advancement to assist you.

$2,347,862 Gifts to The Meredith Fund 2018-19

MAKE IT COUNT FOR MEREDITH GIVING DAY 2019 Total Raised

$536,877

MEREDITH MAYHEM 2019 Each year, between reunion weekend in mid-May and the end of the College’s fiscal year on June 30, The Meredith Fund holds a competition between the classes called Meredith Mayhem.

Total Donors

2,123

Individual women honored with gifts

342

Winning Classes with Most Donors by Decade Class of 2013

Class of 2001

Class of 1992

56 Donors

90 Donors

65 Donors

Class of 1981

Class of 1975

87 Donors

89 Donors

Class of 1965

Class of 1954

81 Donors

46 Donors

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ALUMNAE

CONNECTION Class notes and news for Meredith Alumnae 1938 Dorothy Haywood Corey, now 102 years young, remembers her Meredith years fondly. She remains healthy and active in her community and especially enjoys her three sons and daughters-in-law, five grandchildren, and six great grandchildren. Corey's favorite Meredith memories include staying up late in the residence halls to read Gone with the Wind before passing the book along to the next student so they could all go watch that epic film. Corey went on to teach and coach basketball at a local school before volunteering to help the war effort as a U.S. Air Force cryptographer decoding top secret messages. It was during that time that Corey met her husband, with whom she celebrated 75 wonderful years of marriage in September.

1947 Dot Loftin Goodwin stays involved in her church.

She continues to love living in Apex, N.C., and visiting with family and friends.

1951 Mary Bland Josey celebrated her 90th birthday on September 26, 2019.

1954 Shirley West Arledge retired from the North Carolina Extension Service in 1996. Arledge now lives at the Presbyterian Communities Home in South Carolina.

She has been a member of the Landrum Quilters since the early ’80s and is currently working with the Foothills Quilt Trail. Patricia Byrd Barone finished painting portraits of her 11 grandchildren in 2018.

In the spring of 2019, Barone’s second book was published. Rebecca Wicker Clayton loves attending church with several classmates and other Meredith

alumnae. Clayton’s daughter was married in 2018 adding two more grandchildren and a great grandchild to the family. Her son began a new work assignment in five New England states. Her grandchildren remain busy with school and various activities. Jean Batten Cooper lives in Arbor Acres Retirement Community in Winston-Salem, N.C., where she is blessed with many new friends. Cooper remains active in her church, plays the piano, and participates in activities within the community. Gordie Maxwell Corbin continues using old images from her photography days to create cards and books. She has three lovely grandchildren in Atlanta, Ga. Kay Sugg Crum remains active in her church as Pastor Parish Chair and Missions Chair.

Can't keep an old Meredith girl down! Three years ago, Anne Clark Dahle moved to a retirement community where she stays busy as a member of their Board of Advisors. Dahle is still involved in her book club and enjoys taking continuing education courses at Meredith each semester. Last year, Dahle’s daughter was elected to the N.C. House of Representatives. Her son and daughter-in-law recently moved back to the Raleigh area. Barbara White De Louise now lives in a senior living community near her daughter and two grandsons. De Louise is trying to take advantage of everything her new home has to offer such as films, book club, and a current events discussion group each morning. In warmer months, De Louise enjoys taking walks outside and eating on the large porch overlooking Rock Creek Park. Dot White Hartley still lives in the Washington D.C., suburbs. After losing her husband and two sons to lymphoma, Hartley’s motto is to “keep busy.” Hartley has visited 49 states and over 50 countries. She continues to make quilts as a hobby. Hartley has two great grandsons and enjoys having much of her family close by. Melissa Matthews Jones lives in Florida near her children,

grandchildren, and great grandchildren. Jones stays busy volunteering, reading, and playing bridge. Lou Gardner Kline and her husband have moved to Springmoor Retirement Village. Kline’s two daughters have exciting careers, one as a travel journalist and the other as a professor at Appalachian State University.

Kline's grandson recently graduated from the University of Georgia and is now employed. Dorothy Knott Preston enjoys spending time with family, traveling, doing church work, participating in book club, and supporting deserving political candidates.

Preston has two sons and three grandchildren. Pat Eberhart Simpich continue to live in Washington D.C., but is considering moving to a retirement community in North Carolina. Doris Knott Talley and her husband still live in the home they built on family land in Knightdale, N.C. Talley’s five children and nine grandchildren live close by in Wake County. Bootsy Renfro Tucker enjoys spending time with her family, keeping up with the news on television, and reading.

She missed seeing everyone at the 65th Reunion!

Alyce Epley Walker recently downsized to a condo and is still working in real estate sales. Walker feels as though she has lived life to the fullest and is thankful for her continued good health and energy.

1961 Mary Carol Warwick was recognized as a Premier Woman of Houston in March 2019. This honor is given to several Houstonian women who have contributed to making the city a better place. Warwick’s recognized contributions included her career as a professor of music as well as her extensive works as a composer. As noted during the Premier Women Weekend event, Warwick is one of the current era's most prolific composers. One of Warwick’s more recent compositions was performed in the production

Compiled by the Office of Alumnae Relations from November 8, 2018 – August 8, 2019. Information may be edited for space limitations and content restrictions. Submit class notes online at meredith.edu/alumnae, by email at alumnae@meredith.edu, or by phone to the Office of Alumnae Relations at (919) 760-8548. Deadline for the Spring 2020 issue is November 15, 2019. Submissions received after this date will appear in the Summer 2020 issue.

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of "Who Am I?" at the National Portrait Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution.

1963

Mary Belle Pate was honored as the namesake for a new park in Southwest Raleigh. Formerly known as Sierra Drive Park, the new Mary Belle Pate Park opened in spring 2019. Pate has served on the Raleigh Southwest Citizen Advisory Council for more than 30 years. She continues to advocate for the environment, community, and parks for Southwest Raleigh.

1964

Joy Adams Lucas enjoyed reuniting with the Class of 1964 at their 55th reunion in May. The campus was lovely, and over 40 classmates attended various events. Conversations were lively as Lucas and classmates recounted memories of Meredith days and caught up with life events and current activities.

Thanks, Meredith, for making that possible!

1965 Polly Finan Laubinger and Glenda Brown Worley enjoyed a brief summer adventure to the N.C. mountains. They shopped, visited wineries, ate delicious food, visited friends, and savored the beautiful N.C. mountains.

1966 Linda Worchester Dobbs and her husband have been married 54 years. Together they have three children and three grandchildren. Dobbs is a retired journalist but still writes bi-monthly for a local magazine. Paula Lowry Herren and her husband spent three weeks in South America this past fall.

They crossed the Andes from Chili into Argentina Patagonia on a one-lane gravel road, hiked a mile over Iguacu Falls, and ended the trip at the Copacabana Place in Rio. The trip was incredible, and several items were checked off Herren’s bucket list. Herren fell the last afternoon in Rio and came home with a boot on her broken right foot. That was not on her bucket list! Herren and her husband now have a new understanding and respect for South America and its culture. Kay Lambeth is doing well after having surgery to correct a broken wrist.

Lambeth enjoyed a weekend in Oak Island, N.C., with classmates in September. Candace Welsted Ramseur and her husband have moved to a local senior living community. They were given a warm welcome but found downsizing to be both freeing as well as a headache. They are still in the Charlotte, N.C., area near their daughter and grandchildren.

Ruth Ann Sloop Whitener and her husband celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in July.

The West Country: England at its Very West (Best) Meredith Travels to England June 9 - 22, 2020 There is something delightfully different about the West Country, perhaps because of its Celtic origins and its miles and miles of cliff-lined coast. We will spend our first night in charming Windsor, home to Queen Elizabeth’s favorite (some say) castle. After a good night’s sleep, we will strike out for Dorset and 15th century Athelhampton House, quite new compared to nearby Cerne Abbas, the Benedictine Abbey we will also visit, founded in 987! From there we travel to Devon and Cornwall, exploring atmospheric Dartmoor as we go.

Wide, open moorlands punctuated with wild ponies and stone tors provide an amazing setting for characterful villages (and cream teas).

Cornwall will charm us equally or more with its tiny seaside coves and cottages, its gardens, its quaint villages, and its delightful opportunity to have tea with local folks. By the time we depart this beloved part of England, all will be anglophiles! We will console ourselves as we head north with stops at Port Isaac, home to TV’s Doc Martin, and Dunster, home to a picture perfect castle and more locals who are opening their garden just for us. Bath is our next stop, but likely not the Bath you have visited before. It will be our base but we will explore the nearby Cotswolds, visit Chavenage (setting for Poldark), and tour Dyrham Park (setting for The Remains of the Day). We will also spend half a day wandering through the world famous Westonbirt National Arboretum.

When you leave, you will know why the English speak of having “green fingers,” while we have only a “green thumb!” Stay tuned for details!

For updates on the Meredith Travel Program, visit meredith.edu/ alumnae/travel or contact Denise Parker, associate director of alumnae relations, at dpparker@meredith.edu or (919) 760-8051.

meredith.edu/alumnae

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To celebrate, the couple enjoyed a fun filled trip to Nashville, Tenn. Later, their three sons honored them during a Whitener family reunion.

1967 Beverly Scarborough Blackwelder moved to Raleigh, N.C., from Mount Olive, N.C., in December 2018. She now lives across the street from two of her grandchildren. Blackwelder loves being able to attend events at Meredith to see her old classmates and other Meredith friends! Judith Carroll Gardner enjoys spending time with her sons and friends both in Raleigh, N.C., as well as Emerald Isle, N.C. Gardner enjoyed having classmates Judy Ramsey Roberts and Patsy Howell Cutherel visit last fall.

Gardner welcomes visits from classmates any time.

This fall, she will embark on a river cruise through Europe. Candie Crumly Rankin and her husband traveled to Italy last spring with their daughter, sonin-law, and two grandchildren. It was a wonderful trip to Venice, Florence, and Rome. The trip encouraged Rankin to learn more about Meredith's Italian venue. Travel and education rock!

1968 Suzanne Guthrie Letchworth and her husband have moved back to Cary, N.C. They are living in an independent cottage at Glenaire, a continuing care retirement community. In May they traveled across the U.S.A. by train to Yosemite National Park. While traveling, the two experienced snow in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and gorgeous waterfalls in Yosemite. Letchworth and her husband also continue to spend time in Beaufort, N.C., with family and friends.

1969 Lynn Hooks Alexander enjoys reading, music, traveling with her husband, and indulging her three grandchildren. Helen Rich Bowen lives in Oregon near one of her sons and his family. Previously a teacher of needle arts, Bowen now makes quilts and costumes for her family. Del Cross Horton Boyle retired from teaching high school math. She now enjoys bridge club, garden club, a teacher's sorority, and church. Boyle and her husband have seven grandchildren, four of whom live nearby. Bett Garrett Cake is trying to learn how to live without her husband since his passing in 2018.

Cake values the love and support she has received from family, neighbors, and friends (especially Meredith friends) during this difficult time. She has one grandson who has been a source of joy for her. Kelly Knott Cobb is still a real estate broker but primarily works with past clients and referrals. Cobb enjoys Rotary Club and working with current Meredith students through the

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entrepreneur program. Suzanne Siceloff Coltrane left Meredith after her sophomore year to get married.

However, she returned for her 50th Meredith Reunion along with her entire suite. Coltrane now enjoys spending time with her grandchildren and needleworking.

Penny Smith Conine and her husband have lived on Lake Norman since 2010. Conine enjoys being on the lake, gardening, and traveling. She and her husband celebrated their 50th anniversary in Europe over the summer. Nancy Blalock Cook and her husband moved to a retirement community in January. Michelle Tew Davies and her husband moved to Lake Keowee, a Duke Power lake just outside of Clemson, S.C. Ruth Ann Walters Dyer is a real estate agent, active member of the Wake Forest Chamber, and maintains involvement in the Wake Forest Garden Club. Dyer and her husband enjoy traveling, their new home in the Historic District of Wake Forest, and visiting with family and friends. Betty McNeill Fahed has been an active member of multiple organizations in Richmond, Va., including Historic Richmond. Fahed now enjoys gardening, reading, and visiting with friends and family around North Myrtle Beach, S.C. Angie Pridgen Faulk and her husband enjoy traveling and celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary abroad in June. Faulk stays active by walking 15 miles a week and teaches three toning classes a week at her club’s fitness center. Faulk enjoys interior design, reading, gardening, and flower arranging. Dianne Mitchell Forsyth retired from her role as director of exceptional children’s programs in 2003. She now enjoys reading, playing piano, and working various puzzles. Forsythe is also an active member of a local group called Women of the Pines.

Diane Jones Frank retired from her role as chairman of the board of directors for Lab-Aids in 2008. Frank enjoyed her first solo trip to Cuba and hopes to travel more in the future. Barbara Wall Fraser treasures her education at Meredith. It has placed her in good stead throughout her working and volunteer career. Fraser served on a local school board, County Council, and as a State Representative in the Missouri Legislature. She is currently serving as the education liaison to the St. Louis County Executive. Fraser and her husband have four children and nine grandchildren. Joyce Robertson Fulcher remains active in her church. Fulcher stays particularly involved in coordinating and knitting for the prayer shawl ministry. Judy Wright Goad enjoys volunteering, playing for church services when needed, and staying busy with family. Shera Jackson Hube retired in 2017 after serving as vice president at College Foundation, Inc. Hube now enjoys volunteering, reading, taking OSHER classes, and spending time with family and friends. Hube’s first grandchild was born in

2018. Nancy Hinson Hunter has remained busy since her retirement by painting, traveling, and writing. Hunter also serves on the boards of four non-profits. Mary Neil Senter King enjoys traveling, reading, and watching sports. King serves on the Raeford City Council as well as the library, museum, and hospital boards. Carol Thompson Kinsley and her husband celebrated 52 years of marriage in July. Kinsley enjoys spending time with her children and grandchildren. She is also an active member of her garden club. Louise Watson Lamm currently nannies her two granddaughters every other week. Lamm enjoys traveling, scrapbooking, gardening, sewing, and needlework. She remains active in her church, book club, Delta Kappa Gamma, and volunteers with local election days. Dale Tatum Mercer has appeared on the show The Real Housewives of New York City in support of her daughter, who is a regular on the show. At age 71, Mercer never imagined she would appear on television but has had fun filming with her daughter. Mary Ann Hardenburg Mock and her husband returned to Raleigh, N.C. after living in Texas for 27 years. Mock now hopes to travel and spend more time with her grandchildren. Judy Park Molleur retired and moved outside Athens, Ga., to a quiet wooded area. Molleur enjoys traveling and attending UGA Bulldog sporting events. She is a breast cancer survivor who feels blessed and looks forward to what’s next! Susan Hout Montgomery continues doing community work with immigrants and asylum seekers through Physicians for Human Rights. She has written several booklets used by Master Trainers in their local communities and provides them with psychological and technical support. Montgomery hopes to continue working with immigrant and refugee populations as long as she is able to do so. Kate Huggins Morrow volunteers with her church and numerous local organizations in Greensboro, N.C. Morrow enjoys golf, gardening, reading, and Mah Jong. Hollis Fields Mullen continues to volunteer with multiple organizations. She enjoys traveling, book club, bridge, and lunch groups.

Mullen still says the best times are spent with her 2nd Brewer friends. Susan Fletcher Phillips followed her love of teaching even after her retirement in 1997 by volunteering with numerous organizations around Charlotte, N.C. Evelyn Carter Pollak and her husband have traveled extensively, including mission trips with Doctors Without Borders. They also continue volunteering at the Community Care Center. Pollak is still a PRN at the Wake Forest University Student Health Service.

She enjoys working with the college kids and says it seems like yesterday she and her classmates “were those college kids.” Beth Brady Richards is enjoying retirement from teaching. Richards and her husband

now enjoy spending time with their grandchildren.

Mary Shipp Robinson is enjoying her retirement by reading, genealogy, water aerobics, and spending time with family. Brucie Starkey Sanderson has relished having more flexible time since her retirement. Sanderson stays busy attending Bible studies, making jewelry, meeting friends for lunch, and visiting the beach. Nancy Stroud Saunders is living in her childhood home that has since been restored. She treasures time spent with her children, extended family, and friends. Saunders continues to volunteer for Meals on Wheels as well as finding ways to foster a love of reading in children.

Janet Bridgen Sessoms began pursuing painting after her retirement from teaching in public schools. Sessoms began painting as a hobby but now enjoys painting six days a week. Fran Simpson Summerlin and her husband spent years after her graduation from Meredith moving from city to city and state to state.

She is now back in North Carolina to be closer to her daughters and their families. Carrie Frampton Thompson is enjoying her retirement by staying involved in exercise classes with friends, reading, cooking, and traveling to visit friends and family. Claudia

Tutterow spends most of her time with friends and family, traveling with her brother, and completing long overdue home projects. Marilyn Childress Vernon and her husband have enjoyed traveling since retirement. Vernon now enjoys spoiling her grandson and dog. She also serves as a church elder and remains active through exercise classes. Vernon values her Meredith friendships and looks forward to bucket list travel. Mary Wayne Watson spent over 30 years teaching English and humanities in secondary schools as well as at higher education institutions. Watson is now working on bringing about awareness of climate change in Raleigh, N.C. Judy Kennedy Winslow and her husband celebrated 50 years of marriage in June.

Together they have two children and five grandchildren. Lynn Hemphill Wolter has spent the last 20 years catering a monthly meal for senior adults at her church, all without repeating a menu in the last 17.5 years! With the encouragement of friends and help from her husband, Wolter published a cook book five years ago. Now, Wolter and her husband are restoring her parents’ home. Cathy Walston Wooten retired from teaching in 2010. Now, Wooten enjoys

traveling with family and friends as well as spending time at her family's home on the coast.

1971 Mary Stuart Parker Alderman was honored as Rotarian of the Year by the Rotary Club of Hilton Head Island, S.C., at its final meeting of the year. She and her family of 13, including five grandchildren, recently celebrated her 70th birthday with a trip to Alaska. Alderman sends best wishes to her many classmates also making an entrance into life’s 8th decade. Boyd King Dimmock, Olivia Harris Fleming, Sharyn Hamrick West, Janet Trayhman Killen, Marilyn Ballard Gardner, Anne Luter Bromby, Anne Bryan, and Bonnie Scott Truelove delighted in the final event of the year with 1971’s Golden Sisters of 2021 on Class Day! The 1971 group brought breakfast for members of the Class of 2021 to enjoy while they created the Daisy Chain.

They also provided a Daisy Chain back drop for group photos. Cathy Anderson Edwards continues to live in Apopka, Fla., close to her grandchildren. In 2016, she retired after 20 years as chief operating

2019 Pewter Christmas Ornament ONLY $25 Available beginning October 15, 2019 The Meredith onyx is a special symbol for alumnae and visibly shows the bond shared between graduates throughout the world.

Limited quantity available. Sale runs through December 1 or until supplies last. Pick up and shipping options available.

Questions? Email alumnae@meredith.edu or call the Office of Alumnae Relations at (919) 760-8548.

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[ALUMNAE GOING STRONG]

ANDREA UNDERWOOD PETIFER, ’14, M.ED. Inspiring Minds One Child at a Time

By Reah Nicholson Moore As assistant principal at Pearsontown Year-Round Elementary School in Durham, Andrea Underwood Petifer, ’14, M.Ed., understands the importance of education and the role educators play in young lives.

“Growing up in southeast Raleigh, I had a number of Black educators in my family, schools, and church communities who took an interest in not only my upbringing, but in me as an individual,” said Petifer. “They gave so much to me, it was only natural for me to want to give back and inspire students.”

Because of those mentors, Petifer chose a career in education. After obtaining her bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a master’s degree in school administration, she enrolled at Meredith to earn her Master of Education in academically and intellectually gifted (AIG).

Prior to her current role, she worked as an AIG facilitator, a second grade teacher, a daycare teacher, a camp counselor, and a school volunteer. She currently serves as president of the Durham Association of Educators and is an adjunct professor in the School of Education at North Carolina Central University.

“What I like best about the work I do is the fulfillment of having a purposedriven life,” said Petifer.

As assistant principal, no day is the same for Petifer. She is rarely in her office as she believes strongly in being in the classroom. If she is in her office, she is conducting a lunch bunch or having a book club with students. Such initiatives have helped her build strong relationships with her students and parents.

“No matter what comes my way, you will always find me in classrooms observing lessons and asking students questions,” said Petifer. “One cannot lead a school from the confines of their office.”

Petifer strives to be a role model for her students and hopes she is making a difference. In 2018, she was named Assistant Principal of the Year by Durham Public Schools.

“Having the opportunity to represent my school and district was a blessing.

Durham has amazing APs (aspiring principals), and I just happen to be one of the many,” said Petifer.

As a wife and mother of three girls, if you had asked Petifer a year ago where she would like to be in five years, she would have said a principal, assistant superintendent, or superintendent. Now, her plans have changed.

“I aspire to become a principal, children’s book author, assistant professor, and to begin an educational nonprofit … and maybe run for school board.”

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officer of Seniors First. Edwards and her husband remain busy creating and sustaining programming for a senior ministry for older adults at their church.

She also enjoys singing in the church choir and gardening. Diane Robinson Neighbors continued her education after Meredith earning her master’s degree at University of North Carolina Greensboro and her doctorate of education at Vanderbilt University. Neighbors’ career was dedicated to the education of and advocacy for children in a variety of capacities. As a result of her diligent work, Neighbors was elected as an at-large member of the Metro Nashville City Council. She then served as Vice Mayor of Nashville from 2007 to 2015. Neighbors and her husband now live in Pawley's Island, S.C. They love days at the beach, gardening, eating fresh seafood, and being able to spend more time with their son, daughter-in-law, and two wonderful grandchildren, ages three and seven. Vickie Regan Rolfe celebrated her 70th this year! Rolfe took her family on an Alaskan cruise.

It was truly a remarkable trip, and the family time was priceless. Glynda Warren Smith welcomed a granddaughter, Sasika Estelle, who was named for her 1909 Meredith alumna great-grandmother, Lula Estelle Howard. Shirley Staples recently published Memorial Time: Stories about Love, Science, and Children with Neuroblastoma. In addition to her own family’s story, Staples includes stories from other pediatric cancer families. In the book, she recounts the history of Memorial Sloan Kettering.

Her son was diagnosed with neurobastoma at age four and is now a healthy 20-year-old. Jane Holloway Woodard, Anne Luter Bromby, Sara Kennemur Mountford, Bonnie Bell, and Doris McIlwain enjoyed a week at Holden Beach, N.C. in mid-August, where they enjoyed playing games, going on outings, and being ocean side under the tent. They had fun celebrating the 50th anniversary of Woodstock with the music of their college days, the Woodstock movie, and being together made for good times!

1973 Nancy Bass Drake recently retired after teaching 7th grade social studies for 22 years in the Alamance Burlington School System. Drake plans to spend time enjoying her grandchildren, who live in Burlington, N.C. and Charleston, S.C. Michelle Rich Goode is enjoying semi-retirement in Bedford, Va. She is enjoying new found friends, including many Meredith alumnae, her book club, golfing, and gardening.

Goode still visits Raleigh, N.C. several times a month and loves connecting with classmates, when

possible. Lynn Moore Gordon returned to Oak Ridge UMC as interim director of adult choirs after a year and a half in retirement. Gordon looks forward to producing the production she wrote in 2004 again this December. Mary Marvin Johnson recently took a Viking cruise to Moscow and St. Petersburg, Russia. Johnson enjoyed spending time with friends while abroad. Jean McLaughlin has enjoyed her first year of retirement, which has been filled with visits from friends and family. McLaughlin has also been traveling, including trips to India and Scotland. She remains active in the arts by attending workshops and maintaining active roles in organizations, such as the American Crafts Council, UNC School of the Arts, and the WNF Community Foundation. Debra Adams Roethke continues enjoying her retirement after 27 years working for Henrico County Public Schools. However, she continues working part-time doing professional development in schools across the country. Roethke stays busy with her four children and 10 grandchildren.

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Meg Pruette Averett spends most of her time planning the 400th anniversary of the landing of the Mayflower for the General Society of Mayflower Descendants in Plymouth, Mass. Jody Johnson Brashear enjoyed reconnecting with classmates at her 45th Re-

union in May. Over the summer, Brashear met up with Jean Summerville, Lucy Marino Bond, and Lynn Holloway Mosier in Morehead City, N.C. Alice Winecoff Clayton enjoyed being on campus for her 45th Reunion in May. It was a blessing to connect with old friends and see familiar faces in person. Two weeks after Reunion, Clayton had a fall resulting in injuries, including a broken right wrist. The most difficult part of the experience was having her Onyx snipped off of her swollen finger in the emergency room! Clayton has worn her class ring for 47 years. She and her family went on a summer cruise to the Bahamas, where her son was married on the island of Half Moon Cay. Clayton also gained an eight-year-old granddaughter by the marriage. Hope Faircloth Coffey is doing well but still adjusting to the loss of her husband. Cindy Godwin traveled to Oxford, England, to attend the wedding of a former Meredith colleague. Jane Harris concluded her 29-year career as a faculty member of Religious Studies at Hendrix College and became an emerita professor teaching part-time. Harris is now working on a biography of her friend. Harris' daughter recently graduated from Hendrix and now lives in Berlin, Germany. Phoenix Chen Haydon retired from her overseas position in 2018 and is now living in Raleigh, N.C. full time. Linda Thompson Fairchild retired from Xerox after 41 years and moved back to her original home near Charleston, S.C. Peggy Walser Howard

retired from education in 2012. She worked part-time in retail, but now enjoys living life at Lake Gaston. Ann Wagoner LeGarde retired from Wake County Public Schools after 32 years of service. Leigh Steele Lehan retired in 2018 after 34 years in pediatrics. Mary Niebur Madenspacher retired after 22 years as CEO and executive director of Life Experiences in 2018.

Madenspacher went on an amazing cruise to Greece, Croatia, and the Greek Isles with her Meredith besties, Tina Thomas Bachelor, Cathy Gambke Kimball, and Teri Wilson Prather. Deborah Jordan Matthews enjoyed seeing everyone and catching up at her 45th Reunion. Matthews was honored and humbled to receive the Distinguished Alumna Award during Reunion Weekend. She is staying busy with family, friends, travel, and work. Peggy Schafer Meares is happily retired after 30 years of teaching at White Memorial Presbyterian Preschool with several other Meredith Angels. Cookie Guthrie Newton enjoyed attending Reunion Weekend in May. Throughout the summer, Guthrie had the pleasure of seeing classmates Meg Pruette Averett, Eleanor Hill Oakley, Lynn Holloway Mosier, Lucy Marino Bond, and Pam Faison Brewer for coffee or lunch. Guthrie welcomed her third grandchild in June and her fourth grandchild in September. Mamie Lewis Potter and her husband celebrated their 40th anniversary this year all thanks to a blind date set up while she was at Meredith. Pot-

SAV E T HE DATE • M AY 15 -17 PARTY 3 CLASS LUNCHEON & EVENTS 3 WORSHIP STATE OF THE

COLLEGE

PRESIDENT JO ALLEN, ’80

All alumnae are invited to attend Alumnae Reunion Weekend, and classes ending in a five or zero will be celebrating a special class reunion. The weekend’s fun activities include a party, a State of the College address by President Allen, class luncheon, individual class events, and an Alumnae Worship Service.

Make plans now to join us!

meredith.edu/alumnae-reunion

M AY 17-19, 2019 MAY 15-17, 2020 39 39

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CONNECTION ter is grateful for her three daughters, grandson, and granddaughter who would not exist had Amanda Burton McCartney and Vicki Lewis O'Grady not insisted Potter go on that blind date in October of 1972. Allynna Brooks Stone and her husband are enjoying retirement on a beautiful lake close to Raleigh, N.C. They welcomed a second granddaughter this year and now have two possible Meredith Angels in their future.

Stone and her husband enjoy a number of volunteer activities and are fortunate to have their children close by. Meredith Marr Watson has taken several trips through Meredith College and loved them! Vivian Craig Wells received her Ed.D. from North Carolina State University. Wells is currently retired and has two grandchildren.

1975 Cheri Garnett Furr recently moved from Raleigh, N.C. to an independent living apartment in Charlotte, N.C. Furr is enjoying the local shopping centers, restaurants, and being closer to her daughter and grandchildren. She is now able to attend more of her grandchildren’s school programs and athletic games. In February, she enjoyed a cruise to San Juan, Antigua, St. Barts, St. Maarten, St. Croix, Guadeloupe, Barbuda, and Tortola. Furr encourages any classmates visiting the Charlotte, N.C. area to stop by for a visit.

1977 Jamie Kenyon Davis retired in June after 42 years of teaching at Farmington Woods Elementary School in the Wake County Public School System. In June, Davis was awarded the Order of the Long Leaf Pine by the Governor, and the Mayor of Cary, N.C. gave a proclamation for the day. Beth Leavel earned her third Tony Award nomination for Best Performance by an Actress for her leading role in the Broadway musical The Prom. Robin Wilson Morgan was named the 11th Provost of the University of Delaware in 2018.

Morgan is the first woman to permanently hold the position of Provost at University of Delaware. Debbie Doss Russell completed her Ph.D. in history at UNC Greensboro in May 2019, concentrating on race and Southern politics. In the fall of 2018, Russell taught N.C. History at UNCG thinking often of Dr. Thomas Parramore, whose enthusiasm for history and bold teaching style greatly influenced Russell at Meredith.

Before entering the doctoral program, Russell taught high school English, journalism, and U. S. history for 30 years in the Madison-Mayodan community.

1980 Jackie Robinson LeFever’s oldest daughter graduated from the New York Law School in June

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2018. LeFever’s youngest daughter is currently a sophomore at Rutgers University.

1981 Martha Anderson Dobson has been hiking a section of the Appalachian Trail over the last four years. She will complete the section between Davenport Gap, Tenn., and Springer Mountain, Ga., this fall. Dobson backpacked the Chilkoot Trail in Alaska over the summer. She also continues to volunteer with the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race each year. Dobson’s second grandchild arrived in 2018. Kathy Anderson Newcomb welcomed a new granddaughter in July.

Newcomb has also enjoyed visiting with classmates Janet Koonce Dumas, Reya Blount Roller, and Susan Willetts Roberts.

1982 Sheri Shelton Satterwhite is currently with Keller Williams Basnight Garner Real Estate in Morehead City, N.C.

1983 Carolyn Dunn was named a William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor at North Carolina State University.

1985 Beth Krewson Carter published her first novel, The Nest Keeper, in April 2019.

1986 Georgia Parrish James is in her 15th year as a high school home economics teacher focusing on food and nutrition at Southwest Edgecombe High School in Pinetops, N.C. James and her husband will be celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary in December. Lynn Siceloff Joyner enjoys working at Duke University as an interior designer and project manager. Joyner and her husband had the blessing of both children getting married this year. Melinda Wrenn Thomas is working part-time as an office manager for a small women owned printing and product promotional company in Greensboro, N.C. Thomas spends the remainder of her free time with her husband and first grandson, who also lives in Greensboro, N.C.

1988 Marti Hatch is now a Nationally Board Certified Licensed Mental Health Counselor in the state of N.C. Hatch works at Wellness and Behavioral Health Services in Raleigh, N.C. Her daughter recently began her freshman year at Meredith as a member of the Class of 2023.

1989 Katy Weatherly Benningfield and her husband recently bought a house in Myrtle Beach, S.C. They still own a home in North Raleigh and are working on selling their home in Emerald Isle, N.C. Benningfield and her son now live in Myrtle Beach, S.C. After 33 years in the tech industry in Raleigh, N.C., she now runs an online radio station called KoolWinds. The station plays America’s greatest hits and classic Carolina beach music. Benningfield spends a lot of time helping her son, who turned 14 in July, with his special needs. Donna Fowler-Merchant recently finished nearly eight years as Minister of Pastoral Care at First Presbyterian Church in Fayetteville, N.C. Fowler-Merchant spent the summer preaching in Scotland at the Tiree Parish Church on the West Coast island of Tiree. Fowler-Merchant was interviewed by a panel from the Methodist Church in Britain and was unanimously recommended to be Recognised and Regarded.

She hopes to join the Methodist Church in Britain for a possible ministry position in the United Kingdom beginning in 2020. Mary Ann Lisenba Kirchner and her husband are enjoying working on their empty nest now that their son is off to the University of South Carolina. Kirchner also enjoys staying in touch with her roommate, Edy Speight Abshire, and suitemates Susan Wiggs English, Jan Pope Faison, and Wendy Langston Tharrington. They love their visits with one another, especially their first ever girls weekend reunion in Greensboro, N.C. Suzanne Bartholomew Mahaney joined Focus Forward Counseling and Consulting as a licensed professional counselor in Alpharetta, Ga. Following 23 years at Northern Illinois University, Kristen Myers is now the chair of Sociology at East Carolina University. Along with her husband and their three daughters, Beth Williams Oates has lived in Maryland for the past 18 years. Oates is happily teaching kindergarten in her neighborhood school. She and her husband are looking forward to celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary this January in Amsterdam. Oates is sorry that she missed her Meredith reunion but enjoyed celebrating her oldest daughter’s college graduation the same weekend. Dana Perry moved to Charlotte, N.C. and started a new career as a nanny for four precious girls. Lisa Pate Rosen and her husband downsized to a couple of carry-ons in 2015 and have been bouncing around the world ever since. Having published her third book, Indigo House, in November 2018, Rosen is now hard at work on her next one.

1990 Deanna Harris is starting her 27th year as a teacher and librarian. Harris continues writing professional articles for School Library Connection magazine, working with teachers and students at her middle school, and presenting to other school librarians.

Amelia Stinson-Wesley is now the pastor of community engagement at First United Methodist Church in Charlotte, N.C. Stinson-Wesley has two children in high school, and she and her husband live in Pineville, N.C.

1991 Lisa R. Claxton has joined Haynesworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A. as an attorney in Columbia, S.C.

1992 Cheri Leonard is a technical program manager at Google in Sunnyvale, Calif. Alice Saylor Miller is now a senior clinical programmer analyst at Triangle Biostatistics.

1994 Blythe Taylor completed her second graduate degree in December of 2018. Taylor received a Master of Arts in Communication and Leadership Studies with a focus in teaching from Gonzaga University. She is now the director of academic support and an adjunct instructor at Barton College in Wilson, N.C.

1995 Allison Trabucco Cain continues to speak at Bible studies and women’s conferences. She also co-authored the recently published Mess to Message: Perspective and Encouragement to Help You Focus Forward. Valerie Cline van Oosten lives in Washington D.C., with her husband and two children. Van Oosten is a mortgage banker as well as co-president of a local non-profit. Jennifer Drye Covington earned her N.C. real estate broker license and has since begun a new professional venture focusing on decluttering services for homeowners. Kathryn Cole Dove has worked at Meredith College Autism Program since 1998 as program director. Dove has also published one book of poetry, titled Warm November, for parents with exceptional children. Hollace Dowdy is working toward her Ph.D. in depth psychology with a specialization in Integrative Therapy and Healing.

Armina Brown Familiar-Ragsdale opened her own business in January 2019. Kendra Hubbard has three sons, one in the Marines, one planning to join the Marines, and one in high school. Rhonda Johnson is the staff development program manager for the North Carolina Department of Transportation.

[ALUMNAE GOING STRONG]

KELLIE FALK, ’85 A Leader in Business and Community

By Reah Nicholson Moore As a campus leader while at Meredith, it’s only fitting that Kellie Falk, ’85, a business administration major, would lead a company of more than 1,000 employees. Today, Falk is managing director and principal of Drucker + Falk, a family-owned fee management real estate company.

“During my time at Meredith, I was always involved in student life and I served as class president for the Class of 1985,” said Falk.

“Meredith enabled me to be a better leader.”

Drucker + Falk was founded by Falk’s grandfather in 1938. The company currently manages approximately 35,000 multifamily homes and 1.5 million square feet of commercial space. Falk’s hope is that in five years the company can double in size in apartment count and income growth.

Managing so many employees and properties makes for a different day, every day for Falk.

“What I enjoy most about my job is that it’s never the same day twice. And my work family,” said Falk. “I am helping to provide employees the ability to take care of themselves and their families, but also I’m helping to provide safe housing to residents.”

Falk has earned a number of awards for her leadership and business success.

She was awarded the Outstanding Property Management Executive from the Triangle Apartment Association, was named among the Women Extraordinaire by Triangle Business Leader Magazine, and listed on the Triangle Business Journal’s Who’s Who in Real Estate and Construction. In 2018, she was awarded the Triangle Business Journal’s Women in Business Award and named CEO/Executive of the Year.

“Being named the 2018 CEO/Executive of the Year by Triangle Business Journal was special to me because you’re nominated and voted on by your business peers, so there’s no application or submittal of resume. It’s pure reputation and achievements in the business community.”

“I’m very blessed to have the life that I have and want to share with others who aren’t as fortunate. It’s important to give back to your community, especially where you live. It does take a village.”

She credits Meredith for developing her leadership skills and for the community she found.

“It will be 34 years since I graduated from Meredith and some of my closest and dearest friends are my fellow classmates. We still have that special bond (and maybe stronger today). I treasure my friendships from Meredith. They are more valuable to me than any other social interaction I have in my adult life.”

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1996 Christy Hunt Arbogast earned her master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health and will be employed as a clinician at Robert A. Pascal Youth and Family Services. Arbogast will also work with drug and addiction clients at Pascal Stabilization Center in Maryland. Beth Haneman Rooks was named 201920 Principal of the Year for Dare County Schools.

1997 Amy Bailey completed her MBA at Meredith College in 2017. Carla Monroe published the book Race and Colorism in Education with Routledge Research in Educational Equity and Diversity.

1998 Kristin Young Powell has been promoted to executive vice president of mortgage lending with HomeTrust Bank. Powell has been instrumental in building a strong team of dedicated mortgage loan officers for the past four years. She is based in the bank’s Charlotte, N.C., location.

1999 Rachel Bennett Frasier continues to teach full time for the Wake County Public School System. Frasier is also now a conscious discipline certified instructor, providing social-emotional training and coaching for educators and families. Mamie McKinney Sutphin was recently interviewed as an outstanding woman in business for the Triad Business Journal.

2000 Hope Tapscott Inselmann began a new job teaching at Denton Calvary Academy in Denton, Texas this fall.

2001 Elizabeth Jackson Fazenbaker, Natalie Murray Frost, Kelley Davidson Johnson, Betsy RhameMinor, and Leslie Holmes Ives, ’02, celebrated their 40th birthdays in Costa Rica in July. Hilary Allen, Katherine Withers Armstrong, Liz Arruda, Amanda Puckett BenDor, Kate Breen, Mary Kemple Sutphin Henderson, Caroline Perry Lee, Leslie Maxwell, Elizabeth Hamilton McLamb, Cassie Mozingo, Elizabeth Kelly Reilly, Laura Chalk Roach, and Marley Finch Russell celebrated the start of a new decade in Exuma, Bahamas. This year marked their twelfth annual girls weekend trip, and they look forward to many more. So far, forty is fabulous and fun!

Sandi Leigh Matthews has moved to Delhi, India.

She works for an international non-profit organization.

Leslie Maxwell was named faculty director for the Baldwin Scholars Program, a Duke University pro-

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gram for female scholars. Seventy-two undergraduate women from across the university are Baldwin Scholars and participate in special academic and extracurricular programming during their four years at Duke.

2003 Amanda Rogers Bailess received her N.C. Real Estate License and is now a designated realtor with Berkshire Hathaway Yost & Little. Mary Kathryn Schreier celebrated 10 years at IST Management.

Anne Stewart moved to New York City to work with Noodle Partners, an EdTech start-up, as general manager. Lauren Boone Stroupe and her husband celebrated their 14th wedding anniversary over the summer. Stroupe taught elementary school for five years before the birth of her son in 2008. In 2010, Stroupe and her husband welcomed their daughter.

Stroupe and her family moved from Raleigh, N.C. to Matthews, N.C. in 2015. Since the move, she has worked as an associate minister to preschoolers and families at her church as well as a music teacher in a preschool. Stroupe continues volunteering in her church and in her children's schools. The Stroupe family also has a yellow lab named Raleigh.

2004 Amanda Denny was promoted to the assistant dean for residence life and student conduct at Randolph College in Lynchburg, Va. Elizabeth Bell Hunter took on the role of director of undergraduate admissions at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke in November 2018.

2005 Neph Bailey is now the associate director of elementary and middle school programming for the Emily Krzyzewski Center. Sarah Gransee was promoted to branch manager at the Leicester Library in Buncombe County. Lormarev Jones is now an adjunct professor in the theatre departments of both North Carolina State University and Meredith College.

She will be choreographing Meredith’s production of Company in the fall. Anna Ripley-Moffitt is now director of sales and marketing for International Gifting Company. Leslie van den Berg started teaching ballet classes at Aspire Dance Academy in Manakin-Sabot, Va., in 2018. She then started work at the Virginia Department of Health Professions, Board of Medicine in February 2019. This has been quite a change from teaching elementary school. Van den Berg looks forward to serving in the international ministry and Awana children’s ministry program at Mount Vernon Baptist church this fall.

2006 Genevieve Sawyer Dozier began a new role as client business executive at First Data. Meredith Strub Gray graduated from Pace University with an M.S. in Publishing in December of 2018.

2007 Amy Kay Nickerson graduated from Middle Tennessee State University with a Master’s in English in May of 2018.

2008 Molly Aiken Proudfit recently earned her National Board Certification in the area of adolescent and young adult science.

2009 Samantha Price achieved surgical board certification for foot and rearfoot reconstruction surgery with the American College of Foot & Ankle Surgeons.

2010 Liz Sprinkle launched her business, Love Always, Liz CBD Oil, in January 2019. She has since been featured in both the Raleigh Magazine and Walter magazine. Sprinkle hopes to educate consumers on her product through dialogue and modeling a healthy lifestyle.

2011 Samantha Bryant Anderson completed her Master’s in Applied Economics from Johns Hopkins University in December of 2018. Brittany Morgan Carr graduated from Queens University with her MBA in healthcare management in May 2017. For a year, Carr briefly relocated to Houston, Texas, but moved back to Rocky Mount, N.C., in 2018. She then launched her virtual HR & recruitment consulting business in March 2019. Carr looks forward to moving back to Texas very soon and plans to connect with Meredith alumnae there. Sarah Stanaland Sichitano celebrated the third anniversary of her business, Coastal Insurance Group, proudly serving N.C. and S.C. alumnae. Margaux Spiegel left a seven year teaching career and is now in software sales, which she loves.

2012 Katrina Kempney was recently promoted to senior content writer, marketing communications at Red Hat.

2013 Jennifer Cash started a new job as a marketing communications associate on the global marketing team at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business.

2014 Onisha Walker was recently selected as the new vice president of communications for the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) for the Carolinas chapter. Originally from Brooklyn, NY, Walker moved to Raleigh, N.C. and attended Meredith College where she graduated with honors and received a B.S. in Interior Design. Walker then moved back to New York to attend the New York School of Interior Design in the Upper East Side of Manhattan and graduated with a M.F.A in Interior Design. She is now working as an interior designer and client consultant at Edge Office in North Hills.

She is a certified LEED Green Associate and is currently studying to be certified by the National Council for Interior Design Qualification.

2017

Diana Wyman (MBA) was promoted to executive vice president of the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists in July 2019.

2019

After graduating in May, Lia Hasapis began a full time job as a marketing coordinator.

MARRIAGES 1987 Earlene Fuller Hicks (MBA) to Reverend Joseph Briggs, 3/16/19.

1991 Tina Garner to James Galanides, 12/29/18.

2001 Lesley Parr to Richard Abbott, 10/12/18.

2002 Amy Michael to Kirk Huneycutt, 11/3/18.

2003 Amy Grasty to Scott Brundle, 7/27/19. Amanda Fletcher to Mike Bowers, 4/6/19.

2004 Kathryn Cushwa to Ryan Gerace, 11/3/18. Amy Burgess to George Olive, 4/27/19.

2005 Ava Leigh Jackson to James Boyette, 4/6/19.

Cameron Fisher to Mark Harrison, 6/1/19.

2008 ToniAnn Gambella to Mark Loftus, 11/10/18.

2009 Elise Moffitt to Randall Caulder, 6/27/19. Adrienne Holland to William Hubbard, 8/3/19.

[ALUMNAE GOING STRONG]

TYARA NEVELS, ’14 Rehabbing Hearts through Relationships

By Reah Nicholson Moore From the time Tyara Nevels, ’14, stepped foot on Meredith’s campus, she knew she wanted to be a physical therapist. But an internship in the Cardiac Rehab Program at Wake Med changed her life.

“My last semester at Meredith, I had to pick an internship. I had the option of interning at Wake Med or with a PT clinic. My professors encouraged me to interview for the internship at Wake Med. I reluctantly interviewed, but I enjoyed every second. I enjoyed it so much I switched career paths,” said Nevels.

With a newfound passion, Nevels graduated from Meredith with a degree in exercise and sports science before earning a master’s degree in kinesiology from East Carolina University. She currently works as an exercise physiologist in the Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehab Department at Moses N. Cone Memorial Hospital in Greensboro, N.C. “This is a highly supervised program with telemetry that helps patients with pulmonary disease or recent cardiac events, such as heart attacks, heart failure, valve repair/replacement, and open heart surgery, regain their strength and live a heart healthy lifestyle,” said Nevels. “I build personalized exercise prescriptions for these high risk patients and assist with supervising their exercise sessions.”

In her role, she works with a variety of patients, from senior citizens to young adults. Seeing her patients become physically stronger and able to return to previous activities is most rewarding.

She credits the relationships she built with faculty and staff for making her the professional she is today.

“The professor mentorship I received at Meredith really prepared me, not only for my current position, but for getting into graduate school. I still have those relationships today,” said Nevels. “Building relationships with my patients is a huge part of what I do, and that professor mentorship taught me the value and importance of building lifelong relationships and trust with the patients you are trying to help.”

Nevels’ advice to others interested in working in the field: “Always be openminded and flexible. Always be willing to try new things and places. Stay abreast on the current trends in the field and build strong relationships with colleagues and professors. Certifications are your friend.”

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2010 Emily Dawson to Tyndall Davis, 3/30/19. Whitney Bade to Brian Davis, 2/23/19. Kelsey Lambeth to Peter Nugent, 5/17/19.

2011 Brittany Morgan to Malkam Carr, 12/22/16.

2012 Jordan Stewart to Stephen Page, 4/27/19.

2013 Emily Stephens to Christopher Lopez, 11/2/18.

Meaghan Absalom to Jeremy Shanks, 9/8/18.

Keslie Peters to James Taylor York, 4/21/18.

2014 Ashley Green to Josh Lowe, 10/27/18.

2016 Maigan Kennedy to Shiki Endo, 12/25/17. Nicole Muratore to Christopher Jungclas, 9/21/18.

2017 Caitlin Norris to Michael Tanner, 10/20/18.

NEW ARRIVALS 2000 Hope Tapscott Inselmann, a daughter, Zoe Elizabeth, 6/28/18. Kimberly Franklin Kavanagh, a son, Luke Preston, 1/26/17.

2001 Colleen Mazza Kinser, a daughter, Sadie Claire, 1/6/19. Jamye Hickman Lindsey, a daughter, Sidney Evalena "Lena" Lindsey IV, 9/10/18. Laura Chalk Roach, a daughter, Mary Katherine, and a son, Timothy "Trey" Scott, 03/22/19.

2002 Katie Creech Yarbrough, a son, Owen Kyle, 6/30/19.

2003 Allison Harmon Callis, a son, Eamon Harmon, 4/1/19. Allee Byrd Harrell, a daughter, Sidney Ballard, 11/16/18. Jessica Sawyer Heath, a daughter, Ella Grace, 12/4/18. Taylor Macy Nguyen, a daughter, Amelia Mai, 2/8/19. Beth Stephenson Pelter, a son, Jacob Stephen, 9/7/18.

2004

2006 Meredith Strub Gray, a daughter, Adelyn Eleanor, 1/9/19. Kellie Stephenson Smith, a son, William Gibson, 7/2/19. Emily Harkey Zeblo, a daughter, Hannah Elizabeth, 6/2/19.

2008 Lauren Poteat Lunsford, a son, Henry Gage, 5/3/19. Britney Brown Matthews, a daughter, Emma Rae, 12/22/18. Jenna Burnham Radford, a daughter, Piper Grace, 7/1/19. Laura Marshall Robinson, a daughter, Alice Cora, 1/5/19. LeAnn Brown, a daughter, Lannden Gail Gardner, 2/7/19.

Leigh Ann Singley Stephenson, a daughter, Eleanor "Nora" Ann, 10/15/18. Heather Sellers Woodard, a son, Alex Sellers, 10/2/18.

2009 Maryanne Henry Edwards, a son, Wyatt Samuel, 9/23/18. Rebecca Buchanan Leahy, a daughter, Virginia Louise, 5/4/19. Carshia Craven LomoDavid, a daughter, Nova Angela, 6/25/19. Amanda Bridgeman Slatter, a son, Jack Monroe, 4/16/19.

2010 Jessica Wyngaarden Roe, a daughter, Madison Cole, 5/1/19. Maggie Lally Strickland, a son, Daniel Gerard, 11/16/18.

2011

Bethany Osborne Schneider, a son, Grant Benjamin, 3/21/18. Chelsea Stith Waddelow, a daughter, Ella Jane, 12/25/18.

2012

Barbara Maloney Riccardi, a daughter, Natalie Grace, 2/13/19.

2013 Brittany Jaked Holt, a daughter, Bexley Anne, 11/12/18. Holly Campbell Huitt, a daughter, Sarah Gwyn, 7/9/19.

2014 Bryana Bass Simonsen, a son, Zander Lee, 1/2/19.

1941 Ada Wall Fanning, 6/10/17. Virginia Lawrence Fields, 6/1/16. Ruth Greene Montgomery, 3/30/19. Oma Taylor Russel, 11/15/17. Ellen McIntyre Thurston, 7/17/19.

1942 Etherlene Stevens Maddry, 3/1/19. Mary Ann Canaday Simms, 3/15/19.

1943 Suzanne Bagnal Britt, 4/19/19. Jennie Crutchfield Wagstaff, 1/1/19.

1944 Ida "Imp" Pettigrew Lightner, 4/12/19. Georgie Brewer Tilley, 7/23/19.

1945 Lois Virginia Edinger, 12/20/18. Rachel Strole Barnette Matthews, 1/5/19. Susan Crump McArn, 1/15/19. Cleo Glover Perry, 11/8/18. Mary Isabel Dillon Sherrill, 5/17/19.

1946 Mary Lee Wethington Anderson, 2/21/19. Mary Davis Davidson, 11/12/18. Melba LeGrand Long, 1/11/19. Peggy Majette Seegars, 5/16/19.

1948 Ann Wallis Stephenson, 8/1/19. Jane Andrews Wilmot, 12/8/18. Elizabeth Taylor Wilson, 4/21/19.

1949 Margaret Lamb Dorsett, 1/19/19. Blanche Dupree Hodul, 12/14/19. Jane Griffin Wells, 4/14/19.

1950 Imogene Narron Rowland, 1/7/19.

1951

Maigan Kennedy Endo, a daughter, Nana June, 9/2/18.

Sarah "Dickie" Phillips Bowerman, 3/26/19.

Bettie Compton Godfrey, 8/23/17. Peggy Thornton Grimes, 7/26/18. Daphne Rouse Horney, 4/9/19. Sandra Moore Johnson, 7/14/19.

2017 Lauren Leslie, a son, Sebastian Coy Hicks, 5/24/19.

1952

DEATHS

Evelyn Phillips Berry, 2/14/19. Jean Parrish Mason, 7/8/19. Asha Farrior Watson, 12/21/13.

2016

Stephanie Dale Crocker, a son, Carter Russel Johnson, 11/1/18. Amy Cornett Penny, a son, Grant Eric Irangarukiye, 9/6/18.

1938 Mary Bell Thornburgh, 11/6/18.

2005

Annie-Lee Tarleton Stancil, 4/21/19.

Edith Bradley Johnson, 5/3/19. Estelle Waller Summerlin, 6/10/19. Dorothy "Dot" Brigman Sutton, 2/2/19.

Chambliss Hill Barrow, a daughter, Charlotte Aiken, 1/1/19. Elizabeth Robinson Throckmorton, a daughter, Lillian Frances, 3/7/19.

1940

1954

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1939

Virginia Trostel James, 10/23/18. Lessie Scholtz Warren, 12/1/15.

1953

Lorette Oglesby Hollinshed, 7/19/19. Jeannette Scott, 4/18/19.

1955 Effie Sneeden Green, 12/10/18. Margaret Brunson Simkus, 5/18/19.

1956 Joyce Jones Frederick, 7/13/19. Beth Deloatch Havener, 7/17/19. Betty Rand Coward Stillwell, 3/30/19.

1957 Evelyn Stout, 5/1/19. Angela Griffith Yarbrough, 11/5/18.

Sherron Barnes, 5/14/19. Mamie Roberts Johnson, 9/28/14.

1965

Janis Kay Fisher, 4/26/19. Josephine "Jo" Gresham Robinson, 5/8/19. Judy Thompson Scull, 1/31/19.

1961 Anita Kaylor Cox, 4/5/19. Nina Wagner Graves, 1/24/19. Lynne Southerland Perkins, 11/5/18.

Rachel Rogers Thompson, 3/26/19.

1984

1966

Phyllis Shutt Wurst, 10/6/18.

Judy Hamrick Dixon, 2/26/19. Sarah Poole Russell, 12/20/18.

1987

1967 Carol Green Cass, 4/30/19.

Bonnie Poplin Gainey, 4/28/19.

1969 Katheryn Hooks Edwards, 2/10/19.

1971 Judy Hubbard Marx, 4/1/19. Deborah Ford Perrow, 6/27/19.

1972

1962 Judy Young James, 2/19/19. Delores "Dee" Atkins Shepherd, 7/3/19.

1963 Elizabeth Peterson Kelly, 6/2/19. Frances Knight, 7/23/18. Mary Ann Wolfe Lewis, 5/25/19. Ann Barnhardt Ridenhour, 7/22/19.

1964 Paula Sue Johnson Arnold, 7/14/19. Louise

Lucille Evans Phelps, 2/26/19. Paula Wetherington, 11/18/18.

Penny "Pen" Pittard Rogers, 5/24/19.

1968

1960

1981

Melinda Phillips Wilson, 2/22/17.

1992 Kimbra Audette, 3/21/19.

1994 Sheilah Wallis, 6/20/19.

1995 Laine Marus Crowe, 7/9/19.

1997 Marie Moore Chilcote, 1/12/16.

2011

Valerie Sherrer, 5/21/19.

Betty Sue Manning Norris, 11/16/18.

1973

2018 Lori Imhoff Jamieson, 11/9/18.

Nan Gardner Chesson, 1/3/19. Myra Luton Coghill, 1/14/19. Claudia Sherman, 4/8/19.

SYMPATHY

1975

1943

Mary Elizabeth Owens Wells, 4/8/19.

Nan Davis Van Every in the death of her sister.

1978

1947

Susan Galyon Spangler, 2/1/19.

Nancy Resch Clemmons in the death of her husband.

2.25.20 | 24 HOUR GIVING CHALLENGE MAKE IT COUNT FOR

MEREDITH 2.25.20 #MakeItCount4MC

HONOR THE STRONG WOMAN IN YOUR LIFE #MakeItCount4MC Mark your calendar and honor a strong woman who has made a lasting impact on your life. Your gift will make Meredith College stronger as well.

Let’s make it count for Meredith by raising $500,000 in 24 hours!

S ummer F all 2019 2018 | M E R E D IT H M A G A Z I N E

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1948 Doris Witherspoon Hamilton in the death of her daughter. Hilda Austin Highfill in the death of her husband. Edith Stephenson Simpson in the death of her sister-in-law.

1949 Idalia Oglesby High in the death of her sister.

Evelyn Hodges Hill in the death of her husband.

1950 Winnie Fitzgerald Smith in the death of her son.

June Harmon Trafton in the death of her husband.

1952

Northern Italy, from Sea-to-Shining-Sea Meredith Travels to Italy October 3 - 16, 2020 Autumn in Italy is glorious. It is the season for picking and pressing grapes and harvesting olives, for food festivals, for sunny (fingers crossed) weather, and for great temperatures. So, of course, we have planned a tour for late September/ early October, 2020, emphasizing food and culture, and inevitably art and history. We are, after all, in Italy. We’ll be travelling to areas in the northern part of the country that we’ve not yet explored with Meredith Travels. We will actually take ourselves from Sea to Shining Sea – from the Adriatic to the Ligurian. We will base ourselves initially in Bologna, from which we will visit Modena, home to the world’s best Balsamic vinegar among other local delicacies, and Ravenna, home to the Byzantine mosaics that will take your breath away.

When we head west, it will be in order to visit the famed Cinque Terre (aka, the Italian Riviera) and then we’re off to the autonomous region of Aosta in the Alps, a region whose ownership has fluctuated between France and Italy through the centuries. We will gaze (longingly) at Monte Bianco (or, as the French would say, Mont Blanc – but our allegiance is to Italy!) and travel to Perloz, a small town awarded citation for bravery following World War II for their remarkable resistance to the Nazis. There will be many stops that will surprise you with the unexpected: Did you know that Torino has the oldest Egyptian Museum in the world, as well as the church where the Shroud of Turin is located? And all along the way there will be regional delicacies – seafood, cheeses, charcuterie, wines, pasta – and even some Frenchinfluenced cuisine! More details to follow soon.

For updates on the Meredith Travels Program, visit meredith.edu/ alumnae/travel or contact Denise Parker, associate director of alumnae relations, at dpparker@meredith.edu or (919) 760-8051.

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Sue Fitzgerald in the death of her nephew.

1953 Nancy Jo Wallis Fleming in the death of her sister.

1954 Sonnya Hamilton Quinn in the death of her husband. Theresa Raynor Tayloe in the death of her husband.

1955 Phoebe Barnhardt Satterwhite in the death of her sister.

1958 Virginia Byrne Tedder in the death of her husband.

1959 Sylvia Maynard O'Kelley in the death of her cousin.

1960 Willilou Mason Walters in the death of her sister.

1961 Betty Jo Kinlaw Simmons in the death of her husband.

1964 Martha Haywood Hanford in the death of her husband.

1965 Alice Baker in the death of her sister. Rebecca Parker Shue in the death of her son.

1966 Barbara Smith Pearce in the death of her brother.

1969 Kelly Knott Cobb in the death of her husband.

Mary Helen Simms Patterson in the death of her aunt. Karen Hyland Williams in the death of her mother.

1973 Agnes Bailey Goldston in the death of her fatherin-law. Jeanne Tilley Nash in the death of her husband. Kay Morris Slattery in the death of her mother.

Coleman Fitzgerald in the death of her mother.

Sandra Sneed Thompson in the death of her mother-in-law.

1983

1974

Rebecca Hall Clark in the death of her husband.

Joni Parker O'Leary in the death of her mother.

Susan Arrowood Boisseau in the death of her husband.

1984

1975 Cheri Garnett Furr in the death of her mother and her brother-in-law. Marilyn Jones in the death of her mother. Rachel Thompson Marley in the death of her mother-in-law and her father. Sue Ellen Beal Parrish in the death of her sister-in-law. Paula Hartman Terry in the death of her mother-in-law.

1976

1985

2014

Rebecca Evans Glass in the death of her sister.

1986

2016

1987

Jovita Lee in the death of her mother. Rachel Phelps in the death of her mother.

1988

1979 Marty Hollinshed Fisher in the death of her mother. Diane Faw Shaw in the death of her father.

Jennifer Carter Stephenson in the death of her mother. Leigh Welborn Stephenson in the death of her mother.

1980 Teresa Parker Hamby in the death of her mother.

Beverly Taylor Johnson in the death of her father.

Jackie Robinson LeFever in the death of her father and her mother. Zoe Cox McKay-Tucker in the death of her mother. Scarlett Hicks Owens in the death of her mother. Lisa Palmer Smoot in the death of her mother. Mae Nelson Spruill in the death of her mother.

1981 Margot Houtz Huffines in the death of her mother.

Pat Forbes Poe in the death of her husband. Carla Parker Sink in the death of her father. Susan Jones Turner in the death of her mother.

Rebecca Shaw Smith in the death of her grandfather.

Kathryn Walters Masewicz in the death of her aunt.

1978 Karen Harrison Calhoun in the death of her mother.

Linda Lewis McQuay in the death of her mother.

Cathy York Morrison in the death of her father.

Frances Andrews York in the death of her fatherin-law.

2013

Kim Causey Ray in the death of her mother. Valerre Wurst Aquitaine in the death of her mother.

Julee Haley Carr in the death of her father. Elaine Strother Lewellyn in the death of her husband.

1977

Sarah Beth Phelps Bdoyan in the death of her mother. Brittany Morgan Carr in the death of her grandfather, her aunt, her father-in-law, and her great uncle.

Sara Cranford in the death of her mother. Laurie Hainley in the death of her mother. Stephanie Culbreth Salazar Cardozo in the death of her father.

Mary Scott Edmundson Burt in the death of her father. Marion Driver in the death of her mother. Sheila Fisher in the death of her mother.

Carol Swain in the death of her father. Shonagh McQuade Weems in the death of her father. Connie Wagner Williams in the death of her father.

Katherine Tuck Fisher in the death of her motherin-law.

2011

2018 Elizabeth Beeson in the death of her grandfather.

Christi Parker in the death of her grandfather. Meg Sink in the death of her grandfather.

Charlotte Thompson Bailey in the death of her mother.

1990 Robin Andrews Babcock in the death of her father.

Myra Waddell in the death of her mother.

1993 Kimberly Caldwell Wagner in the death of her mother. Shannon Strickland White in the death of her father.

1997 Amy Bailey in the death of her mother. Meredith Russell Exum in the death of her mother.

1999 Melissa Wade Dees in the death of her aunt.

Rachel Bennett Frasier in the death of her husband. Rachel Bennett Frasier in the death of her mother.

2001 Marley Finch Russell in the death of her father.

Jennifer Perry Asher in the death of her aunt.

2005 Cameron Fisher in the death of her grandmother.

Seria Lakes in the death of her father.

1982

2006

Laurie Lewis Barnhart in the death of her son. Joni

Kathryn DeSimone Mills in the death of her husband.

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2019 Alumnae Awards Presented

By Emily Parker Left to right: Deborah Jordan Matthews, ’74; Lynn, Mike, and Davis Harper, family of Emily Hines Harper, ’09; President Jo Allen; Gayle Price Van Velsor, ’64; Cindy Parkman Godwin, ’89; Susan Harris Frazier, ’81; and the Director of Wings Tom Manning on behalf of Kay Perkins Carrington, ’87, and family.

political science. Her fondness for the College led her to leave a gift in her estate. Carrington worked at Campbell Soup Company in the personnel department after she was married.

In 1962, she left to become a homemaker and her husband, John, bought Sirchie Fingerprint Laboratories. Over the next 40 years, the company grew to more than 100 employees. In 1975, her family moved to Raleigh.

She was active in the Wake County Republican Party, and supportive of USO, Wounded Warrior Projects, the Gary Sinise Foundation, and the Veterans Leadership Council of North Carolina - Cares.

Susan Harris Frazier, ’81 Meredith Philanthropy Award

O

n May 18, the Meredith Alumnae Association and the Office of Institutional Advancement presented the 2019 alumnae and philanthropy awards during Alumnae Reunion Weekend.

Deborah Jordan Matthews, ’74 Distinguished Alumna Award Deborah Jordan Matthews, ’74, has remained committed to Meredith by being a dedicated volunteer. Matthews served on the Board of Trustees for seven years, served on the Presidential search committee that hired President Jo Allen, was president of the Alumnae Association and a past regional director.

Four years ago she rallied her classmates to participate in funding an endowment for the Meredith Legacy Scholarship as their 50th reunion gift. Matthews’ passion for education is evident in her many years of work as an academically gifted and talented teacher and director of the elementary program in Wake County. She is currently a consultant for Bridgewater Educational Services.

Emily Hines Harper, ’09 Recent Graduate Award The legacy of Emily Hines Harper, ’09, will be felt at Meredith for generations to come.

Harper battled osteosarcoma for nearly four years and lost her battle on October 29, 2018. Her time as a Meredith Angel was filled with helping others, volunteering, connecting

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people so they could succeed, and showing leadership with confidence, enthusiasm, and humor. As a student, she was passionate about serving on the Honor Council and studying abroad in Sansepolcro, Italy. After graduation Harper started the Networking Angels alumnae group. Last year she created the Emily Hines Harper Scholarship endowment for Vance County students.

Gayle Price Van Velsor, ’64 Career Achievement Award Gayle Price Van Velsor, ’64, was a trailblazer in the corporate world. Now retired, the former vice president of Progress Energy broke the glass ceiling starting in the 1970s and was often the only woman at any given level of leadership. Early in her career, she was a copywriter for Carolina Power & Light (now Progress Energy). She continued to receive promotions and as the eastern region vice president, she oversaw operations for all of Eastern North Carolina. She served as board chair of New Hanover Regional Medical Center and she was the Wilmington YWCA Woman of the Year as well as a Wilmington Star-News Person of the Week.

Kay Perkins Carrington, ’87, & Family Meredith Memorial Philanthropy Award Kay Perkins Carrington, ’87, attended Meredith in her 50s, graduating with a degree in

Susan Harris Frazier, ’81, attended Meredith College in her early 30s through the 23+ program (now called Wings), and it changed her life. Those positive experiences led her to give a gift to establish the Wings Directorship Endowment. The funding for this gift came from her family’s donor-advised fund at the Triangle Community Foundation established by her mother in an effort to teach her family about philanthropy. Frazier majored in psychology and after graduating from Meredith she completed her master’s degree at N.C. State and then worked at the Women’s Center in Raleigh, the AIDS Service Agency, and later graduated from massage school.

Cindy Parkman Godwin, ’89 Meredith Reunion Philanthropy Award Cindy Parkman Godwin, ’89, believes you should give what you can to honor those who have been gracious to you. Godwin’s positive experiences at Meredith led her to establish a planned gift to The Meredith Fund. As a student, she was a resident assistant, student adviser, dorm council representative, on Honor Council, and worked for the Dean of Students. Godwin carried those skills into her first job at the United Way of Wayne County and later served as director of volunteer services at Wayne Memorial Hospital. Once Godwin moved to Wilmington, she served on the board of CareNet Counseling Center, and was a founding member of The Way Foundation.

PL A NNING YOUR

LEGACY

Do you want to make a significant gift to keep Meredith College going strong?

A bequest is a gift made through your will or trust. Making a bequest is one of the easiest and most flexible ways to support Meredith College.

To get started, download the Planning Your Legacy Guide at our website meredithplannedgiving.org.

Contact us with any questions. We are here to help you every step of the way.

Linda Carter, ’82 Director of Gift Planning (919) 760-8703 (office) | (336) 430-2260 (mobile) | lcarter@meredith.edu

meredithplannedgiving.org

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HAVE YOU JOINED MEREDITH MENTORS? Meredith Mentors, our new online mentoring platform, connects current students, alumnae/i, and faculty/staff to support personal and professional development.

Meredith Mentors allows you to connect with students and help them with reviewing resumes, finding internships, or giving guidance on graduate school. Recent graduates can connect with fellow alumnae once they have moved to a new city, and alumnae can reach out with questions about career transitions.

You can gain instant access to the global Meredith community today with Meredith Mentors.

• Meredith Mentors users: 1,310 (and growing!)

• Range of classes represented on Meredith Mentors: 1965-2023 • Number of classes represented: 56 • Number of states represented: 31 • Number of countries represented: 7 • Cities represented: Austin, Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, Portland, Raleigh, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington, D.C., Wilmington, Winston-Salem, and many more.

Questions? Email mentors@meredith.edu Register as a user by visiting mentors.meredith.edu

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