Spring 2018 Meredith College Magazine

A Publication for Alumnae and Friends of Meredith College

Spring 2018, Volume 43, Number 1

M A G A Z I N E

THE CHANGING ROLE OF THE CAMPUS LIBRARY How Carlyle Campbell Library Remains Essential to a Meredith Education

CONTENTS Meredith Magazine Volume 43, Number 1 Spring 2018 Executive Editor Kristi Eaves-McLennan, ’14, MBA Managing Editors Melyssa Allen Karen T. Dunton Assistant Editor Gaye Hill Writers Reah Nicholson Emily Parker

FEATURES 18 REAL-WORLD APPLICATIONS

Meredith’s growing psychology program prepares students for life, lucrative careers

23 STRONG SPACES

A look inside the work spaces of Meredith faculty and staff

26 THE POWER OF FORGIVENESS

Art Director Vanessa Harris

One faculty member’s exploration of forgiveness has impacted the larger community

Designer Margaret McIver, ’09 Alumnae Connection Editor Hilary Allen, ’01 Contributing Writers Donna Bahena, ’18 Sarah Lindenfeld Hall Jennifer Hontz Abigail Ojeda, ’19 Emma Watson, ’18 Photographers Christopher Ferrer Peter Finger Kaili Ingram Travis Jack Gary Knight Brian Lynn Charlotte Claypoole McKinney Susan Murray Caleigh Thomas, ’16 Michael Zirkle Meredith College Faculty & Staff

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. © 2018 Meredith College. The Meredith name and wordmark are registered trademarks of Meredith College and may not be used without permission. All rights reserved. 17-195

30 THE CHANGING ROLE OF THE CAMPUS LIBRARY

How Carlyle Campbell Library remains essential to a Meredith education

NEWS 3

Faculty Distinguished Lecture Celebrates the Power of Friendship, Mentorship, and Family

10 Meredith College Seniors Land Internships with American

Dance Festival 13 Meredith College Celebrates Strong Financial Position 15 School of Natural and Mathematical Sciences Awarded

National Science Foundation Grant

IN EVERY ISSUE 1

Meredith Campus News

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Letter from the President

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Meredith Experts in the News

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Newsmakers

11 Strong Stories 38 Beyond Strong | The Campaign for Meredith 42 Alumnae Connection On the Cover: In recent years, intentional changes have been made at the Carlyle Campbell Library, both in its physical space and its professional focus, in order to ensure it continues to play a central role in academic life at Meredith.

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NEWS Improved campus signage helps new students and visitors better find their way to Meredith facilities. The new collection of signs is designed to be both attractive and useful to those on foot and in vehicles.

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CORNHUSKIN' 2017 Cornhuskin’, Meredith’s annual friendly competition between classes, is as popular with students as it has ever been. The 2017 event was held November 3-4.

Alumnae are now able to share in the fun in a more substantial way thanks to Homecoming, which started in 2016. The Meredith College Alumnae Association welcomed approximately 400 alumnae back to campus to enjoy Cornhuskin’ and Homecoming, which features the parade and Cornhuskin’ on Friday and special alumnae programming on Saturday.

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Cynthia Edwards is head of Meredith’s Department of Psychology and Social Work.

A faculty member since 1991, she teaches developmental and social psychology, supervises psychology internships, and leads developmental and social research.

She holds a Ph.D. in developmental psychology and an M.A. in psychology from UNC-Chapel Hill. She earned a B.A. in psychology from Wake Forest.

Faculty Distinguished Lecture Celebrates the Power of Friendship, Mentorship, and Family

By Donna Bahena, ’18

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rofessor of Psychology Cynthia Edwards presented “Mix Your Own Palette: The Power of Friendships to Color Your Future,” as Meredith College’s 2017-18 Faculty Distinguished Lecture, on October 10 in Jones Auditorium.

The 56th edition of the distinguished lecture series focused on Edwards’ career-long research into the ways in which friendship, mentorship, and family strengthen and enable women to find opportunities within significant life changes.

“By the end of this evening, I want you to know how the choices you make, and the relationships you choose, can help you be your strongest self,” she said.

Edwards began her lecture by acknowledging the friends, mentors, students, and family members who supported her in her own significant life transitions. She emphasized her gratitude for the student researchers “who have energized [her] lab over the past 30 years,” and the student participants from the classes of 2006 and 2017, who have been the primary source of data in her research program, the Meredith Emerging

Adulthood Longitudinal Study (MEALS).

MEALS is aimed at understanding the role of family and peer support in mediating stressors associated with adolescent and early adult life transitions.

To explain the different concentrations of the MEALS studies, Edwards used videos of current and former Meredith students, Lara Pantlin, ’14, Colleen McKeel, ’17, Alyson Mann, ’17, Dani Estes, ’18, and Amanda Oakes-Foalima, ’18.

“The way that we designed MEALS was to allow smaller projects to branch off and to have many waves so that equally large projects could branch off,” Pantlin said in her video. “That way people who wanted to try research could get [a chance].”

To demonstrate the findings of her research, Edwards discussed the materials a young artist, or emerging adult, would need in order to paint a colorful future: a chosen family for a canvas, a mentor as a guiding paintbrush, and a colorful palette of friendship.

Citing the latest research, Edwards highlighted the positive effects the three relationships have on stress, resilience, and career

satisfaction. “It is these supportive relationships that help you put challenges into context as opportunities for growth, rather than defeat,” she said.

Although her research was primarily focused on women emerging into adulthood, Edwards stressed that her findings were applicable and significant for anyone at any life stage.

Edwards provided her audience with practical and research-based advice for developing supporting relationships. “Find a class, club, or activity that draws people who care about the things you care about, put yourself there on a repeated basis, and walk in the door with confidence,” she said.

Edwards ended her lecture with a call to action. “Provide support for one another,” she said. “To be really and truly the strongest version of yourself, you also have to be the chosen family, mentor-friends, and journey friends to others.”

The Faculty Distinguished Lecture was designed to represent a significant achievement of research by a faculty member.

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Veterans Honored with Special Meredith Service

By Melyssa Allen

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eredith College held its annual Honoring Women Veterans event on November 8, 2017, in Jones Chapel.

The event, which honors all who have served in the military and places special emphasis on the service of women veterans, featured keynote speaker Lt. Col. Bernie Donato.

Donato, who served in the military for 24 years, is the veteran engagement coordinator for Team Red, White & Blue Raleigh/Durham Chapter and the senior vice commander of Veterans of Foreign Wars Durham Post 2740. She spent the first half of her career in the U.S. Navy Nurse Corps, and later in the California Air National Guard.

The 1970s, when Donato entered the military, was a time of change. Some restrictions on women’s service were dropped and over the years more opportunities became available for women who wanted to serve their country.

Donato emphasized that many women had served their country earlier in U.S. history, including Mary Edwards Walker, who earned a Medal of Honor as an Army surgeon in the Civil War, and the Women Airforce Service

Pilots (WASPs) in World War II. These women were not officially considered veterans.

“I applaud the patriotism of the women who paved the way,” Donato said. “I applaud their fortitude, their perseverance, and the grit of women in the military.”

In the first Gulf War, more than 40,000 women were deployed, and the first women were allowed to fly in combat zones. In 2013, the ban on women in combat was finally lifted.

“I thank the women who served and who continue to serve, and the family and friends who support them,” Donato said.

The Honoring Women Veterans event also included a medley of service hymns and anthems, during which veterans in attendance were recognized. The event closed with a presentation by Enloe High School’s U.S. Army JROTC Drill/Exhibition Team in front of Johnson Hall.

CREE Chief Marketing Officer Betty Noonan delivered the Fall 2017 Meredith MBA Speaker Series lecture, discussing her career path. Noonan is a marketing-technology leader. Prior to joining CREE, she spent more than a decade in an executive marketing capacity for two Fortune 500 companies.

Noonan shared what worked for her: engage, work hard, be positive, and build skills. “I encourage you, in whatever you do, to engage,” Noonan said. “If not, you will miss opportunities. I had to keep evolving my skill set as my career continued.”

The Meredith MBA Speaker Series brings inspiring business leaders to campus to share their experience and wisdom with students in graduate and undergraduate business programs.

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FROM THE PRESIDENT CAMPUS

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Building a Stronger Workplace

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n the course of our strategic plan and the comprehensive campaign, a lingering “to do” has been the establishment of a Center for Women in the Workforce. As part of Meredith’s mission to prepare women for lives of impact and distinction, we ensure our students’ readiness for the workplace (defined broadly from corporations to non-profits to government, military, and other entities including volunteer organizations). Is there more we can do in this critical arena?

We have identified a number of avenues for further exploration, including some compelling questions and emerging themes that might help shape future conversations: • Our students are academically prepared to go to work or to top graduate programs. Are they equally prepared to understand and adjust to how the work environment (professional identity and image, decision-making, confidence, short- and long-term projects, boss/colleague/supporting relationships − even dating) differs from their collegiate experience? Building on the success of StrongPoints®, is there a new way to think about career planning and even alumnae relations that would open pathways for life-beyond-college transitions and support? Is this something for which Meredith could be a national model?

• Similar to our work and subsequent reports on the Status of Girls in North Carolina and Women in N.C. Politics, could we summarize and collect data on conditions for women in the workplace (e.g., opportunities for advancement, geographic/field effects on work opportunities, harassment, discrimination, equitable compensation, evaluations, etc.)?

• Many corporations are increasingly aware of the value of a womenfriendly workplace where the contributions of women result in

greater employee satisfaction and corporate profitability. Is there any interest and value in our becoming a resource for corporations, non-profits, government agencies, and other entities on discerning to what degree they have (or have not) created a womenfriendly workplace? Could we develop an anonymous-responder assessment tool that could be administered to help these entities see whether and where any weaknesses exist?

• Based on summary data of ways to enhance women-friendly conditions in the workforce, or based on the assessment of individual workforce entities, would we want to offer workshops or individual consultations to identify ways to enhance women-friendly conditions? Might such enhancements to our graduate programs appeal to men students who want to lead in a women-friendly environment?

Numerous questions exist, of course, about timing, funding, leadership, goals, outcomes, and more. Whatever we create could lead to a mini-campaign to push us over our $75 million goal for Beyond Strong | The Campaign for Meredith.

Key is that Meredith is asking the critical questions, weighing data, analyzing responsive opportunities, and more. And we offer this focus on women because we are a women’s college, not because we do not care about men. Indeed, as many have argued, when women succeed, children, the elderly, our communities, and men succeed.

Whatever we create, this important initiative is designed to take us ALL forward.

President Jo Allen, ’80 S p ring 2018 | M E R E D IT H M A G A Z I N E

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Criminology Week featured visits by law enforcement professionals, including a session with canine and mounted patrol officers from the Raleigh Police Department.

Academic Weeks Special weeks are held each fall to help students learn more about the opportunities available through specific academic programs. Some sessions are career-focused, featuring professionals from those fields, and others allow students to explore the programs through fun activities. Here are highlights from the fall 2017 semester.

History, Political Science, and International Studies Week included a career planning session to help students identify professional goals, and concluded with a “Party Like it’s 1862!” event celebrating the 155th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln first signaling that he would emancipate slaves. The event featured selfies with President Lincoln.

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During English Week, a panel discussion featured alumnae discussing their Meredith experience and their careers. At “Lit Live,” students and faculty read their own creative work.

By the Numbers: Career Planning At Meredith, career planning starts in a student’s first year. The Office of Career Planning (OCP) is available to advise students on everything from choosing a major for a desired career path to preparing to interview for that first fulltime job. Here are a few statistics that show the reach of career planning.

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700

Resumes reviewed by OCP counselors in one year

3,186

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Alumnae webinars hosted by OCP in collaboration with Alumnae Relations since 2016, with more than 150 participants

Alumnae and friends lead nearly 200 mock interviews annually

Employers approved to post jobs and internships in Meredith's new career services platform, CareerLink powered by Handshake. This number is growing by hundreds each month.

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Alumnae used career counseling services over a 12month period

The Office of Career Planning encourages alumnae to think Meredith first! Support Meredith by sharing internship and job opportunities, or career-related events, with Career Planning.

Share with us at career@meredith.edu.

Meredith Experts in the News

“People want to know that the anchor is

Meredith faculty and staff have served as experts in a wide range of news outlets, including Variety, the Associated Press, and The Durham Herald-Sun.

illustrate that. But taking him out-of-town

a seasoned journalist and this will help has to have substance and not just ‘face time’ on location.”

“This is people’s biggest fear, to lose their memory and to lose that sense of self … keeping the mind active can help slow some aspects of cognitive

– Associate Professor of Mass Communication Doug Spero, in a Variety article about new CBS

decline. And practicing recall of important information regularly can help you

Evening News anchor Jeff Glor’s plan to continue

retain it.”

reporting from the field rather than behind the

– Associate Professor of Psychology Gwynn Morris, in an Associated Press article

anchor desk.

about methods to help older people trigger memories.

“Democracy works better when our leaders “He went into his term playing defense, and I think an objective observer would say he’s done a good job playing defense with a difficult opponent.” − Professor of Political Science David McLennan analyzing N.C. Governor Roy Cooper’s first year in office for the Associated Press.

behave more like [Tip] O’Neill and [Ronald] Reagan rather than [Frederica] Wilson and [Donald] Trump. More conversation without the intermediaries of Twitter and journalists would be a good example for citizens whose polarized attitudes are beginning to reflect

“We are in the midst of a cultural shift, and the media is right there, not just showing it but experiencing it, too.”

–Assistant Professor of Sociology Kris Macomber, in a Variety article about sexual harassment issues in the news media.

those of its leaders.” − Professor of Political Science David McLennan and Assistant Professor of Political Science Whitney Ross Manzo, in an op-ed published in The Durham Herald-Sun. S p ring 2018 | M E R E D IT H M A G A Z I N E

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Subscribe to Meredith’s YouTube channel to make sure you won’t miss any new episodes of The Meredith Minute video series.

How to help women succeed in STEM

By Jennifer Hontz

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uch has been made about the lack of women working in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. Case in point: while approximately 57% of all college graduates are women, only 44% of mathematics majors are women and just 20% are engineering majors. And although boys and girls are similarly successful in high school mathematics courses, fewer girls than boys show an interest in STEM fields outside of the biological sciences.

What keeps women from continuing on in many of the STEM fields in college? More importantly, how can we help women who do choose to study one of these fields persist?

Research suggests that the environment women experience in college can significantly impact their success in STEM majors. For example, the presence of female role models validates that women can continue in these fields. And gender stereotypes can be challenged (or reinforced) within the college setting.

When we strive to create an environment where women are unafraid to pursue their mathematical goals and where women strongly believe in their ability to succeed, they are more likely to retain and be successful in these fields.

At Meredith, for instance, we offer a range of activities that positively impact our students through the Pascal Scholars program. Such programming includes a first year experience course to directly mentor these students and help them become a part of their department from the beginning of their college careers. In an annual

Meredith College has created an environment where women thrive while working toward careers in STEM fields.

mentoring event, students are connected with alumnae in their fields of study who can help guide them in their future career aspirations. We also seek additional ways to help our students engage within the larger STEM community through volunteering for local science fairs or other organizations.

All of these efforts are paying off. Meredith was recently awarded a National Science Foundation grant that takes the idea of creating an engaging STEM community to another level. [Read more on page 15.] Expanded programming will include a summer STEM institute and a study-away opportunity as well as undergraduate research options.

These efforts at Meredith, and similar programs at other universities and colleges,

are helping to create an environment that helps women persist − and ultimately succeed − in all of our STEM fields. Parents of young women who are planning to study a STEM field should ask about such programs as part of their college search process.

As a mathematics educator, I am deeply committed to helping close this gender gap for a number of reasons. Women achieving their dreams make society better for everyone. I believe that women should have the opportunity to pursue any and all fields of study. Women bring a diversity of perspectives to complex problems that need creative solutions. To address the challenges facing us in today’s world, we need all of our best minds working − regardless of their gender.

Jennifer Hontz, Ph.D., professor of mathematics, is passionate about ensuring women are successful in mathematics, encouraging women to major in mathematics as well as all STEM majors. Hontz has two B.S. degrees, one in mathematics education and the other in applied mathematics. She completed a Ph.D. in mathematics in the area of Kac-Moody Lie Algebras of Indefinite type in 1998. Hontz has been at Meredith College since 2000, where she actively participates in the Mathematics Association of America (MAA) at both the National and Sectional level.

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Town Hall Features Congressman David Price

By Donna Bahena, ’18

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eredith College held a town hall event with Rep. David Price (NC04) in Carswell Concert Hall on October 18.

The town hall event gave students and faculty the opportunity to ask the congressman questions about current issues such as immigration, women’s health, taxes, and the environment. Students had the chance to practice political advocacy and civil communication.

Meredith’s civil communication initiative is a proactive effort to foster respectful communication and conflict management on campus.

Price said he supports efforts, like Meredith’s, to build an environment of civil communication.

The congressman ended the session by encouraging students to take advantage of the opportunities the College provides to have conversations with people of opposing views.

“We need to have a more open “We need to have a more open attitude about talking over things attitude about talking over things and absolutely changing our minds sometimes,” said Price. “[College] is a and absolutely changing our microcosm of what democracy needs minds sometimes.” to be; something is wrong if you – David Price emerge from college with your mind tion, Housing and Urban Development Aptotally unchanged about anything.”

Alisa Bullock,’18, saw value in experiencing propriations Subcommittee, which oversees a town hall meeting on campus. “This was my funding for the Departments of Transportafirst town hall forum, and it was nice to have tion and Housing and Urban Development.

Price received his undergraduate degree at questions answered in such a close setting.”

Price, who is the longest serving member UNC-Chapel Hill and earned a Bachelor of of Congress from North Carolina, represents Divinity as well as a Ph.D. in political science the 4th Congressional District, which includes from Yale University. Before he began serving Meredith. The congressman serves on the in Congress in 1987, Price was a professor of House Appropriations Committee and serves political science and public policy at Duke as the ranking democrat on the Transporta- University.

Newsmakers The Undergraduate Research Program has been awarded a $43,300 grant from the Jessie Ball duPont Fund for support of students and faculty doing interdisciplinary research at Meredith in summer 2018. This funding will support up to five undergraduate research projects, each involving faculty and students from multiple disciplines. One goal of this endeavor is to help students understand that many research questions concerning contemporary issues and problems can best be addressed and resolved using multiple perspectives.

Meredith’s Dietetic Internship program has been named a “Noteworthy Practice” by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). Meredith’s program, which is accredited by ACEND, provides college graduates who have met the DPD requirements with the knowledge and supervised practice needed to enter this fast-growing field of nutrition.

Dana Sumner, director of the Office of Career Planning, was presented with the Roy N. Anderson award at the annual North Carolina Career Development Association conference on October 13, 2017. “The Roy” honors the spirit of excellence and an individual who has made contributions to career development at the state, regional, and national levels.

Associate Professor of Spanish Jonathan Wade presented “The Margin beyond the Margin: Poetry, Spanish, and the Portuguese Diaspora,” on October 19, at the XIII Biennial Conference of the Society for Renaissance and Baroque Hispanic Poetry at the Universidad de Sevilla in Spain. Wade’s critical essay “Amélie as Re-accentuation of Cervantes” was published in the volume Don Quixote: The Re-accentuation of the World's Greatest Literary Hero by Bucknell University Press.

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Meredith College Seniors Land Internships with American Dance Festival

By Emma Watson, ’18

“As a faculty member, it makes me so happy to see them applying their knowledge from the classroom out in the real world.”

– Alyson Colwell-Waber

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hree Meredith College seniors, Sierra Smith, Monica Rivera, and Natalie Piper, spent six weeks working with the American Dance Festival (ADF) in Durham, N.C., through its internship program.

As active participants in the Meredith dance program, the seniors had a great learning experience with ADF. The festival brings in dancers and choreographers from around the world.

ADF has been around for more than 50 years and is among the most well-known dance festivals internationally.

Each of the women participated in different ways, immersing themselves in their areas of interest.

Smith was a performance intern for the festival and worked directly with performers and artists. Her duties involved picking up performers from the airport, creating itineraries, and helping set up and take down shows. Smith said one of her favorite memories from her summer was meeting Bill T. Jones, a professional dancer, choreographer, and director who was a 2013 recipient of the National Medal of Arts.

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As a stage craft apprentice, Rivera was able to take classes in the morning and work in the theatre in the afternoon. She learned how to build show sets in detail, from lighting to sound.

“The job of my crew was to set shows up and make them come to life for the performers,” Rivera said. “As a dancer, this taught me to never take my crew for granted and always appreciate all the work they put into making a show successful.”

Piper, a double major in dance and graphic design, knew she wanted to get involved as a dancer, but when the opportunity to be a graphic design intern for the festival arose, she knew this was the perfect way to combine her passions. Piper also took classes in the morning and worked in the ADF office after lunch.

While in the office, she designed several projects including banners, signs, tickets, and books.

“My favorite part was the realization that I was working for ADF,” said Piper. “Because of me, they have these banners and books that they actually use and I got to see my work in

print. It was really cool.”

The three women are extremely grateful to the Meredith dance program for the chance to work with ADF. When asked what they would take away from their internships, they all agreed that the networking and relationships with other dancers and choreographers were paramount.

“I enjoyed getting to know other performers,” Smith said. “It showed me just how small the dance community is and I really liked that.”

Alyson Colwell-Waber, professor of dance, is extremely proud of the women for their involvement with the dance festival and is thankful for the experiences students received in areas about which they are passionate. She believes these internships are important ways for students to gain experience and training outside the studio.

“As a faculty member, it makes me so happy to see them applying their knowledge from the classroom out in the real world,” said Colwell-Waber. “I love to see my students thrive on campus as well as off campus.”

Watch Sierra Smith, ’18, talk about her experience as a Meredith dance major in her Strong Story video on youtube.com/meredithcollege.

STRONG STORIES

Taking Inspiration from Challenge

By Abigail Ojeda, ’19

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urning her challenges into incentives for action and change, Madison Burton, ’18, has adapted to difficulties in her life in order to discover her calling. And she has made a powerful impact during her four years at Meredith College.

After graduation, Burton will pursue a doctoral degree in clinical psychology. Her roles as a double major in psychology and child development, a Presidential scholar, an Honors student, and vice president of Omicron Kappa Nu honor society developed her passion for educating and serving both the Meredith and Raleigh communities.

Burton’s goals and achievements were shaped by her challenges. “Life has thrown me a lot of curveballs, and I think the ability to take them as they come has been an opportunity to grow and improve myself,” Burton said. One of her greatest challenges occurred when some of her family members were diagnosed with autism.

“[MAP] provides perspective for what it’s going to be like in the clinical field. We get to practice those skills in the field and see the improvement in children’s lives over a period of time.” − Madison Burton, ’18

“While that was a very difficult time for my family, I saw an opportunity to learn more about autism and how to help people,” said Burton.

As Burton entered college, she began to ask questions and explore possibilities to help others. For the past four years she has worked with the Meredith Autism Program (MAP) and has become a registered behavior technician, which has helped her discover her future focus.

Madison Burton, ’18

“[MAP] provides perspective for what it’s going to be like in the clinical field. We get to practice those skills in the field and see the improvement in children’s lives over a period of time,” Burton said.

Support from faculty members, specifically Lyn Aubrecht, professor of psychology, and Kathryn Clark, professor of human environmental sciences and coordinator of the child development program, has been crucial to Burton’s success.

“My research with Dr. Aubrecht was formative in my time at Meredith; I researched synesthesia as an aid to visual learning,” Burton said. “My work inspired me because, as someone with color-grapheme synesthesia, it was encouraging to contribute to the body of knowledge on a topic that is still relatively unexplored.”

Since the day Burton left Franklinville, N.C., to come to Meredith, she has felt welcomed just as she is. “I came in with a lack

of confidence in myself, and I defined myself a lot by doing the right things and pleasing the right people. By coming to Meredith I’ve really gotten a good look at myself and what I want for my life,” Burton said.

The women’s college aspect of Meredith has empowered Burton. “I didn’t know how I would feel about a women’s college at first, and I was honestly a little nervous, but since being here I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Burton said. “If anything, Meredith encouraged me to find my own voice and confidence in myself, and that confidence will carry over wherever I go.”

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Find more stories like this one at meredith.edu/goingstrong.

Learn more about the Meredith Autism Program on youtube. com/meredithcollege.

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Faculty Selected for 2018-19 Sabbaticals The Meredith College Board of Trustees has approved sabbaticals for the following faculty members.

FALL 2018 • Associate Professor of Biology Jason Andrus will focus on the microbiomes of wildlife habitats during his sabbatical. He will train at the UNC School of Medicine on using the Illumina MiSeq platform.

• Associate Professor of Human Environmental Sciences Eunyoung Yang will research, create, discuss, and exhibit a new body of work that will incorporate slow fashion concepts through sustainable surface design techniques.

Slow fashion represents eco, ethical, green fashion into a unified movement that produces goods using organic fibers, cultural sensitivity, and regional authenticity.

SPRING 2019 • Associate Professor of History Dan Fountain will study slavery in the piedmont of North Carolina during the midnineteenth century, building on previous work on Piedmont slaveholding families to explore the politics of slavery in Wake, Alamance, and Orange counties. He will also analyze slave narratives for aspects of everyday life.

• Professor of Mathematics Jennifer Hontz will develop a mathematics topics course in graph theory and formulate research ideas for undergraduate students in graph theory and cryptology.

• Professor of Education Jennifer Olson’s project, writing a young adult historical fiction novel set in Sansepolcro, Italy, will bring together her expertise in children’s literature and her interest in the connection between teaching, reading, and writing in K-12 classrooms.

Provost Matthew Poslusny says, “[Sabbaticals] give the faculty members time (either one semester or a whole year) to devote to their professional development. This time can take many forms: they can engage in scholarly research that they are unable to do here, work on creating new courses for our students, or work on writing articles or books. All of this ultimately makes them stronger teachers and has a direct impact on the quality of education for our students.”

Meredith College Recognized for Voter Participation

By Melyssa Allen

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eredith College was recently recognized by the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge for its high rate of student voter participation.

Meredith earned the Silver Seal award, which goes to campuses that have 60-69% voter participation. Meredith was the only North Carolina college or university to earn this distinction.

Institutions are recognized based on voting rates reported in the National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement (NSLVE). This report showed that Meredith increased voter registration and voter turnout from 2012 to 2016. Meredith’s student voter registration and turnout rates are significantly higher than the averages of all institutions and those in the College’s Carnegie classification (62.5 versus 50.4).

The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge is a national awards program that recog-

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nizes colleges and universities for their commitment to increasing student voting rates.

Approximately 300 schools participate in this challenge.

The Challenge encourages higher education institutions to help students form the

habits of active and informed citizenship, make democratic participation a core value on their campus, and cultivate generations of engaged citizens who are essential to a healthy democracy.

Meredith College Celebrates Strong Financial Position

By Melyssa Allen

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rom a record number of million dollar gifts to an upgraded bond rating, there are many reasons for Meredith College to celebrate its financial strength.

Beyond Strong | The Campaign for Meredith has raised more than $70 million toward its $75 million goal. More than $4 million has been raised during this fiscal year. The Beyond Strong campaign surpassed the total raised in Meredith’s last campaign by $13 million just four years into the campaign.

“We take our financial responsibilities seriously, taking care that our tuition and fees are as low as we can keep them, while rewarding faculty and staff for their expertise and loyalty to the College.”

– President Jo Allen

Other indications of financial strength include:

• Meredith’s endowment has grown to more than $100 million;

• 26 gifts of more than $1 million and nearly

300 gifts of more than $25,000 have been received since the Beyond Strong campaign began; and

• The College’s credit rating has been raised from BBB to BBB+ by S&P Global Ratings, which also affirmed a stable outlook for the College.

“The financial strength of a college says many things − most often that enrollment is strong, that the institution’s reputation is stellar, and that solid business practices are in place to protect that strength,” said President Jo Allen.

Allen also credits the College’s continued financial strength to the diligent management of resources, the success of the Beyond Strong campaign, and the strong support and confidence of the Board of Trustees.

“We take our financial responsibilities seriously, taking care that our tuition and fees are as low as we can keep them, while rewarding faculty and staff for their expertise and loyalty to the College,” Allen said. “Our budget managers are challenged to spend what they need to ensure quality results, but not to waste money.”

The budget process is driven by the College’s strategic plan, Meredith Forever.

“Faculty, staff, students, trustees, and administrators contributed to building the new iteration of the strategic plan. Our strategic plan is specific in what our priorities are (educational excellence, enrollment, facilities and IT, financial strength, visibility, and quality of life) and include the particular ways and means we have for advancing an agenda that supports students, employees, and the College,” Allen said.

Allen notes that the College’s business practices have allowed Meredith to advance its teaching and learning mission while also investing in facilities, grounds, IT, and aesthetic enhancements that make the campus safer, more attractive, more livable, and more functional.

These accomplishments are the result of planning and strategy, Allen said.

“As we know from financial literacy work, financial improvements do not just happen, they require conscientious attention. I am especially proud that our budget managers understand the seriousness of their roles and respond with professional accountability for advancing the work of their units and the College,” Allen said. “Largely, I attribute these improvements to the extraordinary people involved with and committed to this College.”

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N.C. Teaching Fellows Commission Selects Meredith for New Program

By Melyssa Allen

M

eredith College is one of five campuses eligible to admit North Carolina Teaching Fellows Forgivable Loan recipients. The N.C. Teaching Fellows Commission announced the College’s selection in November 2017.

The North Carolina Teaching Fellows Program, an effort to recruit top students for the teaching profession, will provide forgivable loans for new teachers who agree to teach in North Carolina in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) or special education.

North Carolina Teaching Fellows Forgivable Loans will first be available for the 2018-19 academic year. These forgivable loans can be used for tuition, fees, and books. The loans will be paid through service. A recipient may teach for one year per year of loan at a low performing school, or teach two years at any other N.C. school for one year of the loan.

Students will be selected for the program based on •

Grade point average

•

Performance on relevant career and college readiness exams

•

Experiences, accomplishments and other criteria demonstrating qualities positively correlated with highly effective teachers

•

Demonstrated commitment to serve in a STEM or special education licensure area in North Carolina public schools

The new program will offer eligible students up to $8,250 in forgivable loans per year. High school seniors are eligible to renew the loan for up to four years, transfer students for up to three years, and those with bachelor’s degrees who are seeking

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Learn more about the Meredith Teaching Fellows program on youtube.com/meredithcollege.

licensure are eligible for up to two years.

Meredith will maintain its own Teaching Fellows Program. The Meredith Teaching Fellows program offers a dynamic educational experience enriched with opportunities to gain hands-on classroom experience, learn from education professionals, participate in study abroad, and enroll in Honors courses.

N.C. Teaching Fellows Forgivable Loan recipients will be part of the Meredith Teaching Fellows Program, but participation in the forgivable loan program is not required for the College’s Teaching Fellows Program.

Jennifer Olson, head of the Meredith College Department of Education, is a member of the Teaching Fellows Commission, which was established to determine which institutions will participate in the program and the selection criteria and procedures for forgivable loan recipients.

“Meredith College and the Department of Education are proud of our teacher education program and pleased to be a selected institution,” Olson said. “We are excited about the potential of the redesigned North Carolina Teaching Fellows Program to broaden the kinds of teacher candidates we attract.

Ultimately we look forward to making an impact in public school classrooms across the state by preparing more STEM and special education teachers.”

“The AWE-STEM Scholars Program is consistent with the mission and vision of Meredith College − to help young women realize and build on their strengths, to broaden their perspectives, and to prepare them for roles of impact and leadership.”

– Walda Powell

School of Natural and Mathematical Sciences Awarded National Science Foundation Grant

By Reah Nicholson

T

he Meredith College School of Natural and Mathematical Sciences has been awarded a nearly $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to support women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The award is expected to total $997,077.

“Meredith is a smaller liberal arts college that has a strong background in preparing and supporting women for careers in STEM-related fields,” said Professor of Mathematics Jennifer Hontz. “To be awarded the grant from NSF is both validating and rewarding – it is an exciting opportunity to continue and to expand the level of support for women in STEM.” Meredith will use the grant to launch the Advancing Women’s Education in STEM (AWE-STEM) Scholars Program, which will allow Meredith to provide additional scholarship and programming support for

students majoring in STEM fields beginning next fall.

“The AWE-STEM Scholars Program is consistent with the mission and vision of Meredith College – to help young women realize and build on their strengths, to broaden their perspectives, and to prepare them for roles of impact and leadership,” said Professor of Chemistry Walda Powell.

The program will provide a unique opportunity for students interested in pursuing majors in biology, chemistry, computer science, engineering, and mathematics. A merit and need-based scholarship of $4,500 per year will be awarded to students who qualify for the program.

As AWE-STEM scholars, students will participate in a specialized learning community, a mentoring program, and will have the opportunity to participate in a Summer AWE-STEM Institute. Students will also conduct undergraduate research, and attend

a Women in STEM speakers program.

“Meredith has a long history in supporting women in STEM-related disciplines.

Funded by NSF from 2004 through 2015 in three awards, the College continues to support the Paschal Scholars program, with more than 50 students having received scholarship support and STEM-related programming,” said Senior Vice President and Provost Matthew Poslusny. “The NSFfunded AWE-STEM program is a natural next step, increasing the levels of support and programming opportunities at Meredith for women entering STEM-related fields.”

The AWE-STEM Scholars Program is under the direction of Hontz, Powell, Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences Maria Pickering and Dean of Natural and Mathematical Sciences Liz Wolfinger, who worked to secure the grant.

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Meredith Students Participate in First Moot Court

By Melyssa Allen

D

uring the fall 2017 semester, a class of pre-law students prepared to participate in Moot Court. These students were the first to represent Meredith in this competition that simulates a Supreme Court hearing.

These students were in the Moot Court class, which is required in Meredith’s new pre-law concentration within political science. The course is taught by Assistant Professor of Political Science Whitney Ross Manzo, who is Meredith’s pre-law adviser.

Six of the students, in three teams of two, competed at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va., on November 3, while 14 other students, in seven teams of two, competed at Regent University in Virginia Beach, Va.

“Because of my Moot Court experience, I now feel I am better prepared to speak in front of others, receive constructive feedback, and collaborate with a team.”

– Ivey Burgess, ’18 Each team had to perform three arguments in front of real lawyers and judges. One student on each team had to argue whether measuring brain activity to determine guilt was a violation of the 5th Amendment’s protection against self-incrimination, while the other student on each team had to argue whether a sentence of solitary confinement when a pris-

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oner has mental illness constitutes cruel and unusual punishment under the 8th Amendment. Each team had to be able to argue both sides of the issue, both for and against.

“Our teams did very well for their first tournament, with judges across the board saying our students had excellent poise and courtroom demeanor,” said Manzo.

Students who participated in Moot Court said they gained much from the competition.

“We experienced a lot of growth both individually and as a team. Because of my Moot Court experience, I now feel I am better prepared to speak in front of others, receive constructive feedback, and collaborate with a team,” said Ivey Burgess, ’18.

While many schools have Moot Court teams, Meredith is one of the few to require it as a course. Moot Court gives students interested in law an early opportunity to practice legal skills.

In class, students spent time learning the cases and worked in teams to develop their own arguments. For several weeks, students took turns arguing their cases in front of faculty members and local attorneys who served as guest judges. Professor of Theatre Catherine Rodgers visited the class to critique presentation styles.

Manzo said the course is useful for anyone

considering law school or for anyone interested in building presentation, communication, and persuasion skills. The students were graded on their improvement over the course of the semester.

“The students in this class improved their presentation skills and learned how to make interesting, persuasive arguments,” Manzo said. “Being able to firmly defend all sides of an argument is an important part of preparing for law school.”

Student Cameron Ruffin, ’18, called Moot Court the most rigorous course she has taken at Meredith.

“Moot Court simultaneously challenged and improved my teamwork, oral communication, critical thinking, and writing skills,” Ruffin said. “This hand’s-on learning experience enhanced skills I will use outside of the classroom and reaffirmed my desire to attend law school.”

Class member Haley Ligon, ’18, recommends the course, which she called a unique opportunity.

“Moot Court strengthened my oral and writing skills since we had to prepare oral arguments and present them in a persuasive yet succinct manner. I would encourage anyone interested in political science or law to take this class,” Ligon said.

Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce President and CEO to Speak at 2018 Commencement

G

reater Raleigh Chamber of C ommerc e President and CEO Adrienne Cole will serve as Meredith College’s 2018 commencement speaker. The College will hold commencement exercises on Saturday, May 12, 2018, at Dorton Arena on the N.C. State Fairgrounds.

Cole, a 1993 graduate of Meredith College, is the first woman to serve as leader of the Chamber in the organization’s 129-year history.

With more than 20 years of experience, Cole previously served as the Chamber’s senior vice president of Economic Development and executive director of Wake County Economic Development.

Under her guidance, Wake County Economic Development and the Greater Raleigh

Chamber announced more than 30 corporate relocations and expansions totaling over $250 million in capital investments and creating more than 5,000 new jobs.

In addition to her undergraduate degree from Meredith, Cole holds a master’s degree in public administration from Appalachian State University.

Faculty and Staff Commitment to Beyond Strong The results of this year’s Faculty and Staff Giving Campaign was a great success and the results exceeded those from last fall’s initiative. After the sixweek campaign, 315 donors made gifts to the College, and 72% participation was achieved. This is the third year participation has been above 70%.

These annual gifts to the College make a difference in the student experience and show the commitment the campus community has for the institution they work at each day.

For more campaign news, visit meredith.edu/beyondstrong.

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REAL-WORLD APPLICATIONS Meredith’s growing psychology program prepares students for life, lucrative careers

By Sarah Lindenfeld Hall

A

bby Hope, ’19, thought she had it all figured out when she entered Meredith College. She’d major in history.

She’d pursue a teaching license. She’d become a history teacher.

That career path, however, went in an unexpected direction after signing up during her second semester for a class in Meredith’s Psychology and Social Work Department.

At first, the clinical experience offered through the Introductory Autism Practicum simply seemed as though it would be enlightening for a future teacher. During the course, Hope worked directly with a preschool child with autism through the Meredith Autism Program. In reality, the course changed everything.

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Soon after, Hope, now a junior, added a psychology major to her college work. Even before graduation, she expects to be eligible for job opportunities when she completes the national exam to become a registered behavior technician. Meredith psychology majors boast a 100 percent pass rate on the exam.

“Undergraduate students getting to work in a clinical setting is something you don’t get anywhere else,” Hope said. “It’s so incredible that Meredith has allowed me to participate in that. … I am so thankful because I have really found what I love to do.”

A psychology major?

Psychology has long been a strong major at

50%

Meredith. Today, it’s among the most popular.

In the past five The total number of years, the total psychology majors has grown 50% - from 89 number of psyin fall 2012 to 131 in chology majors fall 2017. has grown by nearly 50 percent - from 89 in fall 2012 to 131 in fall 2017.

Yet, as a major area of study, psychology still suffers from the dated perception among some that there are few job prospects that result from earning an undergraduate degree.

Meredith’s program – and the students who graduate from it – prove otherwise.

Many psychology majors have no plans to one day hang up a shingle as a psychologist or therapist. But with coursework, internships, and independent research offered through the department, students are preparing themselves for growing and lucrative careers in professions where a thorough knowledge of psychology is essential.

“A lot of students come to us because they are initially interested in that clinical side, but that is really only one aspect of what psychology does,” said Cynthia Edwards, professor of psychology and head of Meredith’s Department of Psychology and Social Work.

Regardless of their career plans, Edwards

said psychology majors come away with high-level skills that include critical thinking, problem solving, oral and written communication, and organization – skills that will prove useful in whatever they do.

“I spend a lot of time telling students that you may be doing something that you don’t even know exists right now, that may not even exist right now, but you are developing the skills to do it,” Edwards said.

“As an undergraduate, you don’t get many opportunities to take this level of ownership for your academic pursuits.

You’ve been given an incredibly involved task and also the resources needed to complete it.”

Real-world applications

– Aly Mann, ’17

These days, the first floor of Ledford Hall is bustling with students who are meeting with professors and collaborating with others on projects and research. There, students find op-

portunities to work one-on-one with professors and also apply the lessons they learn in the classroom to real life.

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been strengthening in the last few years is that real-world application,” Edwards said. “The ability to organize and evaluate information from a variety of sources, to appreciate diversity and individual differences and to really understand how to take a research-based approach to problem solving and apply that in the real world.”

In the 2015-16 school year, the department scrapped its two-decades-old psychology exit exam and replaced it with the Applied Culminating Experience (ACE). Students now can choose from a menu of options that include taking part in “It's really important to support an advanced internship; conducting their own independent research; or the next generation of women in completing coursework in the Merthe OT field and just in the world edith Autism Program. in general. Meredith sends over They can still take the exit exam to fulfill the ACE requirement, but strong students, strong women, the numbers show that they are and I personally love meeting them more eager to work outside the and being part of their lives.” walls of the classroom.

In fall 2017, 19 students were – Dawn Rohlik, Owner, Clinic Director, and Therapist conducting independent research.

Pediatric Possibilities Another 15 were participating in internships. More than 40 were inan increasingly popular field for Meredith volved in the autism program. By comparison, when Edwards arrived at Mer- psychology majors. With a median pay of edith in 1991, internships were rare and only a $82,000 in 2016, according to the U.S. Bureau couple of students were involved in indepen- of Labor Statistics, the field is expected to grow by more than 20 percent in the next decade to dent research. serve a population that’s aging and more often Supporting the next diagnosed with special needs. generation of women But Dawn Rohlik, owner, clinic director, For those seeking an internship, Meredith’s and therapist, said her goal isn’t only to predeep and well-established connections with pare students interested in the field. It’s also to area employers lead to a range of internship demonstrate a workplace where young women opportunities. Students who complete the ad- are respected and supported. vanced internship to satisfy the ACE also at“It’s really important to support the next tend a seminar and complete a final project generation of women in the OT field and just about their experience. in the world in general,” Rohlik said. “MerePediatric Possibilities, a private pediatric dith sends over strong students, strong women, occupational therapy practice in Raleigh, of- and I personally love meeting them and being ten has an intern from Meredith. The clinic part of their lives.” mostly serves children with sensory processing Kendyl Cole, a 2015 Meredith graduate, challenges. Interns are able to observe sessions interned at Pediatric Possibilities several years and sometimes play a supporting role as an oc- ago. Cole, who majored in both psycholcupational therapist works with a child. ogy and Spanish, worked for two years after Occupational therapy (OT) is becoming graduation as a research assistant at the Duke

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Center for Autism and Brain Development.

Today, she’s pursuing a master’s degree in occupational therapy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Cole’s internship experiences during her time at Meredith, combined with her research work, were formative. “Those two experiences really confirmed to me that OT was where I wanted to be,” she said.

Opportunities to ‘dig in’ Psychology students also engage in undergraduate research in a variety of projects, including the long-running Meredith Emerging Adulthood Longitudinal Study (MEALS). The study explores emerging adults, ages 18 to 25, and how they make the transition to adulthood.

“This is a very risky, very stressed out age group,” said Edwards, who focused her 2017 Faculty Distinguished Lecture on results from the study that she leads. “MEALS looks at the factors that mediate that stress.” (For more on the lecture see page 3.)

During summer 2017, students in the MEALS lab also worked with Governor’s School East, a program for high achieving high school students in North Carolina that’s held at Meredith. The group collected data on the teens’ summer experiences.

But students also can conduct their own related research in the lab. “We really give students an opportunity to dig into what interests them,” Edwards said.

In her MEALS research, Alyson “Aly” Mann, who graduated in 2017 with a major in psychology and a minor in Spanish, studied how relationships can impact college students’ resilience. In November 2017, her MEALS thesis was published in the journal Explorations, which highlights undergraduate research.

Fall Semester 2017 Snapshot

19 15 40

Students conducting independent research Students participating in internships

Students involved in the autism program

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“You really get to interact one on one with a client.

The relationship there is so special and valuable.”

– Abby Hope, ’19

“As an undergraduate, you don’t get many opportunities to take this level of ownership for your academic pursuits,” said Mann, who is now pursuing a Master of Arts in Teaching at Meredith.

Making a difference Through the Meredith Autism Program, psychology majors have the unique opportunity to gain clinical experience, something students typically must wait until graduate school to experience. The early intervention program serves young children no older than age 7.

By taking a series of courses, Meredith stu-

dents can work directly with young children with autism, applying techniques learned in the classroom and eventually analyzing the results of their work. The courses also prepare them to take the national exam to become registered behavior technicians, which many parlay into jobs during and after college.

“There’s a lot of marketability for that,” said Kathryn Dove, the program’s director.

In her work in the program, Hope said that her psychology major gives her insights behind her clients’ behaviors. What’s more, she thrives on the connections she’s making with the children.

“You really get to interact one on one with a client,” said Hope, who plans to pursue a graduate degree in clinical psychology and become a board certified behavior analyst. “The relationship there is so special and valuable.”

Learning in Raleigh and beyond Beyond the department’s required course of study, psychology students have other ways to build on their skills and learn about career options.

With a grant (funded by the AARP) from the Council of Independent Colleges, psychology majors, along with majors in exercise and sports science, are meeting with local seniors to assess their homes for safety risks.

Students share exercise routines and find ways

NEW GRADUATE PROGRAM Building on all of these strengths and real-world opportunities, Meredith will launch a new graduate program in industrial and organizational psychology in fall 2018.

The program will combine psychological science with business applications.

It’s a thriving career field, expected to grow at a rate of 19 percent over the next decade, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Firms in nearby Research Triangle Park are looking for these professionals, who earn a median salary of $82,760. Edwards said

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to ensure they follow through on any recommendations, said Gwynn Morris, an associate professor of psychology. Students receive a stipend for their work.

Morris will also take students to Italy this summer as part of a child psychology course.

There, students will observe Italian children and travel to Reggio Emilia, a town wellknown for its student-centered educational philosophy.

“It broadens their perspective and their cultural understanding,” said Morris, who also traveled to Italy with students in 2016.

Life-changing education At Meredith, Lisa Hahne Duke, who graduated in 2004 with a psychology major, spent summers helping Edwards with her work.

After graduation, she went directly into the workforce, launching a successful career with contract research organizations.

The experience in Meredith’s psychology department was life-changing, Duke said.

There, she learned the organizational skills to run a research project, the public speaking skills to present results, and the confidence to enter new situations. More importantly, she learned about herself.

“I fell in love with the material and really felt driven to learn more about myself and how I could be a better person,” Duke said. “... I often talk with my husband about how we’re able to have a perspective on work that allows us to manage and be more successful.

And I think it all stems from what I learned about myself in those years at Meredith.”

Find a playlist of psychology videos at youtube.com/meredithcollege.

the program is a perfect fit for the department.

“We wanted to show our undergraduate students opportunities in career fields that were in a different area of psychology,” Edwards said. “It’s a good place for a woman who wants to be an entrepreneur, do well, and have some control and flexibility.”

The two-year program, which culminates with a full-time internship, is intended for new graduates and those early in their career.

“We want our students to have the skills to walk in the door and immediately contribute,” Edwards said.

Learn more: meredith.edu/iopsychology.

Strong Spaces A look inside the work spaces of Meredith faculty and staff

By Reah Nicholson

WALDA POWELL DEPARTMENT HEAD AND PROFESSOR OF CHEMISTRY, PHYSICS, AND GEOSCIENCE PH.D., M.S., AND B.S. IN CHEMISTRY

W

alda Powell always loved science but chemistry was not her passion. She developed an interest in chemistry when she attended N.C. Governor’s School as a rising senior in high school. An organic chemist taught one of the classes and talked about his life as a pharmaceutical chemist. Powell was hooked.

“I loved science my whole life and was fortunate enough to have parents who supported my interest in doing science projects,” said Powell. “Oftentimes my parents even joined in my efforts. We loved to watch science documentaries, and I read a lot of books on science topics.”

As a synthetic chemist, Powell enjoys making new compounds and is intrigued by trying new synthetic methods. She recently developed an interest in fermentation and would like to pursue research in that area, as she is constantly looking for new research methods.

Powell spends most of her time in her lab, which is one of her favorite places. She describes it as a joyful, peaceful place where she can take some time to work on a synthesis of a compound, troubleshoot a problem, try something new, or sometimes just clean up.

“A lab has been a special place for me since my freshman year of college and it continues to be,” said Powell. Her love for the lab has carried over in the classroom. She designs unique projects for her students to help build on their love for science and research.

Allie Ward, ’17, Georgia Kimbell, ’18, and Lainey Ward, ’18, will take you through the step-by-step process for analyzing apple juice, orange juice, dark spot corrector, foundation, and sunscreen to determine the amount of vitamin C in each product.

Every month it seems Raleigh garners a new ranking. Best big city in the Southeast. 2nd best city to find a job.

15th best city for recent grads. But how does Meredith’s location near the heart of North Carolina’s capital city impact students and graduates – and help to ensure the College continues Going Strong?

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Strong Spaces

1

A look inside the work spaces of Meredith faculty and staff

“

My research lab is a place of learning for my students. It is wonderful to watch students take a project and take ownership in making the project work.

STEP 1: Preparing the solutions Make an iron chloride solution. Using a 1-mL and 5-mL micropipette, the desired amount of iron chloride is measured out. Iron chloride is then combined with nitric acid and mixed in a volumetric flask. To ensure the solution is mixed completely, the covered volumetric flask is placed on a vortex.

�

2

STEP 2: Making the color complex Solutions are combined to make a color complex, which is used for the analysis of vitamin C. Dilute solutions of apple juice, orange juice, dark spot corrector, foundation, and sunscreen are combined with potassium ferrocyanide and ferric chloride to prepare the color complex.

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3

STEP 3: Mixing it up Each solution is placed on a stir plate for 10 minutes to complete the formation of the complex.

5

STEP 5: And the results are in…

When comparing the complexes to the standard, the darker the color, the more vitamin C. •

Dark Spot Corrector has the most vitamin C. Its turquoise color is the closest to the standard, followed by apple juice.

•

Orange juice, the emerald color, came in fourth followed by sunscreen with a greenish color.

•

The foundation, which has more of a yellow color, has the least amount of vitamin C.

4 STEP 4: The analysis 1-cm cuvettes are used to analyze the samples. Each solution is placed in a cuvette and then placed into the UV-Visible Spectrophotometer, which provides the sample’s concentration of vitamin C compared to a standard solution of vitamin C. The goal is to have a linear relationship between the concentration of vitamin C and absorbance of the color complex.

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The Power of

Forgiveness One faculty member’s exploration of forgiveness has impacted the larger community

By Gaye Hill

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“It's one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself, to forgive. Forgive everybody.”

– Maya Angelou

M

ost people have heard the saying “forgive and forget.” But according to Associate Professor of Communication Carla Ross,

this saying is just one of many misinterpretations of what it means to forgive.

“If you look up forgiveness in the thesaurus, you’ll see everything that forgiveness is not,” said Ross.

“It’s no wonder that we are confused.”

Forgiveness is a loaded term that can be difficult to define and even harder to put into practice – which was precisely one of the reasons Ross felt compelled to embark on researching the subject.

For 10 years Ross, who has a Ph.D. in communication, has been exploring the concept of forgiveness through research and application.

She has applied what she has learned through academic courses at Meredith and workshops in the community. After returning to school to earn a master’s degree in counseling, she opened a private practice. Because of her classes, students have conducted related undergraduate research projects.

And, research from her sabbatical became a published paper in a book that explores the subject from a variety of disciplinary perspectives.

Ross has used this knowledge to support those within the community, especially women. And with the growing awareness of the widespread incidence of sexual assault and abuse, she sees an even greater need for a better understanding of forgiveness.

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How to practice forgiveness Ross has found that forgiveness is different for everyone. There are two major components to forgiveness: intellectual and emotional.

“The intellectual part means that you realize how much it’s hurting you and the benefits of forgiving.

You make a decision to forgive. The emotional component takes longer.

Your emotions slowly begin to change as hate goes to dislike to tolerance eventually to compassion.”

In describing this process, Ross cautions that it takes time. “We have to be patient with ourselves. Most of us don’t give ourselves the time to process things.”

One exercise she has found to be effective is to write down the details of the grievance, perhaps in a letter to the person who wronged you. Include the people involved, the event that took place, and the consequences.

Then write in big letters (Ross uses a large red marker) “Forgiven” along with the date, and then burn the letter.

Similarly, she has led retreats at the beach in which participants have written words on seashells and thrown them into the ocean.

The visceral components of such experiences are critical: the smell of the fire, the sound of the ocean. All help to imprint the moment in one’s mind and move toward forgiveness.

Watch a video of a forgiveness exercise at youtube.com/ meredithcollege.

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“In my own life there was a time I was pretty mad at the world and I learned how to forgive.” – Carla Ross What forgiveness is … and is not Ross began her research on forgiveness when she realized as a faculty member in the field of communication that most relational communication courses end with conflict management. She felt that this was stopping short of a productive conclusion and identified forgiveness as the next step.

As further motivation, she had personally experienced the transformative effect of forgiveness.

“In my own life there was a time I was pretty mad at the world and I learned how to forgive,” said Ross. “I didn’t realize how angry I was and how many grudges I was carrying around.”

Through her work, Ross has identified several myths about forgiveness. One of the most prevalent is the assumption that forgiveness is for the offender. In fact, said Ross, forgiveness, with all of its many benefits, is for the person who is doing the forgiving rather than

the person receiving the forgiveness. Further, unlike reconciliation, forgiveness is an individual endeavor. It might lead to reconciliation, which requires mutual change by both parties involved, but its power – and scope – is individual in nature.

“There is great empowerment and liberation in realizing that you can do this all by yourself,” said Ross.

Forgiveness is also not an excuse for bad behavior, and does not require that one forgets what has happened.

“When we forgive something it doesn’t take anything away from how bad it was,” said Ross. “It’s not excusing bad behavior – in fact it’s recognizing that it was horrible and

wrong – but it’s saying I’m not going to let it control the rest of my life.”

The students who take Ross’s class on forgiveness and communication are among those who benefit from having greater clarity about forgiveness.

“Before taking this class I would have said that forgiveness had to involve two people.

Now I have learned that forgiveness has nothing to do with your offender and whether they deserve to be forgiven; forgiveness is solely for your own benefit. It is letting yourself move on from an event that has caused you pain,” said Holly Hite, ’19.

Hite sees potential for using this knowledge long after she graduates from Meredith.

“There will always be conflicts and the need for forgiveness in relationships, and this class has better prepared me to deal with and understand these situations.”

Health benefits of forgiveness Through her research, Ross has found that forgiving, or not forgiving, can have significant health implications.

“Repressed anger is incredibly destructive,” said Ross. “We have all kinds of health outcomes that are just killing us, from heart attacks to high blood pressure to skin disorders.”

According to Ross, intense bitterness, anger, and sadness held onto for a very long time can literally make us sick. She cited studies that have found associations between repressed anger and arthritis, and sadness with skin disorders. Other studies have found that people who were unforgiving had blood chemistry similar to those under extreme stress, and experienced migraines and severe headaches.

Conversely, practicing forgiveness has been found to support better sleep, a greater sense of peace, and less anxiety and depression.

Expanding the scope More recently, Ross has shifted her focus to the related topic of abuse, specifically educating to help identify abuse and provide resources for safety and accountability for victims and abusers. In April she will be presenting at the Christian Association for Psychological Studies on this topic, as she has discovered that churches are frequently called on to support victims of abuse and are often

“Now I have learned that forgiveness has nothing to do with your offender and whether they deserve to be forgiven; forgiveness is solely for your own benefit. It's letting yourself move on from an event that has caused you pain.”

– Holly Hite, ’19

ill-equipped to do so. She intends to develop a program for ministers and other professionals in the field to support education and recognition of abuse, counsel and protection for victims, and accountability for abusers.

Although much of what Ross studies has obvious significance on an interpersonal level, she sees broader societal implications. Angela Sabates, an associate professor of psychology at Bethel College who has known Ross for more than 20 years, agrees.

“Interpersonal forgiveness is associated with many positive outcomes, including a lessened likelihood of seeking retaliation.

Thus, forgiveness research like that done by Dr. Ross can help us better understand how to stop the cycle of aggression that occurs in both intimate relationships as well as in larger contexts such as extremist groups.”

Sabates observed that Ross’ expanded focus

on recognizing and treating abuse is critical in today’s climate.

“Recent media coverage of women’s allegations about sexual assault helps to highlight just how pervasive abuse is. Interestingly, forgiveness also plays an integral role in recovery from abuse, so these two areas of research are intricately linked. Dr. Ross’s acknowledgement of this connection is one reason her research is not only relevant, but also indispensable.”

Ten years into her research, Ross continues to be struck by how misunderstood the concept of forgiveness is. And, she said, “… because we misunderstand we don’t do it and we’re missing out. I have a daughter who is 15 years old, and of all the things I’ve learned this is probably the most powerful.

If I can teach her how to forgive I know she will be all right.”

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The Changing Role of the Campus Library How Carlyle Campbell Library Remains Essential to a Meredith Education

By Melyssa Allen

I

n popular imagination, libraries are silent spaces filled with dusty books and stern staff who shush overly talkative patrons. In reality, especially at Meredith College, libraries are places of collaboration where students can study together or confer with librarians about research projects.

Over the last few years, intentional changes have been made at Meredith’s Carlyle Campbell Library, both in its physical space and its professional focus, in order to best serve the needs of students, faculty, and the wider community.

The changes have made the library a more appealing place for students to study and work.

And the immense amount of information available online has made it more important than ever that library professionals help student researchers parse what is good information and what is not.

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Improvements to the library’s physical space According to Laura Davidson, dean of library information services, one of the important needs the library fulfills is providing an academic space for students outside of classrooms. Renovations have been made to make the space an inviting one where students want to spend time. Changes like loosening the rules against food in the library and remaining open 24 hours a day during exams have also made it easier for students to study longer.

“This is a place where students can come together and find support,” Davidson explained. “We’ve done things like enhance the group study rooms, we’ve got monitors they can plug their computers into and share screens, we’ve put whiteboards out on every floor so students can take notes, do equations, whatever they need to do.”

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“There are a lot of physical arrangement steps that we've taken to promote the idea of an academic space that's not the classroom.”

– Laura Davidson

The main floor and the lower level of the library have been redesigned to allow more group work. There’s still a “quiet study” space on the third level.

“We’ve tried to furnish the floors appropriately to encourage group work on the lower two floors and quiet study up on the top,” Davidson explained. “There are a lot of physical arrangement steps that we’ve taken to promote that idea of an academic space that’s not the classroom.”

A major change has been made to the main floor thanks to a redesign of the service areas near the library’s entrance.

“When I first came to Meredith, what you got on the main floor were a concentration of services – when you walked in, there was a service desk right there, computers on the side, and a bunch of reference books behind,” Davidson said. “There was a reference desk, media services desk, and the circulation services by the exit. And that was pretty much all

we had room for on the floor.”

Library usage patterns showed that students wanted to be able to be on the main floor – those tables seemed to be the ones that always filled first – so changes were made to open more space for study and discussion.

New café tables with electric sockets for device charging have proven popular.

“Library literature talks about ‘monolithic desks’ so when we redesigned this space, we intentionally went after a design that was not fortress-like,” Davidson said. “We’ve combined our two main service desks into one, with a design that encourages more interaction. You can choose to work on your own, or to ask for help.”

Another change that provides more resources occurred when the Learning Center was relocated to the library’s lower level in 2015.

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“A peer tutor program tends to work well because students are less afraid to approach someone that they see in classes and in the dining hall.”

Friends of the Library Interested in supporting the Library?

Join the Friends of the Carlyle Campbell Library. The organization hosts a dinner each spring and fall, and funds library projects.

– Carmen Christopher

Through a partnership with Quail Ridge Books, the Friends of the Library regularly sponsors readings and presentations by acclaimed writers, including public radio host Diane Rehm, feminist icon Gloria Steinem, celebrity chef Rachael Ray, and best-selling authors Khaled Hosseini, Pat Conroy, Sue Monk Kidd, and Louise Penny.

In addition to joining Friends of the Library, alumnae and friends can support the library’s projects by making a gift to Beyond Strong | The Campaign for Meredith and designating it for the Carlyle Campbell Library.

To join Friends of the Library or to make a gift, visit infotogo.meredith. edu/friends

ing for most students,” Davidson said. “This is a combination that has a lot of synergy. They are working on the same things we are in a lot of ways.”

Carmen Christopher, the director of the Learning Center, agrees. “Having the Learning Center in the library seemed like a natural fit. Students go to the library to study and to work on academic projects, so the tutors are there to help when needed. While the Learning Center offers individual tutoring in individual spaces, the library offers a variety of options for group study. The tutors can work

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with students to find the best way to approach subjects for a particular assignment.”

Sharing a space has led to collaborations.

Through a new Peer Research Tutor program, the library identifies students who have excelled at information literacy, and the Learning Center trains those students as tutors.

“Meredith students have a chance to work with a highly-skilled and highly-trained peer tutor to assist them with navigating databases and other research tools. They also help students select appropriate and credible sources for the types of projects they are doing,” said

Christopher. “A peer program tends to work well because students are less afraid to approach someone that they see in classes and in the dining hall.”

Providing options like peer tutors to meet the changing needs of students is another goal of the library.

Davidson says she considers the library’s website a branch of the library. “Students can expect to get services online just like they can get services walking into the building. They can do things online like renew their books, they can start a chat session with a research and instruction librarian and ask questions, we have extensive holdings of electronic books, and almost all of our journals are now online,” Davidson said.

Ensuring information literacy Meredith’s librarians aren’t just available as resources – they are actively working with students and faculty in classes.

Research and instruction librarians serve as liaisons to academic departments, making themselves more knowledgeable about the specific needs of those programs.

“A lot of times the students writing senior thesis papers or doing advanced research will be referred by their faculty to come to us,” said Jeff Waller, head of Research and Instruction.

“Those thesis papers, which require 20-25 different sources, can be intimidating for a student, so working with a specialist librarian who is a liaison in that field is beneficial. We already know the techniques to use, the best places to search, and we are able to work with those students in a more informed way.”

All students at Meredith receive instruction from librarians in English classes.

“We have an excellent program that supports collaboration between English professors and librarians,” said Visiting Assistant Professor Tina Romanelli.

“At the beginning of every semester, each English instructor is paired with a librarian for the General Education courses of ENG 111 and ENG 200. We meet to discuss the research assignments in the course and information literacy outcomes

and instruction. The librarian teaches two classes in the library, and the students learn that solid research is important, doable, and even fun.”

Learn more about how to evaluate information online in an episode of The Meredith Minute featuring Jeff Waller. Watch at youtube.com/meredithcollege

“Those thesis papers, which require 20-25 different sources, can be intimidating for a student, so working with a specialist librarian who is a liaison in that field is beneficial.” – Jeff Waller

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Meredith’s “Murder Mystery Night” lets students solve literary crimes. The mystery is designed using themes such as Harry Potter and Jane Austen (with zombies).

In every major there is a course designated to fulfill the Information Literacy thread in General Education. Research and instruction librarians present in many of these classes.

Professor of Economics Anne York teaches one such course.

“I worked with Jeff Waller to better understand how librarians view information literacy.

Together we developed an information literacy log in which the students would record each search term they used and what research sources they found,” York said. “The students turned in their information literacy log with their final project and we as faculty and library staff were able to view each student’s search process and not just the end result.”

Having information literacy embedded into

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the College’s curriculum is unusual, and provides students with much needed skills.

“It is the envy of many other colleges and universities, because at so many places, it is really hit or miss on which students get library instruction and which majors really work with the library on teaching research skills,” Waller said.

“Meredith’s program is pretty unusual in having that embedding within the curriculum and across the board support from all academic departments. It helps ensure that students are meeting that learning outcome of becoming savvy consumers of information.”

Waller says it is a misconception that online resources make research easier now.

“Research has gotten more complicated in many ways. There are more resources available to people than ever before but getting to it can be pretty challenging. Our librarians play a key role in helping to guide people to the best sources for their needs,” Waller said. “It is

our job as librarians to steer them back toward more reliable sources of information that we know are credible because they have been produced by scholars and reviewed by editors.”

While at some schools the number of students seeking reference support has declined, Meredith’s numbers are on the rise. “Because

“The library is an essential partner in my work as a faculty member. The library liaisons work thoughtfully to acquire databases that allow faculty and students to conduct research by bringing archival quality resources like historic newspapers, magazines, and government records within our reach.” – Dan Fountain

we’ve been so involved in instructing students, a lot of students are seeking out our help more than they used to,” Waller said. “We understand that research is a challenging undertaking, and we’re [the student’s] partners at finding what is needed.”

Faculty also see the librarians as partners.

“As a member of the teaching faculty I absolutely think of the library staff as my support staff or as co-teachers,” said Beth Mulvaney, professor of art history and head of the Department of Art. “In my upper-level and research courses the research librarians help my students understand how to locate important information that they will not find by simply Googling. The research librarians help them understand that peer-reviewed sources are substantively different than what you might find through a simple internet search.”

Library’s role in campus community Beyond the classroom, the library serves the entire Meredith community in a variety of ways, from hosting academic events such as the poster session of Celebrating Student Achievement Day to supporting campus programs.

Each year, the library hosts a “Murder Mystery Night” in which students have to use research skills to solve the literary-focused crime.

Jane Austen and Harry Potter have been recent themes for this night. Students learn while having fun, another way the library makes itself more approachable to students.

“I love to have events in the library because it brings more people in, and it gives us a chance to maybe correct their impression of what they think the library is,” Davidson said.

Librarians serve on a variety of campus committees and support campus events such as orientation and public lectures.

“I encourage everyone in the library to be engaged with the campus in some way so they aren’t always inside the building,” Davidson said. “Being out on campus talking to people about things that may not start out as a library conversation gives us the capacity to be more responsive to campus needs and to be more aware of shifting interests.”

The Archives department serves the College community in a special way – by collecting and preserving the history of Meredith.

Archives Director Carrie Nichols encourages alumnae who have questions or memorabilia to share to get in touch. They’ve answered queries about people with connections to the College, provided information on historic events, and they support the research of students, faculty, and journalists. Archives was essential in celebrating Meredith’s 125th anniversary, including preparing a time capsule that is now housed in the Thomas Meredith memorial. The library website includes a wide variety of archival resources.

Whether helping protect Meredith history, supporting student research, or providing a place for study, the library continues evolving to meet the needs of the campus community.

“My goals for the library are that we stay engaged in the curriculum and with the faculty at Meredith. That’s really it – we want to be a supporter of Meredith’s mission,” Davidson said. “At the heart of it, we are supporting the curriculum and advancing education.”

Provost Matthew Poslusny said the library continues to hold a special place in the academic life of the College.

“I am heartened to see how our library is

evolving and becoming a much more welcoming space for students, a place where students want to be,” Poslusny said. “I truly feel that our library is the center of campus in so many ways.”

Library Services for Alumnae Meredith alumnae are welcome to use the services of Carlyle Campbell Library. Alumnae can get a free library card and borrow up to five books and other library items at a time. Come to the Circulation Desk to get a card.

Other services include use of the library’s public access computers and on-campus use of online databases and ebooks (off-campus access to these materials is not available.)

The Meredith Archives department also supports the research needs of alumnae and others interested in the College.

Appointments are recommended; contact the department at archives@meredith.edu.

CAMPUS

NEWS

BEYOND STRONG The Campaign for Meredith

$1 Million Gift to Benefit Sansepolcro

M

eredith College is pleased to announce that an anonymous donor has recently given a $1 million planned gift to the Sansepolcro program.

The gift will support scholarships and maintenance of the Palazzo Alberti, the living and learning space for Meredith students and faculty.

“After two trips to Sansepolcro with the Meredith Travel Program, I see how important and valuable this study abroad program is for Meredith students,” said the donor. “These trips confirm my belief that study abroad is needed and important, and a place like Sansepolcro is indeed special and unique.”

This gift was made by a donor whose family has a long history with Meredith, even establishing a scholarship fund in the early 1920s for tuition. The scholarship was permanently endowed 11 years ago by the anonymous donor so the family name would continue to live on and provide financial assistance to those who needed it. In 2011, the donor decided to

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revise its purpose and now this scholarship provides support for undergraduate students with financial need who are studying abroad.

“I want to share my passion for travel by enabling future generations of students to experience the joy, intellectual stimulation, and excitement of exploring other countries and cultures,” said the donor in 2011.

After visiting Sansepolcro and seeing the small community where students are living and learning, the donor created a new $1 million planned gift.

“Studying abroad gives these young women confidence and it broadens their horizons. The curriculum is quite broad and the arts, architecture, and weekend trips teach them so much. It gives them a different perspective,” said the donor.

Meredith has had a presence in Sansepolcro, Italy, for more than 25 years. In 2009, Meredith began leasing the 16th century Palazzo Alberti and the program has continued to grow.

“More than 350 students, 130 alumnae,

40 faculty, 20 staff, and many friends of the College have experienced this special place,” said Brooke Shurer, director of international programs. “The opportunity to study in an authentic Tuscan town, where we are welcomed as members of the community, sets Meredith College apart.”

The donor also saw on her trips to Sansepolcro how wonderful the facility is and that it is truly a home for Meredith.

“The people of Sansepolcro have taken these students under their wing and interact with them daily. They are truly a part of the community, which is so important,” said the donor. “The size of the town allows for this interaction and it is a special place allowing the students to look back on the whole experience fondly.”

The donor enjoys receiving the thank you letters from students who have received the family scholarship and was able to have lunch recently with four of the students to share in their experiences.

Caitlin Oliver, ’18, said, “Through the Sansepolcro program, I proved to myself

that I have what it takes to travel independently. Moreover, the experience gave me the opportunity to become a part of the Sansepolcro community. It became my second home. With the generous support of donors, Meredith can continue to provide this gateway for women to develop the skills to become global citizens.”

Ann Cox,’18, who studied in Sansepolcro in fall 2015, says the gifts to the program are vital because study abroad fees only cover so much of what makes the Meredith study abroad experience as magical as it is.

“The benefits of this program are not all easily broken down into skills I can put on a resume. The simultaneous feelings of newfound independence and belonging in a new community all while receiving a Meredith education are irreplaceable. Gifts like these ensure that generations of students to come will be able to hone these skills and live these life-changing experiences,” said Cox. The Meredith community is excited about this gift, but no one more than Catherine Rodgers,’76, director of Meredith in Italy.

“The gift from this generous donor will ensure that Meredith's program in Italy will continue to grow and thrive for years to come.

We are grateful to them for acknowledging the importance of studying abroad and the unique nature of our program in Sansepolcro in such a special way,” said Rodgers.

Learn more about study abroad and the Sansepolcro program at meredith.edu/studyabroad.

Meredith College is pleased to announce other recent gifts for study abroad.

Natalie Braswell Broyhill, ’09, and Penn Broyhill Study Abroad Endowment Fund

Vickie Owens Robinson, ’74, and Jim Robinson Scholarship Endowment for Study Abroad

A planned gift of more than $270,000

A planned gift of $150,000

to support the greatest needs of

“A scholarship made it possible for me to study abroad, and I love the idea of paying it forward for the benefit of future students. It is important to keep the funds open for what the program needs at the time, whether that’s training and on-site visits for staff, scholarships for

“We believe that seeing beyond our ‘nest’ has helped us to realize how very fortunate we are. We have seen and experienced things that shape and confirm our beliefs and values.

We have also seen and experienced things that challenge us once we return home. Through sharing a little from our resources we are hopeful that other kindred spirits will get a

students, or anything in between.”

chance to experience these things.”

Dr. Bernie Cochran Honors Study Abroad Scholarship Endowment

Meredith Marr Watson, ’74, and Michael David Watson Study Abroad Scholarship

A $25,000 current gift

A $50,000 current gift

“As founding director of the Honors Program in the 1980s, I have been pleased with the success and expansion of the program. The Study Abroad Program is a valuable contribution to a student's broadening of her horizons. I am fortunate to be able to combine both of these interests with a gift to help Honors students experience the joy and the educational enrichment of study

“I love Meredith! As a student, I was not able to travel internationally. In the past 15 years, I have started traveling with Meredith and have thoroughly enjoyed this experience. We wanted to give an endowment to Meredith to help students who might like to study

study abroad.

abroad.”

The Four Graces Endowment for Study Abroad by Susan H. Metts, ’71 A planned gift of $25,000

Watch our Meredith in Italy videos at youtube.com/meredithcollege.

“I made the gift to honor the memory of my mother and in appreciation for her love and devotion to my two sisters and me. She was one of the strongest women I have ever known.

My hope is that students will find the same joy in travel that I have and their

abroad.”

Help Meredith Go Beyond Strong If you are interested in giving to the newly established Friends of Sansepolcro Endowment or the Sansepolcro Current Scholarship Fund, contact Billie Jo Kennedy Cockman at cockmanb@meredith.edu or (919) 760-8371.

Learn other ways to support Meredith by visiting meredith. edu/beyondstrong/makean-impact.

lives will be enriched.”

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BEYOND STRONG The Campaign for Meredith

Dickson Foundation Names Community Garden

T

he Dickson Foundation has recently given a $250,000 gift to name the garden on campus the Dickson Foundation Community Garden.

The garden was started by Bill Landis, head of the nutrition, health, and human performance department, and Aaron Schletter, grounds manager, following a sabbatical by Landis.

The mission of the garden is to serve as a campus resource for education, research, service, and training in sustainability, ecology, food security, and environmentallysound food production. The garden provides an excellent area for student research with a direct connection between garden activities and academic courses across campus.

The Dickson Foundation’s mission is to support education and the Foundation has a long history of helping Meredith starting in 1979 giving an annual gift, and continuing with the last two fundraising campaigns.

The Dickson Foundation Community Garden is a place for the whole campus community to come together. Often people

pick up lessons in vegetable cultivation and the weekly farm stand offers fresh produce.

The campus community can also sign up for Meredith Supported Agriculture (MSA) baskets. Plant waste from the garden, the food and nutrition program food labs, and the dining hall are collected and used for a pilot project that demonstrates the feasibility of a larger scale composting operation.

This gift will allow the garden to expand.

Some uses of the funds will be fencing, signage for the garden, a land lab for nutrition students to conduct research, new plantings to extend or replace original plants, student stipends to conduct research and maintain the garden, undergraduate research materials, and faculty stipends.

“The naming of the garden is a wonderful affirmation of its place and purpose at Meredith. This gift will enable the campus garden to fully achieve its mission,” said Landis. “It will have a significant impact on the lives of our students and the entire Meredith community, and will keep it going strong for many years to come.”

Lawrence Family Gift Enhances Community Garden

M

eredith College recently received a $50,000 gift from the Lawrence Family to support enhancements to the Dickson Foundation Community Garden.

Sarah Olive Lawrence, ’40, and daughters Sally Lawrence Sandifer, ’78, ’16 (M.S. Nutrition), and Molly Lawrence Whitaker, ’79, felt this was the perfect project for their gift to support because of the love they have for the College and what the garden means to the Meredith community.

Sandifer was a home economics undergraduate major, and came back to obtain her M.S. in Nutrition in 2016. She worked

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in the garden on whole campus composting with Aaron Schletter, grounds manager, during her recent time at Meredith.

“I learned a lot from him and we started talking about how a gift could impact the garden. The conversation evolved into creating this outdoor classroom.”

The gift will support an outdoor classroom with a kitchen and demonstration area. This new research space will provide a venue for nutritional and environmental education, research, and outreach.

A greenhouse will allow for an extended growing season of edible plants and ornamental flowers, including the Meredith

Hues Iris. The use of sustainable technologies in the garden will support and promote healthy food production.

“We really want students to learn that it isn’t hard to grow sustainable foods and to try new things. It is so important that they learn the importance of eating healthy food and eating nutritionally good things that they can grow with ease,” said Sandifer.

Current Food and Nutrition programs, such as the produce stand and Meredith Supported Agriculture (MSA), will also be greatly enhanced with these additions to the garden.

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Meredith Legacy Scholarship Celebrates 10 Years

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n October 24, Meredith Legacy Scholarship donors gathered at the Massey House to celebrate the accomplishments of the scholarship. The scholarship was first awarded 10 years ago and started by a passionate group of alumnae driven by a desire to attract the strongest students to Meredith College.

The scholarship is the highest honor available to an entering freshman, with a total estimated value of $180,000.

The merit-based scholarship provides full tuition, room and board, books, supplies, international study, networking opportunities, and other academic enrichment programs.

More than 600 donors have given to the scholarship since its inception with a total of $8.8 million raised.

“When donors give to the Legacy Scholarship, they are joining all the Legacy donors in believing Meredith has a valuable role to play in the future of each student. We have a responsibility to provide the means for each young woman to work with the excellent faculty and staff to find the best way to use her gifts,” said Ann Batson James, ’67, member of the Board of Trustees.

Current Legacy Scholar Kirby Jones, ’19, has taken full advantage of the opportunities the scholarship has given her and feels she has been empowered both personally and academically by being a recipient.

“I seek ways to live an intentional and authentic life at Meredith,” said Jones. “I am empowered to pursue activities and leadership roles that speak deeply to the things I value most and in a community that values my strengths and allows me to refine them in meaningful ways.”

Jones has taken trips with other scholars to Spain, Belize, and the United Kingdom. All of these experiences gave her new challenges in different

Left to Right: Legacy Scholars Kirby Jones, ’19, Erin Huber, ’11, Huma Hashmi, ’21, Tia Joyce, ’16, Ansley Harris, ’20, Imani William, ’18, and Sierra Moorefield, ’18

environments and she was able to learn about her own strengths, interests, and passion for global citizenship. On a local level, she also started a book club at Sanderson High School in an effort to expose students to texts that reflect diverse identities and backgrounds.

“These students are intellectually curious, motivated, eager, and are ready for graduate and professional school and the careers ahead of them,” said Jean Jackson, vice president of college programs. “At Meredith, we provide the support and challenge necessary for growth and development and encourage them to take leadership roles and give back to the community that has rewarded them for their promise as scholars.”

Legacy alumna, Erin Huber, ’11, currently a national certified counselor at Page High School in Greensboro, N.C., spoke at the reception.

“One of the biggest things the scholarship did was bring me out of my shell. I had so many opportunities to meet visiting lecturers and people in government, and to visit new countries. So after I graduated, I felt like I had the tools to handle almost any situation,” Huber said.

The ultimate goal for the Legacy Scholarship Program is to raise $17

million, which will award the scholarship to four freshmen each year, with 16 scholars attending Meredith at any one time. Nine alumnae and six current students have received the scholarship since 2007.

“While a Legacy Scholarship is intended to recognize a top-achieving student, it also offers the possibility of helping a student who has less financial support. The quality of women who are identified as Legacy Scholars is truly remarkable and inspiring,” said President Jo Allen, ’80. “These women set the bar high for intellectual discussions inside and outside the classroom. They often identify and forge their own paths toward success. They accept top internships, research assignments, study abroad experiences and, ultimately, careers. And the best thing about Legacy Scholars is that they model success in ways that inspire their classmates, friends, faculty, and staff. They not only are Legacy Scholars, but they actually leave legacies of strength, confidence, and impact throughout the Meredith community and beyond.”

➜

If you are interested in learning more, visit meredith.edu/beyondstrong/ meredith-legacy-scholarship

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ALUMNAE

CONNECTION Class notes and news for Meredith Alumnae 1961 Mary Lou Allen Gallagher and her husband have enjoyed supporting the Avenging Angels softball program. They met the head coach at the Class of 1961’s 50th Class Reunion. Phyllis Williams Swanson and her husband are happy to report their son’s wife is a Meredith Angel. They are excited to add her to their family.

1964

Lucinda Howell Glover relocated from her retirement home in Ashe County, N.C., to Carol Woods Retirement Community in Chapel Hill, N.C.

1967 Judith Caroll Gardner has enjoyed living in Raleigh since earning a M.S. degree from the University of Tennessee in 1970, when she began her career in state government in the area of child advocacy.

Now she spends time at the beach or pursuing her interest in French culture by participating in three social organizations which promote the language, exchanges, and fundraising for a French chateau.

She really likes being able to attend various Meredith events. Judith Strickland Miller moved from Indiana, Penn., to Statesville, N.C. She volunteers at both Iredell Memorial Hospital, where she plays for church on the fourth Sunday every month, and at Davis Regional Medical Center, where she plays piano each Tuesday on the Psych/Geriatric Traditions floor. She is a pianist for the Iredell County Senior Serenaders, who perform weekly at assisted care facilities, churches, and other requests. Susan Grant Rawls and her husband moved from Statesville to Murrels Inlet, S.C., in July of 2016. They live in an over 55 community and are very happy. Marilyn McGoodan Salyer married her husband after

graduation in June 1967. They started their married life in Bryn Mawr, Penn. Salyer started her teaching career in Wayne, Penn., as a home economics teacher, and retired 11 years ago. Salyer and her husband now live in Malvern, Penn. Salyer spends her leisure time reading, gardening, sewing/quilting, researching family genealogy, relaxing at Holden Beach, N.C., and playing with her two grandchildren.

Gloria McDonald Stubbs was cancer free from endometrial cancer, but it returned in August 2017.

Stubbs had three chemo treatments and a CAT scan in October 2017 that showed the nodules in her lungs were gone, with only scar tissue remaining and the cancer in her peritoneum has decreased significantly.

Stubbs has three more chemo treatments, but she is celebrating this wonderful news.

1968

Clara Safrit Wade is thrilled that her son has returned to Raleigh after many years of living out of town. In September 2017, Bonita Riffle Currey, Frances Hayes Swanson, and Teese Ayers Griffin were able to spend time in Beaufort with Wade. She says they had a little taste of what the 50th Reunion will be like, lots of talking, smiling, remembering, and catching up!

1970 Janet Morris Belvin went on a Corvette road rally with her husband through the state of Kentucky last fall. She is a regular volunteer in the pediatric department of Inova Loudon Hospital. Melanie Johnson McAlpine will be retiring from Davidson College after almost 25 years as faculty assistant.

1971 Boyd King Dimmock will travel to Johannesburg,

South Africa in February and will be leading a team from her church to support an orphanage sponsored

by N.C. Baptist on Mission. They will build a foster home for orphans called Door of Hope. Penny Flint King is a retired art teacher who lives in New Bern with her husband and travels often to Winston-Salem to see her grandchildren. She lives in a lovely new home built to look like a farm house, which allows her to celebrate her years growing up on a farm in Pfafftown. Sara Kennemur Mountford, Bonnie Bell, Jane Holloway Woodard, and Anne Luter Bromby enjoyed a fabulous reunion in October. Their Roanoke Rapids High School was recently designated

by Architectural Digest as the most architecturally notable high school in the state of North Carolina.

Ann Clark Munns, Penny Flint King, and Boyd King Dimmock celebrated their New Bern High School reunion in September. Ann Clark Munns is a retired teacher who lives in Burlington with her husband. She stays active in her church and travels often to see her grandchildren. Sharyn Hemrick West has received some unexpected delights during her three years of retirement. She often accompanies her husband, as he travels the region as Meredith’s senior director of planned giving. West enjoys visiting with Meredith alumnae and witnessing their unending love for Meredith. She also volunteers with her Meredith ESL graduate professor, Ellen Graden, to help refugees and immigrants enroll in the Wake County School System.

1973 Connie Everhart Burleson has retired from Rowan Salisbury schools as a music teacher. She is now the organist at First Presbyterian Church in Lexington, N.C., and is taking harp lessons. Most of all, Burleson enjoys her six grandchildren. Michelle

Compiled by the Office of Alumnae Relations from August 2017 – November 3, 2017. Information may be edited for space limitations and content restrictions. Submit class notes to your class agent, 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 Summer 2018 issue is March 2, 2018.

Submissions received after this date will appear in the Fall 2018 issue.

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Rich Goode and her husband have expanded their cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Bedford, Va., and are looking forward to more travel and leisure in their future. Goode is still founder/president of Rich Commercial Realty in Raleigh and enjoys commuting to see her Meredith friends. She hopes to establish a strong Meredith network in Southwest Virginia when she is fully retired. Fayette Jacobs Jones and her husband live in Plano, Texas. Jones is retired from her church music position. She is an adjunct music instructor at El Centro College but is retiring in spring 2018 after 39 years in that position.

Jones still maintains a piano and voice studio in her home, and has two cats. Jones and her husband are celebrating their 41st wedding anniversary this year. Anne Jones Sorhagen has joined the North Carolina Community Foundation as Southeastern Regional Director covering the counties of Onslow, New Hanover, Pender, Duplin, Sampson, Columbus, Brunswick, and Robeson. Beth Ankers Tuttle lives in High Point, N.C. After teaching since 1973 in public and private schools in Georgia and North Carolina, she has retired from the field of education.

Tuttle has recently sold Academic Associates, the tutoring service she started and operated with a friend since 1999. Tuttle was a math major, and she thanks all of her math professors for their influence on her life. She especially thanks Dr. Roger Crook, who helped her expand her beliefs and open her mind to new thoughts and new spiritual growth. Ann Harden Whitford, of Morehead City, N.C., has been appointed by Governor Roy Cooper to a six year term as a member of the NC State Board of Community Colleges. This is her second term on the state board. Whitford also previously served 16 years on the Board of Trustees of Carteret Community College.

1974 Alice Winecoff Clayton enjoys the contact of reaching out to high school students who are potential Meredith students through ARMS: Alumnae Recruiting Meredith Students. Now that her son’s family has moved closer to her, she gets to spend more time with her granddaughter, who she hopes will also be a future Meredith student.

In June 2017, Cindy Godwin, Ann Lowery, Peggy Meres, and Kay Hall Norman, enjoyed a French River Cruise with the Meredith Travel Program group. Mamie Lewis Potter celebrated the birth of a granddaughter, who was born 7/17/17 in Northampton, Mass. Her grandson will turn four in November. When not enjoying her grandchildren,

Join Meredith Travels in Sicily, Italy September 25 - October 7, 2018 Meredith Travels will journey to Sicily in Fall 2018. The trip begins and ends in Palermo, which features Norman castles, Moorish influences, lively and engaging local culture, and delicious food.

Other highlights include the amazing Greek ruins in the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento, the World Heritage sites Noto and Modica, and a visit to Mount Etna.

Meredith Travels is a travel opportunity provided by the College to serve alumnae and friends who are seeking special international programming.

Faculty Emeritae Rebecca Bailey and Betty Webb create primarily custom experiences with the goal of providing compatible travelers with rich learning opportunities and good fun in equal measure. You do not have to be affiliated with Meredith or an alumna to travel with us!

Reserve your space early. Please contact Denise Parker at dpparker@ meredith.edu or (919) 760-8051. For more travel details, visit meredith. edu/alumnae/meredith-travel-program.

meredith.edu/alumnae

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ALUMNAE

CONNECTION

[ALUMNAE GOING STRONG]

ANN ROBERTSON, ’70 A Life-Changing Connection

By Donna Bahena, ’18 Inspired to help immigrants during a time when there were few immigration attorneys in North Carolina, Ann Robertson, ’70, founded Robertson Immigration Law Firm more than 25 years ago. Her journey began at Meredith College, where she formed a friendship that changed her life forever.

At Meredith, Robertson, who was a French major, took a religion course with Professor Emeritus Roger Crook. She was later surprised to reunite with her professor when he served as an interim pastor at her hometown church in Rocky Mount.

“We became very good friends. He got to know my family well — we just adored [him]," said Robertson.

After earning her M.Ed. in French from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Robertson became a French professor and later obtained her Ph.D. in college and university administration from Duke University.

“That’s when I had my second chance to return to Meredith,” said Robertson.

“I had the wonderful opportunity to work as the director of development.”

Robertson later earned her law degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and served as a judicial clerk and a deputy campaign manager.

During this time, she was reunited with Crook, who asked if she could help his French-speaking friends who were seeking asylum from Zaire.

Robertson took on the challenge and later became a national expert in asylum cases. She developed a reputation for winning and began to take on broader immigration cases, which led to her current role as an immigration attorney.

“It is thanks to Meredith and Dr. Roger Crook that I’ve been doing this for 25 years,” said Robertson. “And I love it. I can’t imagine not doing it.”

In 2001, Robertson, who serves as the retained attorney for the Mexican Consul General of Raleigh, became a board-certified specialist. She has also served as president of the Carolinas chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA). Because of her active role as an advocate for immigration reform, Robertson was awarded the James E. Cross Jr. Leadership Award in 2016.

Her advice for aspiring immigration lawyers is to learn another language, find a mentor, and be active in your professional organization and community.

“Surround yourself with people who support you and say, ‘You’re doing the best you can do. Just keep at it’.”

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Potter is the coordinator for the Quail Ridge Books Signed First Editions Club. The best part of the job for her is reading great books.

1975 Linda McKinnish Bridges was inaugurated as president of the Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond (BTSR) on October 17, 2017. Bridges served as the founding professor of Biblical Interpretation, Ancient Greek, and New Testament Interpretation at BTSR from 1991-2001. She served in many roles of leadership at Wake Forest University from 2001-2014. Bridges most recently served as managing director of The International University Alliance, Shorelight Education. Bridges earned a M.Div. and Ph.D. in New Testament Studies and Greek from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and a MBA from Wake Forest University School of Business. She was ordained into the ministry in 1990.

1977 Robin Morgan has been named interim provost at the University of Delaware.

1979 Ann Newman Coble has been working on the staff at Richmond Metropolitan Habitat for Humanity since February 2011. Coble shares that the group is very active in the Richmond, Va., area and recently branched out internationally. In February 2017 they joined their first Global Village team to help build a home for a very deserving family in Cambodia.

1982 Kelly Lennon Belcher is a full-time chaplain with CarePartners Hospice in Asheville. Belcher celebrated the marriage of her son on October 28 at the Memorial Gallery of Art in Rochester, N.Y. Belcher’s husband endured surgery that resulted in the successful removal of a stage 2 neuroblastoma earlier in the fall.

Belcher is now seven years cancer-free.

1989 Laura Van Hoven Erdman and her husband have been happily married since 1993. They have a daughter, who is a senior in college, and a son who is a sophomore. Erdman is active in youth ministry at White Plains United Methodist Church in Cary, N.C. After receiving her master’s degree in social work, Erdman worked in social work with adults for 7 years, was a stay at home mom, then a teacher assistant at GRACE Christian School. She

is currently a substitute teacher but is looking at options for returning to social work or starting a different career. Erdman makes trips to Winston Salem to help care for her parents.

1990 Jamie Rounds Bartholomew is now the graduation coach at DH Conley High School in Greenville, N.C.

1997 Dee Dee Porter Magette recently obtained her RN license and completed the OR Fellowship at the Children's Hospital of the King’s Daughters in Norfolk, Va., where she worked for a full year as a member of the hospital’s pediatric surgery team.

She is now teaching future nurses as they start their pursuits at Franklin High School in Franklin, Va.

1998 Anna Maria Pellizzari completed her training as a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC) in 2016 and holds a private practice as a Creative Leadership Coach at Create with Fire, where she coaches clients throughout the U.S. Pellizzari currently resides in San Francisco, Calif.

Jenny Costa Honeycutt was selected to Charleston Business Magazine’s 2017 Legal Elite of the Lowcountry. Honeycutt was selected by her peers as one of the area’s top construction attorneys.

2003 Crystal Whitley Lester completed her M.S. in psychology with an emphasis in Applied Behavior Analysis from Capella University and obtained the national certification of Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA).

2004 Holly McGhin Bell received her Ph.D. in English language and literature from the University of Virginia in August 2017. Ejiro Ubiedi Morrow is now a senior grant writer for Goodwill Industries of Orange County.

Emily Gupton Upchurch is now a CrossFit level 1 trainer at CrossFit Retzev in South Boston, Va.

2006 Genevieve Sawyer Dozier is now director of financial institution business development at CardConnect.

2007

2000 Meredith Mitchell graduated with her Master of Library Science from Appalachian State University.

Kary Creekmore Charlebois accepted a position at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., as the deputy

UNION E R

M U NA L A

KEND EE W

E

2002

director of the United States Marine Corps Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Program. In this position, Charlebois helps oversee the entire Marine Corps' FOIA program, through which the public requests and receives government records concerning current and historical government and military matters.

2008

Sarah Beck has been working with American Underground as the director of property management and events in their Durham office for three years. Keturah Beckham is the director of social work for Hillcrest Raleigh at Crabtree Valley and also teaches as an adjunct professor in social work at NC State University. Natalie Roane Colhoun has been a sales consultant at Maryland Office Interiors for more than five years in Richmond, Va., and has a two-year-old son. ToniAnn Gambella is expertly trained in DIR/Floortime and has begun internationally training other professionals in the relationship-based model. She continues to work at the Rebecca School, a therapeutic day school for children with special needs, in New York City. In addition, Gambella continues to conduct research in speech language pathology in the areas of hearing, feeding, and swallowing. She presents this research annually at the American Speech Language and Hearing Association national conference. Gambella

SAV E T HE DATE • M AY 18- 20 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 three or eight will be celebrating a special class reunion. The weekend’s fun activities include a party on Friday night, 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_weekend

M AY 18 -20, 2018 45 45

m e re d i th.e d u m e re d i th.e d u

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ALUMNAE

CONNECTION

[ALUMNAE GOING STRONG]

KISSIE STROUP, ’88 Turning a Family-Owned Recipe into a Business

By Emma Watson, ’18 When Kissie Stroup, ’88, graduated from Meredith College with a degree in fine arts and a concentration in graphic design, she never thought she would own a business. The love friends and family showed for her Nana’s salad dressing recipe inspired her to turn the recipe into a business. And Little Black Dressing Company was born.

Stroup began making her Nana’s recipe and after people tasted it, they would come back begging for more.

“Everyone loved it so much that they would come to my porch and bring jars, and I would fill them,” Stroup said. “So then I started making it by the gallon.”

The salad dressing operation began to take up her entire basement. Her husband suggested she move it into an office and sell it. “This started as a hobby and has turned into more than a full-time job,” Stroup said.

Stroup started the business in 2010, and by 2014 her products were being sold on numerous grocery shelves. The company now produces the original vinaigrette and three other types of salad dressing, all with the signature “little black dress” on the logo, which Stroop designed. They are sold in 14 different states and in several well-known grocery store chains.

Her major breakthrough was when the official caterer of the U.S. Open in Pinehurst contacted her about using her dressings during the tournament as part of a local foods showcase. Little Black Dressing Company was chosen as the local salad dressing used during the golf tournament.

Stroup believes the tournament was a jump-start for her company, which has also been a finalist in Martha Stewart’s American Made competition. She continues working with stores and food services to get the dressing into more locations.

Stroup has faced many challenges during her adventure of opening a business, but that has not affected her love for what she does.

“My job reminds me of a time when we would gather around the table and share a meal. It was these times that everyone was always happy,” Stroup said. She is pleased to know her product is a part of this time created within families and friends.

In the next five years, Stroup plans to see the volume of the product increase and be in more stores along the east coast.

She encourages everyone who has the desire to start a business to take a chance on their idea. “If it is something you want to do, I would say go for it but you have to be very determined,” Stroup said. “And I’m a little competitive, which helps.”

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is engaged to be married on November 10, 2018, at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York. Courtney Godwin Mellott is working for Beth Webb Interiors in Atlanta, Ga. Brooke Johnson has been working for the Skin Center of the Triangle for two years now as an esthetician and recently was certified in Microblading. She is making the Triangle beautiful one set of brows at a time! Meredith Joyner lives in Charlotte and is in sales for Adams Outdoor Advertising. Her husband is a senior data analyst for LendingTree. They have a one year old goldendoodle named Shaggy. Liz McLean has been a sales consultant at Carolina Business Interiors in Raleigh for almost two years. Liz Murray Watson is the director of revenue cycle at WakeMed Health & Hospitals. Dana Chandler Williams is an account lead at Wray Ward, an advertising and marketing agency in Charlotte, N.C.

2009 Krista Giles Barbrey graduated with her MBA from the University of Mount Olive in May 2017. Maggie Bizzell recently completed a Master of Science in communications, with a focus in public relations, from Syracuse University's S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. Bizzell works at the N.C. Department of Information Technology as an advisor for strategic communications.

2010 Jennifer Kirk graduated from UNC-Wilmington with a master’s degree in secondary math education.

She is employed by Wake Technical Community College in Raleigh and Cleveland High School in Johnston County. Kirk is trying to decide which route to a doctorate to take- Ed.D. or Ph. D. When she isn’t teaching, Kirk is creating costumes for cosplay and traveling. She and her husband are the proud parents of two darling cats.

MARRIAGES 1966 Barbara Mann to Tim Cloninger, 8/12/17.

2004 Ejiro Ubiedi to Kerry Morrow, 8/19/17.

2008 Courtney Godwin to Nick Mellott, 4/22/17. Meredith Joyner to Justin Bartlett, 5/20/17. Brittni Walker to Ansu Sanneh, 2/27/14. Sydney Williford to Buzz Wilkinson, 11/4/17.

2009 Joanna Still to William Browning, 5/20/17.

2011 Annelise Rogers to Brandon Landreth, 9/30/17.

2015 Katie Shytle to Matt Gardner, 9/16/17.

NEW ARRIVALS 1997 Alicia Kim Soekawa, a daughter, Reign Valentina, 09/27/17.

[ALUMNAE GOING STRONG]

CHRISSY RICKER, ’00 Creating and Composing with Courage

1998

By Abigail Ojeda, ’19

Elizabeth Bass Daughtry, a daughter, Anika Sage, 8/21/17.

Since she began teaching piano during her time at Meredith College 20 years ago, Chrissy Ricker, ’00, has continually evolved her creative work for a variety of audiences. A pianist since the age of seven, Ricker has steadily realized new goals by teaching, composing, performing, and publishing her own music.

After finishing her Bachelor of Arts in music, Ricker continued her studies at Meredith and completed her master’s degree in music while teaching at a large music academy in Raleigh. As an assistant music director for an afterschool program, Ricker developed a passion for writing music for students.

In 2006, Ricker opened and managed Ricker Piano Studio. It was there where she began to compose music for her students and submitted her work to publishing companies. Despite many rejection letters, Ricker continued with patience and courage. In 2013, Kios Music Company published her work along with Piano Pronto Publishing. Now, she has published 12 books of piano music for students.

“I feel very fortunate to be working with two great publishing companies that have provided me with the opportunity to connect with teachers [and students] from all around the world,” Ricker said.

In recent years, Ricker’s work has been performed in the Triangle area with several local composers and her group, The Carolina Contemporary Composers.

Commissioned by the North Carolina Chamber Music Institute, Ricker is excited to pursue this new goal and learn more about composing music.

“I think one of my strengths as both a teacher and a composer is my passion for making music accessible to students of all ages, abilities, and skill levels,” said Ricker. “I love knowing that I can create music that resonates with students and makes them excited about learning.”

As Ricker continues to advance her many skills, she often returns to Meredith. Recently, she performed her newest composition with her freshman wind ensemble director, Jimmy Gilmore. Even though Ricker has already achieved success in her career, she continues to evolve as a musician and artist.

“My time at Meredith taught me to never stop looking for opportunities to learn and try new things.”

1999 Elizabeth Dobbins-Smith, a daughter, Eleanor Catherine, 10/6/17.

2003 Malissa de La Fosse Albright, a son, Daniel Peter, 11/25/16.

2004 Molly Huffstetler Dean, a daughter, Sarah Louise, 8/15/17. Sandee Bizzell Hales, a daughter, Blythe Elizabeth, 6/6/17.

2005 Ashley Harrison Bitner, a daughter, Leila Rae, 10/2/17. Stewart Parham DiFiore, a daughter, Cecilia Corinne, 10/25/17. Rachel Salsman Harrison, a daughter, Charlotte Eloise, 9/12/17. Charlotte Burton Heroux, a daughter, Kenley Rae, 9/17/17.

Beth Briggs Holt, a son, Dixon Roy, 8/30/17.

2006 Sarah Lynn Joyner Davis, a son, Judah Matthew, 8/6/17. Ashley Crawford Moore, a daughter, Harper Vann, 8/24/17.

2007 Rebecca Newton Pope, a son, Asher Riley, 8/17/17.

2008 Heather Allen Zucchino, a daughter, Ava Laurence, 5/27/17. Deanna Rehnlund Brancaccio, a son, Ryder, 7/27/17. Kennedy Hayes Vaughan a daughter, Myers Elizabeth, 11/9/16. Brittni Walker Sanneh, a daughter, Sophie Ana, 5/26/16. Paige Birdsall Townsend, a son, Rhett Ryan, 4/14/17.

2009 Krista Giles Barbrey, twins, Brynn Louise and Paxton John, 3/13/17. Emily Crowell Paul, a son, Lucas Wade, 9/16/17.

2013 Mary Elizabeth Baines Jones, a son, Isaiah Thomas, 8/2/17.

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DEATHS

1961

1937

Elizabeth Long Allen, 9/12/17.

1962 Ida Carol Senter Wilson in the death of her sister.

1962 Pattie Steen Fleming, 8/10/17.

1964 Penelope Senter Bethune in the death of her sister.

1968 Lynn Dodge, 9/12/17.

1966 Lucy Ann Whedbee Hancock in the death of her husband.

Ruth Nowell Aspden, 9/14/17.

1941 Rosanna Barnes Fountain, 8/7/17.

1942 Mildred Ward Lee, 9/9/17. Joyce McIntyre Rudisill, 10/12/17.

1969 Janice Joyner Sherrill, 9/4/17.

1967 Fran Senter Kear in the death of her sister.

1945 Lillian Humphery Henderson, 8/21/17.

1972 Lydia Senter Langdon, 8/26/17.

1946 Jean Brothers Rogers, 8/29/17. Sue Chapman Tomlin, 10/11/17.

1973 Nancy Alvis, 10/11/16. Kathylyn Bullock Helms, 9/1/17. Cynthia Ramsay Huntley, 8/23/17.

1947

1977

Sara Fitchett Hall, 7/26/17.

Elizabeth Read, 9/19/17.

1948

1980

Carrie Rouse Outlaw Howard, 8/21/17.

Terri Hamilton Northcutt, 10/27/17.

1976 Laura Boone Bromhal in the death of her father.

Chris Speight Brown in the death of her mother.

1951 Rosalind Knott Harrell, 9/27/17.

1984 Karen Thomas, 7/30/17.

1979 April Dean King in the death of her mother.

1952 Betty Shields Bass, 10/12/17.

1987 Kay Perkins Carrington, 9/26/17.

1982

1953

1991 Tonya Tilton Evans, 7/28/17.

Barbara Ellis Patterson, 9/8/17. Mary Estes Speight, 8/14/17. Mary Jean West Whisenhunt, 5/4/17.

1954 Thea Burges Dean, 8/2/17.

1973 Blanche Jones Williams in the death of her mother-in-law.

1975 Susan Senter Worrell in the death of her sister.

Mary Louise Webb Hough in the death of her daughter. Mary Ann Morgan Reese in the death of her mother. Meg Boehling Traynham in the death of her mother.

1992 Irene Cho, 8/17/17.

1987 Susan Tart Edgerton in the death of her brother.

Donna Wilson Thagard in the death of her aunt.

2000 Rebecca Luttrell Vanke, 9/1/17.

Millicent Kimbrell Porter, 10/19/17.

SYMPATHY

1991 Kit Mosely Galligan in the death of her daughter.

1958 Lucretia King Gilbert, 5/24/17.

1951 Rebecca Knott McKinley in the death of her sister.

1996 Mendy Johnson Marcin in the death of her brother.

1959

1956 Frances Clark Snipes in the death of her son.

2003 Lisa Brown DeArmas in the death of her grandmother.

1956

Jeanne Webb, 9/20/17.

Do you know a strong woman you would like to nominate for an Alumnae Award?

The College’s annual Alumnae Awards will be presented during Reunion Weekend May 18-20. Categories are Distinguished Alumna, Career Achievement, and Recent Graduate.

•

Distinguished Alumna Award − given to an alumna who has

•

Recent Graduate Award − given to an alumna who has graduated from the undergraduate program within the past 10 years and has achieved significant accomplishments in her career and/or volunteer pursuits.

•

Career Achievement Award − given to an alumna for

demonstrated extraordinary accomplishments in her career,

excellence in her profession and for notable achievements

service to Meredith, and service to her community.

over a continual period of time.

There is still time to submit a nomination before the March 13 deadline.

F all 2017 View the nomination form at meredith.edu/alumnae-reunion/alumnae-reunion-awards.

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

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BEYOND STRONG The Campaign for Meredith

YOU'RE IN

STRONG COMPANY.

Your gift to Meredith College makes a difference and impacts the strong women you are supporting. We appreciate your commitment. As we close in on our goal of $75 million, we wanted to share the many giving societies that you can become a member of with your gifts.

The Meredith Fund Annual Giving Societies Iris Society − President’s Circle $5,000+ annually and $2,500 for recent graduates

The Thomas Meredith Society recognizes and expresses gratitude to donors who have distinguished themselves by their generous support of the College through current and deferred total lifetime gifts. The society comprises three circles:

Ivy Society Annual opportunity for recent graduates

• Gold Circle: $1 million+

• Bronze Circle: $100,000 - $499,999

Your gift at any level will ensure that Meredith will continue Going Strong for years to come. Make Meredith College even stronger with your gift today. Learn more at meredith. edu/beyondstrong.

The Stringfield Society recognizes and honors those who have made a commitment to support Meredith through an endowed gift.

If you are a member of the Thomas Meredith, Stringfield, or Heritage Society we look forward to seeing you on March 22 to celebrate at the Thomas Meredith Gala.

• Silver Circle: $500,000 - $999,999

The Heritage Society recognizes both living and deceased alumnae and friends who have supported Meredith through a will, trust, insurance policy, or gift annuity.

Iris Society $1,000 - $4,999 annually and $500 for recent graduates

Onyx Society Three or more years of consecutive giving

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Raleigh, NC Permit No. 369

DEPARTMENT OF MARKETING 3800 Hillsborough Street Raleigh, North Carolina 27607-5298 meredith.edu

HELPING

OUR STUDENTS FINISH STRONG. As a Meredith graduate, you know the value of a college education.

In fact, a college degree has never been more important.

According to the Social Security Administration, women with bachelor’s degrees earn $630,000 more in their lifetime than high school graduates. Lifetime earning power is just one reason it’s critical our students stay in school and earn their degrees.

We are committed to helping our students complete their degrees at Meredith. And it’s working: Meredith’s freshmen retention rate is the highest it has been in 17 years.

How are we supporting our students? Through additional academic support. Special scholarships to bridge gaps in ability to pay. And better tracking of student issues and risk assessment.

You can also help Meredith students go strong. Your gifts will allow us to assist students with funds that support scholarships, books, and more.

To find out how you can make a gift to support Meredith students, contact Kim McCall Whitley, ’85, Beyond Strong Campaign Coordinator, at (919) 760-8070 or kimwhitley@ meredith.edu.