Happy Ring Week, Juniors!
The Meredith Herald
@meredithherald @meredith_herald meredithherald.com
October 20, 2021
BDH Closures During Breaks Cause Strain for Students
By Hannah Taib and Shae-Lynn Henderson, Staff Writers, and Olivia Slack, Co-Editor in Chief On Oct. 6, Residence Life announced to all residential students on campus that Belk Dining Hall (BDH) would be closed during fall break. For some students on campus, the closure of the dining hall creates difficulties obtaining food during the break. International and out-of-state students at Meredith College, many of whom do not have the option to return home for the short break, were two of those groups. Meredith College has opened its doors to international students from all over the world and out of state students from all over the country, but during times like fall break when the dining hall is closed, these students say they struggle both financially and emotionally. Accessing food for breakfast, lunch and dinner is difficult for many who do not have a driver’s license or a car. Out of state student Emily Wood, ‘25, commented, “I’m from Florida, and have no car on campus. With BDH being closed, I had to consistently spend money on my meals for the four days [of fall break]. It stressed me out because I had to figure out what I was going to eat, and how I was going to get it.” Although Residence Life provides cooking utensils for students to use in the residence hall kitchens during breaks, students still have to go off campus and buy ingredients at the grocery store to prepare a meal. Fairclough acknowledged that Whole Foods is within walking distance, but said
that shopping there requires her to pay for it for the entire semester. “spend more money just because Fairclough said, “The main thing it's all [she] can access.” Relying on I have heard a lot of people say, friends with cars may also not work including myself and my friends, over break if those students return is ‘we pay so much to go to college home or go on vacation. Accordhere and they can't keep the dining to international student Lauryn ing hall open for an extra week?’” Fairclough, ‘24, “Grocery shopping International student Mei is also Li more Moo diffiKing, cult for ‘23, myself noted as I that do not orhave deraccess ing to a food, car… which Orderis ing often food necfeels eslike a sary Photo by Olivia Slack waste of money and goduring breaks for ing grocery shopping is students who don’t a pain when you don't have a fridge have a car, can be expensive. “If I and would have to use the commudon’t walk to a restaurant across nal fridge and kitchen that is shared the street, I’d order food from between the whole residence hall.” Uber Eats,” she said. “However, The expense of obtainfood costs double on Uber Eats... ing food can also be a burden on one time I ordered a chicken strip some students. For example, the meal from Chick-fil-a and it was exchange rate from U.S. dollars to $17. That’s about two hours of on other currencies can be unfavorable campus work for me as a junior.” to international students. Paying Moo King also acknowledged that tuition, room and board and other Jones Chapel has a food pantry expenses with the exchange rate can that students can utilize, although already be difficult, and having the there aren’t always a variety of safety net of a meal plan helps with options. However, she did comthis financial burden. However, dur- ment that she was grateful to find ing breaks, the meal plan is unuswater in the chapel because with able despite the fact that students BDH closed, it can be difficult to
find filtered water on campus other than the tap from the residence halls’ bathroom sinks or first floor kitchens. For many students, especially international and out-ofstate students, the dining hall is an extension of their day-to-day lives. Out of state student Addie Rowells, ‘25, pointed out that it can already be difficult to live on a nearly empty campus during breaks. “I do not have many other places to get adequate meals,” she said. “It's already hard to deal with being one of the only students on campus during breaks, and having nowhere to get a meal is even more difficult to endure.” Fairclough had a suggestion for how Meredith could accommodate residential students who have to stay on campus during breaks: they shared that they were quarantined last semester and had to submit a Google Form of what food they would like during the week. “Something like that would be helpful,” they said, “but instead of it being delivered [students could] collect it during a certain time slot, that way [BDH] would know exactly how much food to cook and how many people they are serving food for.” The Meredith Herald reached out to David Penney, Director of Dining, for comment but received no response.
Who is Meredith's ELT?
By Shae-Lynn Henderson, Staff Writer The Meredith community often receives messages from Meredith’s Executive Leadership Team (ELT). However, some students may not know who exactly comprises this team. The Herald spoke with some of its members to find out more about their roles and what they do for the College. First taking office as the eighth president and first alumna president of Meredith College in 2011, Dr. Jo Allen, ‘80, has driven a series of successful projects and accumulated many titles, making use of her experience as a scholar, faculty member and administrator. Dr. Allen leads the ELT according to Vice President for College Programs Jean Jackson, ‘75. Dr. Jackson is also a member of the team along with Dr. Matthew Poslusny, Senior Vice President and Provost, Dr. Tammi Jackson, Vice
President for Business and Finance, Dr. Lennie Barton, Vice President for Institutional Advancement and Kristi Eaves-McLennan, MBA ‘14, Vice President for Marketing. The ELT’s main job at Meredith is to see how each member’s roles “intersect with each other and build the infrastructure for making the best decisions for the entire College,” Dr. Allen said. The ELT also oversees how the College’s priorities change depending on the year. The team’s goals for the 2021-2022 academic year include paying “attention to the College strategic plan, closing out this year and moving into a new iteration for 2022-2027,” said Dr. Allen, “[as well as] reducing expenses and increasing fundraising to keep tuition, room and board as low as possible.” The ELT will also continue its “renewed commitment to anti-racism and fuller inclusion
of all.” EavesMcLennan said the best part of being on the ELT is “working alongside committed colleagues.” She “appreciate[s] the opportunity to contribute to decisions that help make Meredith a great place to study, live and work.” Dr. Jean Jackson stated that the team “work[s] for the greater good and recognize[s] that all that needs to be done cannot be done at once.” Dr. Jean Jackson recognizes that the ELT’s decisions “affect students, faculty, staff, alumnae and others who care
Photo by Olivia Slack
about Meredith College.” The team takes into consideration that “Meredith’s leaders have worked to ensure that Meredith College will be able to meet the changing needs of students and will continue to do so for many generations of students to come.”
News
Field Hockey: Meredith's Newest Sport By Mia Russell, Staff Writer This year, the Meredith College field hockey team took to the field for the first time in Meredith Athletics history. Last year, the team was supposed to compete, but due to COVID-19, their season was delayed until the fall of 2021. The Meredith Herald sat down with Courtney Hexter, Head Field Hockey Coach, to discuss the new team at Meredith. When asked about her reaction to the news that she would be coaching field hockey at Meredith, she replied, “When I first learned that Meredith was adding field hockey, my interest was piqued, as I had been a D3 coach in the past and never thought I would have stayed out of college coaching as long as I did. I thought it had the potential to be a really great opportunity for me professionally, but more importantly, I was excited about the
opportunities it would create for field hockey players at the D3 level in North Carolina.” The field hockey team has now had several games and is still working on becoming a strong and communicative team. When discussing areas of potential improvement, Hexter stated, “We have come a long way in a short time, but we also still have much to improve on. Our off ball movement and spacing, which is key to our small passing game, is one [area].” She added, “Having field vision to make strong 1-1 moves and accurate passes is another [area for improvement]. If we can do those things, I think we’ll get up the field into scoring position a lot more.” When Hexter was asked to describe her team dynamic, she said, “Our team dynamic is a mix between ‘we’re glad you’re here’ and ‘get on board, we’re
taking this to the next level.’ We have a good group of student-athletes on our team who are excited about Meredith’s 10th NCAA sport and the opportunity to be part of making history.” Coach Hexter said that Photo by Kaylin Tsukayama her goal for the field hockey team’s first season is for them said, “I’ve been excited for this “to get better at the little things year and feel that we’ve been able which will ultimately translate to build a more solid foundainto coming together as a comtion with the addition of the club plete game.” However, she also year. said, “I…want the excitement We’ve had strong team about our new team to remain leaders who have been instruhigh, which can be a challenge mental in developing our team as it becomes a lot more serious culture and welcomed in reon the NCAA level than playing cruited players who have been club.” challenging our club players [to Finally, Coach Hexter bring] the level of play up to the NCAA standard.”
Onyx Ceremony to be Held for Class of 2023 By Rachel Van Horne, Associate Editor The Class of 2023 will celebrate receiving their onyx on Oct. 22 at the Fletcher Opera House in Raleigh. The Meredith Herald interviewed Ring Ceremony CoChairs Casey Salter and Cameron Simpson to get an inside perspective on this event. This year, the name of the tradition was changed from Ring Dinner to Ring Ceremony to accurately reflect what will be occurring since dinner will not be served at the event. When asked for more details about the event, the cochairs said, “We plan for the event to start at around 6:30 p.m., [and] we will hear from our speakers and
students may have the still be wary of winner of attending an the Ring event during COEssay VID-19. Salter contest and Simpson anhave spent a lot nounced. of time considerThen, we ing how to keep will have this event fun our acand safe for all in tual Ring Photo by Mimi Mays attendance. StuCeremodents were allowed the opportunity ny where we can put [our onyx] on and celebrate officially entering to choose their own groups, orgathe sisterhood.” The event will end nize a time slot for arrival and cararound 7:15 p.m., and students can pool to the event. The opera house seats 600 which is “more than half pick up a gift as they are leaving. of the expected attendance” acDespite this celebration, some
cording to Salter and Simpson. “[The extra space] will allow all students to be spaced out through the theater in a safe manner,” the co-chairs said. “There will also be a mask mandate to ensure the safety of all students.” Both co-chairs are grateful to all those who made the event possible this year, including students, the Office of Student Leadership and Service and vendors. They wish to remind everyone attending the event to follow the protocols in place so the event can be safe and enjoyable for all in attendance.
Why Class Registration Was Pushed Back By Maggie Barnhill, Staff Writer As students pass the midterm part of the semester, planning for the spring semester begins. However, this year registration will begin slightly later than usual. On Oct. 4, Dr. Jean Jackson sent out a message from Shelly McMahon, the Registrar, concerning pre-registration for classes. In this email, it was stated that the date for pre-registration had been pushed back to Nov. 4. The course schedule became available on SelfService on Oct. 18. The reason given for this schedule change was to allow for
more advising time. It was also stated that Oct. 13 was the last day for students to declare their major to allow their new advisor to approve their schedule for the spring semester. If a student declares their major after this date, their current advisor will have to approve their schedule. The Herald spoke with McMahon to find out more about the Office of the Registrar’s decision to push back registration. McMahon said, “We have experienced a number of changes to the course schedule in the last year
due to COVID-19. We are happily undertaking the task of switching the majority of our Spring 2022 courses from online or some form of online hybrid modality back to faceto-face.” Because of these changes in course modality, the registrar needed more time to prepare the schedule. “In addition, room capacities remain at a reduced level to keep students at a safe distance in the classrooms, which also had a significant impact on course scheduling,” McMahon said. “It is the Office of the Registrar’s goal to present an
Meredith Philharmonic to Hold Fall Concert By Olivia Slack, Co-Editor in Chief
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The Meredith College Philharmonic will be performing on Thursday, Oct. 21 at 8 p.m in Jones Auditorium. The concert will feature music by Mozart, Harris, Manzanero, Diehl, Valverde and
Handel’s “Music from the Royal Fireworks.” Meredith’s sinfonietta is composed of both music and nonmusic majors and is an auditionbased performance group. The fall
concert is held annually and is open to members of the Meredith Community.
accurate course schedule and the team needed more time to make that happen.” In order to accomplish that goal, the registration date was pushed back. This also allowed “ample time for faculty advisors to work with their students and to give them the highlevel of support they deserve.” McMahon also confirmed that those who receive priority registration times, such as students in the Teaching Fellows or Honors programs, will still be able to register early.
Arts & Entertainment
Herald Juniors Celebrate Onyx Season By Rachel Van Horne, Associate Editor On Oct. 22, the Class of 2023 will officially be joining the Meredith College community. The Meredith Herald staff receiving their onyx this year shared their thoughts and excitement for this event. Rachel Van Horne, Associate Editor What are you most excited for in regards to receiving your onyx? I first heard of the onyx while touring Meredith during my junior year of high school, and since then I have dreamed of having one of my own. With the onyx being a great symbol of sisterhood and the time and dedication I’ve put into my education, my mom and I joke that the onyx is Meredith's ring of power.
Aminah Jenkins, Associate Editor What are you most excited for in regards to receiving your onyx? Getting my onyx is one of the small reminders that what I’ve achieved is deserved. Receiving recognition for the work that I've done is small, but it's worth it. Rylee Petty, Staff Writer What are you most excited for in regards to receiving your onyx? I’m excited to get my onyx because it represents all that I’ve accomplished at Meredith—and connects me with some of my closest friends. Jayce Perry, Staff Writer What are you most excited for in regards to receiving your onyx?
I’m excited to finally participate in a Meredith tradition, to feel like a part of my class and to be able to celebrate with everyone. Angelina Morin, Contributing Writer What are you most excited for in regards to receiving your onyx? I am most excited to celebrate my accomplishments at Meredith thus far. After a few semesters away from Meredith traditions, I am so excited to be able to join in this especially sacred one (and in Italy of all places!)
Photo by Rachel Van Horne
ment! Read the full story on our website.
Congratulations to the Class of 2023 on this momentous achieve-
Meredith Hype House
By Aminah Jenkins, Associate Editor
Meredith College is known for many things. From our quirky traditions to the academic opportunities we offer, our reputation often precedes us, but what outsiders may not know is that there are emerging content creators among us: Stephanie “Stevie” Melvin, Lauren-Taylor Carrillo and Andrea Gallegos—all members of the Class of 2024—are making their mark within the next generation of social media influencers. The term “micro influencer” is often used to describe content creators with small followings like Melvin, Carrillo, and Gallegos. Carrillo elaborated on this, saying that the term was “a broad label,” but defined it as “anyone who is making daily content within a certain niche…to create content that appeals to their demographic.” All three of them are lifestyle and fashion influencers on
their respective platforms (Carrillo on Instagram, Melvin on YouTube and Gallegos on YouTube and Spotify for her podcast), with Gallegos incorporating her hobby of running. Their niches have opened the door to a wide array of opportunities. Both Melvin and Carrillo have secured brand deals with PuraVida, a company that sells bracelets to support artisans from several countries. Carrillo has also collaborated with Saints Eyewear and Lottie London, and recently received a paid collaboration with Storyjewellery. When it comes to making content, each of them has their own process. With most of their content being videos or podcasts, Melvin and Gallegos like to write their ideas out before recording anything. Carrillo’s focus on visual content (i.e. Instagram posts and stories) requires her to plan out
photoshoots with 2-3 outfits. She allocates a couple of hours for each shoot to ensure that she has enough content to pull from. All three creators are in their sophomore year of college. They attested to the difficulties of finding the right balance between school, social life and creating content. Melvin explained how it can be difficult to find free time to come up with concepts and edit her videos. For Carrillo, finding time to create branded content— posts that a person is paid to make for a brand—can be a struggle because of the tight deadlines that brands expect influencers to make. Despite these challenges, this group of content creators has found a way to successfully integrate their college lives with their content. Melvin, Carrillo and Gallegos make YouTube videos that talk about their experiences
at Meredith and provide advice for viewers in similar situations. Gallegos mentioned one encounter in particular with a former high school classmate who told her how much her podcast had helped him. The creators find ways to collaborate frequently, as Carrillo and Melvin are roommates, and Gallegos is friends with Carrillo. Melvin, Carrillo and Gallegos all had their own reasons for starting their content creator journeys. “I just want to be able to look back at my life when I'm old,” Gallegos said. They encourage others to create their own content and find their own reasons for doing so. With frequent posts and sincere dedication to their crafts, it’s safe to say these creators live up to the hype.
Dancing with School Spirit: Meredith Angel Dance Team By Anna Prince, Staff Writer
Stephanie Melvin, a Class of 2024 fashion merchandising and design major, has formed the Meredith Angel Dance Team (MADT), a group that she describes as “a performative jazzbased group that promotes school spirit.” Meredith College is home to several dance teams, including Meredith College Dance Crew (MCDC), Meredith Dance Theatre (MDT), Meredith Improv, Meredith Jazz and Tap Company
(MJTCo) and "Fierce, International, Rhythmic, Experience" (FIRE). These teams offer a range of dance styles from hip hop to modern dance. These groups are all performance teams, with MCDC performing at basketball games. When asked why she wanted to form a new team, Melvin said, “I started the dance team because I realized that there wasn’t a spirit group that performed at [most] sporting events. I was confused [as to] why and decided that we needed some
sort of cheer or dance group so Meredith girls didn’t feel the need to go to NC State to audition for their team.” She also expressed the need for a dance team that wasn’t composed solely of dance majors and is inclusive of all students on campus. This dance team has been formed in hopes of promoting physical wellness and fostering a community of support for all on campus. This isn’t just the dream of Melvin, but also that of her Co-
Captain Campbell Reid, ‘25, and fundraising chair Freya Dahlgren, ‘24. Melvin wanted to add that none of this would have been possible without those two students by her side. The Meredith Angel Dance Team is open for anyone to join, but students must audition to perform in the halftime dances. MADT meets every Friday from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the Weatherspoon Dance Studio.
Self Care: A Mental Health Journey Art Exhibit By Rania Abushakra, Staff Writer Content warning: article mentions mental health challenges in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Frankie G. Weems Gallery in Gaddy-Hamrick is holding an exhibit titled "Self Care: A Mental Health Journey Through CO-
VID-19." This exhibit will run from Oct. 12 to Nov. 7. The exhibition features the work of Julia Caston, an artist with a diagnosed anxiety
disorder, who creates pieces that display her raw emotions. Read the full story on our website.
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Opinion Engagement Looks Different for Everyone By Hannah Porter, Opinion Editor
I still remember the moment that it hit me: I was 18 years old, about to move nearly two hours away from everything and everyone I knew to take on the adventure of college. I had recently (and unexpectedly) fallen in love with the sweetest guy I had ever met. This was my thought: even if our relationship can withstand the miles that separate us and the days we will spend apart, it is going to look very different from what society defines as the correct “progression” for relationships. I was terrified that my heart would get broken, but I knew that I had to follow my dreams and trust that if this was the person I was meant to spend forever with, it would all work out. Three and a half years later, I can say that my wildest dreams have come true. We have jumped through many of the hoops and obstacles that come with semi-and-long distance dating. Although I was right about the
uniqueness of our relationship, little did I know then that this relationship would change my life for the better. His name is Sam, and if you follow me on social media, you know that my profile is basically a Sam fanpage. As we enter our final year of college, I am already getting questions that sound like this: “When is Sam proposing?” or “When are y’all going to get married?” I know that curiosity will only increase as the holidays roll around and graduation in May approaches. Although I know these questions come from a place of love and support, they contribute to a major stereotype associated with long-term relationships: as soon as the couple’s chapter at college is over, marriage has to come next, followed by children. This is partially due to the pattern that generations before us followed. However, the year is 2021, and it is time that the level of acceptance changes around this
topic. Nowadays, more and more couples are waiting longer to get married. In fact, Insider published a study of 4,000 couples, and results found that the average couple was together for approximately five years before tying the knot. In many cases, couples chose to get married because they wanted to, not because they felt pressured to. Due to this thoughtfulness, divorce rates are lower than they ever have been. This is encouraging to read, and reminds me that it is perfectly acceptable to wait as long as necessary for marriage, no matter what others may think. I want to take a moment to address the Meredith students who have been in serious relationships for a while, and who may be beginning to get engaged and start the next step of their lives. If this is you, congratulations! I love seeing the beautiful engagement and wedding pictures. I am thrilled for you and wish you the best. This article is not meant to judge you or
condemn your decisions; rather, I want to emphasize that this decision is yours to make—just like it is mine to wait to be married until I feel the time is right. Sam and I often talk about how important it is for us to have the time and space to pursue our individual interests and relationships. We prioritize this because we know that if we are diligent about this, we will become the best version of ourselves for each other. I know that at the end of the day, this will lead to a stronger marital foundation whenever we find ourselves at that point. It is my hope that all couples achieve this same level of intentionality before beginning marriage. Finally, if you are the reader who has never had a serious relationship and/or has no desire to get married, know that you are seen, loved and valued in your decision. Don’t let anyone tell you differently, and keep following the path that you want for your life.
MLMs and How They Target Women By Jayce Perry, Staff Writer, and Rachel Van Horne, Associate Editor
As students attending Meredith, we have been solicited by so called #girlbosses encouraging us to get involved in starting our own business on more than one occasion. In theory, this concept of self empowerment, working on your own schedule and being able to work from anywhere sounds thrilling. However, there is a true predatory nature behind multilevel marketing (MLM) scams. According to the Merriam Webster dictionary, MLMs are defined as “a business structure or practice in which an individual seller earns commissions both from direct sales and from the sales of the seller's recruits, of those recruited by the seller's recruits, and so on.” These companies often target women. But why? MLM companies are looking for individuals who desire a lifestyle that would be otherwise unattainable. They often use rags-
to-riches success stories and deceitful marketing ploys to convince unsuspecting individuals to buy into their business model. Another issue with MLMs is their business structure. The pressures individuals feel to sell and make a return on their investment often means they have to turn to friends and family members for sales. Is it really appropriate to solicit sales over social media or invite a friend out to lunch only to convince them to buy from you or join the ranks? At no other business would this be appropriate. MLMs are a scam that specifically targets women. They target women not only with whom they actively attempt to recruit, but also because the products that are usually a part of MLMs are generally products that women would purchase. That means that a lot of women might
want to become a part of an MLM because they will get discounts on their products. Another reason MLMs are popular with women is because they sell women on the idea of “being their own boss” and they supposedly make a lot of money; however, that is far from the truth. They sell people on lies because most people who have been involved with MLMs say that they ended up losing more money than they gained. As for being their own boss, it seems to be true, but that isn’t the full reality of what being your own boss entails. These people must learn about the products and how to best market them without any preparation or training, which leads to the loss of money from not selling products or recruiting people. MLMs often set people up to manipulate those who are recruited—leading them in with false expectations—and then completely
blindside them with the reality. They even have the people who recruit the women act as friends, but that doesn’t last for long. Soon enough, the recruiters start to get aggressive in pushing the women into recruiting more people and telling them the numbers aren’t high enough. MLMs are just another way to manipulate and use women, trying to appeal to what they want in a job without ever actually providing it. Therefore, MLMs should be controlled and managed. Their tendency to lure people in by being nice and offering benefits, showing people how great it would be to be a part of it and then not delivering is disappointing. The sad reality is that it’s nothing like what they advertise: no one is really your friend and most people don’t earn enough money to live a sustainable life.
not get vaccinated now more than ever, especially within Christianity. A Pew Research survey conducted this past February found that “36% of Protestants and 22% of Catholics are unwilling to be vaccinated.” When researching
subgroups of these religious backgrounds, it was found that “45% of white evangelicals and 33% of Black Protestants are unwilling.” Many Christians may refuse to get vaccinated because some vaccines are derived from
fetal cells, and abortions are often classified as "anti-Christian."
What Christianity Says About Vaccines By Freya Dahlgren, Staff Writer
In the high-stress and anxiety-filled time of navigating the COVID-19 pandemic, one light at the end of the tunnel is the approval of three COVID-19 vaccines. However, people are citing religious reasons as an excuse to
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STAFF
Read the full story on our website.
Olivia Slack and Elinor Shelp-Peck, Co-Editors in Chief. Rachel Van Horne and Aminah Jenkins, Associate Editors. Ally Cefalu, A&E Editor. Molly Perry, Features Editor. Hannah Porter, Opinion Editor. Staff Writers: Rania Abushakra, Maggie Barnhill, Jeanine Carryl, Freya Dahlgren, Shae-Lynn Henderson, Rylee Petty, Jayce Perry, Anna Prince, Mia Russell, Hannah Taib. Contributing Writers: Kaitlyn Eisbacher, Rachel Johnson, Angelina Morin, Evelyn Summers, Haileigh West. Podcasting Director: Sofia Gomez. Copy Editor: Erin Wendorf. Staff Photographer: Madison Sholar.