The PRESIDENT's porch
Thoughts from the Porch
As autumn settled in across campus and the familiar rhythms of student life filled our days, I found myself reflecting on another season rich with purpose, progress, and possibility at Meredith. This fall, the energy has been inspiring鈥攆rom celebrating our remarkable students鈥� research and welcoming nationally acclaimed writers, to gathering for time-honored traditions and marking bold steps in campus growth.
This spirit of forward momentum is woven directly into an important endeavor: the launch of our new multi-phase strategic planning process, Imagine. Innovate. Ascend. With insight and engagement from our community, we鈥檙e setting a vision for 惭别谤别诲颈迟丑鈥檚 future that honors our legacy and reaches ambitiously for what鈥檚 next.
Hundreds of members of our community participated in events and listening sessions, sharing dreams for the Meredith of tomorrow, and laying the foundation for a plan that will shape our College for years to come.
Inside this issue of President鈥檚 Porch, you鈥檒l find evidence everywhere of a campus community hard at work鈥攕upporting each other, achieving at the highest levels, and leading transformative change. From record-setting enrollment growth to dynamic new programs and renewed campus spaces, 惭别谤别诲颈迟丑鈥檚 momentum continues to build. Thank you for your commitment, your optimism, and your partnership as together we Imagine, Innovate, and Ascend.
With gratitude and anticipation,
Aimee
Academic Programs Celebrations
The annual Taste of Research event was held on September 8 in Carlyle Campbell Library, allowing student researchers to share poster presentations of their summer work. Fourteen posters were included in the event. Academic areas represented included biology, chemistry, communication, history, political science, religion, and social work. Each project was conducted with the support of a faculty mentor. Sponsored by the Undergraduate Research Program, the event provided students with an opportunity to discuss their research and answer questions from students, faculty, and staff. Students in attendance could also get information about upcoming research grant opportunities.
惭别谤别诲颈迟丑鈥檚 Spanish Program was featured in Hispanic Outlook on Education Magazine鈥檚 September issue. The submitted article covers the strengths of the program, study abroad options, and student success stories. The Hispanic Outlook on Education is a national monthly magazine that provides education news, innovations, networking, resources and the latest trends impacting students from kindergarten through graduate school. The publication has more than 25,000 subscribers and reaches a readership of more than 110,000 people.聽
College Programs Celebrations
The Lillian Parker Wallace Committee collaborated with the Mary Lynch Johnson Chair in the Department of English to host Tracy K. Smith, poet, memoirist, professor at Harvard, former Poet Laureate of the United States, and Pulitzer Prize winner, for a residency September 17-19. Smith is the author of Meredith’s 2025 Summer Reading selection, Ordinary Light. She conducted a workshop with student writers, which was followed by the Lillian Parker Wallace Lecture, a book signing, and a series of receptions.聽聽聽聽
Under the leadership of members of the Institutional Advancement team, Athletics took part in ribbon-cutting ceremonies for the Estes-Speight Family Athletics Center and the unveiling of the Lisa Brown De Armas Athletics Hall of Fame. The new athletic building includes two large indoor batting cages, a golf simulator (coming soon), locker rooms, a student-athlete lounge, and public restrooms. The building is adjacent to the softball field and tennis courts. The Hall of Fame is housed in the Cate Student Center.
The Office of Career Planning has held a series of programs to support students in reaching their career goals. These programs included Career Fest, featuring an all-industries Career Fair, a Meet the Firms Accounting Career Fair, and a Dress for Success Mobile Boutique. Other programming included a 鈥渞esume blitz鈥� and mock interview opportunities.
The Chaplain led a group of students on a service project at Carolina Sunshine Alpaca Farm over fall break. The students were able to tour the farm, interact with the alpacas, and complete a gardening service project.
Traditions continue to be an important part of the Meredith student experience. This fall, the Office of Student Leadership and Service led the preparations for the annual Ring Dinner (held on October 24) for the Class of 2027 and all things Corn, including the main event on November 7.聽聽
Institutional Advancement Celebrations
Three stewardship events have taken place, including the Retired Faculty and Staff breakfast, Class of 1965 Luncheon, and An Iris Evening for Lifetime Giving Society members.
The Office of Alumnae Relations has continued to host welcome events for President Aimee Sapp, visiting six locations, three in North Carolina and three out of state. For the year, 11 events for current students and members of the 1891 Club have been attended.
Eight stories highlighting philanthropy have been written and shared in Meredith Magazine, The Lux alumnae e-newsletter, Parents and Families Connection e-newsletter, social media, and the website, with some having video components as well. The Meredith License Plate promotion has appeared on all of these media outlets to boost visibility and revenue for the College.聽
惭别谤别诲颈迟丑鈥檚 Institutional Advancement team has raised $1,015,256 in cash and pledges so far this fiscal year. Our major gift officers have conducted 210 donor visits in the first quarter of this fiscal year. Total annual giving to the Meredith Fund is $241,052, with $77,880 gifts to 惭别谤别诲颈迟丑鈥檚 Greatest Needs. In the first quarter of 2025-26, 1,580 gifts have been processed by Advancement Services.聽
Business and Finance Celebrations
Belk Dining Hall renovations completed during the summer have created a reimagined space with a modern design. The renovations were funded by Aramark. An opening celebration was held in August, allowing the campus community to experience the upgrades, which included sleek new flooring and cabinetry, upgraded lighting to brighten the space, fresh paint in warm and welcoming tones, digital signage, and new furniture. State-of-the-art kitchen equipment has also been installed, which will mean faster, fresher, and tastier food. The updated design gives Belk West and Belk East two different environments. Belk West is the formal side that works well for events and special occasions, while Belk East is student-friendly with soft seating, cozy booths, vibrant murals, and interactive elements.
The Office of Human Resources continues to provide service and support to the 92国产午夜精品福利 community, working behind the scenes to ensure that every employee benefit, compliance requirement, and engagement effort is handled with care and precision. This fall, HR has also focused on fostering connection and community among employees. From organizing the Summer Stories, Sips & Smiles fall kickoff event, the Halloween Costume Contest, the 2nd Annual Chili Cookoff, Line Dancing, nature hikes, and a Carolina Hurricanes Hockey outing, HR has helped create opportunities for employees to come together and enjoy time with colleagues. The office has also expanded access to important training and development opportunities, adding FERPA training for all new hires and transitioning the staff New Employee Orientation to an online module for greater flexibility.聽
New Amazon lockers have been installed in the Cate Center. The Amazon lockers provide the Meredith campus with a self-service delivery location to collect Amazon packages. The Amazon lockers will allow our students and employees to pick up packages at their convenience, even when the Post Office is closed, particularly over the weekends. Postal Service Supervisor Nikki Ward spearheaded this project.
Meredith is working with White Lightning Studios, a North Carolina-based production team that has an extensive network and expertise in event production. As part of this partnership, Meredith is collaborating with White Lightning to expand facilities rentals with external groups. Their team is advising on more competitive rates for space rentals, modernizing the College鈥檚 rental policies and processes, and marketing Meredith spaces to an increased pool of potential clients. Meredith maintains control of the scheduling process and retains the authority to approve all rental contracts. This partnership is expected to result in increased non-tuition revenue and provide internship opportunities for students.
Enrollment Celebrations
The Enrollment Division staff achieved growth in 惭别谤别诲颈迟丑鈥檚 new student enrollment for the first time since 2020. Meredith welcomed 400 new undergraduates (first-year and transfer students) in Fall 2025, a 24.5% increase over Fall 2024. The College鈥檚 retention rate also increased over the previous year.
Through the Early Angel Advantage program, the Enrollment Division has developed a strategy to incentivize early deposits. Admitted students who deposit early are able to take advantage of priority course registration, priority housing assignments, and the opportunity to get a head start at Meredith by enrolling in a college course during the spring semester of their senior year. Other incentives include the opportunity to win prizes such as housing grants, book credits, parking passes, and Meredith apparel.
In 2025-26, the Enrollment Division is increasing its focus on growth markets in transfer, adult, and graduate students. Vice President for Enrollment Suzanne Sharp has established a team to focus on these target areas. The team is led by John Saparilas and includes seasoned recruiters Grace Sugg Cook and Jill Hilliard. Saparilas has over 20 years of experience in admissions and enrollment management. Senior Associate Director of Admissions Grace Sugg Cook has served as a member of 惭别谤别诲颈迟丑鈥檚 admissions staff since 2007 and Hilliard has more than 20 years of college recruiting experience, including four years at Meredith. A comprehensive Open House for adult learners was held in October, showcasing 惭别谤别诲颈迟丑鈥檚 Wings program and graduate and certificate programs.
A primary focus of the fall semester has been to accelerate the college application and financial aid process for the incoming class. The Enrollment Division is processing applications and FAFSAs earlier, admitting students more quickly, and getting deposits sooner. The Admissions team began admitting students earlier this year using the direct admissions criteria for all applications. As of November 1, the team had already admitted more than 995 students for Fall 2026.
Marketing and Communications Celebrations
In keeping with our goal to enhance as an internal communication tool, the Marketing web team has provided content, design, and technical support for several intranet pages. These pages include a Strategic Planning site and a Budget Planning site for employees. In-platform engagement data confirms employees are accessing these resources at respectable levels.
To support the College鈥檚 efforts to grow non-tuition revenue, the Marketing team has worked with White Lightning on a new to better market Meredith as an event venue. The team has assisted with two 12-hour photo shoots, provided branding and messaging counsel, gathered and shared hundreds of new and existing assets, and provided day-to-day logistical support for site visits.
Newly released market research shows that prospective undergraduate, graduate, and adult students are increasingly relying on YouTube in their college search efforts. To position Meredith for meeting those needs, the Marketing video team has begun implementing a consistent weekly release schedule and coordinating with our social media strategist on optimal posting times. The team is also experimenting with new formats, such as the long-form video featuring Summer Reading Program author Tracy K. Smith answering student questions, and collaborating more closely with campus programs to highlight content of interest to prospective students. To date, 11 original videos have been created. Subscribe to the Meredith channel at to stay updated.
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