On October 2, Institutional Advancement hosted the 10th annual Retired Faculty and Staff Luncheon with over 35 attendees. Like every other event conducted this year, IA had to rethink how to make this event safe and special for retired faculty and staff.
The 1819 Club held its annual kickoff event on Tuesday, September 8, 2020. The event, which was held near the Science and Math building, was attended by current 1891 Club members and students interested in learning more about the club.
Because of COVID-19, the Office of Institutional Advancement staff has learned to adapt to different ways of staying connected to alumnae and donors. In a year when fundraising for the College was going well before the pandemic, the staff found that donors’ love for Meredith and willingness to give did not stop during the last three months of the fiscal year.
The Meredith Fund, the College’s annual giving program, had a record-setting year with alumnae, students, faculty, staff, parents, and friends of the College supporting special class projects, initiatives, and the greatest needs of the College.
Pat Armstrong Johnson, ’70, arrived on campus in September 1966 only three months after the death of her father, CWO Eugene G. Armstrong, U.S. Army, who passed away in Vietnam. At the time, there was enormous social and political upheaval and Johnson had ongoing responsibilities to her grieving family, but she still came to Meredith for freshmen orientation.
A planned gift to help Wake Technical Community College students transferring to Meredith College has been established by Patricia Poe, ’81. The scholarship will give preference to non-traditional aged students, known at Meredith as Wings students, with two or more semesters of credit at Wake Tech. The gift is the perfect way for Poe to express her appreciation for the education she received at both institutions.
Each year, The Meredith Fund encourages alumnae and friends of the College to give where their passions lie. Class projects, memorial scholarships, special programs, and departments all benefit from annual gifts throughout the fiscal year. The Meredith Fund also places a strong emphasis on gifts to the College’s greatest needs. And in these unprecedented times, the unrestricted funds given with this designation are more vital than ever before.
Are you interested in traveling to learn new things, to experience varying cultures, and to simply relax? What if you could travel with a group with whom you have a shared connection and the trip could be customized for the group? Furthermore, you would not have to plan anything and the hotel and food would be top of the line.
It is a tradition at Meredith for the senior class to raise money to support a project on campus as a way to give back to their alma mater. After careful consideration of the current needs on campus, the senior class decided to raise money for the Student Emergency Fund for the Chaplain’s Office. The goal was $2,020 and currently, the class has raised $3,791.60, far exceeding their goal.
The Office of Alumnae Relations is making preparations to welcome the Class of 2024 to campus later this fall and recently launched a program to connect alumnae with freshmen before they move-in. The Adopt a Freshman program invites alumnae to connect with someone from the incoming class who is from their region, state, area of interest, or major.
Meredith College has selected four incoming members of the Class of 2024 to receive Meredith Legacy and Presidential scholarships, which are the College’s top academic awards. Marissa Borst, of Hope Mills, N.C., and Amelia Irvin, of Jamestown, N.C., are recipients of the Meredith Legacy Scholarship. Emily Angel, of Kinston, N.C., and Kate Erb, of Glenmoore, Penn., are the recipients of Meredith’s Presidential Scholarship.
The Meredith Fund holds an annual competition between alumnae classes known as Meredith Mayhem during May and June. While gifts may be designated to any area, in light of the pandemic and COVID-19, this year the Meredith Fund is encouraging alumnae to make gifts supporting the Greatest Needs.
Because of COVID-19 stay-at-home orders, the Office of Alumnae Relations adapted their outreach events into virtual events that have allowed the staff to stay connected with alumnae and have kept alumnae engaged and informed about the College.
Meredith College’s fifth annual Make It Count for Meredith Giving Day held February 25, 2020, exceeded its $500,000 fundraising goal by more than $135,000. By midnight 2,392 donors had given a total of $638,960 in 24 hours, pushing the day’s giving to 127% of the initial goal.
Beyond Strong | The Campaign for Meredith was the largest fundraising effort in the history of Meredith College raising $90,466,720. Major facilities growth took place during the six year campaign, and it remains clear that this is an area of continued focus.
Meredith College athletics has had many successes through the years and is continuing to grow. Currently Meredith fields athletic teams in basketball, cross country, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, tennis, track and field, and volleyball. Since joining the USA South Athletic Conference in 2007-08, Meredith is the only single gender institution to win USA South championships with soccer earning a tournament championship in 2008 and tennis in 2009.
Denise and Tony Dworznicki wanted to find the perfect way to honor the memory of their daughter Taylor, who passed away in 2016. Taylor was 22 years old and her parents describe her as someone who demonstrated her love for others through example and gave her time to helping people in need.
A history of the Margaret Bright Doll Collection.
The fifth annual Make It Count for Meredith Giving Day is Tuesday, February 25, 2020. This 24-hour giving challenge aims to raise $500,000 and The Meredith Fund is asking donors to recognize strong women in their lives and honor them with gifts to Meredith.
The word home comes to mind for many Meredith College alumnae as soon as they drive through the front entrance to the College.
Contact Information
Jennifer Kaisersatt
Administrative Assistant to the Associate VP of Institutional Advancement
(919) 760-8374
jkaisersatt@meredith.edu
