By Gaye Hill

 

On Thursday, April 26, Meredith participated in the national public education program “Take Our Daughters And Sons To Work® Day,” which was hosted and organized by the Office of Human Resources. Children of Meredith employees between the ages of 8 and 15 were invited to join their parents on campus for one day, to learn more about the work their parents do, and to explore their own career possibilities.   
 
Participants were given a tour of campus, and met with employees who fill a variety of roles. The children and their parents together completed a “Who We Are” Wall, answering questions such as “What do you do for fun?” and “How do you help your family?”

 

After lunch with family members and an afternoon spent job-shadowing their parents, children and parents came together for a conversation about the day’s experiences—and ice cream! Highlights of the day for many of the children were the theatre tour (especially the secret staircase!), spinning chairs in the library, seeing the chemistry lab and bubble wrap from facilities.

 

Parents also enjoyed the program. Kevin Michaelsen, director of financial assistance, said he appreciated the programming throughout the day that enriched the learning experience. Chrissie Bumgardner, director of FYE, observed that the nature of a college campus allowed the children to be exposed to a variety of careers and professional fields, from theatre to art, from facilities to labs.

 

Assistant Director of Constituent Records Melanie Chrisp-Thorpe said it is a valuable opportunity to make a positive impression on the children about college. “It’s something they’ll never forget,” said Chrisp-Thorpe.

 

 

Children who participated shared the following comments:

 

What did you enjoy most about coming to work with your mom or dad today?
 

“I liked the theatre the most, and the library. At the theatre we got to go backstage and saw a secret staircase. The spinning chairs in the library were really fun.”

 

“I liked the theatre a lot, too. I kind of want to be a performer when I grow up, and so I got to see what it was like to be onstage and backstage, and see all of the equipment like the “tech” booth – we got to see all of the cool stuff.”

 

“I liked the chemistry lab the best because it was so interesting.”

 

“The theatre was amazing—they have so many ways to create illusions.”

 

What do you want to be when you grow up?

 

“I want to be an artist. I’ll probably also work with horses and knights.”

 

“I want to be a teacher. I would like to teach second grade.”

 

“I want to be an architect.”

 

“I want to be a great basketball and soccer player.”

In this Issue:

Commencement 2012
Faculty/Staff Awards & Recognition Event Held

Strategic Planning Update
From Poetry to Psychology, Meredith College Celebrates Student Achievement

Meredith Daughters and Sons Welcomed to Campus

Faculty/Staff Accomplishments
Upcoming Events
News Briefs

 

Have you presented research or attended a professional meeting recently? Has your department earned an award? Share news of these accomplishments and more with the Meredith community. Faculty and staff are invited to email items to Melyssa Allen, “Campus Connections” editor, at allenme@meredith.edu.