Meredith College will celebrate the inauguration of President Jo Allen on Thursday, March 22, 2012. This special event in Meredith’s history will be held at 10 a.m. in Raleigh Memorial Auditorium.

 

Allen is the first Meredith College alumna to assume the leadership of the 120-year old institution. A member of the Meredith College Class of 1980, Allen was named the eighth president of the College on April 18, 2011. She took office as president on July 1, 2011.

 

An inauguration marks the formal installation of a college president. The event is traditionally held within the president’s first year in office.

 

Board of Trustees Chair Nancy Cheek, ’63, said the inauguration will be an opportunity to celebrate Meredith College and its mission.

 

“An inauguration is a special time in the life of our college and its new president. The campus is alive with excitement and anticipation of good things to come during Dr. Allen’s tenure,” Cheek said. “This event will provide the opportunity to capitalize on this energy, to recall and celebrate Meredith’s history, to look forward to a strong future under the new leadership, and to reaffirm Meredith’s important mission. The inauguration provides a chance for Meredith to reach out to our community and our world in new and exciting ways.”

 

The ceremony’s location at Raleigh Memorial Auditorium is symbolic of Meredith’s original location in downtown Raleigh, signaling “the desire to honor our roots in downtown Raleigh and to celebrate Meredith in the heart of our home city,” Cheek said.
Details about the inauguration and any accompanying events are still being determined.

 

“Dr. Allen has requested that this event be a dignified but simple affair, mindful of the difficult economic times so many are facing, and considerate of the needs of our College in crafting a strong future,” Cheek said.

 

Prior to her appointment as president of Meredith, Allen served as senior vice president and provost, and professor of English at Widener University, Chester, Pa. A North Carolina native, Allen earned her Master’s degree from East Carolina University and her doctorate from Oklahoma State University. Both her M.A. and her Ph.D. were in English literature, with an emphasis in Technical and Professional Communication. Her B.A. from Meredith was also in English. She served as tenured associate professor of English at East Carolina University and tenured associate professor at North Carolina State University. For more information on President Jo Allen, visit www.meredith.edu/president.

In this Issue:

Presidential Inauguration to Be Held March 22
Clyde Edgerton Entertains at Friends of the Library Dinner
New Mac Lab Opened this Fall in Gaddy-Hamrick Art Center
Meredith Earns Awards at American Chemical Society Conference

Where Will You See the Meredith College License Plate Next?

Meredith Student Goes "Over the Edge" for Special Olympics Fundraiser
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.