English Department Hosts Cross-Cultural Discussion
Submitted by Professor of English Rebecca Duncan

 

On Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2011, the English Department hosted a luncheon discussion on cross-cultural expression led by Larbi Touaf, professor of English and department head at Mohammed Premier University in Oujda, Morocco. 

 

Professor Touaf contextualized the discussion in the Arab Spring as well as ongoing liberation events in various Middle Eastern countries. He noted the role of social media in bringing students and youth together to oppose corruption in government and to bring about regime changes. 

 

Meredith students shared their perspectives on expressing themselves in various languages and in offering an accurate portrayal of themselves after shaping a part of their identities in foreign countries. Sharifa Roumani observed that she has learned economics here at Meredith but will struggle to translate those concepts into Farsi when she returns to work in Afghanistan. Professor Larbi described a new kind of language being developed on the Internet to form social consensus; using an English keyboard, Facebook users create a written version of oral Arabic languages. Several Meredith students shared their experience with this new “language.” 

 

Professor Touaf is co-editor, with Meredith Professor of English Rebecca Duncan and Lucy Melbourne of St. Augustine’s College, of “Voices of Moroccan Youth” (Marsam 2010), a collection of writings by students at five Moroccan universities. 

 

Sustainability Focus Was a Success in September
Submitted by Sustainability Coordinator Laura Fieselman

 

Meredith’s Sustainable September focus was successful in many ways, engaging the campus community through films and other educational opportunities,  green job exploration and a focus on buying local.

 

Films: We showed three movies with themes centered on food, energy and consumption. Seventy students attended the films in total, some on their own and some for class extra credit. Thank you to Rick McBane, Shannon Grimes, Betsy Matthews, Paul Winterhoff, Bill Landis, Media Services, the School of Business, the Health Center, Department of Religious & Ethical Studies, Department of Chemistry, Physics & Geoscience, Department of Biology, and Belk Dining Hall for supporting the showings.

 

Career Focus: The networking event hosted by ACP had a wonderful diversity of green jobs represented; 10 of the 47 employers that attended engaged in “green” work from solar energy installations to city government to sustainable T-shirt designs. ACP did a wonderful job hosting this event, thanks to Betsy Matthews for incorporating the green employers.

 

Local Business: Students enjoyed the Coffee Shop Hop, which exposed them to the bus system and local businesses that double as study spots. Each shop offered a short introduction to how they practice sustainability in the store, which was helpful in broadening our collective definition of sustainability beyond recycling.

 

Sustainable September was also a great springboard for the Office of Sustainability’s new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MeredithSustainability, which now has 79 followers.

 

Wellness: The Wellness Wednesday Walks hosted by Sherri Henderson were enjoyable; 3-5 students joined each week for an early morning walk to the Art Museum and the group is plotting spring hiking trip. Thanks to Scott Lamond and the BDH team for hosting Wellness Wednesdays during the month.

 

Thanks to Doug Wakeman, Erin Lindquist, Paul Winterhoff, Shannon Grimes, Rebecca Duncan and any other faculty that incorporated an event or topic into their course during the month.

 

Thanks to Rick McBane for crafting the film and book display in the library, and Melyssa Allen for help with publicity.

 

Third Annual Trick or Trot Held
Meredith College’s third annual Trick or Trot 5K was held on Monday, Oct. 24, 2011. More than 100 students, faculty/staff and community members participated in the race, which also included a Halloween costume contest.

 

The race winner was Clarke Glendenning, and the costume contest was won by Assistant Professor of Exercise and Sports Science Stephanie Little and Katie Little. Among the participants was a 15-member team representing the Meredith Autism Program, in costume as a box of crayons.

 

The event was sponsored by the Meredith College Sports Science Association (SSA) with support from Brown Strength and Conditioning, Cary Massage, Chubby's Tacos, Fleet Feet Sports, Knights Play Golf Center, Meredith College health Services, Omega Sports, Rapid Fitness, Salon Blu and Triangle Rock Club.

 

Part of the race proceeds will be donated to Girls On the Run of the Triangle program.

 

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.