All year our campus will be focused on how to bring about positive change. We invite you to participate! Join a discussion, read the summer book selection, take a class, participate in a service project . . . the possibilities are endless. If you know of a Meredith event or program that’s not listed, please contact Gaye Hill in Marketing.

Academics

Celebrating Student Achievement Day
This annual event highlighting student research and other achievements will include a particular focus on the campus theme. Presentations that relate to the theme will be highlighted and the library showcase will focus on the theme.

Summer Reading Program
Students, faculty, staff and alumnae come together in a common reading experience. The 2009 summer reading book is “Unbowed” by Wangari Maathai. Nobel laureate Maathai will also deliver the 2009 Lillian Parker Wallace Lecture on October 1, 2009 at 7 p.m. in the McIver Amphitheater.

Teaching Fellows
The Meredith Teaching Fellows theme for the year is Teaching Fellows: Catalysts for Change. Meredith Fellows will be introduced to Kerry Mebane, new director of the State Teaching Fellows Program, at the opening event on August 20.

Women in Science
This fall course (BIO 204-A) focuses on women throughout history who have had an impact on science.

Civic Engagement

The Office of Student Leadership and Service has provided a few general categories of engagement along with some examples to illustrate ways you can get started. This is by no means a definitive list. For specific opportunities or to put together a plan of action come see us in the Cate Center or contact Tabitha Underwood at (919) 760-8357, volunteerservices@meredith.edu.

Activism and Community Organizing Participate in activities that express your voice such as letter writing, awareness campaigning, boycotting, protesting, canvassing, developing petitions.
Organizations:

• Industrial Areas Foundation
  
• EmPOWERment, Inc
  
• Fund for the Public Interest
  
• Greenpeace

Advocacy & Lobbying Influence public policy covering a variety of issues. The following organizations are mostly large think tanks and public policy related organizations. For specific causes, contact volunteerservices@meredith.edu.
Organizations:

• Common Sense Foundation
  
• NC Common Cause
  
• NC Justice Center
  
• AFL-CIO of North Carolina
• NC Institute for Constitutional Law
• John William Pope Center for Higher Education Policy

Community Problem Solving & Community Development Systematically help fellow residents address issues they are facing such as affordable housing, discriminatory zoning, workforce development, etc.
Organizations:

• Raleigh Citizen Advisory Councils
  
• WakeUp Wake County
  
• NC Rural Economic Development Center
  
• W.E.B. Dubois Community Development Corporation

Philanthropy Participate in fundraising for charity such as a walk/run, organizing a fundraising event, or collecting donations for an organization.
Organizations:

• Race for the Cure
  
• Make a Wish Foundation
  
• Autism Society
  
• Relay for Life

Political Engagement Participate in the political process through activities such as voting, working for a candidate or political organization, or persuading others to vote.
Organizations:

• Political candidates
  
• NC Democratic Party
  
• NC Republican Party
  
• Kids Voting Wake County

Research Conduct research that can empower communities. Examples include needs assessments, asset maps, and participatory action research. Start by talking with your advisor or other faculty members about your research interests and the needs in the community.

Volunteering Perform hands-on direct service such as packaging meals, mentoring children, cleaning waterways, restoring trails. This can be done in any number of ways.
Organizations:

• Meals on Wheels
  
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Triangle
  
• MeredithREADS
  
• Wake County Big Sweep

Creative Expression

Dance Performance
Jawole Willa Jo Zollar is the Founder and Artistic Director of the “Urban Bush Women.” An award-winning dancer and choreographer, Zollar works with dance and people to tell the untold stories of the disenfranchised. In Jones Auditorium she first will tell and show the story of her recent experience with dance communities in New Orleans, and then the Convocation will move to Johnson Hall where dance and music will explode! Monday, November 9, 7 p.m. , Jones Auditorium and Johnson Rotunda.

Leadership

LeaderShape® Vision Showcase: September 11-12, 2009; Kresge Auditorium
Participants of the 2009 LeaderShape® Institute invite you to join them as they share their LeaderShape® Visions with the campus community. The LeaderShape® Vision is a well-conceived plan of action that each participant developed during the Leadershape® Institute and now they hope to implement in their organizations, communities or workplaces. Be inspired by the dreams of leaders among us.

The LeaderShape Institute: May 11-16, 2010; Fort Caswell, Oak Island, NC (registration beginning in February)
A 6-day leadership program designed to improve society by inspiring, developing and supporting students to “lead with integrity.” While participating in the Institute, students will learn to work on high-performance teams, practice decision making for ethical dilemmas, learn to deal with change, clarify personal values and standards, and understand and respect the values of other individuals. In addition, all participants leave the Institute with a LeaderShape® Vision. The LeaderShape® Vision is a well-conceived plan of action to be implemented in organizations, communities, or workplaces.

MeredithSpeaks
This October event, hosted by the Institute for Women’s Leadership, invites the campus community to engage in a rich dialogue on the strengths of its leadership development programs across disciplines and departments. At the close of the session, participants will contribute to a collective model and definition of leadership that is comprehensive and sensitive to campus unit initiatives.

2009 Women’s Leadership Summit
The first Women’s Leadership Summit, “Catalysts for Change,” will be held at Meredith on September 25. Presented by the Meredith College Institute for Women’s Leadership, the summit will help women unlock new ways to contribute to and lead their organizations and communities.

Health and Wellness

WOW
Meredith’s wellness program, Working on Wellness at Work (WOW), offers numerous resources to help College employees make lifestyle changes that lead to becoming healthier and more active.