Press Releases

4/15/00

Meredith College Inaugurated New President Today

The seventh president of Meredith College, the Southeast’s largest private women’s college, was inaugurated today, Saturday April 15, 2000. President Maureen A. Hartford, a native of Charlotte, is the first female president to serve Meredith College. After being elected on February 26, 1999, she began her tenure on July 1, 1999.

The inaugural ceremony began at 10 a.m. in Dorton Arena at the N.C. State Fairgrounds and featured the talents of the Raleigh Symphony Orchestra, the Meredith Chorale, the Meredith Dance Theater, and Meredith junior Erika Lee, who led the singing of the National Anthem and Meredith’s Alma Mater. William Friday, President Emeritus of the University of North Carolina System, and James Duderstadt, President Emeritus of the University of Michigan, addressed the inaugural audience.

Before coming to Meredith, Hartford had served as the vice-president of student affairs at the University of Michigan since 1992. A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, she completed her undergraduate degrees in history and French and received a graduate degree in college teaching. Hartford continued her education at the University of Arkansas where she earned a doctorate in higher education administration. She has held positions at the University of Maine, the University of Arkansas, the Case Western Reserve, Washington State University, and the University of Michigan.

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Celebrating Women in Achievement

Celebrating Women in Achievement was the chosen theme for inauguration activities surrounding today’s installation ceremony. "Today as we celebrate women in achievement, we are reaffirming our commitment to both the historic purpose and the future mission of the College. Celebrating Women of Achievement recognizes that this covenant unites Meredith women who are the past, present, and future of our institution and our society," said Hartford.

The seemly Celebrating Women of Achievement theme was visual in the women and North Carolinians who brought greetings to Hartford on behalf of local and state government and higher education.

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The theme of Celebrating Women in Achievement also was forefront in yesterday’s symposium, Public Lives, Personal Choices, which focused on the careers of six female leaders in academia as part of Hartford’s installation celebration. In a panel discussion, the following women leaders of North Carolina colleges and universities explored critical choices and decisions that have led to their current leadership positions:

Hartford Emphasizes Community Involvement at Meredith and Beyond

Emphasizing community involvement, Hartford has already had a tremendous impact on the Meredith community. Her commitment to community service is noticeably evidenced by the recent creation of the coordinator of volunteer services position as part of Meredith’s student development division. More importantly, she leads the effort for increased involvement by example – teaching Meredith’s students that community activity is a responsibility and also encouraging Meredith employees to lead by example.

"In addition to this focus on leadership and civic engagement, I believe Meredith College has developed a fundamental educational philosophy over the past 100 years that will continue to produce graduates who are caring, critical thinkers. We may refine parts of the curriculum rather than making dramatic changes, but at Meredith: We will commit to using the liberal arts as a base for all students, and through this approach develop in our students the skills identified as those needed in the future workforce. We will commit to expecting computer literacy from all students in the same way we expect strong communication skills. We will commit to focusing on math and science as strength for the College," said Hartford in her inaugural address.

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Since her arrival at Meredith, Hartford has been active in the Wake County Schools Partnership as a member of the committee of the Wake Task Force on Teacher Excellence and the Teacher Quality sub-committee. Community involvement did not begin with Hartford’s arrival at Meredith, but has been a tenet strongly upheld throughout her career on college campuses and nationally in student leadership initiatives. She worked with the Clinton administration on the establishment of the Americorps program, has been active as a volunteer for United Way and the March of Dimes, and recently she was elected to the Board of Directors of the Capital City Club.

Hartford’s strong belief in the necessity of leadership development for young people has touched thousands. She was one of the founders of Leadershape, a national student leadership program, and now serves on the national governing board. She also volunteers with Motheread, a non-profit organization that develops curriculum and training which combines the teaching of literary skills with child development and family empowerment issues.

Women’s issues carry special import for Hartford. An advocate for breast cancer awareness and prevention, she will captain a Meredith team for the Susan G. Komen Foundation NC Triangle Race for the Cure ®, hosted at Meredith College, to fund breast cancer research. She is also a member of the committee coordinating the Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina Breast Cancer Golf Festival.

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2/14/00

Meredith College to Inaugurate New President

Meredith College is pleased to announce that Maureen Hartford, the College’s seventh president, will be inaugurated on Saturday April 15, 2000. Hartford, a native of Charlotte, is the first female president to serve Meredith College. After being elected on February 26, 1999, she began her tenure on July 1, 1999.

Before coming to Meredith, Hartford had served as the vice president of student affairs at the University of Michigan since 1992. A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, she continued her education at the University of Arkansas where she earned a doctorate in higher education administration. Hartford has held positions at the University of Maine, the University of Arkansas, the Case Western Reserve, Washington State University, and the University of Michigan.

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With over 2,600 students, Meredith is the largest private women’s college in the Southeast. For additional information, please contact:

The Office of Marketing and Communications
3800 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh, NC 27607-5298
Tel: (919) 760-8455, E-mail: marketing@meredith.edu

 

 

MEREDITH COLLEGE
3800 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh, NC 27607-5298
Tel: 919.760.8600 Fax: 919.760.2828
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