Meredith College will celebrate the inauguration of Jo Allen, ’80, as the College’s eighth president, March 19-22, 2012. Here are eight ways to celebrate Meredith College during the inauguration week.
1. Attend an inauguration event.
Inauguration week begins with a kick-off event on Monday, March 19, at 10 a.m. in Johnson Hall Rotunda. This special event for students will include Krispy Kreme doughnuts, giveaways, and special surprises for President Allen. All students are welcome!
The installation ceremony will be held on Thursday, March 22 at 10 a.m. at Raleigh Memorial Auditorium. All Meredith students, faculty, staff and alumnae are invited. After the installation, attend a reception on Meredith's campus. Reception sites are the Science and Mathematics Building Atrium, Cate Center and Carlyle Campbell Library. Visit www.meredith.edu/inauguration for more information.
2. Participate in Meredith’s service pledge in honor of President Allen. As a gift to President Allen, Meredith community members are asked to pledge at least five hours of service to the campus and/or community. Stop by the Giving Tree to pledge service hours and share good wishes in honor of Dr. Allen’s first year as Meredith College president. The Giving Tree will be in Cate Center March 15-16 and in Johnson Hall Rotunda March 19-23.
3. Wear your Meredith ring or a Meredith shirt.
4. Get together with Meredith classmates.
5. Make a Gift to Meredith. Click here for information on how to make a gift to The Meredith Fund.
6. Introduce a prospective student to Meredith. Click here to visit the admissions section of Meredith’s website.
7. Learn more about Meredith’s history by visiting the College Archives online. The archives site is www.meredith.edu/library/archives/index.htm. Or, take a trip down memory lane by viewing digitized editions of Oak Leaves, Meredith’s yearbook, online here.
8. Participate virtually: Follow Meredith at twitter.com/meredithcollege and read live tweets from the installation. Use the hashtag #MC8 to add your thoughts and wishes for President Allen. After March 22, visit www.meredith.edu/inauguration to view photos and video clips from the installation.
An inauguration, which marks the formal installation of a college president, is traditionally held within the president’s first year in office. The installation ceremony features academic regalia and other symbols traditional to higher education.
Platform Party
The platform party consists of Meredith College officials and dignitaries who will speak during the ceremony. Speakers representing the State of North Carolina, the City of Raleigh, North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities will bring greetings, as will representatives of Meredith alumnae, faculty, staff, undergraduate and graduate students.
Academic Procession
Delegates from colleges, universities and learned societies from across the United States will join Meredith College faculty, staff and alumnae in an academic procession. Procession participants will be wearing academic regalia symbolizing the academic degrees they hold, and the institution from which they received their highest degree.
The College Mace
A symbol of authority and order in pageantry, the ceremonial Mace was used by Cambridge University as early as the thirteenth century. Traditionally, the marshal who leads the academic procession carries the Mace. Meredith College’s Mace will be carried by the College’s faculty marshal, Professor of Business Rebecca Oatsvall.
Presidential Investiture
President Jo Allen, Meredith’s first alumna president, will take the oath of office during the installation. She will also deliver an inaugural address.
