Navigation

Grant Will Support Undergraduate Research and Mentoring Initiative

A new initiative funded by a $95,000 grant from the Jessie Ball duPont Fund will support undergraduate research and mentorship at Meredith College.

Wake Young Women’s Leadership Academy, a single-gender public magnet school located near Meredith, will select eight students who will benefit from early exposure to academic research in a college setting, while fulfilling internship requirements of their early college program in partnership with Saint Augustine’s University.

Meredith will partner with Wake Young Women’s Leadership Academy for this project. Wake Young Women’s Leadership Academy will provide juniors and seniors in their early college program with the opportunity to engage in research. The partnership will provide leadership and mentoring opportunities for 15 junior and senior Meredith College students from multiple disciplines. The academic experience will better prepare them for success in future graduate work and research in their respective fields. It will also provide an opportunity to serve as mentors to college-bound young women.

“We know that research experience on a resume is a plus for graduate school admission and employment opportunities,” says Paul Winterhoff, director of undergraduate research for Meredith College. “Faculty also gain from a more intimate and intensive teaching and learning experience, and in some cases use the experience to advance lines of research that they are pursuing.”

For more than 30 years the Jessie Ball duPont Fund has funded more than $1 million in initiatives at Meredith College including Teaching Fellows, Meredith’s adult education program Wings, general education, and energy management initiatives. Support for the new program aligns with the duPont Fund’s support of providing young people access to opportunities that will prepare them for success.

“This partnership could be a model for other schools,” says Cindy Godwin, associate vice president of advancement for Meredith College. “This funding is a strong indicator of the confidence that the Jessie Ball duPont Fund has in Meredith College and their ability to create with us.”

The Jessie Ball duPont Fund works to expand access and create opportunity by investing in people, organizations, and communities that were important to Jessie Ball duPont. For more information, visit dupontfund.org.

This gift is part of Meredith’s Beyond Strong campaign, which recently announced a fundraising goal of $75 million. The campaign supports six priorities identified through the College’s strategic plan: educational excellence, optimal enrollment, enhanced financial strength, cutting edge facilities and technology, greater visibility, and enhanced quality of life. Learn more at meredith.edu/beyondstrong

Melyssa Allen

News Director
316 Johnson Hall
(919) 760-8087
Fax: (919) 760-8330

allenme@meredith.edu