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Pharmaceutical Executive Christy Shaffer to Address December Graduates
After completing a bachelor's degree in biology/chemistry, Shaffer earned a Ph.D. in pharmacology from the University of Tennessee. Shaffer serves on the Kresge Science Advisory Board for Meredith College. As chief executive officer and a pharmaceutical executive, Shaffer has extensive practice in directing complex drug development processes for innovative products. Shaffer serves on the boards of the North Carolina Biosciences Organization, the North Carolina Biotechnology Center and the North Carolina Museum of Art. Her recognitions include the Council for Entrepreneurship Development Award for Entrepreneurial Excellence and Business Woman of the Year in North Carolina by the Business Advisory Council in Washington, D.C. For more information, visit www.meredith.edu/commencement. Meredith Students Earn Recognition in Model United Nations Meredith's Model United Nations team earned an honorable mention award for representing the Islamic Republic of Iran in the Southern Regional Model United Nations (SRMUN) conference, held November 18-20 in Atlanta, Ga. "Model UN is a first-hand opportunity to experience the process of communication and negotiation involved in international diplomacy with other countries," said the team's advisor Peter Volpe, assistant professor of political science. "By representing a country, students are able to experience international politics from a (non-U.S.) perspective and gain an understanding of the foundations of other countries' foreign policies." Eleven students represented Iran on Meredith's Model UN team: Jessica Willson, Megan Register, Emily Collins, Kelly Johnson, Rose Wilson, Leslie Cahoon, Courtney Crute, Sarah Owen, Leslie Harris, Jackie Neustel and Meredith Taylor. Prior to the conference, Volpe said he hoped the student participants would gain an understanding of the opportunities and challenges diplomats face, and gain an "empathic understanding of another country's position in the hopes of learning the reasons why countries differ in the identification and promotion of their interests abroad." Senior Jessica Willson, who also participated in the SRMUN conference last year, plans to become an attorney and feels that Model UN is good preparation for law school. Willson is president of Meredith's Model UN team. "You spend the weekend debating huge government concerns…the student delegates are not afraid to discuss anything," Willson said. "You feel under pressure while preparing, but at the conference you realize just how worth it the work is." Meredith's students served on seven Model UN committees. Each committee discussed three topics, and prior to the conference teams prepared a one-page, front-and-back position paper for each. The papers covered the UN's history with that specific issue or those similar, defined the country's policy on that issue, and offered a proposed solution. Participating in Model UN "helps you think quickly, think more critically, and it teaches you to analyze better and differently," Willson said. "It is more than knowing… it's living a topic." For more information on the Southern Regional Model United Nations, visit www.srmun.org.
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Hartford Named Chair of LeaderShape Board of Directors LeaderShape is a nationally recognized leadership development program through which participants practice decision-making skills for ethical dilemmas, learn how to work in high-performance teams, discuss how to understand and respect one another's values and clarify personal values and standards. Meredith is the first women's college to hold its own session of the LeaderShape institute. In 2004, 2,283 students participated in LeaderShape through one of 40 campus-based institutes or one of seven national sessions held in Allerton, Illinois. "It is a tremendous honor to be chosen to chair the Board of Directors of LeaderShape...because the Board is truly made up of individuals who lead with integrity," Hartford said. Hartford will replace Gene Hoffman, the founding chair of LeaderShape. "Chairing the Board will be a challenge because I am trying to fill such big shoes," Hartford said. "Under Gene's guidance, LeaderShape has grown from a small program based in Allerton, Illinois to a national program that serves over 2,200 college students each year. In 2005 LeaderShape will graduate its 20,000th student." Hartford became the first female president of Meredith College in February 1999. She serves on numerous boards, including the Marine Corps University Board of Visitors, the Wake Education Partnership Board of Trustees and the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. Hartford holds a B.A. in French and history and an M.A. in college teaching at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. Her doctorate in higher education administration is from the University of Arkansas. Ann Gleason Receives Outstanding Professional Contribution Award
"I was completely surprised and tremendously honored to receive this award…it means so much to me that my colleagues would nominate me. I am so fortunate to work every day with individuals whom I admire and respect, and who share the same mission in supporting and empowering students," Gleason said. Gleason has worked at Meredith since 1997. As dean of students, Gleason said she provides assistance through "social and educational programs and interventions," and supervises the staff in the "development and growth of students." She is also the adviser for Honor Council and serves as a chair for the Incident Management Subcommittee, Academic Integrity Assessment Subcommittee and Health Issues Week planning committee. In addition, she is a member of several college committees including Enrollment Management Team, Disabilities Panel, Council on Institutional Effectiveness, Summer Reading Program Committee, First Year Experience Advisory Board and the Academic Climate Committee. Gleason helped to create Honor and Integrity Week in February 2004, along with Health Issues Week, the development of the copyright policy on campus and the development of an ethics module this year that was added to the First Year Experience course. In the future, Gleason hopes to continue working to raise awareness of academic integrity, and keeps working to bring faculty, staff and students together to discuss critical issues on campus. She also wants to enhance the diversity programs, the First Year Experience course, the retention of upperclass students in the residents halls, and emergency preparedness. She will chair the planning committee for Meredith College's Health Issues Week, which is scheduled for February 14-18.
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Dr. Christy Shaffer, CEO of Inspire Pharmaceuticals, will be the speaker for Meredith College's Saturday, Dec. 11 commencement exercises. The ceremony begins at 10 a.m. and will be held in Jones Auditorium.
Meredith College President Maureen Hartford has been elected to serve a one-year term as chair of the LeaderShape Board of Directors. 
Ann Gleason, dean of students, received the Outstanding Professional Contribution Award in October for her leadership at Meredith College. The award was presented to her at a conference in Wilmington sponsored by the North Carolina College Personnel Association (NCCPA). Her nomination came from several of Gleason's colleagues at Meredith. 