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| Senator Elizabeth Dole Holds Book Signing at Meredith College
The book signing was held from 12:30 until 2:30 p.m. in the Johnson Hall Rotunda. Senator Dole's book signing was sponsored by Quail Ridge Books and Music. Dole was elected senator of North Carolina in 2002. A native of Salisbury, N.C., Dole's public service career also includes working for five United States presidents. In "Hearts Touched By Fire," Dole recounts her inexperienced beginnings while running for student office at Duke University, and how understanding the importance of being able to communicate what she had to say ultimately helped to take her and others on her journey. In addition to her own development as a speaker, related with candor and insight, Dole presents 500 of the most time-honored, beloved, and, ultimately inspiring quotations — some of which were said to her personally — that she uses in her role as a leader, legislator and orator. (Carroll & Graf Publishers)Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemoration Scheduled Meredith College will commemorate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with a series of events, sponsored by the Association for Cultural Awareness. On Monday, Jan. 17, Meredith students participated in the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. March in downtown Raleigh, followed by a special service at the BTI Center. On Wednesday, Jan. 19, Dr. E.B. Palmer will be the keynote speaker at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Worship Service, which will be held at 10 a.m. in Jones Chapel. Palmer began his education career as a teacher and principal in the Durham County schools. In 1964, he became executive secretary of the North Carolina Teachers Association, a leader of the state's teachers. He rose to state and national prominence protecting the rights of educators while desegregating the schools of North Carolina and the United States. With attorney Julius Chambers, Palmer was recognized as entering more lawsuits for the rights of educators and to desegregate schools than any single person in history. He helped to organize teachers in North Carolina, Texas, Florida, New York, Michigan, Louisiana, Virginia and Ohio. The National Education Association recognized Palmer for Leadership in the Merger of the American Teachers Association and the National Education Association, as the association marked the 35th anniversary of the merger this year. In 1974, he was recognized by the NEA with the H. Council Trenholm Award for Outstanding Contributions in the Area of Human Rights. Palmer has been recognized by the state of North Carolina with the Order Of The Longleaf Pine and by the 12th District of the Methodist Church as Man of the Year in 2001. With his wife, Juanita, Palmer opened the African American Cultural Complex in 1984. He has traveled to more than 100 North Carolina schools discussing the history of African Americans in America. For more information on these events, contact Charletta Sims, director of commuter life and diversity programs, at ext. 8521. Meredith Launches New Web Site Later this month, Meredith will launch a new edition of the College's web site, www.meredith.edu, to the public. The site, created by the Office of Marketing and Communications, compliments Meredith's new marketing materials including a bold color palette and cleaner appearance. Prior to creating the new site, feedback was received from faculty, staff, current students and administrators. The overall design of the site is consistent with the new look developed by Meredith through research with prospective students.
The new Meredith College home page focuses on prospective undergraduate students while providing "gateways" for current students, alumnae, parents, graduate school students and other key audiences. The academic section of the site provides visitors with an opportunity to meet members of the Meredith faculty. A series of faculty profiles will allow visitors to learn more about Meredith professors and their work in and out of the classroom. As part of the increased efforts to market academic and student life at Meredith, the new site includes added content in these areas. The site gives an overview of the Meredith academic experience. It also includes an "In the Spotlight" section that will highlight a unique course, an academic initiative, a student-faculty research project or some other aspect of academic life at Meredith. A similar feature will appear on the student life section. These spotlights will change frequently, providing prospective students and other visitors with dynamic, engaging windows into academic and student life at Meredith. In addition, the site features a News section including current headlines and tip sheets along with a news archive. Visitors can read about current events at Meredith and research stories from previous months. The faculty and staff "gateway" provides information to employees including directories, handbooks and benefits. This section will remain part of the Meredith web site until the launch of an intranet site in the future. Visit www.meredith.edu and countdown to the new Meredith College web site!
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Meredith's LeaderShape Program Helps Students Take Action Imagine a world where everyone is treated equally regardless of race, sexuality or religion; all women feel empowered; individuals are exposed to the arts; and everyone is aware and cautious of diseases such as breast cancer. Five Meredith students are working to make these diverse visions a reality. Cheryl Stanley, Ashley Penman, Kelly Beth Smith, Renee Pequignot and Heather Ricks have all been awarded grants from the LeaderShape Vision Fund, a scholarship established for graduates of the Meredith LeaderShape Institute. The LeaderShape® Institute is a highly interactive, six-day leadership development experience that helps individuals learn to lead with integrity. During the institute, students create a vision statement that articulates a plan for making a difference in society and in their community. With the help of the LeaderShape Vision Fund, these students are able to accomplish their goals. Cheryl Stanley, a junior, is helping to coordinate Hate Crimes Week, which will be held in January 17-21. (See "Hate Crimes Awareness Week Scheduled" for more information.) "My vision is a world where people are treated equally regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, disability, gender, age, sexual orientation or any other perceived or actual differences and a world where the differences in each of us are cause for celebration," said Stanley. Ashley Penman, a junior, is encouraging the Meredith community to attend at least one dance concert, art exhibit, theater production, gallery opening or music concert by May 2006. Penman plans to create an electronic mailing list that the Meredith community can subscribe to for information on all Meredith events. "I strongly believe that the entire Meredith community should be exposed to what the professors and students of the School of Arts have to offer," says Penman. Kelly Beth Smith, a junior, is educating the community and empowering women by informing individuals about eating disorders. This is a topic that Smith studied in detail with Dr. Jack Huber, professor of psychology, over the summer as part of Meredith's undergraduate research program. Smith believes raising awareness of what it means to be a feminist will help young women feel a heightened sense of self-esteem and confidence. Smith is arranging for Dr. Claire Wiseman to speak at Meredith College in February. Wiseman teaches at Trinity College, has taught at Yale University and has conducted in-depth research on eating disorders and body image issues. "I hope to provide the Meredith community with some information about a major issue relevant to women: eating disorders," Smith said. "As a woman's college I think it's important that we reach out to one another and share our experiences." Pequignot, a senior, and junior Heather Ricks organized Breast Cancer Awareness Week, which was held October 11-15,2004. Students, faculty, staff and others contributed approximately $4,000 to the fundraiser. Ricks and Pequignot presented $250 to a woman currently battling breast cancer and donated the rest of the money collected to the Pay It Forward Foundation, a foundation that collects money and gives it directly to people who need it to cover the cost of operations, medicine and other cancer-related bills. "My goal is to educate the Meredith community about breast cancer and to spread the passion I have for this cause," says Pequignot. For more information on any of these events, contact the Office of Student Activities and Leadership Development at ext. 8338.
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Senator Elizabeth Dole signed copies of her book, "Hearts Touched with Fire: My 500 Most Inspirational Quotations," (Carroll & Graf Publishers, 2004) at Meredith College on Monday, Dec. 20.
