Alyson Colwell-Waber: On A Meredith Mission
By Sterling Winslow, '05

Alyson Colwell-Waber received a 2003-2004 Laura Harrill Presidential Award, which is presented to faculty members who have contributed significantly to the advancement of Meredith College.

Colwell-Waber is completing her nineteenth year at Meredith, having started her career here in 1984 as instructor of dance. As dean for special academic programs, Colwell-Waber's responsibilities include supporting faculty development, general education, honors, capstone and service learning programs.

In addition, Colwell-Waber assists the vice president for academic affairs with programs such as early registration, orientation, new faculty orientation and the faculty-staff planning conference. Colwell-Waber also works closely with Ann Gleason, dean of students, who was the co-recipient of the Laura Harrill Award. The award was given in recognition of their collaboration on numerous projects, including serving on the Academic Climate Committee together, and working on academic integrity issues at Meredith, on the creation of a College philosophy in communicating with parents, and on strengthening the orientation program.

In addition to all of Colwell-Waber's responsibilities, she still finds time to plan for Meredith's future. Significant efforts are being made on Colwell-Waber's part to enhance the academic climate at Meredith by shaping expectations for academic challenge.

While focusing on the overall academic programs at Meredith, the Department of Dance and Theatre continues to be close to Colwell-Waber's heart because she is the founder of Meredith Dance Theatre. She created the performing series for dance and established a major in dance.

"In my 'home' department, I am excited about the possibilities ahead for the new department of dance and theatre and about future collaborations involving art, dance, music and theatre," Colwell-Waber says.

Not only has she been a leader in the dance department, but also in the campus community. Colwell-Waber was a leader in the review and reform of Meredith's general education requirements.

Presently Colwell-Waber is working with the Service Learning Advisory Committee to create a 10-year plan for civic engagement. She hopes to get students involved in service learning, volunteer opportunities and other types of community-based learning. In addition Colwell-Waber has been working on creating Meredith's new ethics-across-the-curriculum and supporting the development of CORE 200 and CORE 400, which are being offered under the new general education curriculum.

Colwell-Waber explained that her job is the most fun when the ideas she has come alive. "There's a great deal of satisfaction in seeing the fruits of your labor-and that comes from seeing faculty and students engaged in learning," she said.

Anne Pickard Receives Service Award from Louisburg College
By Candace Jones, Louisburg College Media Relations

The Cecil W. Robbins Service Award was presented to Anne Edens Pickard during Louisburg College's annual alumni weekend awards ceremony. Pickard is the administrative assistant to Rosalind Reichard, the senior vice president and vice president for academic affairs at Meredith.

The Robbins award is given annually to a Louisburg College alumnus or community member who has shown exceptional dedication and outstanding service to the college.

Pickard says, "Receiving the Cecil W. Robbins Service Award is a distinct honor for me. Dr. Robbins assumed the presidency of Louisburg College in 1955, the same year that I entered Louisburg. Through the years he maintained close ties with our class. He would joke and tell people that he had given me a very good beginning since I was a student assistant in his office during my stay at Louisburg. My reward was the privilege of being a close friend of Dr. Robbins until his death. Therefore, being a recipient of the Cecil W. Robbins Service Award has very special meaning for me."

Pickard was honored for her years of service to the Alumni Association Board of Directors, which included one term as president. Also, she has been instrumental in the Wake County Alumni Chapter and Triangle-area receptions for incoming freshmen. Perhaps Pickard's most valuable work has been her leadership of the inaugural committees of the past three presidents. In 1996, Pickard was chosen as the Distinguished Alumna of the Year.

Another woman with ties to Meredith College was also recognized during the Louisburg College event.

Stephanie Buchanan, who earned her bachelor's degree from Meredith College, received the Outstanding Young Alumna award for her accomplishments in the role of vice president of enrollment management at Louisburg College.

The two women shared congratulations following the awards presentation. After talking for a few moments, Buchanan suddenly remembered where she had previously met Anne Pickard—during commencement practice for her own graduation from Meredith College!

Collaboration is Key to Success for Dean of Students Ann Gleason
By Sterling Winslow, '05

Dean of Students Ann Gleason received the Laura Harrill Presidential Award for her contributions toward the advancement of Meredith for the 2003-2004 academic year.

Gleason has been working at Meredith for the past seven years, providing support and assistance to the student body. Gleason's job is to ensure that her staff supports resident students, first year students, commuter students, transfer students and the diversity programs. In addition to these roles, she advises the Student Government Association honor council.

One of Gleason's favorite things about her job is watching a student reach the goals she set for herself. Gleason added that something else she enjoys is meeting a student during freshman orientation and watching her grow and mature during her time at Meredith.

One of Gleason's biggest accomplishments thus far is the creation of Honor and Integrity Week. In addition Gleason created Health Issues Week, which takes place every other year. Both of these projects have created a higher level of collaboration between students, faculty and staff. Gleason hopes to continue to strengthen these programs in future years.

Gleason has a few goals for the upcoming academic year. She hopes to enhance awareness for diversity training of students, paraprofessionals (someone trained to assist a professor) and the dean of students' office. Gleason will continue to serve on the academic climate committee and chair of the academic integrity assessment subcommittee. Through these committees Gleason said she, "plans to focus on the roles and responsibilities of faculty and students in promoting academic integrity in the classroom."

The major project Gleason is working on for next year is to create an ethics module for the first year experience course, which she hopes will include information on how students can make ethical decisions. Gleason hopes to help students create personal ethical frameworks for their lives. Gleason explains that most freshmen are coping with their first time away from their families and need help making decisions on their own.

Gleason said, "My favorite thing about receiving the Laura Harrill Award was that I received it with Alyson Colwell-Waber, dean for special academic programs."

Gleason and Colwell-Waber are good friends and collaborate intensely on each other's projects, such as academic integrity issues at Meredith, on the creation of a College philosophy in communicating with parents, and on strengthening the orientation program. Gleason is very proud of what her office has accomplished and the strength of Meredith College.

"I am proud to be a part of a strong institution that is progressive and creative in imagining its future," Gleason said.

Meredith Writer-in-Residence Betty Adcock Receives Raleigh Medal of Arts
By Melyssa Allen

Meredith College Writer-in-Residence Betty Adcock is a 2004 recipient of the City of Raleigh's Medal of Arts award.

Adcock is the recipient of two Pushcart Prizes, of the Poet's Prize for her book Intervale, and she was a finalist for the Lenore Marshall Prize from the Academy of American Poets. She received a Fellowship in Poetry from the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation in 2002. Intervale was named "Distinguished Volume of Poetry Published in 2001" by the "Dictionary of Literary Biography Yearbook." In 1996, she received the North Carolina Governor's Award.

Adcock has been a Kenan Writer-in-Residence at Meredith since 1983. She is also a member of the faculty for the Warren Wilson MFA Program for Writers. This fall she is serving as the NCSU Distinguished Visiting Poet. She is the author of five books of poetry: Intervale, Walking Out, Nettles, Beholdings and The Difficult Wheel.

The Raleigh Medal of Arts program was designed to foster excellence in the arts and encourage their support. It is intended to recognize those who achieved clear excellence in their art form or who made an extraordinary contribution to the arts through service or financial support.

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