Profile: Amanda Steele-Middleton, New Registrar at Meredith College
By Mayah S. Collins, ’11
Amanda Steele-Middleton is a new addition to the registrar’s office at Meredith College, and while she is new to Meredith, she is very familiar with the duties and responsibilities of being a registrar.
“The duties are the same. The only thing that I had to be acquainted with was the familiarity of being at an all women’s college and learning the policies here at Meredith,” said Steele-Middleton.
Prior to her arrival at Meredith, she had worked at Heidelberg University a co-ed institute in Ohio for more than three years; and Wright State University for five years. As a new registrar, Steele-Middleton is adjusting to being at an all women’s college.
Steele-Middleton moved to Raleigh to be closer to her family.
“When I found the position opening at Meredith for a registrar, I realized that not only could I be closer to family, but working at Meredith I could grow professionally by exploring the niche of a woman’s college, an experience that I did not previously have,” said Steele-Middleton.
She is not only adjusting to her job at Meredith, but also to changes for her family life as well. Steele-Middleton had a baby in July of this year and is appreciative of Meredith being supportive, understanding and encouraging of her situation through this transition. Balancing her office life and her family life was a slight challenge.
“The move and the birth of my child, starting a new job, becoming familiar with new colleagues and learning the ropes of my new institution” has been a demanding experience, Steele-Middle said. Everyone was very understanding of her need for a flexible schedule and to answer her cell phone to make sure that everything at home was okay. Danny Green and Jean Jackson along with other faculty and staff members provided her with words of encouragement and advice.
Steele-Middleton arrived at Meredith as the College was preparing for SACS reaccreditation. As a registrar, Steele-Middleton is familiar with The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, often referred to as SACS.
Steele-Middleton believes “there is anxiety in the preparation in getting a college reaccredited and that it is compared to the stress level that an employee has when being under evaluation by their employer.” The accreditation process is a good practice according to Steele-Middleton because, “The College can reaffirm how well it’s doing to benefit the Meredith community academically.”
Steele-Middleton’s responsibilities include a variety of things. She deals with registering students; providing information about campus policies; and coordinating with academic departments to put together course catalogues. Steele-Middleton also focuses on supporting academic advising and other administrative offices on campus; handling transcripts and data requirements for the campus and delivering degree evaluations in the fall to seniors that entails requirements needed in order to graduate.
Overall Steele-Middleton enjoys her new job and feels she “could never have made a successful transition” without the support of her colleagues, Meredith staff and faculty.
