First Lady Mary Easley to Speak at Education Intern Event
Teaching Fellows Program Will Also Host Candidate Forum
By Melyssa Allen

First Lady of North Carolina Mary P. Easley will be the featured speaker at Meredith College's School of Education Intern/Cooperating Teacher Banquet on Monday, Sept. 20 at 6:30 p.m. in Belk Dining Hall.

One of Easley's main initiatives as first lady is teacher recruitment. The Meredith event honors interns from Meredith's teacher education program, along with the Wake County Public Schools teachers, Meredith faculty and Wake County Public Schools human resources personnel who have worked with the students this semester.

Easley serves on the board of directors of Communities In Schools of North Carolina, which connects community resources with schools to help students stay in school, learn needed skills and prepare to become productive citizens. She received her bachelor's degree in politics from Wake Forest University in 1972 and received her Juris Doctorate from Wake Forest School of Law in 1975. In addition to being first lady, Easley is a full-time clinical professor at North Carolina Central University School of Law in Durham.

The Meredith College School of Education Intern/Cooperating Teacher Banquet is open by invitation. For more information, contact the Meredith College School of Education at ext. 8315.

In addition, the Meredith College Teaching Fellows Program is hosting a forum for the candidates for North Carolina State Superintendent of Public Instruction. Candidates June Atkinson and Bill Fletcher will participate in a forum from 5 p.m. – 6:15 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 23 in Carswell Concert Hall. NC Teaching Fellows Program Director Gladys Graves and SGA President Mary Hemphill will moderate. Call the Meredith College Teaching Fellows office at ext. 2334 for more information.

Program Spotlight: Family and Consumer Sciences Major Has Moved Far Beyond "Stitching and Stirring"
By Melyssa Allen

While the Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) major may have its roots in home economics, the program has moved far beyond "stitching and stirring," according to Jody Roubanis, assistant professor of human environmental science.

The name of the major was changed from Home Economics to Family and Consumer Sciences in 1995.

"A major reason for this change is that what we did in the 1950s is so different from what we do today," Roubanis explains. "Family and Consumer Sciences is a profession that reacts to the needs of individuals and families today."

"Today's issues include those facing single parent families and concerns about the environment," she says. "The major encompasses child development, merchandising and all areas of human environmental sciences."

A major misconception is that FCS is still focused on home economics. "The image of home economics in the 1950s carries over today," Roubanis says.

Because FCS focuses on the needs of individuals and families, the program has changed significantly since that time. "The needs of the 1950s are not the same as the needs of today's society, " she says.

Roubanis and Deborah Tippett, professor of human environmental sciences, teach the FCS courses, but to complete the major students take courses in other areas of Human Environmental Sciences.

"A central theme of FCS is to empower individuals, strengthen families and enable communities," Roubanis says. "Issues in the environment around us are ones we investigate – this is a big picture major."

With approximately 20 students, the FCS major is the smallest of the Human and Environmental Sciences majors, but it is also the fastest growing program in the department.

Roubanis says the major appeals to "students whose ethic is caring about people."

Traditional FCS career paths are teaching and working as a cooperative extension agent, but these are just a few of the options for an FCS major.

In general, an FCS professional is "educating people in formal or informal ways," Roubanis says.

Graduates can also work in such fields as event planning, consulting and more. Recent graduates are working at the Hawaii Children's Discovery Center in Honolulu and at The Wellness Center at Rex Hospital. Another hopes to open a business etiquette school.

Leadership is encouraged among FCS majors, Roubanis says, noting that a Meredith student has served as state president or national president of the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences for the past four years.

One of the program's strengths is "helping students form a network before leaving college by participating in conferences and leadership organizations," Roubanis says.

McCullough Earns Women in Business Award from Triangle Business Journal
By Melyssa Allen

Claire McCullough, assistant vice president for graduate and professional studies, is one of the recipients of the Triangle Business Journal's 2004 Women in Business Awards.

Triangle Business Journal is a weekly publication covering the Triangle business community. The annual award honors 25 women who have displayed leadership in business and made significant contributions to the Triangle community. Award winners were honored during a luncheon on August 12.

Previous recipients include President Maureen Hartford and Michelle Rich, former chair of the Meredith College board of trustees, as well as many other women with Meredith connections.

"It's a real honor to be included in this group of truly impressive women," McCullough said in the Triangle Business Journal. "I know many of the past winners and I'm looking forward to getting to know the others, to network with them on a variety of issues."

Earlier this year, McCullough was selected as Business Woman of the Year by the Raleigh chapter of the Business and Professional Women's organization (BPW/Raleigh) and received an award for excellence in extension and engagement from NC State for a joint project with the Small Business and Technology Development Center.

Faculty/Staff Campaign Kickoff Celebration Scheduled

President Hartford invites all faculty and staff members to attend the Faculty/Staff Campaign Kickoff Celebration on Tuesday, Sept. 14 in the Cate/Park Center. A reception will be held from 3:30 p.m. until 4:15 p.m. in the Kresge lobby, followed by a program in Kresge Auditorium from 4:15 p.m. until 5 p.m.

RSVP for the Faculty/Staff Campaign to Pat Duggins in Institutional Advancement at extension 8178 or dugginp@meredith.edu.

Faculty/Staff Campaign Committee members are:

Mary Ann Beam
Carol Brown
Maureen Banker
Cynthia Bishop
Sam Carothers
Robin Colby
Kristi Eaves-McLennan
Heidi Fletcher
Ann Gleason
Ellen Goode
Betty Harper
Martha Harell
Sue Kearney
Heidi LeCount
Jeannie Morelock
Becky Oatsvall
Paula O'Briant, co-chair
Allen Page, co-chair
Donna Pilkington
Brent Pitts
Betty-Shannon Prevatt
Kelly Scott
Reg Shiflett
Charletta Sims
Marie Sumerel
Betty Webb
Beth Weir
Ellen Williams

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