Meredith's
Mission
In Action
In honor of 135 years of educating women and in preparation for the launch of a new strategic plan in the fall, Meredith College is celebrating its mission from January through September 2026. Each month, news stories, social media posts, and other campus activities will center on a theme drawn from Meredith’s mission statement and reflect on a significant moment in the College’s history.
Monthly Theme: Committed to Professional Preparation
How does your program support professional preparation?
“The Dance Program supports professional preparation early and often! First-year students create their first Dance resume, learn financial literacy for dancers, and join the rest of the dance program for an annual Alum panel focused on professional outcomes. Professional preparedness activities and benchmarks are embedded in performance and pedagogy classes at every level of the program. Students for whom Dance is a minor or co-curricular activity learn to leverage the soft skills they develop in Dance to enhance their interview and job performance.”
— Carol Finley, Chair of the Department of Dance and Theatre, Professor of Dance
“The English department is committed to encouraging career readiness by incorporating professional components into both coursework and requirements. English majors are required to take a sophomore-level course, ENG 207, which focuses on developing professional materials and documents. Students leave this course with a LinkedIn account, a resume, and training on interviewing and finding job leads. Further, English majors are required to find internships that allow them to practice professional skills. The English department keeps a record of internship placements and post-graduation employment outcomes. The success of our graduates is highlighted on the Strong Story posters in the hall of Lux.”
— Robin Colby, Department Chair, English, Professor of English
“StrongPoints is deeply committed to professional preparation by helping students understand who they are, how they work best, and how to apply their strengths in academic, professional, and real-world settings. Through strengths-based coaching, workshops, and classroom sessions, students learn to articulate their skills, build confidence, and gain self-awareness that prepares them for success outside Meredith. In partnership with the Office of Career Planning, StrongPoints helps students connect their Strengths to career exploration, leadership roles, and the job search process. Students learn how to articulate their strengths in resumes, interviews, and networking conversations, and how to apply those strengths to teamwork, leadership, decision-making, and navigating professional challenges in the workplace. By equipping students with self-awareness, a shared strengths language, and practical tools they can carry into any profession, StrongPoints prepares Meredith students to lead with integrity, adaptability, and confidence—long after graduation.”
— Emily Caldwell, Director of StrongPoints
Meredith History Moment
“A Move to Larger Grounds”
January 2026 marks a milestone: 100 years since Meredith College moved from its original location to its current site at 3800 Hillsborough Street. Construction was completed on six original Georgian-style buildings, including Johnson Hall, in time for the Spring 1926 semester. In January 1926, Meredith students and instructors occupied the new campus for the first time, and the school reopened on January 6. According to A History of Meredith College by Mary Lynch Johnson, the Board of Trustees approved to move to “larger grounds, in, at, or near Raleigh.” The Tucker Farm site was then “three miles outside of Raleigh.” Johnson wrote that “The decision was not a sudden one, nor had it been easily reached.”
Meredith's Mission in Action
Strategic Plan Update
Meredith is developing a new plan to ensure the College remains forward-looking, responsive to emerging challenges and opportunities, and aligned with the evolving needs of students, faculty, staff, and the broader community. In January 2026, Meredith’s Mission in Action website was launched to celebrate the College’s mission and tie it to the strategic planning process.