Teacher and Community Volunteer – Macy Brinson

As a Teaching Fellow, an active volunteer with the Special Olympics, and a member of the Meredith College cross country and track and field teams, Macy Brinson, ’19, has learned to work through challenges and make the most of every opportunity.

She is pursuing a degree in exercise and sports science with a concentration in health and physical education. After graduation, she plans to teach in Wake County as a middle school health and physical education teacher, while also serving as a track coach.

The relationships she has built with her professors and coaches have fueled her desire to become an educator and coach.

“Meredith has prepared me for this next step by giving me many experiences in the community and allowing me to go out into schools and work with students,” Macy said. “The work they have provided and the information they have taught me has given me the confidence to succeed in my profession.”

Every spring Macy volunteers with the Special Olympics Wake County track and field team and has also volunteered with the Special Olympics at Daniels Magnet Middle School. These experiences sparked her desire to become a coach.

Macy also attended the North Carolina Alliance for Athletics, Health, Physical Education, Recreation, Dance, and Sports Management (NCAAHPERD-SM) convention where she assisted Associate Professor of Health, Exercise, and Sports Science Stephanie Little with a presentation on classroom management.

The biggest challenge Macy has experienced while at Meredith was the physical and emotional pain she endured during her sophomore season on the cross country team.

Macy suffered an Achilles injury that forced her to be in a cast for several weeks, causing her to lose hope that she would be the same runner. Around that same time, she also endured the loss of her grandfather, who attended every meet.

“We were very close and it took me a long time to recover from all the emotional pain along with grades, running, and my social life,” said Macy. “The constant love and support from my teammates encouraged me to keep a positive mindset. By overcoming these challenges, I was able to succeed academically and athletically because I realized what I was capable of.”

Aside from holding Meredith’s all-time track record in the 1500 meters, Macy is a two-time All-Conference selection in cross country and has participated in conference and regional races her past three seasons. She also earned USA South All-Academic honors her freshman and sophomore years.

Along with being a student-athlete, Macy finds time to be involved on campus. She is a member of Meredith Educators and 1891 Club, and she has participated in Cornhuskin’. This past summer she studied abroad in Sansepolcro, Italy, with the Meredith Teaching Fellows program.

“This was my first time out of the country and the best experience of my life,” Macy said. “It changed me as a person and allowed me to become more open and think about things deeply.”

Macy’s fondest memory is ring dinner, where all of her hard work, on and off the track, was rewarded. Ring dinner is a Meredith tradition where students who have completed 60 hours of coursework are eligible to receive the oval onyx stone. The onyx symbolizes the unity and accomplishments of all Meredith women.

Earning her Onyx and being able to celebrate her accomplishments with her classmates has allowed her to reflect on her experiences at Meredith. Ring dinner inspired Macy to continue to make the most of her time at Meredith by helping those around her and taking advantage of different educational opportunities.

“I was able to be with my class and celebrate this time of accomplishments,” said Macy. “Ring dinner allowed me to see all of the hard work we put in at Meredith College and it was the beginning of facing the world as strong Meredith women.”

By Chandler Hines, ’18

Learn more about Meredith’s Teaching Fellows Program

Explore the exercise and sports science major at Meredith