Celebration Held for Meredith Abroad 50th Anniversary

Meredith College welcomed more than 200 study abroad alumnae, faculty, and supporters to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Meredith Abroad. The reception in honor of this milestone year was held on November 21, 2024, in Johnson Hall Rotunda.

“Whether you’re a study abroad alumna, faculty program leader, generous friend of the College, or supportive colleague, we’re all privileged to be part of something truly special together – the 50-year legacy of Meredith Abroad,” said Dr. Brooke Shurer, director of international programs. 

As leader of a British Studies program in 1974, Dr. Roger Crook set the foundation for faculty-led study abroad at Meredith. He created and directed the first Meredith Abroad program with support from his wife, Mary Ruth. Members of their family were also in attendance at the anniversary celebration.

To the Crook family, Shurer said, “We hope it brings you tremendous joy to see Roger’s and Mary Ruth’s visionary work continuing to make such a positive impact.”

Professor Emerita Betty Webb, ’67, spoke about the history of Meredith Abroad, including her first time as the program’s faculty leader in 1977. There were many challenges during that first trip, including a canceled flight from New York and a student injury before the group left Gatwick Airport. Despite these early obstacles, the study abroad program was filled with successes and sparked her love of international education. 

“In the intervening years I have reflected so often on how lucky I was that early in my career I was given the opportunity to teach in a well-conceived and well-executed study abroad program,” Webb said. “It was an opportunity that set the direction and values of my professional life.”

Webb later became Meredith’s director of international programs. She led more than 40 programs before retiring from the role. In her remarks, she also considered what makes study abroad such a powerful experience.

“What exactly does one learn abroad that one cannot learn at home? Nothing — but abroad, learning happens in ultra high definition … ” Webb said. “One does not merely learn about the arts, the artifacts, the cultures. One learns in the midst of them. In doing so, we can be changed forever in large and small ways, carrying forward into our futures new knowledge, skills, and understandings that we are aware of even if we can’t explain them.” 

Webb’s remarks were preceded by comments from three recent study abroad alumnae, Hannah Cox, ’24, Haileigh West ’24, and Olivia Slack, ’22, who all shared about the positive impact of their study abroad experiences.

Meredith Abroad programs continue to thrive after 50 years, including in the College’s Italian home in Sansepolcro, Italy. 

“As a testament to the strength of our Sansepolcro programs, in this academic year alone, we expect to host nearly 140 members of the Meredith community in the Palazzo Alberti, including undergraduate students, graduate students, employees, alumnae, and friends of the College,” Shurer said. 

Building on the strength of that 1974 British Studies program, Meredith students now study abroad around the world in a variety of locations. Associate Director of International Programs Elizabeth Yaros, ’06, thanked the many people who have made these programs possible.

“Thanks to our committed faculty, generous donors, motivated students, and longstanding partnerships, Brooke and I feel confident claiming to any prospective student that there is no better place than Meredith College to help students achieve their dreams of studying abroad,” said Yaros. “It has been the gift of our professional lives to uphold the Meredith Abroad legacy, to continue to build upon it, and to see programs grow and flourish for generations of students to come. “

The Office of International Programs will host another anniversary celebration for current students and the campus community on December 4 at 10 a.m. in Johnson Hall.

The 50th anniversary of Meredith Abroad is featured in the Fall 2024 issue of Meredith Magazine. Read alumnae recollections about their study abroad experiences in Travelers Not Tourists: 50 Years of Meredith Abroad.