Class of 2014 Dedicates Gift

The Class of 2014 gathered on May 6 to celebrate the completion of their senior class gift, a sidewalk along Main Campus Drive. It is a welcome addition to campus and was needed to guide the campus community to the greenway and to access Hillsborough Street.

The class worked tirelessly their senior year to raise the largest class gift in the history of the College, raising $14,000 with almost 50% of the class contributing. They spread the word through emails, social media, and word of mouth, and 115 of them got involved with the project by becoming members of the Ivy Society. The Ivy Society are graduates in the last ten years who give monthly to The Meredith Fund.

“It made us all excited to contribute and was just the beginning of our lifelong relationship of giving back to our beloved Meredith,” says Grace Smith Tolson, ʼ14, class gift co-chair.

The class decided on this gift because they wanted to give something that would be enjoyed and appreciated for many years to come.

“This was our big chance to give back to Meredith after all she had given us,” says Tolson. “After much thought, we decided a sidewalk that would run from the bus stop on Hillsborough Street, down the main drive, to the guard house would be the perfect gift from our class. With the path being traveled by so many students on a daily basis we knew it was something the College really needed and we also knew it would always be there to show us the way home.”

While on campus for the dedication, the class watched their little sisters’ Class Day and listened to them announce their class gift of another sidewalk from the commuter lot to Martin Hall. The Class of 2016 also raised the bar and plan to raise $16,000 for their gift.

—Submitted by Emily Parker, campaign communication manager