Faculty/Staff Accomplishments and Departmental News 2/5/20

In this issue we celebrate the accomplishments of faculty and staff in the departments of world languages and cultures, nutrition, health and human performance, paralegal program, political science, sociology. We also share news about Meredith’s support of female veterans and a program to help prevent falls among senior citizens.

Paralegal Program Director Marisa Campbell’s textbook, with co-authors Katherine Currier and Tom Eimmerman, The Study of Law: A Critical Thinking Approach (5^th edition), was published by Wolters Kluwer in January 2020.

Melinda Campbell, Department Head and Professor, Nutrition, Health and Human Performance, presented “Long Term Investment Strategies in Growing Our Greatest Asset- Our students” on January 8, 2020, at the National Association of Kinesiology in Higher Education Annual conference in Palm Springs, California.

Assistant Professor of Sociology Kris Macomber was quoted in an Associated Press article about a new collection of scientist Barbie dolls. The story ran in several publications including The Washington Post and USA Today. Macomber also published a book chapter titled “Examining Gender Inequalities” in the textbook series Social Problems: Sociology in Action, published by Sage.

Assistant Professor of Political Science Whitney Ross Manzo presented two papers at the Southern Political Science Association meeting in San Juan, Puerto Rico from January 8-10, 2020. The first, co-authored with Professor of Political Science David McLennan, is titled “Gender and the Generations: You Haven’t Come a Long Way Yet, Baby” and examines five years of Meredith Poll data to see how the different generations view women in political office. The second, “The Civil Rights of Using Teaching Evaluations in Employment Decisions,” looks at employment law and several Supreme Court decisions to evaluate whether and how teaching evaluations can be used in hiring and promotion practices.

Associate Professor of Spanish Jonathan Wade of the Department of World Languages and Cultures presented “A Change of Epic Proportion: Tracing Faria e Sousa’s Place within Iberian Letters” at the international conference Versos Ibéricos: Intercambios poéticos entre España y Portugal (siglos XV-XVIII) held at the Universidad de Sevilla (Spain) from January 22-24.

Departmental News

Meredith Receives Certificate of Appreciation from Combat Female Veterans Organization
Cheryl Jenkins and Patty Blackwell, co-chairs of Meredith’s Honoring Women Veterans, presented President Jo Allen with a certificate of appreciation from Combat Female Veterans Families (CFVF) United, following the delivery of contributions from Meredith students, faculty, and staff. The certificate, presented on behalf of Sandra Robinson, CFVF United’s executive director and founder, notes, “Your generosity is touching the lives in our world by providing Combat Females with the essentials they need to survive in a combat zone.” Robinson was the keynote speaker at Meredith’s 2019 Honoring Women Veterans event.

Student Presents about Meredith’s Falls Prevention Project
Paige Lawrence, ’21, presented at the Five Points Center for Active Adults on January 14, 2020, about Meredith College’s falls prevention project. Lawrence and other Meredith psychology students have worked for two years with the Center for Volunteer Caregiving on a project to help reduce fall risk for senior citizens. Lawrence presented on the Students and Seniors: Stronger Together research, including statistics on falls, the project’s intervention with home assessments, and identified hazards. She also led participants in a 10-minute exercise routine. This project was covered by North Carolina Health News.