Faculty/Staff Accomplishments and Departmental News 4/27/16

In this issue we celebrate the accomplishments of faculty and staff in the departments of art, campus police, English, interior design, music, and residence life. We also share news from the psychology department.

What exactly is a cult film? And why are they so popular? Associate Professor of English  Alisa Johnson answers these questions and more in the newest episode of The Meredith Minute.

Interior Design faculty, Drs. Martha Burpitt and Ellen Goode, and nine students participated in the New York Interior Design Study Tour April 6-9. Participants visited two of the top 100 Design firms, Gensler and Ted Moudis Associates.  Other appointments included a special tour of Carnegie Creative Studio (a contract fabric company), Homepolish (an innovative web-based residential design firm), and Barney’s new Flagship store where the lead designer shared the design process for creation of the space. In addition, the group toured decorative arts exhibits and historic rooms in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Even though it was April, snow was observed while on the trip!

A photograph by Associate Professor of Art Shannon Johnstone is included an exhibition called “Animalia” at PhotoPlace Gallery in Vermont. The exhibition was juried by internationally renowned photographer Traer Scott. On April 9, Johnstone won a Bronze metal the National Championship 100K Road Championship at the MadCity 100K. Johnstone shares that she “closed with just over 5 minutes on second place woman, finishing in 9:18 (under a 9 minute mile). The race was in Madison, WI, and it was freezing—22 degrees at the start, and only warmed up to 37 degrees, which explains the hideous outfit (shown here).”

Director of Residence Life Heidi LeCount represented Meredith College at the Barton College Presidential Inauguration on April 15.  Dr. Douglas N. Searcy is the twelfth president of Barton and was welcomed to the position by the Board of Trustees Chair, faculty, staff, students, alumni, the mayor of Wilson and by former Governor of North Carolina James B. Hunt, Jr.  Barton College is a fellow North Carolina Independent College and University member campus.

Instructor of English Leslie Maxwell had a flash fiction piece in the spring 2016 issue of Cheat River Review.

Assistant Campus Police Chief Mark Utley attended a 16 hour block of training on Jeanne Clery Act Compliance at the University of South Carolina, Columbia, S.C., on April 5-6, 2016.

Director of Instrumental Activities Jim Waddelow conducted the Western North Carolina Jr. High All-State Honor Orchestra in Boone, N.C., on April 22-23.

Drs. Young Yang, Nina Bostic, and Deborah Tippett attended the North Carolina Association of Family and Consumer Sciences Annual Meeting in New Bern, NC April 9th and 10th with five students. Three students, DeNancy Brown, Avonee Simmons, and Amber Winslow presented their undergraduate research in a peer reviewed session. Courtney Parker was recognized as the Student of the Year by the association.

Departmental News

Department of Psychology Co-sponsors PAGE Super Saturday
PAGE (Partners for the Advancement of Gifted Education) Super Saturday was held on April 9. Super Saturday is a daylong event co-sponsored by Wake County PAGE and Meredith Psychology. Participants attend classes in arts, engineering, robots, sciences, mathematics, and more. Coordinated by Lyn Aubrecht and senior Lorra Beth Coltrain, the event drew more than 200 elementary children and 27 Meredith student volunteers. The PAGE Saturday Program started on the Meredith campus in the mid-1970s, and returned to our campus two years ago after a long hiatus at other locations.

Listen to Your Mother Show to Be Held at Meredith
The fourth annual Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill Listen to Your Mother show will be held at Meredith College. Enjoy a night of real stories about motherhood from a cast of local women. Thirteen local writers, selected after auditions, will read a selection of their own stories about motherhood in the fourth annual Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill Listen to Your Mother show. This year’s show features writers from around the Triangle and beyond, giving it a statewide feel. The Triangle cast will deliver 5 minute stories live on stage Wednesday, May 4 beginning at 7:30 p.m. in Jones Auditorium. Tickets are $20 and are available at http://ltymrdu2016.bpt.me/ A portion of all ticket proceeds goes to benefit Women’s Center of Wake County and donations of the basic needs items they provide will be accepted.