Meredith Mentors Student Profile: Olivia Slack, ’22

Olivia Slack, ’22, is from Holly Springs, N.C. She is a double major in environmental sustainability and political science on a pre-law track and minoring in English. On campus, she is the co-editor in chief of The Meredith Herald, co-editor of The Colton Review, president of Meredith College Democrats, and a student assistant in the Office of International Programs.

Learn more about her Meredith experience and how she has benefited from joining Meredith Mentors

Meredith Mentors: Why did you join Meredith Mentors? What are you looking to gain/what have you gained by using the platform?

I joined Meredith Mentors because it seemed like a great opportunity that’s different from other similar platforms like LinkedIn. Meredith Mentors is more focused and seems more like a community, since we’re all united by our education. I’ve already gained a lot of insight into the kinds of careers that are possible for Meredith graduates. I would love to become more connected with alumnae in my field and learn more about their experiences in law school or in political science work.

MM: How have your extra-curricular experiences with Meredith clubs and organizations shaped you?

I’ve been involved with both The Meredith Herald and The Colton Review since the first semester of my freshman year and working on campus publications has been a highlight of my time at Meredith. I’ve been able to work my way up from a staff member to co-editor of both the newspaper and the literary journal with support from the former editors and the publications’ advisors. I feel so much more engaged and plugged-in to campus life as a leader of both publications, and I enjoy getting to know new students who join them.

MM: How do you think your Meredith experience prepared you for life beyond the back gate?

My Meredith experience is preparing me for life after college by offering me tons of experiential learning opportunities. I’m a pre-law student, and last semester I took Moot Court with Dr. Manzo. The tournament was at the end of November and we were hard at work practicing our constitutional law arguments in front of “Supreme Court judges” all semester long. That’s the kind of hands-on learning that will put me ahead once I’m at law school.

MM: If you could go back in time, what is one thing you would now tell your freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior self?

If I could go back in time, I would tell my freshman self that it’s okay that I don’t know exactly what I want to major in. I switched around my combination of majors and minors several times, but in the end, I went with my gut and combined my love of natural and social sciences in a way that works well for me.

MM: What has been the best piece of advice you’ve gained from the platform?

I’ve learned that anything is possible for Meredith graduates and that there is nothing holding us back from doing whatever we want following our graduation. It’s clear when exploring the Meredith Mentors community that we have alumnae all over the country doing all kinds of work and that they’re ready to help current students find their place in the world, too. One piece of advice I would share is that you shouldn’t be afraid to reach out to both current students and alumnae to ask about their experiences – they’re almost always willing to talk with you.

Has your student signed up for Meredith Mentors? If not, she is missing out on the opportunity to connect with alumnae, alumni, faculty, and staff, all of whom are available to support the personal and professional development of our current students. Our alumnae network is STRONG, and Meredith Mentors will allow your student to harness the strength of this network.

Current students can sign up and begin connecting with members of the community by visiting: mentors.meredith.edu.