MEREDITH HERALD
Volume XI, Issue 27
May 02, 1995
Raleigh, North Carolina
Meredith seniors say good-bye to their officers
by AddieTschainleiand Arinn Dbcon
Graduation is just around the cor
ner, and the “real world” lies ahead.
Meredith senior leaders prepare to build
newexpereinces after May 14 using the
four years at Meredith as their founda
tion. The leadens took time ot of their
heaic end-of-the-year schedules to re
flect on their years at Meredith and gaze
into their future lives.
Senior class president Catherine
Davis was involved many positions as a
leader at Meredith, including program
ming board chair, member of the Silver
Shield, and part of Who’s Who Among
American Colleges and Universities.
“Meredith has given me the best
four years of my life. The experience
I’ve gained as a student leader has pre
pared me for whatever the future holds,”
Davis said. “The friendships I have made
(with all those I have interacted with)
are ones I will treasure always.” Davis
said her best experiences were the times
spent with the class of 1995.
“I could never thank my class enough
for all they have given me,” she said.
Davis says she feels like she has been
challenged in ways that have helped her
prepare for the real world by being able
to gain many leadership experiences.
Davis says that graduation is a time of
many mixed emotions. But “I am so
happy to graduate,” said Davis. “It’s just
hard saing goodbye to friends,” she said.
To the freshmen Davis said “Make
the most of every moment, get involved,
and have fun because your time here
will go by faster than you could ever
imagine!”
This year Michelle Smith was an
other one of the most instrumental se
nior leaders. She was senior class vice-
president and a member of both the
Student Business Advisory Board and the
Silver Shield Honorary Leadership Soci
ety.
“Meredith has given me self-respert,
self-confidence, and a desire to be the
best. ” Smith states. ”I have a strong sense
of where I have been to carry me into the
future. ” Smith says that she has a strong
appreciation for single-sex colleges and
that Meredith has given her a special
pride in women.
Something else Smith says Meredith
has given her are wonderful experiences.
One of her best experiences was her trip
abroad during the summer of 1993. She
describes that trip as as a definite grow
ing experience and confidence builder.
This experience and others like it have
prepared Smith for the future. “I have
been out and seen how the real world
works ,” she says. “Meredith is a great
networking opportunity! 1 think my eyes
are open and I’m prepared.”
Smith says her plans for the future
are “a little up in the air right now.” She
plans to go home to attend friends’ wed
dings, and then it’s off to sunny Califor
nia where she will try to find a job. Smith
says how long she stays will depend on
whether or not she can stand to be away
from family and friends here in North
Carolina.
Nicki Bettini, senior historian, de
scribed her leadership experiences at
Meredith College. She said, “Although
limited, my leadership experience at
Meredith has been wonderful. I’ve
learned a lot about myself as a person
and a leader. I have gained much respect
for other students that are in leadership
positions; they require [qualities of]
integrity and determination.” Bettini
said that her classmates have helped
her in many ways to accomplish what
she has at Meredith.
“They are always there with a help
ing hand, words of encouragement and,
most importantly, open hearts, “ she
said.
Betinni thinks that the most impor
tant thing she has learned at Meredith
is the value of integrity. She said that
“regardless of the situation, if you stick
to your principles you will always come
out ahead. ” Bettini mentioned that “thLs
lesson began on day one with the honor
code pledge.”
With her family and friends as her
encouragement, Bettini says that she
can do anything she sets her mind to.
“And if I’ve failed at something, they’ve
helped me to learn from it,” she said.
Bettini peers into her future with
enthusiasm and confidence, as she plans
to enter graduate school in environ
mental science and prepare for a ca
reer in environmental consulting.
“I am excited about the adventun
that the future holds for me and loo
forward to each new one. 1 know thi
I’ve been prepared well at Meredit,
and will always carry my love for thi
college and the love for my classmate
with me wherever I may be. Thank yoi
to all who helped me through the pas;
four years, and especially thank you tc
the graduating class of 1995 - you art
my Meredith family and I love you
dearly,” said Bettini.
Tina Sylvester, senior class secre
tary, reflects back on Meredith as a
positive experience. While at Meredith,
Sylvester held positions as publicity co
chair of Astros, winter leadership con
ference co-chair, and member of the
Silver Shield honorary leadership soci
ety. Sylvester defines all her years at
Meredith as “the best.”
She said, “College is too short to
have bad memories. Besides, I burned
my bad memories at the Senior Bon
fire.”
Sylvester believes that her experi
ences at Meredith have greatly prepared
her for the real world. Learning about
herself through classes and friends, one-
on-one relationships with professors and
gaining from their knowledge has all
been significant in preparing Sylvester
for what she faces in the future.
In the future Sylvester says she plans
to find a job that “I will love every
minute of - both good and bad. ” She has
also thought about graduate school as a
future option.
To the freshmen Sylvester leaves
this advice: “Enjoy every minute of the
fouryears. They are short and precious. ”
see OFFICERS page twelve