Janaury 13,1998
mtffvunii ntffetiu
Campus News
Meredith admits women of all ages
Leslie Maxwell
Police Reporter
EDITOR'S NOTE: In the Dec.
2, 1998 issue of the Meredith Her
ald, the Editor informed the com
munity of this forthcoming article
about the 23+ program at Mered
ith College.
If you have any questions
regarding the program, contact the
Office of Continuing Education at
760-2836 or 760-8631.
Now is a good time for all
Meredith students to learn
about the 23plus program
because a SACS study is
underway which will discuss
age diversity and how it affects
the education programs at
Meredith College.
An applicant to the 23plus
program must submit an appli
cation, reference form, high
school transcript or GED and a
transcript from any college pre
viously attended, as well as
attend an infOTmation session
and an interview.
While the 23plus program
does accept any woman age 23
or over with a high school
diploma or a GED. she is not
actually admined into the Col
lege until she achieves the
same admissions standards
required of all undergraduate
applicants. Usually, these stan
dards are reached in a prelimi
nary semester or year.
According to Sandra Close,
Director of Continuing Educa
tion and 23plus graduate,
“sometimes it takes longer for
a woman to meet the standards,
but that’s the minority."
An applicant must have a
GPA of at least 2.0, English 111
and two years of high school
algebra in order to be fully
admitted into the College.
However, if a woman has 30
or more hours of transfer cred
it with 18 of those as general
education requirements, and
she has a 2.0 GPA, she is not
the program has grown dramat
ically. The number of 23plus
students doubled from 1993 to
1997 and now represent about
30% of Meredith’s population-
-over 550 students. Nearly 120
of them started last week with
the new semester, and 160
entered in the fall of 1998.
Close attributes the growth
of the program to the fact that
“women can succeed here.”
Her sentiments are supported
by the numbers. Thirty-three
While the 23plus program does accept any
woman over 23 with a high school diploma or
a GED, she is not actually admitted into the
College until she achieves the same admis*
sions standards required of all undergraduate
applicants.
required to take preliminary
courses. She still must spend
one semester in the 23plus pro
gram though to make sure she
can complete the College’s
work level.
Each 23plus student has an
adviser within the 23plus pro
gram. She stays with the pro
gram and her adviser until,
according to Close, “she meets
the admissions criteria every
Meredith student must have."
The 23plus program began
in 1972 with two students, and
1976 saw the first four gradu
ates of the program. Since then.
women graduated in Decem
ber—15 with honors—and 110
are expected to graduate in
May.
The average 23plus student
works either full or part-time
and is a part-time student. If
she works, she averages around
nine hours a semester. If not,
she averages 12-15 hours.
However, some students take
only one or two classes
because that is what Uiey can
afford.
The average age of a 23plus
student is 37; however. Close
believes this figure will
decrease in the coming years.
Women may choose to
enter the program to begin or
continue a college education
or to complete a second
major or a different degree
program. Some of Meredith’s
own graduates return to
receive second degrees; in
fact, five Meredith graduates
returned this semester.
Many of the 23plus stu
dents are also members of
Women in New Goal Set
tings—a group that off ers sup
port and friendship for 23plus
students. Led by Lisa Nizam.
WINGS is an active part of
life at Meredith.
Although the 23plus pro
gram has been successful
thus far. Close feeJs that
improvements and changes
need to be made, in-cluding
offering more night classes.
However, Close is grateful to
the faculty and admini^stration
for all of their cooperation
with the program.
“As director of tihe pro
gram. it helps me to be an
alumna because I can support
the students with their fears.”
Close said.
On the topic of the Col
lege’s presidential search.
Close said, “I hope it’s a
woman. It’s time."
Residents welcome new directors in dormitories
Christina Holder
Staff Reporter
New Residence Directors
moved onto campus within the
past couple of months. Both
the first-year and junior/senior
dorms welcomed their newest
hallmates to campus.
Natalie Rich, a former pro
ducer. director, marketing and
public relations director and
reporter is the new RD for
Stringfield. Rich attended col
lege in Bowling Green . Ken. at
Western Kentucky University
and graduated with a degree in
Writing and Theater. Her love
of writing and interacting with
people landed her various jobs
in the past as the Marketing
and Public Relations Director
for a hospital in Tennessee, a
reporter for the Citizen States
man. a local Tennessee tiews-
paper, and the writer, producer
and director for the “crazy and
high-energy” TV station
WBK013 in Kentucky.
Rich crossed the stale border
to arrive at Meredith largely
because of the influence of her
daughter. Vadra, and her friend
Paula Daniels (Director of Res
idence Life at Peace College.)
“Paula had encouraged
Vadra to come to Peace [Col
lege] because she went there.”
Rich explained. Later, Daniels
informed Rich about a new
position opening up at Mered
ith - the Residence Director of
Stringfield. Daniels thought
Natalie could be closer to her
daughter, work on her writing
career, and help others with
their college experiences all at
the same time.
Rich hopes to pursue a new
avenue in her career, specifi
cally with writing. “Plays, lit
erature—any form of creative
expression has been so impor
tant in my life,” explained
Rich. Rich’s hope is that she
can write something “that
touches your heart and soul.”
As for being the RD of
Stringfield, the writing of her
“heart and soul” is written all
over her face each time she
smiles or takes the time to lis
ten to the mass of first-years
that fill her apartment with
accounts of their day or current
traumas. Quoting the words of
Tennessee Williams, she noted
“we are all alone in our skin.”
but added, “I think we are alt
connected.”
“I really have not met any
one that I do not feel love and
respect for," said Rich, “and I
am proud of all the young
women here.”
Not far away, the RD for
Heilman and Barefoot, Kelly
Conkling, ‘98, is unpacking
her boxes and survey ing her
empty living room.
“My living room furniture
is supposed to be ht re next
week. Until then, the futon
will do." Conkling says with
almost a laugh. Last May,
the former SGA president
graduated from Meredith
with a degree in Child Devel
opment. This past semester
she completed her K-6 certi
fication.
“I always thought I would
be a teacher,” says Conkling,
“but I have a lot of interests
and I would like to go back
and get my Masters.’’
Conkling recognizes that
her position as RD is a “dif
ferent form of leadership,”
one in which she is looking
See DIRECTORS page 3
Campus
Briefs
Multi-iiu'dia i-\hibit
brains
OfNCK'i-MAPKKHV:,
AMX.tXMML'NH ATK^S-
Rcgtfld Rowland tnd .Sc.ott
Tbwn.scnd wilt present “7-Bit Dta
logue” in the I'rankie G. Wwins
Oalleiy with thi* oiteniiig
Sunday. Jan. 17. Then! uill be an
inttractive performance by the
dance qujctei TIIEM lUKler tlx:
ciifection of Da\id Beadle al 2:30
p.m. The enhibii will continue
until Feb 13. For more infomia
iiof), contiici Regma Rowland Jt
Aliimnsu* flousc
nl‘cd.^ >»iir h(’lp
Ortta- Oh At.tlM.MAl.
RtLAllC'NS
Lookme to earn extra money
during (hi* s^nng !wme$t4ir? 7 he
Office of Aiunmae RelatiORj
nMds 15 ^tiidents m wofic the
Ahiinnac Phwuahon for donations
to the 0>tlcgs'!i Annual Fun,l.
You would be woricing >n the
Alumnae hoiE.se three nights per
F^>. U2i. Mai.
22-24 and Apr 5-7 ((8 nights
You would esni $6.25 per
iiQur asid gain valuable expenence
in telcmartceting and fund raising
Stop by (its Alutraiic Huu^‘ by
Ian. 22 to fill out an applicatton
Ftir more iiif.^ittlpn, call Becky
Cdb\e at 700^54^.
Submit to (h(||
today ^
•Q? Katjp C«:fffiAN ;ti1
• ' o n?a tom
MerediUi’s itieiary and «t mdg-
oane, the Acf>m. U a little-knnwii
annual publication. The Acom
.staiT cnuniTsgeK all studenLs fo
Subntil Uteir crejUve woilcit to the
publication.
Submis^on boies will be IcKat
tjd 5n Joyner, Ledfonl, Park Center,
the iibntfy and Dclk Dining Hull
Jan. 22-2,%. Artwork will be
accepted in Gaddy-Hamrick Jnn.
27-28.
If you arc interestcil m becom
ing a Muff member, corne to i
fccruitiiig mectine Jan. 14 at 7
p.m. in Joyner's Honitn: I.Oiini’c
on the first floot Contact Kitte
Cochran (x2807) or KcAnnc 1i>tn-
linstti (x20.*t3) wiih any quejtion.-i
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