CAMPUS NEWS January 18,2006 2
Participate in National
Leadership Study /
Enter to Win a Target Gift Card
CHERYL JENKINS/
SUE KEARNEY
Meredith Staff
Meredith College has been
selected to join over 50 oth
er colleges and universities
in a national research proj
ect called The Multi-Institu
tional Study of Leadership.
The goal of the research is
to examine college student
leadership at a national lev
el, using the Social Change
Model (HERI, 1996) as a
theoretical frame. Since
Meredith already incorpo
rates this model in some of
its leadership programming,
we are particularly pleased
to be part of this study.
Most Meredith undergrad
uate students will be notified
by e-mail of the web-based
survey in late January. Any
questions about the survey
can be directed to the Office
of Research, Planning, and
Assessment or the Office of
Student Activities and Lead
ership Development, coordi
nators of the research project
at Meredith. Students are
encouraged to complete the
survey in order to provide
our institution with helpful
data regarding leadership de
velopment as well as to con
tribute to the overall national
study. As incentive to com
plete the survey, participants
will be entered into a draw
ing for four Target gift cards
provided by the College, as
well as for other incentives
offered at the national level.
Budget Committee Meeting
Attention StudentS
The campus wide Bud
get Committee is hosting a
forum on Tuesday, January
24th at 9:30am and 3:30pm
in Carswell Auditorium. The
forum is open to all students,
faculty, and staff. This meet-
ng will be an opportunity
'or you as students to give
nput on the 2006-2007 bud
get. You will have the chance
to view the projected budget
(including tuition rates) and
offer your personal com
ments.
Bill Wade, Dr. Hartford,
and other members of the Se
nior Management Team will
be present at the forum and
it’s important that they hear
the students' voices. There
are two students on the Bud
get Committee (Kelly Beth
Smith and Christine Davis
and we want your feedback
on the proposed budget in
order to represent the stu
dent body during the budget
meetings.
It is so important to have
a strong student presence at
these forums! Please make
plans to attend and let youi
voice be heard. Questions?
Email SGA@meredith.edu
Campus Dialogue on Diversity
‘Disability Awareness: It’s More Than Handcapped
Parking”
Thursday, January 26
6:00 pm in Ledford 101
An interactive session exploring disability culture and the
impact of being disabled in an ‘able-bodied’ world.
Presented and co-sponsored by Disability Support
Organization and the office of Disability Services.
MeredithREADS
Spring 2006 Training!
Join MeredithREADS Literacy Volunteers & Make A
Difference! MeredithREADS training for students will
be Wed, Jan 18 from 5:00-7:00pm in Dogwood A of Belk
Dining Hall. Please register for online at www.meredith.
edu/students/volunteer/meredithreads.htm and join us
Wednesday!!
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Interest Meeting:
Tuesday, February 7th at 7:00pm in the
2nd Cate Lounge Area
[f you are interested in being a part of an off-campus chapter
of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. then this meeting is for
you. This meeting will give general information about the
organization and details about starting an off-campus
chapter which would include students from Meredith and
Peace College.
Contact Melody Butler at butlerme@meredith. edu or
Kimberley Crutcher at crutcher@meredith.edu for more
information.
Campus Leadership Opportunity: Being a Resident Assistant
HEIDI LECOUNT
Director of Residence Life
There are a variety of lead
ership opportunities for stu
dents to serve in at Meredith.
Being a Resident Assistant
is a unique opportunity that
combines learning leader
ship skills while gaining
work experience. Through
the RA position, students
leam valuable leadership
skills such as time manage
ment, conflict mediation,
program planning and team
work. Although these lead
ership skills are learned for
the position, they will last
long after college.
When asked, former RAs
reflected on their days of
working with students while
gaining valuable leadership
skills. Ann Gleason, Dean
of Students, said that being
an RA gave her “practical
skills in community build
ing, conflict management,
problem-solving, and time
management.” A former
Meredith RA, Betty-Shan-
non Prevatt, who now works
at Meredith as a Disability
Counselor, said “the lessons
I learned as an RA were a
great introduction to the
working world after gradua
tion. It was a wonderful way
to begin practicing my lead
ership skills as they would
apply outside the classroom
and in the real world.”
Some of the leadership
skills learned can be used
right out of college. Current
Barefoot Residence Director,
Sharlene Provilus, was an
RA last year at East Carolina
University before coming to
Meredith. She says, “One
thing I’ve learned by being
an RA is how important it is
to be a good listener. Resi
dents are constantly looking
for advice and someone to
give them positive feedback,
but often times they really
just need to know that there
is someone to listen.” Shar
lene also commented that
she knows the communica
tion skills she built as an RA
have really helped her in ev
eryday interactions.
Even though being an RA
is a paid position, there are
other benefits such as the
friends that can be made.
Nikki Curliss, Assistant Di
rector for Student Activities
and Leadership Development
has used her RA skills since
she held the position, how
ever, she fondly remembers
the social part of the position
as well, “Fellow RAs, who
became my friends for life
will always mean the most
to me. I worked in a build
ing with 15 other RAs. We
shared stories of residents,
helped each other through
rough times and laughed all
night.”
Students who are interested
in applying to be an RA for
the 2006 - 2007 academic
year should talk with their
current RA and/or Residence
Director, Applications and
information will be available
in mid-January, but it’s nev
er too soon to start learning
about the position and the
application process. There
are a few requirements to
be aware of before apply
ing. Applicants must have
a minimum GPA of 2.5 at
the time of application and
throughout the position and
should have lived on campus
at least one semester before
applying. Other leadership
experience is preferred but
not required.
If you have any ques
tions about being an RA,
you can contact your resi
dence hall staff or the Of
fice of Residence Life
(reslife@meredith.edu).
Peer Leader Positions Available
Interested in being an RA, SA, PLC, RL, or TSA? To
find out more about
these positions, attend an information session on Mon,
Jan 23 at 1 Gam in
211 Ledford or on Tuesday, 24th at 6pm in Kresge-
Questions, email
scottke@meredith.edu