缅北禁地

缅北禁地 held commencement ceremonies for the Class of 2025 on Saturday, May 10. The undergraduate ceremony was held at 10 a.m. in the courtyard of Johnson Hall, and the graduate ceremony followed at 2 p.m. in Jones Auditorium.

During the undergraduate ceremony, award-winning filmmaker Brenda Parks Hughes, 鈥�70, delivered the commencement address. The College conferred an honorary doctorate on Hughes during the event.

Hughes offered insights gained through her career, describing how she went from an elementary school teacher to a pioneering sports reporter, and then to filmmaker. A longtime love of storytelling inspired her path and encouraged her as she faced barriers along the way.

鈥淚 wanted to be a visual storyteller, to tell the sports stories behind the scores 鈥� women didn鈥檛 do that then,鈥� Hughes said. 鈥淚f I was going to do this, I had to create my own path.鈥�

Hughes shared tips for how Meredith鈥檚 graduates could chart their own course, including by building their network of supporters, finding ways to get experience in their desired field, and learning new skills.鈥�

鈥淭he biggest lesson that I鈥檇 like to share is that it is never too late to try something new,鈥� Hughes said. 鈥淚 wish you all the best. I hope you dance through life and remember you are Meredith Strong.鈥�

Celebrating the Class of 2025

Traditionally, the senior class president gives remarks on behalf of the graduates. This year, Ava Spradley, president of the Class of 2025, was representing Meredith in the NCAA Division III lacrosse tournament and was unable to participate in the official commencement ceremony.听

Student Government Association President Sophie Phillips, 鈥�25, read the speech Spradley wrote for the occasion. Spradley thanked the faculty for their impact on Meredith students.

鈥淚 believe 缅北禁地 is wonderfully unique. Our classes were small, and we built strong relationships with our professors who genuinely cared about our well-being,鈥� Spradley wrote. 鈥淭hey checked on us when we weren鈥檛 in class, supported us during adversity in our lives, and most importantly, they encouraged us to be kind, build on our strengths, and make a positive impact in this world.鈥�

President Aimee Sapp, who will soon complete her first year as the ninth president of the College, thanked the Class of 2025 for welcoming her into the Meredith community and congratulated them on their success.

鈥淎s you move forward from this day, remember that Meredith will always be a part of you, and my door will always be open. Stay connected, keep us updated, and know that we are so proud of you鈥攁ll of you,鈥� said Sapp. 鈥淐lass of 2025, thank you for making my first year at Meredith unforgettable. Now go out and do what you do best鈥攎ake a difference in the world.鈥�

Master鈥檚 Ceremony Focuses on Impact of Graduate Degree

A graduate commencement and hooding ceremony was held for those completing programs through the Weems Graduate School. Meredith offers graduate programs in biomedical sciences, business, criminal justice, education, nutrition, and psychology, all of which were celebrated during this event.

Five master鈥檚 degree candidates spoke to their fellow graduates during this ceremony. Their remarks focused on insights gained and the impact of their graduate studies. Below is a sampling of their comments:

鈥淭hanks to the Meredith MBA program, I now possess the tools to achieve a fulfilling work-life balance without sacrificing my career growth. I encourage you all to use this degree as a springboard to build upon the support of those who have helped you, and to navigate your future with intention and resolve.鈥� 鈥� Shweta Lolage, Master of Business Administration

鈥淚n this program, I鈥檝e learned how to effectively find and share the stories told by the data I learned how to gather and analyze 鈥� I was given enough challenges to learn to be confident in my abilities and enough support to develop my knowledge and skills through those moments of growth. I learned I was capable of making a positive difference.鈥� 鈥� Leah Howard, M.A. in Industrial-Organizational Psychology听

鈥淚 leave this program with a passion and profound respect for evidence-based practice, in teaching, instructional coaching, and leadership … The most critical skill educators learn is how to help others chase knowledge instead of just passively consuming it. This means embodying an unrelenting drive to pass along skills and knowledge, tools to help students keep learning long after they leave us.鈥� 鈥� Victoria Hoover, Master of Education

鈥淯ltimately, this distinctive program empowers students to develop their professional identity, equipping us with the skills and experiences

needed to make meaningful contributions to the nutrition community 鈥� This program has taught me how to use this knowledge and to 鈥榖e a light鈥� onto others. Which means to serve as a source of positivity, inspiration, and empowerment to inspire others to live healthier lives.鈥� 鈥� Nicholas Walker, M.S. in Nutrition

鈥淭his program didn鈥檛 just teach us more advanced science 鈥� It taught us how to learn. We learned that studying isn鈥檛 just about memorizing notes or

dumping as much information onto our sheets as possible. It鈥檚 about understanding outcomes, connecting ideas, and finding what works for us, as individuals, to absorb, retain, and apply knowledge in a meaningful way.鈥� 鈥� Jennifer Lin, M.A. in Biomedical Sciences

About the Class of 2025

Approximately 389 undergraduate and 128 graduate members of the Class of 2025 were eligible to participate in Meredith鈥檚 commencement exercises. Included are individuals who completed degrees in Summer 2024, December 2024, May 2025, and (pending) Summer 2025.