缅北禁地

缅北禁地 mourns the loss of John Weems, who served as the College鈥檚 sixth president. One of Meredith鈥檚 longest-tenured presidents, Weems served as the College鈥檚 leader from 1972-99. at age 93 on November 26, 2025, in Venice, Fla.

During Weems鈥� presidency, Meredith nearly doubled its enrollment and grew the endowment from less than $1 million to nearly $50 million.

Weems鈥� time as president included a greater emphasis on the quality of instruction and facilities at the College. The percentage of faculty doctorates rose from 40 percent to 82 percent. He oversaw the increase in size of the physical plant and the construction of 12 new facilities on campus. Meredith began offering graduate programs while he was president, and in 1989, the Board of Trustees named the John E. Weems Graduate School in his honor.

Other accomplishments during his presidency included increasing the amount of financial assistance awarded, the launch of summer study abroad programs, and the creation of the Lillian Parker Wallace Lecture Series.聽

Vice President for College Programs Jean Jackson, 鈥�75, remembers meeting Weems when he was named Meredith鈥檚 president and the role he played in her professional life.

鈥淒r. Weems became president of 缅北禁地 early in the spring of 1972 鈥� my freshman year. I was freshman class president and was invited with the other class presidents and the SGA president to meet him when he was introduced to the campus,鈥� Jackson said. 鈥淚 could not have imagined that day that about 22 years later, he would offer me the position of Vice President for Student Development. I accepted and became a member of his cabinet in the summer of 1994.鈥�

Weems served as president during a time of change for 缅北禁地, including when the College formally changed its relationship with the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina in 1997. Among other changes, this update meant that 缅北禁地 could appoint its own trustees rather than having board members appointed by the Baptist State Convention.

Jackson said as a lifelong Baptist, Dr. Weems was uniquely positioned to lead that move, which supported 鈥渢he very purpose of 缅北禁地 to educate women to be active citizens, to find and use their voices, and to develop as full human beings 鈥� intellectually, socially, physically, and spiritually.鈥澛�

Before becoming Meredith鈥檚 president, Weems was vice president for finance and administration at Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro. He also served in leadership roles at Kentucky Wesleyan College and Atlantic Christian College (now Barton College).

To make a gift in Weems鈥� memory, visit . Checks can be mailed to 缅北禁地, Attn: Institutional Advancement, 3800 缅北禁地 Street, Raleigh, NC 27607.